The Frappuccino is a beloved Starbucks staple. Despite being advertised as coffee, it certainly doesn’t taste like it, and each sip leaves you wondering Does Frappuccino Have Coffee In it?

Well, if you’re wondering if you can get your daily caffeine fix through Starbucks Frappuccinos, here’s your answer.

What’s a Frappuccino? 

The Frappuccino line is a series of ice coffee-based drinks produced by the popular coffee company known as Starbucks. The beverage is served cold and blended with ice and various other ingredients. While Starbucks markets them as a type of coffee, Frappuccinos are more attuned to a milkshake than traditional coffee.

Most Frappuccinos do have coffee in them; however, there are a few that consist of a cream base instead and do not contain any brew. Such drinks are sometimes known as Frappuccino Blended Creme. The brand makes Frappuccinos that include coffee with a special coffee mix, which acts as a base for the drink.

Customers can also order most of them in a non-dairy or decaf frappuccino version upon request.

Bottled Frappuccinos are also sold in convenience stores and supermarkets everywhere. Unlike the frozen drink you get when you order in-cafe, bottled Frappuccinos are just sweet cold brews with tons of cream.

A few Frappuccinos stay on the menu year-round. But some of the brand’s most famous names are seasonal, such as the pumpkin spice or unicorn Frappuccino. Some of these reoccur year to year, while others seem to have been a one-time deal.

History of the Drink 

The Frappuccino drink was created by Andrew Frank. He was an employee of the Massachusetts chain coffee company “The Coffee Connection.” In 1994, Starbucks took notice of the beverage’s popularity and bought the rights to it.

One year later, in 1995, Starbucks modified the recipe and began selling the drink under its brand. The beverage turned out to be a hit success and, by 2012, had brought in the company over $2 billion of revenue.

In an interview, Howell, the owner of the Coffee Connection, stated that he was only responsible for creating the drink’s name. He notes that Starbucks’ use of blending was much more versatile than his company’s original recipe. And that allowed for a greater variety of flavors.

What Is the Coffee Base Starbucks Uses Made of? 

Both the coffee-based Frappuccinos and non-coffee variations start with Starbucks’ special Frappuccino coffee mix. Despite the brand calling it a “coffee mix,” it doesn’t contain any coffee itself and is a sweet, syrupy mixture.

This coffee syrup comes in various flavors and holds the drink together. Without this crucial ingredient binding everything together, the ice, milk, and coffee don’t mix well, and the drink falls apart.

Most Frappuccinos have a splash of coffee inside of them; however, there are a few without any coffee at all. Many of these non-coffee Frappuccinos use a crème base substitute instead and are referred to as Crème frappuccinos. You can request it for some of the company’s most popular flavors (mocha, vanilla, etc.)

Starbucks has officially released the ingredient list of the Frappuccinos. And we can see that the coffee syrup is a mix of water, sugar, natural flavors, salt, xanthan gum, potassium sorbate, and citric acid. This mixture is added to coffee, milk, and sometimes other ingredients like whip cream to create the Frappuccino.

There are a few other variations customers can request. They are adding an espresso shot, using soy milk instead of dairy milk, and ordering with light ice.

Which Frappuccinos Have Coffee? 

Initially, all Frappuccinos had coffee in them. Starbucks has since branched out and created a line of non-coffee varieties. But a majority of its signature flavors include coffee in them.

Given the company’s long-running history and the popularity of Frappuccinos, there have been many flavors of the drink throughout the years. As such, many discontinued versions are no longer available for purchase, which we’ll leave out of this list since there are way too many to name.

These are the current/seasonally available types of coffee-based Frappuccino drinks.

• Pumpkin Spice Frappuccino
• White Chocolate Mocha Frappuccino
• Caramel Frappuccino
• Coffee Frappuccino
• Mocha Frappuccino
• Java Chip Frappuccino
• Caramel Ribbon Crunch Frappuccino
• Toasted White Chocolate Mocha Frappuccino
• Caffè Vanilla Frappuccino
• Mocha Cookie Crumble Frappuccino
• Chestnut Praline Frappuccino
• Sugar Cookie Almond Milk Frappuccino
• Caramel Brulée Frappuccino
• Peppermint White Chocolate Mocha Frappuccino
• Apple Crisp Oat Milk Frappuccino
• Peppermint Mocha Frappuccino

As stated before, most of these flavors aren’t readily available and only come around for a few months per season. Starbucks sells flavors such as Caramel Frappuccino, Mocha Frappuccino, and Coffee Frappuccino at all times during the year.

Which Frappuccinos Have No Coffee?

Even though most Frappuccinos have coffee in them, there are still quite a few that don’t. Starbucks calls its line of coffeeless Frappuccinos “Creme Frappuccino” and focuses on using a cream base instead of coffee.

Many of the existing flavors that have coffee in them can be ordered in this variety, though not all of them. Some Frappuccinos, such as the Espresso Frappuccino and the Coffee Frappuccino, can only be ordered with coffee.

Non-coffee Frappuccinos also have a few unique flavors that are only available without coffee. These include most of their fruit-flavored blended beverages.

Here’s a complete list of all the crème based Frappuccino flavors that don’t have any coffee in them:

• Matcha Crème Frappuccino
• Vanilla Bean Crème Frappuccino, also known as the Vanilla Bean Frappuccino.
• White Chocolate Crème Frappuccino
• Double Chocolaty Chip Crème Frappuccino
• Sugar Cookie Almond Milk Crème Frappuccino
• Strawberry Frappuccino Crème
• Chai Crème Frappuccino
• Chocolate Cookie Crumble Crème Frappuccino
• Pumpkin Spice Crème Frappuccino
• Apple Crisp Oat Milk Crème Frappuccino
• Caramel Brûlée Crème Frappuccino

While most of these aren’t caffeinated, a select few do have caffeine, like the Matcha Crème Frappuccino. If you’re looking for a non-caffeine variety, most drink flavors can be ordered with a decaffeinated coffee.

Easy Way to Figure Out Which Frappuccino Has Coffee

In addition to referring to this list, the easiest way to figure out if a Frappuccino has coffee is to ask the barista at your local Starbucks. They, or another of the company’s associates, will likely be able to tell you which available Frappuccinos have coffee.

Of course, if you’re ordering in-app and don’t have access to in-person help, another good way to determine which Frappuccinos have coffee is to look out for the “Crème” line of drinks. Ordering in this variety ensures that your frozen drink will contain no coffee upon ordering.

If all else fails, you can simply refer to the official Starbucks website for a complete list of the coffee and non-coffee Frappuccinos.

Understanding Caffeine 

Caffeine, by technicality, is a drug that stimulates aspects of the central nervous system to increase awareness and brain activity. It is found in various beverages, most notably coffee, soda, and energy drinks.

While caffeine is relatively harmless when taken in moderation, there are a few adverse side effects to taking too much daily. Furthermore, certain people, such as pregnant people, children, and people with health issues, should limit their drug intake.

The Frappuccino, despite being coffee, doesn’t have as much caffeine as you would initially think. This is, in part, because the drink is mainly composed of ice, milk, and flavoring. Of course, some flavors may have more caffeine than others.

How much Caffeine & Calorie Content 

For reference, a Grande blended beverage Coffee Frappuccino has roughly 95 mg of caffeine in it, while Grande Espresso Frappuccino has 155 mg. One serving of coffee only has 95 mg of caffeine, meaning that a medium version of the frozen espresso drink has 70% more caffeine count than regular coffee.

Of course, most people drink much more than this, and the average caffeine intake from coffee is usually over 300 mg, making Frappuccinos lower in caffeine than you would expect. If you’re looking for something lower in caffeine or even a caffeine-free Frappuccino, your best bet is to order decaf coffee or a decaf espresso base.

As for calories, many of the company’s drinks are relatively high in calories. Most Grande Frappuccinos are over 200 calories, which is, in part, due to the large amounts of sugar and artificial flavoring. The Venti size, which is the Starbucks version of a large, has even more calories than that.

You shouldn’t take the calories in a Frappuccino lightly as they can quickly add up. A few ways you can lower the calorie count is by holding the whipped cream and asking for fewer pumps of their sugar. Substitution for almond or soy milk may also help shave off a few unwanted calories.

One thing is for sure: if you’re on a diet, you should probably stay away from the Starbucks Frappuccino.

Finally, Does Frappuccino Have Coffee?

Well, there you have it! Contrary to what some people say, the Frappuccino comes in both coffee and non-coffee varieties. This way, even people who don’t like coffee can enjoy the frozen, blended beverage without sacrificing any flavors.

With such wide different varieties to choose from, you’ll never run out of flavors to choose from, whether you want your Frappuccino with or without coffee.

We hope you enjoyed reading this piece. Tell us what is your favorite Frappuccino flavor in the comments, and share the article if you liked it.