On a hot summer’s day, there’s nothing like an iced Starbucks drink in the sun, and their Java Chip Frappuccino is a winner.
Featuring bitter coffee, delicious mocha sauce, ice, and milk blended into a rich beverage topped with whipped cream, you really can’t go wrong with this sweet treat.
However, if you’re tired of paying Starbucks’ prices or simply don’t have one near you, you might be curious to know how to recreate this delicious drink at home.
In this article, we will discuss everything you need to know about Java Chip Frappuccino recipe, and I will show you how to make the Java Chip Frappuccino from Starbucks all from the comfort of your own home.
Let’s get started!
What is Java Chip Frappuccino?
According to the Starbucks, the Java Chip Frappuccino is described as a blend of ‘mocha sauce and Frappuccino chips with coffee, milk and ice’ topped with ‘whipped cream and mocha drizzle to bring you endless java joy.’
On the Starbucks website, it claims that the Java Chip Frappuccino contains:
Ice
Milk
Coffee Frappuccino syrup
Frappuccino chips
Whipped cream
Mocha sauce
I’ve recreated the Java Frappuccino flavor by using some simple and easily accessible ingredients. View the ingredients below.
Ingredients
1 cup of strongly brewed coffee, chilled
1 cup of whole fat milk
2 cups of ice cubes
4 tablespoons of chocolate sauce
4 tablespoons of semi-sweet chocolate chips
Whipped cream (optional)
Ingredients for Starbucks Java Chip Frappuccino Copycat Recipe
Coffee
When it comes to choosing the coffee for this Starbucks drink, the stronger the flavor the better. This will ensure that you can still taste the coffee once you have added all the milk and chocolate.
That being said, you should stay away from coffees with added flavors, as these will stand out when the coffee is iced.
Brewed coffee works best if you have time, otherwise, you can use instant coffee granules. If you have a caffeine sensitivity, simply use decaf coffee instead.
That being said, if you use instant coffee granules, make sure that you dilute them with less water so that the coffee is very concentrated.
Again, if you have the time, it’s best to chill your coffee before mixing it with ice so make sure that you are prepared before you make this drink! Pour the coffee into a container and place it in the refrigerator until it’s ice cold. You’ll thank me later!
Milk
When you’re making this recipe, use whole milk for the best results. The reason whole milk tends to work the best is because the flavor of the reduced fat milk will be diluted when mixed with ice.
That being said, for a healthier or plant-based version, you can always use nonfat milk or almond milk, but it’s better to add a small amount of heavy cream or coconut cream if you’re vegan.
Vegan note: If you add coconut cream, it can change the flavor profile, so be careful to not overdo it!
Chocolate chips
When it comes to choosing chocolate chips, I find that high-quality semi-sweet chocolate chips work the best.
The higher the quality of the chocolate chips the easier they will blend and good quality chocolate generally tastes better than cheap chocolate! If you use cheap chocolate, you will be able to tell the difference between the copycat recipe and the Starbucks recipe!
You can also use dark chocolate chips if you have less of a sweet tooth and would prefer to reduce the sweetness level.
Chocolate sauce
When it comes to the sauce for this recipe, chocolate sauce or chocolate syrup works great for this recipe and perfectly compliments the coffee. You can use store-bought chocolate sauce or make your own homemade sauce if you’d prefer.
You could also get your hands on some mocha sauce here at Amazon if you want to make it more precise to the original recipe: Coop’s Cold Brew Mocha Sauce (10.6 oz)
Ice
Although you might think that the amount of ice you add to a frappuccino is minor, it can actually change the entire texture of the drink. Adding more ice will make the Frappuccino thicker and more of a slushy consistency.
That being said, if you’d prefer a creamier frappuccino, making sure that you have the right ratio of ice to milk is fundamental to the experience!
So, now that we’ve established the right type of ingredients that you need for this recipe, let’s get on to how you make this delicious beverage at home.
To begin, prepare your coffee roast or your instant coffee granules or choice and let it cool down in the refrigerator until it is completely chilled.
Once your coffee has chilled, drizzle chocolate sauce inside of your glasses and set aside until you need them later.
Next, you’re going to need to find your blender. Add ice, coffee roast, milk, a dash of chocolate sauce, and half a handful of chocolate chips into your blender.
Secure the lid and blend the mixture on a low speed for about 30 seconds. After this, switch the blender to maximum speed for about 10 seconds or until the mixture is a smooth consistency.
Pour the mixture into the glasses that you prepared earlier and finish them with whipped cream.
Drizzle the cream with chocolate sauce and serve with a reusable metal straw!
Enjoy!
Tips for Making the Best Java Chip Frappuccino Copycat
Slowly add ice
You might see this as an unnecessary step to take, but it’s much easier to achieve the perfect Frappuccino consistency if you begin with less ice. You can always add more if the consistency is thinner than you’d prefer, but you can’t take the ice away once you’ve added it to the blender!
That being said, make sure that you take it slowly to find the best consistency for you.
Chill your coffee beforehand
While you will be adding ice to your Java Chip Frappuccino, you want it to be as cold as possible before you make it. That being said, make sure that you chill the coffee once you’ve made it until it’s completely cool.
This will prevent the hot coffee from melting the ice in your blender and from making the overall result slightly lukewarm instead of ice cold. You’ll thank yourself later if you plan ahead and give yourself the time to chill the coffee first!
Rotate the glass slowly when decorating
When it comes to drizzling the chocolate sauce inside your glass, hold the glass at an angle and drizzle the sauce around the edges by rotating it slowly.
You can place the glass with drizzle into the freezer to let it set, or you can alternatively leave it as it is if you can’t wait to have your Frappuccino!
For an exact color match, steep the coffee for longer
The color of your Frappuccino is determined by the strength of your coffee. That being said, if you want an exact color match to the original recipe, try steeping your coffee for longer or add less milk.
Add ice cream (optional)
If you want to make your frappuccino taste extra creamy, you can always try adding a dollop of vanilla ice cream to your blender.
What is the Best Blender to Make a Java Chip Frappuccino?
When it comes to making the Java Chip Frappuccino, you want to make sure that you are using a strong blender that can blend through the ice with ease for the perfect consistency.
If you don’t have a great blender, you’ll be able to tell by the texture of the drink as there will be chunks of ice leftover that ruin the whole experience. For the best results, then, it’s worth investing in a good quality blender.
If you make a lot of smoothies already then it is likely that you have got yourself a decent blender. A few of my favorites are the NutriBullet and the Vitamix linked below.
Buy the Nutribullet here at Amazon: NutriBullet NBR-0601 Nutrient Extractor, 600W, Gray
Buy the Vitamix here at Amazon: Vitamix Explorian Blender, Professional-Grade, 64 oz. Low-Profile Container, Black
How Do You Order a Java Chip Frappuccino at Starbucks?
If you’re out and about and you fancy ordering this drink from Starbucks, below are some tips on how to order it.
First, you’ll need to choose a size. Starbucks has its own name-specific sizing:
A tall is equal to 12oz and is 340 calories including whipped cream.
A grande is equal to 16oz and is 470 calories including whipped cream.
A venti is equal to 26oz and is 600 calories including whipped cream.
Customize the flavor. If you have a super sweet tooth, you can ask for extra pumps of syrup. That being said, this will cost you more.
If you still want it sweeter but are worried about the amount of sugar in your drink, you can always try ordering a sugar-free syrup flavor for a somewhat healthier version. I do this all the time and trust me, it doesn’t taste any different!
If you’re sensitive to caffeine, you have the opportunity to pick caffeinated or decaffeinated coffee for your drink.
That being said, unless you specify otherwise, the staff will make your drink with regular coffee, so make sure that you remember to let them know that you’d like decaf.
For the coffee-based Frappuccino, there are two types of base available. Regular (has a maple syrup flavor) and light (meaning skinny). The light base is not 100% sugar-free but is mostly sweetened with Splenda. It cuts calories but you should know that it alters the taste quite a lot.
Choose the liquid base: Starbucks has a tonne of milks to choose from, which is great if you’re following a plant-based or vegan diet. You can choose from nonfat, 2% milk, soymilk, half-and-half, almond, or coconut milk.
The plant milk alternatives are excellent if you have lactose intolerance or like I said if you are vegan.
If you’re trying to opt for a healthier version of the Java Chip Frappuccino, you can also specify that you’d like the drink to be made with nonfat milk and ask for it without whipped cream.
This will reduce the drink’s calories to 240 calories for a tall-size, instead of 340 calories for the regular one.
Java Chip Frappuccino is a blend of ‘mocha sauce and Frappuccino chips with coffee, milk and ice’ topped with ‘whipped cream and mocha drizzle to bring you endless java joy.’ Let's quickly look at how to make Java chip frappuccino recipe.
Ingredients
1 cup of strongly brewed coffee, chilled.
1 cup of whole fat milk.
2 cups of ice cubes.
4 tablespoons of chocolate sauce.
4 tablespoons of semi-sweet chocolate chips.
Whipped cream (optional).
Directions
To begin, prepare your coffee roast or your instant coffee granules or choice and let it cool down in the refrigerator until it is completely chilled.
Once your coffee has chilled, drizzle chocolate sauce inside of your glasses and set aside until you need them later.
Next, you’re going to need to find your blender. Add ice, coffee roast, milk, a dash of chocolate sauce, and half a handful of chocolate chips into your blender.
Secure the lid and blend the mixture on a low speed for about 30 seconds. After this, switch the blender to maximum speed for about 10 seconds or until the mixture is a smooth consistency.
Pour the mixture into the glasses that you prepared earlier and finish them with whipped cream.
Drizzle the cream with chocolate sauce and serve with a reusable metal straw!
