Caramel Frappuccino has been on the Starbucks menu since 1999, and it comes as no surprise that the drink remains a favorite today. It offers the caffeine hit you need, the sugary sweetness you might not get in a plain iced latte, and the fun of slurping up caramel-drizzled whipped cream.
As it turns out, though, indulging in a Caramel Frappuccino a few times a week can put a ding in your budget. So whether it’s your go-to drink or a special treat you have once in a while, our copycat recipe makes it a cinch to prepare at home (oh, and here are our tips for how to make whipped cream to top everything off!).
Without further ado, bake your favorite Starbucks copycat pastries, and get your Starbucks cold cups ready for a homemade Caramel Frappuccino.
Caramel Frappuccino Ingredients
- Ground dark coffee: When you think of iced drinks from Starbucks, you probably think of espresso rather than brewed coffee. The Frappuccinos, however, use brewed coffee for a more mellow flavor that works well with the milk and sugar.
- Caramel ice cream topping: It wouldn’t be a Caramel Frappuccino if it didn’t have a caramel drizzle! Apart from the coffee, this is the key ingredient in this recipe.
- Milk: We use fat-free milk in our recipe, but you can experiment with your go-to dairy or nondairy milk. The addition of milk—no matter the type—results in a creamy, smooth consistency when blended with the ice.
- Whipped cream: This ingredient may be optional, but it’s one we can’t get enough of! Dollop your drink with the perfect dome of whipped cream, then drizzle the top with additional caramel ice cream topping for the ultimate cherry-on-the-cake touch.
Directions
Step 1: Brew and chill the coffee
Place coffee grounds in the coffee filter of your drip coffee maker. Add water, and brew according to coffee maker instructions. Let the brewed coffee cool to room temperature. Once cooled, refrigerate the coffee until cold.
Step 2: Blend ingredients
In a blender, combine the chilled coffee, sugar, caramel topping and ice cubes. Process until smooth. Add milk, and pulse to combine. Pour the frozen mixture into glasses or to-go cups of your choosing.
Step 3: Top it off
If desired, top your Frappuccino with whipped cream, and drizzle more caramel topping over the whipped cream.
Caramel Frappuccino Variations
- Oat milk-caramel frappuccino: Swap out the regular milk for oat milk in this frappe, and enjoy a new type of creamy consistency.
- Chocolate-caramel frappuccino: If you can’t get enough sweets in your drinks, add more sweetness! Drizzle chocolate syrup around the inside of your glass before pouring the Caramel Frappuccino in, then top your whipped cream with caramel plus a chocolate drizzle.
- Sweet-and-salty frappuccino: Give your Frappuccino a salted-caramel upgrade. Blend a pump or two of toffee nut syrup into the beverage, then top off the caramel-drizzled whipped cream with a sprinkle of flaky sea salt.
Can You Freeze a Caramel Frappuccino?
This recipe makes four servings, so if you don’t think you’re going to serve four frappes, we recommend cutting the recipe in half rather than making too much and needing to freeze it. You can freeze extras if you have leftovers, but the consistency won’t be the same as a freshly blended Frappuccino. If you’ve ever put a milkshake in the freezer and later had to wait for it to thaw, you’ll know what we mean!
Starbucks Copycat Caramel Frappuccino Tips
Can I use espresso instead of coffee?
This drink calls for one cup of brewed coffee, so you’d have to use quite a few shots of espresso to make up for the requisite amount of liquid. Since there’s more caffeine in a shot of espresso than a shot of brewed coffee, you’d end up getting a lot of caffeine with espresso, and the flavor would likely end up bitter—so we recommend sticking with brewed coffee. If you only have an espresso maker and no drip machine, try making an Americano—two parts hot water to one part espresso—and using that in the recipe.
How can I reduce the sugar in this recipe?
Frappuccinos are not known for their low-sugar content, but you can handcraft any copycat Starbucks recipes you make at home. For this recipe, you could start by reducing the amount of granulated sugar by a tablespoon or two (or just omitting the added sugar completely). If you’re OK with natural sweeteners and just trying to reduce your refined sugar consumption, you could swap out the sugar for a tablespoon or two of maple syrup or honey (both of which are fantastic sugar alternatives). Finally, you could omit the whipped cream and caramel drizzle to help reduce the amount of sugar used in this recipe.
