Java Chip Frappuccino Recipe (Starbucks Copycat)

Working at a cafe is very stressful. And this was when I developed a costly addiction to frappuccinos. Before work, I’d pick one up, and after work, I’d sit and unwind from the day’s stress with another. Yeah, it was a problem.

To spare you the pain of developing the same, we created a java chip frappuccino copycat recipe. With cold brew ice cubes and actual melted chocolate, this is creamy, smooth, and never watered down. 

Keep reading for Home Grounds’ amazing java chip frappuccino recipe.

Our Frappuccino Addiction

The synergy between a creamy base, flavourful syrup, maybe a mix-in, and ice creates something akin to a milkshake in a cup. We love frappuccinos so much that almost a quarter of our massive list of 45 of the best Starbucks drinks—ten, to be exact—are frappuccinos. And this consumer-craze is true only of some coffee drinks.

But, as of this writing, frappuccinos can develop into an expensive habit. Ask us how we know. At nearly five dollars each, twice a day—you know, for those before-work and after-work, treat-yourself moments— you could easily spend a little over $200 per month—if not more—on frappuccinos alone.

On the bright side, you could always make one at home. Of course, you’ll need nothing more complicated than a French press, a full-sized or personal blender, some milk, ice, add-ins, and whipped cream.

What is a Frappuccino, Anyway?

A frappuccino is nothing more than a blended, coffee-based drink. While the frappuccino became a part of the main Starbucks menu in 1995, two baristas developed it in 1993 (1).

Realizing that customers wanted a blended coffee drink on the menu, these two baristas began experimenting with a combination of espresso, milk, and ice. As the baristas worked hard to perfect their recipe, Starbucks began searching for a catchy, trademarked name.

In June 1994, Starbucks bought the Coffee Connection, which featured a drink that was a cross between a slushy and a soft-serve ice cream. While they didn’t keep that drink, the concept inspired a new portmanteau: frappuccino. Like our copycat mocha cookie crumble frappuccino, frappuccinos were meant to evoke,

Today, there are more than 36,000 ways to enjoy the frappuccino. From the myriad customizations you can make through the Starbucks app, to international favourites—like red bean and green tea and strawberries and cream—there’s almost no limit to the type of frappuccino you can create.

How We Developed our Java Chip Frappuccino Copycat Recipe

A few words about this homemade Java Chip Frappuccino method:

Ice

First, we started with ice. Because it plays a massive part in the frappuccino, we wanted something that adds texture and flavour.

So, we settled on cold brew ice cubes. They’re easy to make and endlessly customizable. 

Mocha Syrup

You have options with mocha syrup. Though a high-quality, store-bought mocha syrup or chocolate syrup will do, we’re kind of into being extra, so we made our own.

With a double-boiler, a semi-sweet chocolate bar with 60% cacao, some cold brew, some heavy cream, your liquid coffee creamer of choice, a simple syrup, and a saucepan, you’ll be well on your way to creating a mocha syrup you’ll want to eat with a spoon. Please indulge responsibly, though. There’s a lot of caffeine in this.

Milk

You have options here, too. Whether you must have half-and-half in everything or enjoy unsweetened soy milk, use whichever dairy or non-dairy alternative you prefer.

We decided to tone this down a bit and use whole milk.

If you’ve never had a Java Chip Frappuccino in person, check out this video for an honest review.

Let’s make a Starbucks Java Chip Frappuccino copycat recipe with all that out of the way.

How to Make a Starbucks Java Chip Frappuccino Copycat recipe

This recipe relies on the fundamentals of making the chocolate sauce by melting chocolate. Ordinarily, you’d want to use no less than a pound of chopped chocolate, but because we’re incorporating this into a syrup, we’ll be using much less.

After the cold brew ice cubes have frozen and the mocha syrup is made, all that’s left to do is assemble your java chip frappuccino in a personal blender.

1. Make the Simple Syrup

In a saucepan, combine 1 cup of granulated sugar with 1 cup of room-temperature water. Bring it to a gentle simmer on medium heat and remove it from the stove once the sugar’s fully dissolved.

2. Melt the Chocolate

Take your cold brew, coffee creamer, and heavy cream out of the fridge to warm up slightly.

Now, it’s time to make the chocolate sauce. Fill another saucepan three-quarters of the way with room temperature water and bring to a boil. Once there, reduce the heat to medium.

Fill your metal bowl with ¼ to ⅓ cups of chopped, semi-sweet chocolate and place over the simmering water in the saucepan.

Whisk occasionally until the chocolate melts and becomes smooth and shiny. Also, reduce the heat to medium-low or low if it starts to boil vigorously.

3. Assemble the Mocha syrup/Drizzle (Optional)

If you already have a mocha syrup available, you can proceed to step 4. But if you want to make a DIY mocha syrup, here’s how to do it.

Once the cold brew coffee creamer is nearly room temperature, remove the metal bowl from the heat. Wipe off any excess condensation from the bottom.

Add in ¾ cup of cold brew, two tablespoons of heavy cream, and one tablespoon of salted caramel coffee creamer, and whisk gently before adding each new ingredient.

Once your mocha syrup is cooled, smooth, and well incorporated, spoon it into a container or bottle with a tight-fitting lid.

4. Assemble the Java Chip Frappuccino

In a personal blender or blender bottle, add about two tablespoons of mocha syrup, 2 cups of cold, whole milk, ¼ cup of chopped, semi-sweet chocolate, and ¼ cup of cold brew ice cubes.

Blend until smooth and combined.

Pour into your 700-ml glass and top with whipped cream, even more chopped chocolate (or chocolate chips if that’s what you prefer), or mocha syrup.

Final Thoughts

And there you have it, a better-than-Starbucks java chip frappuccino. As a bonus, you can replace the ice cubes and some milk with some ice cream for a java chip shake.

Did you make this? Drop us a comment below.