We Tasted Every Starbucks Frappuccino & This Is the Best
If you're looking for a sweet, filling pick-me-up drink and that mermaid logo happens to call your name, a Starbucks Frappuccino just makes sense. With so many types of Fraps, though, making a quick decision when you walk through the doors can be overwhelming. We're here to help you decide if you should go with the Matcha Frappuccino, which has more of a distinct flavor, or maybe something more classic, like the Mocha. That's right—we taste-tested almost every option on the regular Starbucks menu to find the best Starbucks Frappuccino. We didn't try the Pistachio Coffee Frappuccino, the Caramel Ribbon Crunch Frappuccino, or the Mocha Cookie Crumble Frappuccino, but we tried all of the standbys like the Java Chip Frappuccino and the classic Coffee Frappuccino.
It's important to note that Starbucks also sells Creme Frappuccinos, which do not include coffee in them. (Think: the classic Vanilla Bean Creme drink.) You can order the java-infused fraps sans coffee, but we decided against ordering those same flavors as their Creme Frappuccino counterparts, so we only tasted the ones that contained coffee. The only Creme Frappuccinos we ordered were the ones that didn't have a coffee counterpart, which included the Matcha Green Tea, Vanilla Bean, Strawberry, and the Chai.
Our tasters (including someone who had never tried a Frappuccino ever before!) were challenged to try all the Fraps and then ranked the drinks based on their overall flavors.
Here's how our six tasters ranked the 12 Starbucks Frappuccinos, listed here from worst to best. And if you're a true coffee lover, don't miss these 30 Starbucks Facts You Never Knew.
Vanilla Bean Creme Frappuccino
The Vanilla Bean Creme Frappuccino was one Frap that didn't get the most ringing endorsement from our tasters. By and large, we found it lacking in overall flavor.
"That just tastes like bad vanilla ice cream. Meh," one taster said. Others said the drink didn't have enough flavor and that this Frap "tastes like if you just put vanilla into water and mixed it up."
If you're not sure what to order as the line is inching forward, we think you should steer clear of the Vanilla Bean Frap. If you're looking for a better option within the vanilla-flavored realm, the Caffe Vanilla Frappuccino is a better bet.
Matcha Green Tea Creme Frappuccino
Matcha has a very distinct flavor—it's extremely bitter, and some might describe it as earthy. Either you like it or you don't. It's also very different from all the other Starbucks Frappuccinos, and the bitterness seemed to be the flavor that struck most of our tasters.
One editor said, "It's bitter, but that's okay. It wouldn't be good if it were too sweet." So, in this case, the bitterness was seen as more of a positive. But other tasters saw the bitter taste as a negative, with one saying, "it's only good with the whipped cream. It's bitter without it."
Overall, it seemed that those who liked this green concoction were already fans of matcha before giving this drink a taste. But if you weren't a fan before, then there's a good chance you won't be a fan of this Frap.
White Chocolate Mocha Frappuccino
As one of the more "basic" Starbucks drink orders on the menu, the White Chocolate Mocha Frappuccino seemed like a shoo-in. But it left our tasters unenthused.
Most were in agreement that this Frappuccino was "kind of bland," "seriously nothing special," and "really not memorable." Why waste the calories on a drink you won't even be able to remember just minutes after sipping it down? Sorry, White Chocolate Mocha, but we say thank you, next.
Coffee Frappuccino
This Frap split our tasters almost exactly in half in terms of whether it was loved or hated, which is why it falls in the middle of our list. The first sip reactions from those who enjoyed this drink said "classic Frap—good taste" and "yum, so delighted! Not too sweet. It's refreshing, I could drink this whole thing."
Other tasters didn't agree, though. "This literally tastes like nothing. The coffee flavor is minimal, and it's very icy, one person wrote." Another taster seemed to agree with these unsatisfied claims, saying, "I couldn't taste anything. This is the saddest Starbucks drink ever." Yikes.
Caramel Frappuccino
If you order anything with caramel as the main ingredient, prepare to be overwhelmed by a sweetness overload. That was the consensus with the Starbucks Caramel Frappuccino for all of our tasters.
The sweetness seemed to be at the forefront of everyone's mind after giving this drink a try. One taster even said, "I don't taste any coffee. Extremely sweet." A lack of coffee flavor in a coffee-based drink means this Frap missed the mark.
"I don't know honestly how someone drinks more than one sip of this. Way too sweet!" another taster said. Maybe fewer pumps of caramel sauce would take this Frap—and how much of the sweet stuff it's packing—down a few notches.
RELATED: Starbucks Baristas Say These Drink Orders Are "Ridiculous" and "Disgusting"
Chai Creme Frappuccino
Similar to the Matcha Green Tea Frappuccino, Chai Creme is a polarizing flavor. Some tasters loved it, and others definitely did not. Despite the fact that it's on the regular menu, the flavors of this one reminded tasters of fall weather.
One editor was surprised to be a fan of this Frap, writing, "Delicious and a slight chai spice to it! I don't normally have chai, but I can drink this one!" Another editor wrote almost the complete opposite, though: "Wow, hello chai. Way too overpowering."
Caffe Vanilla Frappuccino
Between the two vanilla Frappuccinos offered on the Starbucks regular menu, it's this one that takes the cake. Though some tasters did find this option a bit plain, others were surprised at how much they enjoyed the drink.
"This one doesn't really taste like anything. The only flavor really coming from here is from the whipped cream," one editor said.
One taster, though, called this Frappuccino a "dark horse" in the mix, and another said, "I really like this. The vanilla doesn't overpower like the others do. It's refreshing enough that I could honestly drink the whole thing."
It seems that the other tasters didn't like the plainness of just vanilla in general, not specifically this Frappuccino. If we were to give a note, we'd say to order this one without whipped cream. Our tasters didn't think it needed that added level of sweetness.
Espresso Frappuccino
The flavor of espresso is one that is acquired and not necessarily beloved by everyone. But despite this Frap being one of our tasters' favorites overall in their rankings, the reviews weren't completely stellar.
"Watery flavor throughout, the lack of whipped cream is also disappointing," said one editor. A few others also pointed out that this Frap had an extremely icy consistency, which made it less than ideal.
Double Chocolatey Chip Frappuccino
If you're looking for some next-level chocolatey flavor, this is definitely the Frappuccino for you. Out of all the other Starbucks Fraps, it's most similar to the Java Chip, which ranked higher, but this one was definitely still a crowd favorite.
It "tastes like a chocolate shake," said one taster. Another similarly likened it to an "Oreo milkshake," which is clearly a superb compliment. We definitely get the sense that more than the others, this frap was extremely shake-like—whether that's a good thing or a bad thing is for you to decide.
Mocha Frappuccino
The mocha Frappuccino is another Starbucks classic. Coming in third for our taste-test, this Frap was well-received by our team. The few complaints amongst tasters were about its slightly overpowering coffee flavor, but that's to be expected with a mocha Frappuccino to some degree. Other than that, though, the feedback on this frappuccino was extremely positive.
"Delicious! A perfect mix of chocolate and Frappuccino! Not too much, not too little!" said one taster, while another said the drink "tastes like a dark chocolate shake. I'm into it." There's no question that this one will be a regular in our Frappuccino rotation.
Strawberry Creme Frappuccino
Looking for a Frappuccino that's not so typical? Though it definitely doesn't have any coffee flavor, the Strawberry Creme Frappuccino checked all the boxes for most of our tasters. Three editors saw its resemblance to a "strawberry milkshake," and what's not to love about that?
This drink had a thicker consistency than some of the other Frappuccinos, but that didn't seem to faze our tasters. Many noted that the drink "tastes almost like yogurt," and one person said that it's "more milky than strawberry flavor, but it's delicious."
Java Chip Frappuccino
The Java Chip Frappuccino reigned supreme with our tasters as the best Starbucks Frappuccino. Out of all the chocolate-flavored Fraps, this one came out on top. One of our tasters said, "This, to me, although similar to the double chocolate chip, had more flavor and was more put together. If you want a 'chocolate' frappuccino, choose this one instead."
This drink seemed to be tugging at the heartstrings with our tasters, too, as many noted the nostalgia they felt when taking a sip.
"Taste like a breakup. This is what I used to always get after a breakup," said one of our editors. Another said almost the opposite: "tastes like young love." No matter the memories this Frap brings back, it's one drink that will make you feel warm and fuzzy with every sip.
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