The chain also makes non-coffee options, which it calls Creme Frappuccinos.
Though the Frappuccino has become synonymous with Starbucks, the Seattle-founded coffeehouse actually didn’t invent the blended beverage.
Fast-forward to 1994, and Starbucks purchased the Coffee Connection, creating a full-circle moment.
Photo: Shutterstock. Design: Eat This, Not That!
I recently tried every Starbucks Frappuccino I could get my hands on in search of the best one.
The taste:Good, but didn’t hit the spot.
I was expecting a nostalgic pumpkin pie-throw in flavor, but I got a more lackluster, watered-down sip.
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This flavor fell flat for me like something was missing from the whole equation.
It is crafted with classic pumpkin spice flavors, ice, coffee, and milk of your choosing.
The look:A slightly orange-tan hue with a slushy consistency that separated quicker than I would’ve liked.
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Like some others, this drink came in a plastic flat top and sans any toppings or whipped cream.
The taste: I first thought this one was too sweet for my liking.
It wasn’t a balanced pumpkin spice flavor.
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For starters, the coffee flavor was overpowering, while the pumpkin spice struggled to break through.
This drink also wasn’t consistent from sip to sip, which was frustrating.
Chestnut Praline Frappuccino
ThisChestnut Praline Frappuccinogets the award for the most unexpected flavor.
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Although it was palatable, the flavor is equally busy and confusing.
I paid $6.75 for this one.
The look:Sandy-colored liquid served in a transparent cup with a flat top.
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I thought this one was going to come with whipped cream, but it didn’t.
Despite that, this drink was pretty straightforward and had little to it.
It was sweet, slightly buttery, and a touch nutty, with undertones of caramel and vanilla.
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It cost me $5.95 for one that I probably wouldn’t order regularly.
The look:A very bright white with dark flecks of vanilla bean.
This one didn’t have whipped cream and came in a flat top.
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The taste:It was naturally sweet with a pleasant vanilla flavor.
It tasted childlike and youthful, like a lighter, less heavy version of a vanilla milkshake.
It was very good, but we both got tired of the taste quickly.
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It also tasted obviously watered down as it melted.
I spent $6.25 on a drink that could use some tweaking.
The look:Very simple and plain.
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It was housed in a clear cup with a flat top.
This one was pretty nondescript.
It was tasty, but don’t expect any in-your-face white chocolate flavor.
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It was just not what I was expecting.
It’s fruity and creamy and conjures up visions of strawberry yogurt, in my opinion.
This one was $6.25 and tasted high-quality.
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The look:Fun and eye-catching.
It’s a pretty pink with crimson and maroon swirls throughout.
The taste:Fruity and tangy, yet creamy and sweet.
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It tasted like a strawberry milkshake, but the emphasis was on the strawberry more so than the milk.
The taste was gentle yet unmistakable and reminded me of childhood for some reason.
This should hit the spot if you’re in the mood for a strawberry milkshake that tastes high-end.
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I spent $6.75 onthis Frappuccinothat got extra points because it was topped with holiday-themed green and white sprinkles.
The look:A beige hue with noticeable ice chunks in it.
This pick was more watery than the othersyou could quickly tell from the translucent spots.
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The taste:Interesting.
That’s how my boyfriend and I both described it.
He followed up his comment with, “I like it!”
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I, on the other hand, was a harder sell.
Although this Frappuccino was good, I don’t think I would always order it.
Preferences aside, this one tasted like you dunked a homemade sugar cookie into a glass of iced coffee.
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The colorful sprinkles also provided a bit of crunch, which was nice.
Iced matcha in this delightfully slushy version is invigorating.
I paid $6.25 for this drink, which was perfectly paired with light and airy whipped cream.
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The texture looked smooth and consistent.
The taste:Grassy and creamy, with a touch of sweetness.
It reminded me vaguely of the green tea soft-serve ice cream I get at one of my favorite restaurants.
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The whipped cream also complemented this one well and was a must-have addition.
It was lacking in flavor and something was missing.
The look:A very light tan that looked more liquid than icy slush, which initially worried me.
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This one came in a transparent cut with a flat top with a sipping area.
The taste:This option tasted so much like apple pie, which was really enjoyable.
It also had somewhat burnt undertones, which brought back memories of pie crust.
The look:Deep tannish brown.
It was crafted for mesanswhipped cream and toppings.
The taste:This one was reminiscent of a York Peppermint Patty and was minty but not overpowering.
It had cocoa and coffee undertones, which lingered on my tongue after taking a sip.
This one was generous with the toppings, which I always find to be a good sign.
The taste:Much more bitter than sweet.
It tasted more like natural cocoa, as opposed to low-quality chocolate syrups that sometimes seem fake.
It was light and icy and blended pretty well.
The whipped cream and rich dark chocolate drizzle were the perfect additions.
I spent $6.25 on this drink, which felt more in line with frozen hot chocolate.
The look:This drink was a medium brown shade, with the bottom half-inch darker than the rest.
The texture reminded me of a 7-Eleven slushy and looked well blended.
The taste:Fantastic.
It had a deep, rich, chocolaty taste that reminded me of frozen hot chocolate.
The look: A very light tan with swirls of medium to dark-hued caramel.
There was whipped cream with crunchy caramel sprinkles on top.
I noticed that this Frappuccino wasn’t totally blended and had more bubbles and liquidy sections to it.
The taste:The caramel swirls and crunchy caramel candy pieces made this drink very sweet.
However, the actual liquid portion of the drink tasted like much less so.
Instead, it had a very faint creamy milk flavor.
It was good but missing something, which I think was coffee.
The look:Light tan in color with a good amount of bright white whipped cream on top.
There was also a sprinkling of chunky, crunchy caramel on top.
The taste:When I think of a Frappuccino, this is the flavor I’m craving.
It was equal parts sweet caramel and rich coffee, which was superb.
The whipped cream and crunchy caramel pieces also offered an A-plus texture.
It was also on the less sweet side, which I appreciated.
Still, it was incredibly delicious and definitely worth checking out.
I paid $6.75 for this one.
The look:A tawny brown color with no whipped cream or toppings.
It had a smooth, slushy look that told me it was blended well.
It was served in a plastic, flat-top cup.
The taste:Very nice.
It had a slightly roasted coffee flavor with notes of caramelized sugar.
It’a drink you’d want to text friends about after you try itit’s that good.
The look:Extremely light beige in color.
The taste:Fabulous.
It had a wonderfully unmistakable chai flavor that was full-bodied, refreshing, and not too sweet.
I’m definitely going to recommend this one to family and friends who I know like chai.
TheEspresso Frappuccinois made with milk, ice, and a shot of espresso.
It is, in one word, timeless.
The look:A dark tan-brown shade that was part-liquid, part-frozen slush.
The taste:More bitter than sweet with a strong coffee flavor that lingered after each sip.
you’re able to enjoy it repeatedly without getting tired of it.
The taste is classic, versatile, and not over the top.
The look:A deep, dark chocolaty brown with some noticeable texture discrepancies throughout.
That is, some areas were slushier than others.
This pick was also topped with a hefty serving of whipped cream.
The taste:So freaking good.
The chocolate flavor was rich and decadent and reminded me of ice-cold chocolate milk, just darker and richer.
The chocolate bits mixed throughout were an excellent detail, adding excitement and texture.
It also had a subtle coffee flavor that merged wonderfully with the cocoa flavor.
This one was fabulous overall.
Even so, there was one drink that I liked ever better.
This picture-perfect drink tasted smooth and even, and the coffee and caramel flavors were a great pairing.
The look:Beige in color with cloud-like whipped cream top.
The taste:Smooth and even.
The coffee and caramel flavors complemented each other perfectly, and the whipped cream provided a delicious touch.
It was sublimely tasty and reminded me of an ice cream dessert or a fancy milkshake.
It’s dessert-like without tasting too sugary.
It also had A-plus texture and was so smooth and even as it melted, which I appreciated.
This is one I’ll definitely order again.
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