What is a Frappuccino? This question is relevant to adventurous coffee lovers and those who don’t enjoy coffee.
Knowing what is a Frappuccino means that you know what to expect if you decide to order one when next you sit down at a coffee shop or restaurant.
Also, you can test your tastebuds by prepping a Frappuccino and comparing the flavor to a frappe. Once you know the difference between these beverages, you can also make them at home using any blend you please.
History of Frappuccino
Most people don’t know where the Frappuccino has its origins.
Others tend to think that Starbucks is the original inventor of this tasty beverage.
The truth is that the Frappuccino is the invention of a man by the name of Andrew Frank.
Frank worked for the Coffee Connection as an employee when he came up with the idea to make the Frappuccino.
George Howell owned The Coffee Connection, which was a coffee chain in Eastern Massachusetts.
After learning about how famous the Frappuccino was, Starbucks bought this coffee chain store in 1994.
They also purchased the rights to make this drink. Starbucks took the original recipe and made some cool changes before selling it to the public in 1995.
Since 2012, Starbucks makes more than $2 billion in yearly sales from this beverage.
Where does the name, Frappuccino come from? New Englanders make a drink known as the “lait frappé,” which is a milkshake.
The “lait frappé” became a shorter version, “frappé,” which you pronounce as “frap.”
From there, the Frappuccino evolved, which was trademarked in Boston, Massachusetts.
Since buying The Coffee Connection and one of its all-time favorite recipes, Starbucks has continued to expand its Frappuccino line.
As a result, these delicious beverages are now famous worldwide, ensuring the continuing success of the frap.
If you have never had a Frappuccino, you’re missing out on one of the best comfort drinks around.
If you have a Starbucks near you, you’re probably aware of just how many different fraps you can get.
If so–you’re one of the lucky ones. But stick around to learn more about what a Frappuccino is, and if you don’t live near a Starbucks–find out how to make your own.
How Do You Prepare Frappuccino?
What is a Frappuccino? A Frappuccino or frap is a milkshake beverage made from a mixture of ice cream and espresso coffee.
The espresso coffee comes with frothy milk, known as a cappuccino.
Combine the cappuccino with ice cream, and you have the famous Frappuccino.
Since buying The Coffee Connection, Starbucks has created many different types of Frappuccinos.
For example, you can now buy a Frappuccino made from flavored syrups with various toppings such as spices or whipped cream.
Creating various versions and flavors of the frap, such as iced coffee, or fraps with loads of sugar, adds to the success of what has become one of Starbucks ‘ best products.
But Frappuccino’s are versatile. After all, that ice cream with or without coffee makes for a delicious beverage, whatever recipe you decide to use.
Also, you will probably never be able to accuse a Frappuccino fan of counting calories.
Here are several frap versions to get your mouth watering.
- Order or make a frap with or without caffeine.
- The crème frap doesn’t have coffee, and you can also make different versions of this frap. Recipes for coffee-less fraps include the Frappuccino Blended Crème, and you can also go for seriously sweet, delicious fraps like the Serious Strawberry, chocolate, Vanilla Bean, Mocha Crème, or Caramel Crème Frappuccino from Starbucks.
- Non-dairy fraps are also available. These fraps have a base of soy milk, oat milk, almond, or coconut milk. You can get buy these at most stores in North America or make your own.
- Get fraps that are made with powder flavorings, syrups, espresso, or chocolate chips. You can also choose to have a heavy or light frap with additional ice. Light fraps have little or no coffee, use low or non-fat milk, and don’t use cream. So, maybe, some frap lovers do count calories after all.
- Starbucks used to make fruity versions of the frap but has discontinued these due to them not being as popular as the richer, smoother, dairy and alternative milk options.
- You can purchase fraps in bottles from stores or vending machines, partly due to Starbucks and PepsiCo joining forces to create widespread demand for the frap.
Want more answers to what is Frappuccino? Then, make one yourself.
First, use vanilla ice cream, coffee, and milk to prepare a basic frap at home–blend 250 ml of ice cream with 250 ml milk.
Next, make espresso to taste and blend these three ingredients for a delicious Frappuccino.
You can add ice to dilute the richness of the mixture or drink as is.
If you love strawberry, chocolate, caramel, and other flavors, purchase a flavored syrup to ramp up your Frappuccino mix.
Prefer a non-dairy frap? Purchase coconut, rice, soy, or oat milk. Mix with non-dairy ice cream.
Add an espresso with or without caffeine or leave out the coffee altogether and add flavorings of your choice.
Remember to add ice if you prefer a light frap. It really is that simple when you want to know what a Frappuccino is because you make of it what matches your tastebuds.
More specifically, you can learn what is a Frappuccino by following these steps:
#1 Prep the coffee
Brew your espresso or an extra-strong version of regular coffee using grounds.
Allow cooling before placing in the refrigerator.
#2 Mix with milk
Once the coffee is cold, mix it with milk and place it in a blender.
If you prefer non-fat milk, you can use it, but it is the cream that gives the frap its deliciousness.
Avoid adding too much milk as the original frap is unique for its coffee flavor.
You can always use half ice cream and half milk in this step, depending on how rich you prefer this beverage.
#3 Add a complementary flavor
You can use vanilla essence, flavored strawberry syrup, or any other flavor to sweeten the mix.
Or you can use sugar, condensed milk, or even xylitol.
#4 Add ice and do the taste test
Check the flavor of the frap blend and add ice. Blend until smooth.
#5 Serve as you prefer
Pour the mixture into a glass and sip with a straw or dip a spoon in to enjoy your Frappuccino in any way you like.
Frappuccino vs. Frappe
Now that you understand what is a Frappuccino, we can move onto discussing the frappe and how it differs from the Frappuccino.
The frappe is a blend of ingredients, such as instant coffee, milk, ice, and whipped cream. This delicious drink is like an iced coffee, but you get to add as many other toppings as you want.
What is a Frappuccino? The Frappuccino is essentially a cappuccino to which you add ice cream and other flavorings to produce a milkshake.
Here are several fundamental differences between the Frappuccino and the frappe:
- The Frappuccino is patented by Starbucks, whereas the frappe is not.
- You use instant coffee to make a frappe but brew the coffee to make a Frappuccino (Yes–it makes a difference).
- An authentic frappe always contains coffee, whereas you can create a Frappuccino with or without coffee.
- The frappe is generally far less sweet than the Frappuccino. This level of sweetness depends on taste, but Frappuccino usually uses extra sweetness such as syrups, toppings, or ice cream to enhance the blend’s sweetness levels.
- Frappuccinos are a normal part of U.S. culture, whereas the frappe is famous in Europe. Neither region is necessarily fond of the other drink although they are available in both countries.
- Due to adding sweeteners to Frappuccino’s, they contain approximately 100 more calories than the frappe. So, where the Frappuccino contains about 250 calories, the typical frappe contains about 150 calories.
- You don’t add ice cream to frappes either, which is always an option with Frappuccino.
Does a Frappuccino Contain Coffee?
It’s your choice whether you want a Frappuccino with or without coffee. Traditionally, the Frappuccino uses coffee (espresso), but you can make variations of the original recipe of ice cream, espresso, and milk, as noted earlier.
If you just cannot live without the daily taste of coffee but can’t handle the caffeine rush, then you can use decaf coffee in your frap.
Otherwise, you can opt for other recipe versions, which really means you’re just making a milkshake at home.
But who cares? If you love milkshakes, coffee-flavored, or otherwise, it’s your life and your waistline that matters.
Besides having a frap with or without coffee, you can make a “healthier” Frappuccino by using milk (or alternatives) instead of ice cream.
Conclusion
Knowing what is a Frappuccino means, you can order what you like when next you visit Starbucks or any other coffee shop.
Understanding how the Frappuccino differs from the frappe also means you can make these delicious beverages at home.
All coffee lovers should experience the taste of the frap compared to the frappe and be able to enjoy these beverages to match their palate at any time.
So, invest in an espresso or a regular drip coffee machine. Then, explore the best espresso ground coffee options and get stuck into experimenting with your Frappuccino recipe.
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Last Updated on August 31, 2022 by Ashok Parmar
