Some dairy goodness and all the fun of the fair. If you are missing your Starbucks fix, and there doesn’t happen to be one nearby (which let’s be honest is unusual) then you are going to have to make your own. In this recipe we are going to show you how you can make and enjoy a homemade Starbucks cotton candy Frappuccino, with some tips and tricks to get a perfect result.
How To Make Starbucks Cotton Candy Frappuccino
This recipe is seriously easy. If only we’d thought of it a few years ago, we could have been millionaires by now! Seeing as we aren’t, we are going to share our secrets with you.
Starbucks is most famous for serving various types of coffee. If you aren’t a fan of caffeine then this recipe is for you, as it doesn’t use coffee at all, making it completely caffeine free.
The distinctive taste of Starbucks cotton candy Frappuccino comes from a blend of subtle flavors. If someone was to actually ask you what cotton candy tasted like, would you be able to tell them? In this recipe it comes from a mixture of vanilla and raspberry elements. And we’ll be honest it tastes exactly like cotton candy. It’s like a mouthful of the funfair in a glass.
You won’t need much equipment to whip this Starbucks drink into shape. Essential items are a blender or food processor, a glass and maybe a substantial spoon to pry out a decent chunk of vanilla ice-cream.
Tips and Tricks
- When serving, we also recommend including a straw. The reason being that to be an authentic Starbucks cotton candy Frappuccino, you are going to want to top it off with whipped cream. Unless you want a thick whipped cream moustache, a straw makes it much easier to drink.
- If you have ever had a Starbucks cotton candy Frappuccino, you’ll know that they are super thick. There isn’t any magic in this, as long as you remember this simple trick. It even works with other smoothies too! If you want it thick and smooth, throw in a large handful of ice cubes into your blender whilst you are making it. The more ice you use, the thicker the drink will be.
- Whilst this isn’t normal for the real Starbucks cotton candy Frappuccino, if you want a drink that looks extra fun, consider adding a handful of sprinkles as a final flourish once the drink is made.
- Any vanilla ice cream will get you close to achieving a Starbucks cotton candy Frappuccino, however for the best results we would recommend using a high-quality vanilla bean ice cream.
- If you haven’t had time to plan ahead and your ice-cream is a little hard after emerging from the freezer, a spoon or scoop left in a cup of boiling water for a minute or so will make light work of even the coldest ice cream.
- If you want to try a less calorie dense alternative, you can consider switching out the vanilla bean ice cream for vanilla flavored frozen yoghurt. It might taste slightly different, but will be a really close copy of Starbucks cotton candy Frappuccino.
- Another way to reduce the calories in this drink is to use skim milk, it will taste identical, it just won’t be quite as creamy.
- Finally let’s talk raspberry syrup. There are many brands available, so try a few until you find one that you like. Alternatively, you could have a crack at making your own.
Conclusion
It is actually surprisingly simple to make an authentic Starbucks cotton candy Frappuccino at home. The main problem we had was that we wanted to make one every day. That’s a lot of ice cream! The key to the recipe actually lies in the ice, make sure you use enough to ensure a super thick and smooth Frappuccino. With any luck you will have a blender that is strong enough for the task. What is your favorite Starbucks Frappuccino? Have you made this recipe? Leave a comment below, it would be great to hear from you.