Frappe Vs. Frappaccuino: What’s the difference?

Are you scouting around to enjoy a different kind of coffee this time? Maybe a flavorful Starbucks Frappuccino or a deliciously made Frappe. Yep, you read that right. These are two different kinds of coffee. But, are often confused with one another. So, the coffee you are currently in love with might be a frappe you are buying under the label of a frappuccino

Well, ease off, you first need to know why you should be ordering either of them? And what makes them different?

They may seem similar, but there is a large set of differences between frappe and frappuccino. However, these differences are quite obvious if you get a chance to try them out yourself. I am sure you would be flabbergasted to know what an actual frappe/frappuccino tastes like. But there is a lot more you should know before you give them a shot. Stay right here, so that you can relate to understated facts.

The History Behind the Starbucks Frappe and Frappucino?

The fact that you can only enjoy frappuccino trademarked by Starbucks makes it an entirely different asset of the brand. However, Starbucks doesn’t hold the credit of origin. Frappuccino was initially created by Coffee Connection. And in 1995, Starbucks owned the right to sell Frappuccino under its name only. Since then, different recipes are practiced to make it a perfect drink for all frappuccino lovers.
Frappe on the other hand is not trademarked and can be marketed through any source. It’s important to note that it was an idea to sell a similar beverage as frappuccino under the name of frappe. Nonetheless, the initiative proved to be a good value for money to many beverage businesses. So it makes sense why only frappe can be made and sold at any marketplace and not frappuccino.

The Addition of the Frappé Was McDonald’s Direct Answer to the Starbucks Frappuccino

Having said that, you can find amazing frappe flavors at Starbucks as well. The difference in recipes made the two drinks similar but, not the same. However, the innovation in recipes made both the drinks entirely different from one another.

Frappuccino is a Starbucks patent drink, whereas frappe can be marked as a local product

What Makes Frappuccino Different From Frappe?

The table below will give you a quick understanding of how the two drinks can be differentiated.

Frappe	Starbucks Frappuccino
It’s a local product.	Branded product owned by Starbucks.
It has a foamy texture	It has the texture of melting ice cream.
Contain coffee necessarily	May or may not contain coffee
Contain high-calorie content	It’s a low-calorie drink
Made from instant coffee.	Made from brewed coffee.
The drink is very common worldwide but we have got more frappe lovers in Europe.	You can only find this drink in the US (Starbucks) and is less common in Europe.
It’s a budget-friendly drink.	It is quite expensive.

To come up with more practical results, these differences were made after comparing McDonald’s frappe and Starbucks’s frappuccino. Now that you know the basic differences, let’s dig into some detailed discussion.

The difference in preparation methods

How to Make Frappe?

Place the mixture of instant coffee, sugar, and water in a blender. Blend it for 5 to 6 seconds until you got a foamy texture. Pour the concoction into a glass containing ice cubes. Fill the glass with water and boom the drink is ready to satisfy your cravings for a frappe. You can also choose to add some milk to make your drink a bit sweeter.

How to Make Frappuccino?

Refrigerate the coffee concentrate for some hours. Now, add the concentrate, vanilla (required flavor), any sweetener, and milk in a blender. Fill up the blender with ice cubes. Blend it till the ice cubes are crushed, resulting in a smoothie.

Caffeine in Frappe

Without an exception, frappe contains instant coffee to provide minimal coffee taste in the drink. Frappe sold in northeastern areas which don’t contain coffee aren’t true frappes at all. They are more like a milkshake. However, frappuccino doesn’t contain caffeine necessarily. Mostly, the creamy version of frappuccino at Starbucks doesn’t involve caffeine. And all others variations of frappuccino are made using brewed coffee.

Frappe Contains Higher Calorie Content Than a Frappuccino

As per a 16oz, (500 ml) cup of McCafé Mocha frappe consists of 560 calories and 24 grams of fats. Whereas, Starbucks Mocha Frappuccino contains 70 calories and 15 grams of fats in 160z cup. Also, with relatively low sugar level than frappe. This is the reason frappuccino is considered a diet drink for coffee lovers. 

Frappuccino Is More Common in the Us Than in Europe

Due to fewer outlets of Starbucks in Europe, frappe has become a more common drink than frappuccino. The US is a nerve center of Starbucks. Thus, a reason to become a state of frappuccino lovers.

Frappuccino Is More Expensive Than a Frappe

Well, the reason is obvious being the trademarked by multinational coffee store, frappuccino is a bit more expensive. Interestingly, frappe being a local drink still proves to be a profitable asset for many beverage businesses.

What is better Frappe or Frappuccino?

Now comes, which one should be your order the next time you visit a coffee shop. There is no such answer as frappe is better than frappuccino or vice versa. It’s totally up to your taste and budget unless you are on your diet. So yes, a frappuccino might help you save some extra calories.

If you are watching your diet, it is recommended that you ask your barista about the calorie levels before purchasing your iced drink. 

Takeaway

I would like to conclude this debate with the fact that frappe and frappuccino can be characterized as two different drinks. Be it based on calorie content, taste, or the place of origin, the two drinks have their separate name and fan base.