What is a Frappuccino? Explained.

With an increase in the number of choices in the coffee shop, you may wonder what to order. On a hot day, a Frappuccino is a good choice. So the question is, what is a Frappuccino?
The Frappuccino is an icy, blended beverage that turns any day from dreary to delightful in an instant. It’s very similar to an ice-cold, creamy milkshake but with a jolt of caffeine. It’s the perfect pick-me-up for any time of the day. Frappuccinos are thick, sweet, topped with whipped cream and syrup. They’re one of the most popular menu items at Starbucks. Let’s find out all about what is a Frappuccino, from the ingredients and nutritional value down to why it’s spelled with two P’s and how can you make it home.

The Story behind the decedent, refreshing Frappuccino:

If we go back two decades, to 1994, Starbucks was launched and was serving a number of types of coffee beverages in Boston. They launched a new blended beverage in 1995, Frappuccino that was a cold, slushy drink made using a soft-serve machine. It soon became their signature drink. Since that time, every store has had its own way of making these concoctions.
The name comes from the Boston area where the first Starbucks was opened. It was named after the historic Frappuccino restaurant in Boston. It soon made it to the shelves all over the United States and Canada. The coffee beans they used were Italian Roasted coffee. There wasn’t even whipped cream. The Frappuccino is currently one of the most popular beverages sold by Starbucks.

Evolution of Frappuccino:

Have you ever wondered how Frappuccino evolved to be what they are today? Well, wonder no more!
Well, it started with a milkshake, but the milkshake was liquid and the weather was hot so it was modified and now we have Frappuccino’s, they are cold, creamy, and delicious. The very first Frappuccino was created in 1994 by a Starbucks employee named Omar. He wanted to create a drink that would be delicious but also make his hands cold so he could show off his hand-warming skills. From there, customers started asking for different flavors of the Frappuccino. Pretty soon, stores had hundreds of different versions of their now-famous Frappuccino!
We all know that the Frappuccino is Starbucks’ signature blended beverage. It’s a hot or iced coffee drink with ice cream and flavorings. In fact, one of its original names was “Creamsicle Blended Coffee”, which pretty much tells you everything you need to know.
Over time, there have been new additions to the drink. First, in 2005, there was a caramel version. In 2007, they added mocha. In 2009, both raspberry and vanilla were added to the list of flavors. Then 2011 brought coconut and caramel versions as well as Espresso versions—and those were all still hot drinks! In 2012 they added frozen fruit versions. In 2014 they made iced versions with soy milk and more additions like pumpkin spice flavor and caramel macchiato flavor. And what did Starbucks do this year? They added cold foam!

Types of Frappuccino:

There are many types of Frappuccino, many sizes by which to order them, many ways to customize them, and many flavors to select from. Some flavors may only last for just a few days, depending on the season and some will always be available as a year-round selection at any Starbucks in the country, any day of the year.

Starbucks gives baristas the freedom to customize Frappuccino in any way they see fit and still call it by the same name. If you’re sitting in one of their stores and don’t see your favorite combination offered, just know that all you have to do is ask!

So what are my options?

There are so many different types of Frappuccino depending on the flavor, so let’s get started!

There’s a classic: the Caramel Frappuccino. This is a simple drink, where you just order a Caramel Frappuccino and drink it. Or if you like caramel, but you know that sometimes you need a little more than the standard version of caramel can give, try a Salted Caramel Mocha Frappuccino. It’s basically everything good in the world in one delicious beverage. Some other flavors are Vanilla bean Frappuccino, Double chocolate chip Frappuccino, Mocha Frappuccino, Strawberries, and cream Frappuccino, Green tea crème Frappuccino, Java chip Frappuccino.

A personal favorite is the Matcha Green Tea Crème Frappuccino. It’s got a green tea flavor with milk and ice then blended into a sweet drink topped with sweetened whipped cream and matcha tea powder.

If you like to be on the cutting edge, go for the S’mores Frappuccino. It’s not as well-known as some of our other drinks, but it still has all of the same great taste and none of the calories.

If you want to try something new, there are plenty of seasonal options available too! The Pumpkin Spice Latte is only available from September to December, so make sure to get yours.

Difference between Frappuccino and Milkshake:

A beverage sold at Starbucks, many people confuse the Frappuccino for a milkshake. It’s popular at Starbucks—and millions of other cafes around the world—because it’s easy to make and tastes amazing.
The difference between the two is that Frappuccino is served shaken (as opposed to stirred), meaning the ice cubes are crushed instead of frozen into a solid block, which creates a smoother texture while a milkshake is typically made with milk, ice cream, and syrup or other flavorings. Both can be sweetened, but the coffee in a Frappuccino gives it a more intense flavor.

What do they put in this amazing drink?

A lot of things! It’s delicious, for one—that’s kind of the whole point. But it’s also made of some pretty interesting ingredients, so we wanted to give you a rundown.

Espresso: If you’re going to pour in some caffeine, make sure you’re getting your money’s worth! Evenly distribute the espresso throughout each cup for maximum flavor and aroma impact.

Sugar: Just a little bit sweetens up the entire thing.

Milk: Over 80 percent of the drink is made up of milk, and this is where it really counts. Whole milk gives this drink their trademark velvety texture while nonfat milk helps keep fat content low. Adding just a touch of 2 percent reduced-fat milk can boost the protein content without affecting texture.

Blended Ice: allows you to control how diluted your drink becomes over time—and that’s key for maintaining that perfect frappe texture

The result is something that’s like an iced latte and a coffee shake combined — rich enough for dessert and yet full of caffeine.

Nutritional Value:

There are a lot of factors that go into determining the nutritional value of a beverage. Some of these variables include the size of the drink, type of syrup used in the drink, whipped cream, and more. In order to determine the nutritional value of a Frappuccino, you need to know what size you ordered and what type of syrup you used.

A Caramel Frappuccino has:

• Calories: 590
• Calories from Fat: 200
• Total Fat: 22g
• Proteins: 6g
• Carbohydrates: 76g
• Sodium: 240mg

Frequently Asked Questions