The best Starbucks frappuccinos are delectable iced concoctions that more resemble a dessert than a drink. It comes with a coffee or crème foundation, is mixed with ice, infused with aromatic syrups, and is typically garnished with whipped cream or spices. The frappuccino’s origins trace back to an Eastern Massachusetts coffee shop chain. After Starbucks bought this chain in 1994, they secured the rights to produce and market the beverage. By 1995, Starbucks revamped the frappuccino, launching it to immense popularity.
If a frappuccino is your go-to drink to get your jolt of caffeine in the morning, you’re not alone. A study shows half of Americans surveyed can’t have a good morning without some form of coffee. A staggering 50 percent of respondents say they “can’t” have a good morning without at least one cup of coffee. Moreover, four in five Americans believe their morning coffee is essential to staying positive and productive throughout the day. You may want to avoid caffeine in the evening, however. Another study found having caffeine even hours before bed could ruin your sleep.
Starbucks maintains a stable line-up of frappuccino flavors, sprinkling in holiday favorites like pumpkin spice and peppermint mocha. Since these drinks are fully customizable, you can order them with milk, whipped cream, or caffeine-free and create flavors only bound by your imagination. For this article, we rank the best frappuccinos you can order day in and day out. We didn’t get to taste them all, but we have collected expert opinions to devise the list of the seven best Starbucks frappuccinos on the menu. Did we miss one you love? Let us know in the comments below.
The List: Best Starbucks Frappuccinos, According to Experts
1. Caramel Ribbon Crunch
If you love caramel, you get three times the dose in this treat. Coffee Affection says, “It’s blended with one type of caramel sauce, and then topped with another layer of caramel that’s drizzled over a tower of whipped cream sprinkled with caramel crunchy bits on the surface. It’s a golden dessert that nearly ties with the White Chocolate Mocha for sweetness.”
“Perhaps the sheer amount of sugar, caramel, and crunch is what makes this drink so popular and addictive,” states Mashed. “However, with all the ribbons of caramel running through it, it’s also a pretty drink. People aren’t just ordering it during warmer weather, but they’re slugging these down every season of the year.”
Foodie Restaurants loves the creme-based version of this one. “This drink is the perfect dessert for people who love caramel and do not want to drink coffee. There is no coffee base in this delicious frappuccino but you will have the delightful taste of caramel and tasty caramel crunchy bits which are quite tasty and great to chew on.”
2. Mocha
This is my go-to frappuccino and Coffee Affection agrees. “The Mocha Frappuccino is our favorite choice because it’s like a chocolate milkshake blended with coffee. It’s high in sugar, but not terribly rich. Creamy and smooth with merely mocha as the flavor, it’s pretty basic compared to some of the other chocolatey drinks that chip in some extra ingredients such as chocolate cookies and bits of chocolate.”
Drink/Stack believes that “the extra ingredient that makes the Mocha Frappuccino so delicious is the coffee syrup. This gives an extra boost of coffee flavor so your drink is the perfect combination of coffee and chocolate.”
“The Mocha Frappuccino is a great option if you want something that feels like a special treat but isn’t too sweet,” explains Shopfood. “It’s another one of the original Starbucks frappuccinos, and it feels a little more grownup than many of the other drinks on this list (don’t worry — grownups can still have whipped cream and chocolate sauce.)”
3. Mocha Cookie Crumble
This chocolatey treat available year round now, starts by blending mocha sauce and chocolate chips with milk, ice, and brewed coffee. Coffee Affection adds, “The fun keeps going with a layer of whipped cream and chocolate cookie crumble, and then finally finishes with another layer of whipped cream, mocha drizzle, and extra cookie crumble. It’s one of the most decadent choices on the list, not for the faint of heart or stomach.”
“Frappuccino chips, whole milk, mocha sauce, and ice are blended together to create the base of this delicious drink,” says LifeBoost Coffee. “The top is then layered with whipped cream, chocolate cookie crumble, and a dollop of vanilla-flavored whipped cream for an extra touch of sweetness.”
“It’s creamy and chocolatey enough to satisfy any sweet tooth and has enough caffeine to keep you going,” writes Shopfood. “It’s truly the most decadent and best Starbucks Frappuccino!”
4. Java Chip
“This drink is everything you love about mocha Frappuccinos but with the added delight of chocolate chips,” boasts Drink/Stack. “This drink is a bit heavier on sugar content so if you want to slim it down a bit, ask for sugar-free coffee syrup.”
Shopfood says “The Frappuccino chips are crunchy and chocolatey cookie pieces and add a nice textural element to the drink. This one is perfect for a mocha lover that wants a little crunch in their Frappuccino.”
“This java-packed drink is definitely one of the best frappes at Starbucks,” according to Restaurant Clicks. “Filled to the brim with mocha sauce, Frappuccino chips, coffee, milk, and ice, the Java Chip Frappuccino is an obvious choice for those who enjoy a stronger coffee flavor, and its perfect pairing — cocoa. The bitter-sweet blend of java and chocolate is the ideal morning, afternoon, or evening treat sure to satisfy all your coffee cravings.”
5. Espresso
Mashed says this is “simple elegance” and “will solve all your problems.” That’s good enough for us! “This Frappuccino basically makes you feel like you’re eating grown-up ice cream. What more could you want from your Starbucks run?”
Parade agrees that simplicity sometimes is best. “This is a Starbucks classic and is always on the menu. It combines coffee, a shot of espresso, and milk, then it’s blended with ice. Whipped cream is optional.”
“It’s one of the few Frappuccinos that feel appropriate to enjoy at the start of your day, as well as in the afternoon, and it’s got plenty of caffeine to keep you going,” according to Shopfood. “As an added benefit, it also contains the fewest calories of all Frappuccinos.”
6. Caramel
“Classic and creamy, the Caramel Frappuccino fulfills our highest hopes for a sweet drink that never goes wrong,” says Coffee Affection. “We think caramel and coffee are a perfect match, and we want the relationship to last forever.”
You deserve a starbucks caramel frappuccino and a cookie 🍪 pic.twitter.com/WK88mYKL28
— Sharestagram (@sharestagram) August 5, 2020
This is one of the original frappuccino drinks and is also extremely popular. “This tasty treat is a perfect combination of Starbucks coffee, caramel syrup, whole milk, and ice,” writes Drink/Stack. “The ingredients are blended to perfection and topped with whipped cream and a drizzle of caramel.”
LifeBoost Coffee states, “Starbucks’ Caramel Frappuccino easily stands out amongst the most sought-after drinks with its luxurious blend of ice, coffee, whole milk, and caramel syrup. Don’t forget to add those delectable caramel walls (caramel drizzle on the sides of the cup).”
7. Vanilla Bean Crème
The Vanilla Bean Creme is a wildly popular choice and rounds out our list. Coffee Affection states, “It’s a perfect choice for customers who want a caffeine-free treat since it doesn’t contain coffee. It’s basically a crafted milkshake, which sounds pretty yummy to us.”
“A common favorite, especially among customers who have not reached high school age yet, the Vanilla Bean Creme Frappuccino does not contain any coffee,” writes Foodie Restaurants. “Vanilla bean is a distinct flavor than regular vanilla because the vanilla bean flavor is stronger. If you would like, you can ask the barista to add a coffee base to the Vanilla Bean Creme Frappuccino so you can get the taste of vanilla and the rush of caffeine.”
Drink/Stack says this is the perfect drink for your kids since there’s no caffeine. “The secret to this tasty drink is vanilla bean syrup blended with whole milk and ice. For a dairy-free alternative, use coconut milk for a delicious surprise.”
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Sources:
- Parade
- Mashed
- LifeBoost Coffee
- Restaurant Clicks
- Coffee Affection
- Drink/Stack
- Foodie Restaurants
- Shopfood
- Trans 4 Mind
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