Chai Frappuccino (Starbucks Copycat Recipe)
on Aug 04, 2021, Updated Jun 17, 2024
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An easy and delicious Chai Frappuccino using store-bought chai concentrate, milk, ice, and homemade Frappuccino base syrup to make it super smooth and creamy. Top the whole thing off with freshly made (and quick) whipped cream!
Recipe Highlights
- Chai Crème Frappuccino is a Starbucks frozen drink made by blending ice, whole milk, creme Frappuccino syrup, and chai tea concentrate. It’s topped off with whipped cream and ground cinnamon. This homemade recipe recreates the drink using similar ingredients.
- Chai is a tea blend that combines black tea with warming spices like cinnamon, cloves, and ginger. There’s caffeine in this drink from the black tea.
- Every single Frappuccino at Starbucks is made with a Frappuccino base syrup that makes the drink smooth and creamy. This recipe uses a homemade Frappuccino base that can be made ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator.
- This copycat recipe makes a grande (16 ounce) Chai Frappuccino. It’s a very easy drink to make and only takes a few seconds in a blender. Even the whipped cream is quick and easy to make using a handheld milk frother.
RELATED: Java Chip Frappucino
Ingredient Notes
- Homemade Frappuccino base syrup: This is key to making Frappuccinos just like Starbucks. Make a batch of this first.
- Tazo Classic Chai Latte Concentrate: Starbucks’s chai tastes exactly like the one from Tazo. It’s an easy shortcut since you don’t have to brew any tea.
- Whole milk: Whole milk is what’s used in Starbucks Frappuccinos but you can use any milk you like.
- Heavy cream: This is used to make the vanilla whipped cream.
- Vanilla syrup: To flavor and sweeten the whipped cream, you can use store-bought or homemade vanilla syrup.
- Ice: Use filtered water to make the ice if possible, for a better tasting drink.
- Ground cinnamon: A sprinkling of cinnamon is added on top of the whipped cream. It’s a garnish, just like the Starbucks version.
- Star anise (Optional): I added a star anise as garnish so it’s completely optional.
For full ingredients and detailed instructions, please see the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Whisk heavy cream and vanilla syrup to make whipped cream. Set aside.
A handheld milk frother makes whipped cream in seconds!
Step 2: Blend chai concentrate, milk, ice, and homemade Frappuccino base syrup until smooth. Start the blender on low, then turn it up high. Use a tamper tool to make sure the ice gets blended evenly.
Step 3: Pour Frappuccino into a cup.
Step 4: Top drink with whipped cream and add a sprinkle of cinnamon. Optional garnish: star anise.
Photo Credit: amazon.com
Expert Tips
- Don’t put ice into the blender first. For an efficient blend, add ingredients into the blender in the order it’s shown on the ingredient list.
- The magic of Starbucks Frappuccinos is the Frappuccino base syrup. It’s just simple syrup with xanthan gum. The simple syrup sweetens and the xanthan gum thickens the drink. If you don’t want to use the Frappuccino base syrup, just use simple syrup to sweeten. Your drink will be a bit icy with the chai separating from the ice though.
- Making whipped cream at home is so quick and easy when you use a handheld milk frother. In less than a minute, you’ll get fluffy, decadent whipped cream.
RELATED: Matcha Frappuccino
Questions You May Have
The chai is made with water, black tea, black pepper, ginger, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, star anise, and natural flavor. Cane sugar, honey, ginger juice, vanilla extract, and citric acid is added to the chai.
You can make more Starbucks chai copycat drinks like Chai Latte and Iced Chai Latte.
The Tazo chai concentrate is sweetened, so you won’t be able to make this drink sugar-free. The Frappuccino base syrup is also made with sugar.
Starbucks doesn’t sell the Frappuccino syrup but you may be able to purchase it on Amazon or Ebay.
Related
- Starbucks Iced Matcha Latte Copycat
- 15 Starbucks Chai Drinks (Including Secret Menu)
- Best Starbucks Frappuccinos
- Starbucks Iced Chai Tea Latte Copycat
- Iced Chai Latte from Scratch
- Pumpkin Spice Chai Latte
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Starbucks Chai Frappuccino Copycat
Ingredients
Chai Frappuccino
- ½ cup Tazo Classic Chai Latte Concentrate
- ⅓ cup milk
- 1 cup ice
- 3 tablespoons homemade Frappuccino base syrup
Vanilla Whipped Cream
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon vanilla syrup
Instructions
- Whisk heavy cream and vanilla syrup to make whipped cream. Set aside.A handheld milk frother makes whipped cream in seconds.
- Blend chai concentrate, milk, ice, and homemade Frappuccino base syrup until smooth.Start the blender on low, then turn it up high. Use a tamper tool to make sure the ice gets blended evenly.
- Pour Frappuccino into a cup.
- Top drink with whipped cream and add a sprinkle of cinnamon.Optional garnish: star anise.
Notes
- The magic of Starbucks Frappuccinos is the Frappuccino base syrup. Make a batch of this first and store it in the refrigerator to make more Frappuccinos.
- Frappuccino base syrup is just simple syrup with xanthan gum. The simple syrup sweetens and the xanthan gum thickens the drink. If you don’t want to use the Frappuccino base syrup, just use simple syrup to sweeten. Your drink will be a bit icy with the chai separating from the ice though.
- Starbucks uses a chai concentrate that tastes exactly like the one from Tazo. (The concentrate they use is stronger). It’s an easy shortcut since you don’t have to brew any tea.
- Don’t put ice into the blender first. For an efficient blend, add ingredients into the blender in the order it’s shown on the ingredient list.
- Making whipped cream at home is so quick and easy when you use a handheld milk frother. In less than a minute, you’ll get fluffy, decadent whipped cream.
- Whole milk is what’s used in Starbucks Frappuccinos but you can use any milk you like.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
