If you’re anything like me, there’s nothing you love more on a hot summer’s day than a McDonald’s caramel frappé!
With its rich caramel flavor, lashings of whipped cream, a hint of coffee to give you a buzz, and of course all that super refreshing ice it’s all blended with – it makes for quite the treat!
And then, to finish it off, there’s also that drizzle of caramel sauce over the whipped cream to really perk you up.
If you haven’t tried it before, you sure are missing out. It tastes like a heavenly caramel ice cream. And despite the buttery caramel and whipped cream, it’s relatively light and the perfect treat to cool you down in the hot sun.
Today, we will be looking at McDonald’s Caramel Frappé Recipe and how to make it!
McDonald’s Caramel Frappé
McDonald’s isn’t the only fast food place to make drinks like this one – you can get very similar offerings at the likes of Starbucks and Dunkin’ Donuts. But it seems the majority of people feel that McDonald’s makes the best frappés.
In McDonald’s, the caramel frappé is available in 3 different sizes, with the small one costing just over $2, and the large one costing just over $3, and a medium one in between.
But in this article, we’re going to explain how you can make this delicious drink in the comfort of your own home. You might even decide you prefer this version!
We’re also going to provide you with an explanation of what a frappe is and how it differs from similar drinks.
What is Frappé?
The frappé is of Greek origin, and was invented by an employee of the representative of the Nestlé company, known as Dimitris Vakondios in 1957.
He wanted to make an instant coffee during his break but couldn’t find any hot water. So instead he improvised by making his coffee with cold water and adding a few ice cubes.
Since then, the term frappé, pronounced frap-pay, has been used to describe any iced drink that contains coffee. Frappés are always served cold, and usually with a whipped cream topping.
The drink can be blended, beaten or shaken, and it can have a smooth texture or a foamy one.
The ice can be added either before or after the coffee, and you can add any other ingredients as you please, such as milk, sugar, vanilla and or any sweet sauces (such as the caramel in this recipe).
Is a Frappé A Milkshake?
Now, McDonalds is also well known for its yummy milkshakes. But there’s an important distinction to make between frappés and milkshakes..
The milkshake beverage is generally composed of milk and ice cream, perhaps with a little added flavoring, and is whipped or blended and is sometimes a little foamy.
It does not necessarily contain any coffee or ice in it. If it did then it would be classed as a frappé rather than a milkshake.
Latte Vs Frappé
A latte is also a very specific drink. It is half espresso and half milk. It is generally served hot, but you can also get iced lattes too. And the relative proportion of milk and espresso stays the same in a latte even when served cold.
The main difference between an iced latte and a frappé is that you can adjust the amount of milk and coffee in a frappé, and you can also add other ingredients and flavorings such as caramel sauce or chocolate sauce and so on.
Frappé Vs Frappuccino
Although they can sometimes be very similar, a McDonald’s frappé is definitely not a frappuccino. Frappuccino is a trademarked brand of the Starbucks Corporation.
Like a frappé it also has a coffee or crème base, and is designed to be served cold. It, too, can have other ingredients added such as flavored syrups.
McDonald’s Caramel Frappé Recipe
Not only does this McDonalds copycat recipe taste just as good as the McDonalds one (if not better!) but it only takes a measly 5 minutes to whip up at the most, and a single serving comes to less than 60 calories!
The recipe that follows is designed to make a single serving. To make two, simply double the portions of the ingredients.
Nutritional Details Per Serving
Calories: 53 kcal
Carbohydrates: 7 g
Total Fat: 1 g
Protein: 5 g
Sugar: 0 g
Fiber: 0 g
Cholesterol: 3 mg
Sodium: 103 mg
What You Will Need
In addition to the recipe’s ingredients, you will also need a powerful blender if you want to achieve a nice, smooth texture.
And if you want the ice to be crushed, you must be sure to use a blender that’s up to the task, since many blenders aren’t designed for this.
Recipe Ingredients
Half a cup of milk (whole or skimmed)
2 teaspoons of granulated sugar
3 teaspoons of caramel syrup
Half a cup of strong coffee
Whipped cream
4 cups of ice
Method
Step One: Add the sugar and the milk to your blender.
Step Two: Mix the coffee with the caramel syrup until completely dissolved.
Step Three: Add this to the blender. Blend on Frappé speed if you have it, or on a medium to high setting, until you get your desired consistency.
Step Four: If you feel the mixture is too thick, you can adjust this by adding more milk until you’re happy with it.
Step Five: Add the ice cubes to your glass and pour your mixture over it.
Step Six: Squirt the whipped cream elegantly over the top.
Step Seven: Drizzle a little extra caramel sauce over the whipped cream to serve. Add a straw if you wish.
Tips And Tricks
If you want to whip up a somewhat healthier, lower calorie version of this drink, you can replace the granulated sugar with a suitable low calorie sugar substitute.
Though for best results this should be in a granulated form rather than tablet form.
If you have a coffee machine at home, you can make the drink up with your favorite filter coffee rather than instant.
You can make some really nice variations of this beverage by replacing the caramel sauce with other sauces. Why not go for a hazelnut, vanilla, or Irish cream?
But if you want to stick with caramel flavoring, we can recommend Hershey’s or Richardson’s butterscotch caramel, which will also lend a really nice texture.
Wrap Up
And there you have it – a McDonald’s caramel frappé that you can prepare in minutes, enjoy at home, and tweak to your heart’s content!
Not only does this McDonalds copycat recipe taste just as good as the McDonalds one (if not better!) but it only takes a measly 5 minutes to whip up at the most, and a single serving comes to less than 60 calories!
The recipe that follows is designed to make a single serving. To make two, simply double the portions of the ingredients.
Ingredients
Half a cup of milk (whole or skimmed)
2 teaspoons of granulated sugar
3 teaspoons of caramel syrup
Half a cup of strong coffee
Whipped cream
4 cups of ice
Directions
Add the sugar and the milk to your blender.
Mix the coffee with the caramel syrup until completely dissolved.
Add this to the blender. Blend on Frappé speed if you have it, or on a medium to high setting, until you get your desired consistency.
If you feel the mixture is too thick, you can adjust this by adding more milk until you’re happy with it.
Add the ice cubes to your glass and pour your mixture over it.
Squirt the whipped cream elegantly over the top.
Drizzle a little extra caramel sauce over the whipped cream to serve. Add a straw if you wish.
