Does A Vanilla Bean Frappuccino Have Coffee In It?
Suppose you enjoy Frappuccinos at Starbucks but also require something with a caffeine kick. In that case, you may wonder which of their Frappuccinos comes with coffee. For example, does the Vanilla Bean Frappuccino have coffee in it?
Starbucks makes two kinds of Frappuccinos; one has coffee, while the other is made with an ice cream base and doesn’t contain any caffeine. A Vanilla Bean crème Frappuccino is a crème-based Frappuccino that doesn’t contain caffeine, while a regular vanilla Frappuccino does.
Understanding Starbucks’ terminology to describe their Frappuccinos will help you choose (or avoid) those with a coffee base. We’ll consider if a Starbucks Vanilla Bean Frappuccino has coffee and how you can replicate this drink at home.
Is There Coffee In A Starbucks Vanilla Bean Frappuccino?
The term Frappuccino was invented by Starbucks and is described as a cold, blended drink usually made with coffee. Other cafes also now use the term Frappuccino to describe their blended ice coffees, but since Starbucks coined the term, we will focus on their Vanilla Bean drink.
Despite a Frappuccino initially referring to a coffee-based blended drink, Starbucks has expanded its menu beyond regular coffee, milk, and ice. You can now find a marvelous variety of Frappuccinos, including the famous Vanilla Bean Frappuccino, a cult favorite.
But does the Vanilla Bean Frappuccino have coffee in it? To answer this, we must first look at the different Frappuccinos available. Starbucks primarily has two types of Frappuccinos, those with coffee and those without it.
The Frappuccinos that don’t contain coffee are made with an ice cream base. They usually contain the word crème in the name, which suggests there isn’t any coffee involved. On the contrary, Frappuccinos with coffee contain the word café in their names, and the drink description clearly states that there is coffee in it.
A Vanilla Bean Frappuccino is formally listed as a Vanilla Bean Crème Frappuccino on Starbucks’ website, meaning the drink doesn’t contain caffeine. But there is good news for those who love the Vanilla Bean Frappuccino and want caffeine.
There exists another Starbucks Frappuccino with a vanilla flavor that does contain coffee. It is known as the Café Vanilla Frappuccino, containing 95 milligrams of caffeine for a Grande (16 fluid ounces).
What Ingredients Are Used In Starbucks’ Vanilla Bean Frappuccino?
Since the Vanilla Bean Frappuccino at Starbucks doesn’t contain any caffeine, you may wonder what makes it. Most of the crème-based Frappuccinos at Starbucks have an ice cream base, and the Vanilla Bean Frappuccino is no different.
The Vanilla Bean Frappuccino is made using vanilla bean ice cream, milk, ice, and Frappuccino crème syrup. This ice cream ensures the vanilla flavor, while the milk and Frappuccino crème syrup ensure a creamy taste that you can only get from a Starbucks beverage.
Although you can order a Café Vanilla Frappuccino to get your caffeine fix, these drinks don’t taste the same. So, is there anything you can do to have a Vanilla Bean Frappuccino with caffeine added? Fortunately, there is!
In addition to having an extensive menu with various drinks, Starbucks offers you the choice to customize your drink even further. You can add, remove, or swap ingredients to ensure your beverage is perfect.
You can, therefore, ask the server to add a shot of espresso to your Vanilla Bean Frappuccino to add some much-needed caffeine to the drink. It will cost you a little extra, but it’s worth it if you need the coffee. Of course, adding coffee to a Vanilla Bean Frappuccino will alter its taste slightly. However, it will still taste more like a Vanilla Bean Frappuccino than a Café Vanilla Frappuccino.
Adding ingredients as you wish lets you customize the Vanilla Bean Frappuccino to your liking. However, since Starbucks beverages aren’t the cheapest, you may wonder if there is a cheaper alternative to the Vanilla Bean Frappuccino.
Does A Vanilla Iced Coffee At McDonald’s Have Coffee?
Yes, we know, McDonald’s is a fast-food chain restaurant and not a café. But the McDonald’s café section has a wide range of drinks available, many of which you may not have heard of. One such beverage is Iced French Vanilla Coffee.
This drink is similar to Starbucks’ Café Vanilla Frappuccino. It is made with brewed coffee, milk, ice, and French Vanilla syrup. While you’ll likely be able to tell the difference between these drinks, McDonald’s version is by no means unpleasant. What makes it even better is the fact that McDonald’s Iced French Vanilla Coffee is more affordable.
A Vanilla Bean Crème Frappuccino at Starbucks costs $3.25 for a Tall and $4.45 for a Venti. A Café Vanilla Frappuccino costs $2.95 for a Tall and $4.25 for a Venti. McDonald’s Iced French Vanilla Coffee costs $1.39 for a small and $1.99 for a large.
While this might not seem a significant difference, the price increases if you frequently buy coffee at either franchise. So, we’d reckon it’s worth heading to McDonald’s and trying their Iced French Vanilla Coffee, especially if you enjoy Starbucks’ Café Vanilla Frappuccino.
McDonald’s doesn’t have a similar drink to the Crème Vanilla Bean Frappuccino yet, but we wouldn’t be surprised if you see one on their menu soon.
Making A Vanilla Bean Frappuccino At Home
Although there are more affordable options than buying a Vanilla Bean Frappuccino (with or without added coffee), making one at home is still more affordable. You would be surprised to learn how easy it is to make a Vanilla Bean Frappuccino at home, and it allows you to add just as much coffee as you’d like.
Because even when adding a shot of espresso to your Vanilla Bean Frappuccino at Starbucks, you really aren’t getting too much caffeine. But that’s all about to change. To make a Vanilla Bean Frappuccino, you will need the following:
- A blender
- Ice
- Milk (you can use any milk, but we recommend whole milk for a creamier taste)
- Vanilla bean ice cream
- Vanilla extract
- Coffee (optional)
- Sugar
Making the Vanilla Bean Frappuccino is as easy as adding all the ingredients to a blender and blending it until a frothy, smooth texture forms. You can experiment with how much milk and sugar to add to get the desired taste and texture.
Pour the Vanilla Bean Frappuccino into a glass and top it with some whipped cream for a delicious beverage that tastes so similar to the real thing you won’t miss it. Making your own Vanilla Bean Frappuccinos at home allows you to customize it exactly to your liking, and it can be a fun experiment to see who replicates this famous Starbucks drink best.
Conclusion
A Vanilla Bean Frappuccino is a crème-based beverage and therefore doesn’t contain any caffeine. However, you can add a shot of espresso at Starbucks to give it some caffeine or order the coffee-based Café Vanilla Frappuccino instead. You can also easily replicate a Vanilla Bean Frappuccino at home, adding as much or as little coffee as you like.
