The frappuccino, a trademarked blended and iced beverage from Starbucks, ranks as one of their highest selling items. However, its intensely creamy and sweet flavor led some individuals to ponder whether it even contains any coffee.
Some Starbucks frappuccinos have coffee in them and some do not. Any coffee based frappuccinos such as Caramel and Java Chip is made from an instant coffee like mix called “frap roast” and will have coffee in it, while the creme based frappuccinos such as vanilla bean and green matcha are made from a milky sweetener and do not have any coffee in them.
Below you’ll find a table detailing which Starbucks Frappuccinos have coffee in them and which ones don’t. But first, let’s talk about what exactly a frappuccino is and why it has coffee in it at all!
What is a Frappuccino?
The frappuccino is a trademarked, sweet, iced, and blended coffee drink created by Starbucks, the largest coffee chain in the world.
The word comes from a combination of the french word “lait frappé” which means milkshake with ice cream and cappuccino, which is a coffee drink made from espresso and frothed milk.
Starbucks makes 2 kinds of frappuccinos, coffee-based and crème based. I’ll talk more about each one in a minute
No matter what base is used, there are a few things you'll find in almost every frappuccino
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A Base Syrup to give the drink it’s creamy consistency
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Whole or nonfat milk
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Ice
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Some kind of added syrup or flavoring (vanilla bean, caramel, green matcha powder)
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Whip cream and syrup drizzle topping
Starbucks also sells bottled frappuccinos in grocery stores, convenience stores, and vending machines. You can find a variety pack of vanilla and mocha bottled frappes on Amazon here.
Does a Frappuccino Have Coffee in It?
So does a frappuccino have coffee in it? Well, it depends on which one you’re drinking.
The coffee-based frappuccinos such as Caramel Frappuccino and Java Chip Frappuccino have coffee in them, while the créme based such as Vanilla Bean Frappuccino and Green Tea Frappuccino have none.
Let’s take a closer look at each type to see why one has coffee in it and why the other doesn’t
Coffee Based Frappucinnos
If the frappuccino is coffee-based then it will have coffee in it. While many people assume that the type of coffee in frappuccinos is espresso, the truth is if espresso was used in frappuccinos it would make them too runny. Most frappes are actually made from something Starbucks calls the Frappuccino Roast
Frappuccino roast is a coffee-like powder mixed with cold water that makes a high concentrate instant coffee. The frap roast tastes terrible on its own but is perfect for giving coffee flavor, caffeine, and a smooth and creamy texture to iced frappuccinos.
You still can, if you’d like, substitute the frappuccino roast with espresso in any Starbucks frappuccino, or add espresso on top of a frappuccino that already has frap roast in it.
To make the coffee based frappuccino the frap roast and/or espresso are combined with a creamer, sweetener, milk, ice, and flavoring and then blended.
Crème Based Frappuccinos
Crème frappuccinos are made with a créme base in place of the frap roast, meaning that they don’t have any coffee, caffeine, or coffee flavor in them.
The crème base is made with milk and a powdered mixture that contains some sort of dairy/cream, lots of sweetener, and vanilla.
Which Starbucks Frappuccinos Have Coffee in Them?
So how do you know which frappuccinos have coffee in them? Well, the easiest way is to just ask your barista. You can also check this page on the Starbucks website which has two separate lists of their current coffee and crème frappuccinos
But if you want to know before you get to your local Starbs, I created the below table separating the popular coffee based and crème based frappuccinos.
How Much Caffeine is in a Frappuccino?
If you’re wondering about whether or not there’s coffee in a frappuccino, you’re probably also curious about how much caffeine there is too.
For the coffee-based frappuccinos made with the frappuccino roast:
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A Tall (12oz) frappuccino has 75mg of caffeine
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A Grande (16oz) frappuccino has 110mg of caffeine
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And a Venti (24oz) frappuccino has 140mg of caffeine
For reference, an average cup of coffee has 95mg of caffeine.
All of the creme-based frappuccinos have 0 caffeine in them.
Final Thoughts
Hopefully, you can use the information and table in this article to figure out which Starbucks Frappuccinos have coffee in them and which do not. But if you are ever unsure whether a frappuccino has coffee in it, you can always ask your barista before you order.
And to ensure that your Frappuccino order is correct, end your order by telling them you want it with coffee or with crème.
I hope this article could help you understand more about frappuccinos and make your next experience at Starbucks at least a little better. If you’d like to learn more about Starbucks, frappuccinos, and other coffee tips be sure to check out the rest of my website!
This article was written by Josh, the founder, and owner of AngryEspresso.com. You can learn more about Josh on our About The Team page.
