Even if you love having your coffee black (like I do), every once in a while you may want a sweet and creamy caffeinated drink.
The Caramel Frappuccino is one of my guilty pleasures that I love making at home from time to time.
Of course, I first had this drink at Starbucks as per my dad’s recommendation and I liked it quite a lot (but not as much as he does, as it’s his favorite).
A while after I came up with my own copycat Caramel Frappuccino recipe that my father loves. I don’t think that he’s ever seemed more proud to call me his daughter than after taking a sip from my homemade version.
In terms of calories, a glass of this Caramel Frappuccino contains 275 kcal, without the whipped cream on top.
If you add this cream topping and finish off your drink with caramel drizzle, the calorie count will go up to around 320 kcal (50 less than what’s in a grande Caramel Frappuccino at Starbucks).
Now, let’s continue.
Ingredients for the Caramel Frappuccino recipe
To make a Caramel Frappuccino at home you need the following ingredients:
- Ice Cubes.
For a proper Frappuccino texture you have to fill your serving glass with ice cubes to the top. - Caramel Syrup or Sauce – 2 tablespoons.
My favorite caramel sauce is Monin’s gourmet one.
It’s also perfect for toppings, as it’s more viscous and doesn’t run down the sides of your glass, making a mess on the table.
I was out of the gourmet sauce when making this particular Caramel Frappuccino that you see on the photos, so I used this Monin syrup instead. It’s more affordable and it’s also perfect for homemade frappuccinos. - Half-and-half: 3 fl. oz. (90 ml).
You may want to substitute it with whole or even nonfat milk to get more of a skinny Caramel Frappuccino with a lower calorie count.
Nevertheless, this would alter the viscosity, making the beverage more watery.
On the other hand, if you don’t care about calories and you want your drink to be even creamier, use 3 fl oz (90 ml) of heavy cream instead.Virtually all Starbucks Frappuccinos contain xanthan gum or a similar thickening agent, which makes the drinks thicker and more viscous. If you are to use a thinner milk (say, non-fat or almond), I recommend adding quarter of a teaspoon of xanthan gum. - Sweetened condensed milk: 1 tablespoon (around 10-15 g). I add it for a bit of extra sweetness.
- Instant coffee: 2 teaspoons.
Instead of instant coffee, you may want to add a double espresso shot, or 2 fl. oz. (60 milliliters) of Moka pot brewed coffee or cold brew concentrate. Have in mind, though, that this may make your drink a bit more watery.
At Starbucks, they use something called Frap Roast for their frappuccinos (except the Espresso Frappuccino). It’s actually instant coffee powder dissolved in room temperature water. They use a certain number of pumps for each blended drink. So in terms of taste, your homemade drink will resemble the original better if you use instant coffee. - Whipped Cream/ caramel drizzle (optional toppings). The drink is quite delicious on its own, but if you want you can add the aforementioned toppings.
Equipment
To make a Caramel Frappuccino you need a blender.
For smoothies and such blended beverages, I use a NutriBullet.
Check out the NutriBullet on Amazon by clicking here.
How to Make a Caramel Frappuccino: Step-By-Step Instructions
To make a Caramel Frappuccino, you should:
- Pour all of the ingredients (except toppings) into the blender.
- Blend until you get the smooth Frappuccino texture you’re aiming for.
- Pour Frappuccino in a glass and enjoy.
When I have this homemade drink, I just top it off with a bit of caramel sauce or syrup, nothing else, as seen in the following photo:
Of course, you may want to do what a Starbucks barista would, and top up your DIY Caramel Frap with whipped cream and caramel drizzle:
One time I didn’t have any whipped cream spray, and I didn’t have the time to whip, so my father told me to just pour heavy cream on top of the Frappuccino that I’ve just prepared for him. I did, and I also had it decorated with a bit of caramel sauce. Ever since this is the way he wants me to prepare his copycat Caramel Frappuccino:
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Caramel Frappuccino {Copycat Starbucks}
Find out how to make a Caramel Frappuccino at home. The Frappuccino is an iced and blended coffee beverage that you can get at Starbucks. This one is caramel-flavored. By following my Copycat Starbucks recipe, you will get to have a sweet and flavorful refreshing frap at home.
Ingredients
- Ice Cubes - 1 cup
- Instant Coffee - 2 teaspoons*
- Half-and-half - 3 fl. oz. (90 milliliters)*
- Caramel Syrup or Sauce - 2 tablespoons, can also be used as a topping
- Sweetened Condensed Milk - 1 tablespoon (optional, for extra sweetness)
- Xanthan Gum - 1/4 teaspoon (Optional, as a thickening agent. I recommend it in case you use whole, nonfat or plant-based milk instead of half-and-half)
- Whipped Cream (Optional, as a topping)
Instructions
- Pour all of the ingredients into a blender.
- Blend until smooth.
- Pour the blended beverage into a glass.
- Add toppings.
Notes
*Instead of instant coffee, you can use 2 fl. oz. (60 milliliters) of cold brew concentrate, espresso, or Moka pot coffee.
*I use half-and-half as I like my drink creamier. Nevertheless, you can use whole, nonfat, or plant-based milk. With that being said, if you do so, you can add quarter of a teaspoon of xanthan gum to the mixture before blending to make the beverage thicker.
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Over to you
I hope you like my take on this recipe.
Let me know whether you’ve tried it out at home.
And most importantly – did you like how your homemade Caramel Frappuccino turned out?
Drop me a comment below and let me know.