This copycat recipe for Starbucks’ Java Chip Frappuccino is the real deal! It gives you all the delicious mocha flavor of the store-bought drink at the fraction of the price. Smooth, creamy, and full of chocolate and coffee flavor, this homemade Frappuccino blended beverage takes less than 5 minutes to make with a few simple ingredients. 

When it comes to Starbucks’ blended beverages, this creamy and chocolaty Java Chip Frappuccino is hands down one of the best. The bitter coffee, sweet chocolate sauce, ice and milk are blended into a delicious and rich beverage. Perfect for the hot summer days!

With just one sip, you’ll understand why so many people love this drink. It’s incredibly easy to make, and this homemade Java Chip Frappuccino tastes just like the one from Starbucks! The best part? You can make a healthy version and adjust according to your own personal desired sweet level.

What is Java chip Frappuccino?

Java Chip Frappuccino is a popular blended coffee drink at Starbucks. It’s described on Starbucks’ website as a blend of “mocha sauce and Frappuccino® chips with coffee, milk and ice”, then topped “with whipped cream and mocha drizzle to bring you endless java joy.”

What’s in a Java chip Frappuccino?

Original Starbucks’ Java Chip Frappuccino contains ice, milk, coffee Frappuccino syrup, Frappuccino chips, whipped cream, and mocha sauce.

We have recreated the flavor by using some simple and easily accessible ingredients: coffee, milk, ice, chocolate chips, chocolate sauce, and whipped cream. 

Best coffee for Frappuccino

First things first. I recommend using really strong coffee so that the coffee flavor won’t be hidden behind a wall of milk and chocolate. Try to avoid coffees with other flavors such as fruity and floral, as these will stand out when the coffee is iced. 

Brewed coffee works best if you have time, otherwise you can use instant coffee mix (or even decaf if you prefer). If you use the mix, make sure to dilute with less water so that it’s very concentrated. 

It’s best to chill your coffee before mixing it with ice. Just pour it into a jar and pop it in the refrigerator until it’s really cold. 

Milk: Use whole milk for the best results, as the flavor of the reduced fat milk will be diluted when mixed with ice. For a healthier version, you can use nonfat milk or almond milk, but it’s better to add a small amount of heavy cream.

Chocolate Sauce: After some experiments, we found that chocolate sauce or chocolate syrup works great for this recipe. It’ll bring amazing flavor and texture to the drink. You can use store-bought chocolate sauce or homemade version. Mocha sauce also works great if you’d prefer to make it more original. 

Chocolate Chips: I like to use semi-sweet chocolate chips. You can use dark chocolate chips if you’d like to reduce the sweetness level. Also use high-quality chocolate chips which will blend and taste better.

Ice: It may seem not important, but the amount of ice can change the whole experience. Adding more ice will make the Frappuccino thicker (but not creamier). 

How to Make Java Chip Frappuccino at Home

• Prepare your coffee roast and let it chill in the refrigerator.
• Loosely drizzle chocolate sauce inside of each glass and set aside.
• Add ice, coffee roast, milk, chocolate sauce, and chocolate chip into a blender.
• Secure the lid and start to blend on low speed for about 30 seconds, and then on a max speed for about 10 seconds or until the mixture is evenly smooth.
• Pour into individual glass and top with whipped cream. Drizzle with chocolate sauce.

Serve and enjoy this creamy and delicious coffee drink immediately.

Tips for Making the Perfect Java Chip Frappuccino

• Make sure to chill your coffee until it’s very cold before making the drink.
• You can start with slightly less ice, which will produce a thinner drink. You can always add more to make it thicker.
• The color of your drink depends on the color of the coffee you use. So use darker coffee if you prefer a darker look. 
• To make it more creamy and more ice cream like, use half-and-half or heavy cream instead of whole milk. 
• To decorate the wall of the glass with chocolate sauce, hold your glass in one hand and hold the sauce bottle in another. Rotate the glass slowly while you lightly drizzle the chocolate. You can place the glass with drizzle into the freezer to let it set.

How Do I Order a Java Chip Frappuccino at Starbucks?

If you’d like to try this drink at Starbucks, here are some tips on how to order it:

Choose a size: Starbucks has its own name-specific sizing:

• A tall is the equivalent of 12oz. (340 calories including whipped cream)
• A grande is 16oz. (470 calories including whipped cream)
• A venti is 26oz. (600 calories including whipped cream)

Customize the flavor: If you want your drink extra sweet, you can ask for extra pumps of syrup (you’ll need to pay more). You can also order a sugar-free syrup flavor for a healthier version. 

For the coffee-based Frappuccino, two types of the base are available: regular (tastes like maple syrup) and light (meaning skinny). The light base is not 100% sugar-free but is mostly sweetened with Splenda. It cuts calories but also change the taste drastically. 

Choose the liquid base: For the milk options, you can choose among nonfat, 2% milk, soymilk, and half-and-half. You can also ask for almond or coconut milk. 

If you want less caffeine, order half-caf or decaf (with no caffeine).

Java Chip Frappuccino Calories without Whipped Cream

If you’d like to reduce the calorie intake, you can make or order Java Chip Frappuccino with nonfat milk and without whipped cream. This will yield a drink with 240 calories for a tall-size (instead of 340 calories for the regular one).

Blender Recommendations

• I have several blenders, and Vitamix is my favorite one.
• If you make Frappuccino or smoothies a lot, it’s worth investing in a good one. But a regular blender such as this works well too. It’s not as fast as a high-powered bender, but it’s a good option for the price. 

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Editor note: Originally published Feb 12, 2020 and updated June 18, 2020.