The Well Plated Cookbook is here! Starbucks Mocha Frappuccino | Healthy Copycat Recipe
From the day it opened its doors, the Starbucks located one block from my high school has had a steady drive-thru line of suburbans wrapped around its exterior and a hoard of high school girls sipping whipped-cream-topped Frappuccinos on its interior. My junior and senior year, my girlfriends and I would meet weekly before class to sip Frapps and discuss the issues of the day (boys). Today’s Starbucks Mocha Frappuccino recipe is my healthy, copycat version of the mocha Frappuccino I ordered every Friday.
This recipe is sponsored by Bob’s Red Mill.
To this day, coffee Frappuccinos still make me nostalgic for those green couches and early mornings in our school uniforms. I think I arrived late to my first class 65% of the time, telltale green cup in hand. The extra tardy on my “demerit card” (<—do high schools still have those?) was more than worth finding out who was asking whom to prom.
About This Mocha Frappuccino
Back then, I didn’t give a second thought to the nutritional value of what I was eating or drinking. The fact that a grande Starbucks Mocha Frappuccino with extra whipped cream (my standard order) has more calories and sugar than two full-sized Snickers bars didn’t occur to me when I was 17.
As an adult, I am more aware of the ingredients I put into my body. A few weeks ago on an especially hot day, I caught myself craving a mocha Frappuccino. Rather than hitting the drive-thru, I decided to see if I could come up with my own healthy Starbucks Mocha Frappuccino recipe that would please both my high school Frappuccino-loving self and my adult real-ingredient-loving self.
The results of my coffee Frappuccino experiment: success! This healthy copycat recipe is as richly chocolaty and refreshing as the original but made of wholesome ingredients, so you can feel great drinking it too.
Reimagining the Starbucks Mocha Frappuccino
In place of the sugar cocktail used to make Frappuccinos, I used a frozen banana, which, despite its simplicity, does a remarkable job making the Frappuccino thick, frothy, and naturally sweet. The coffee portion is nothing fancier than strong coffee that I brewed in my regular coffee pot then chilled in the refrigerator. The chocolate is unsweetened cocoa powder…and any chocolate chips you feel inclined to sprinkle on top.
To give the Mocha Frappuccino an extra boost, I also added one of my favorite superfoods, Bob’s Red Mill Chia Seeds. While they might not look like much, these little black seeds are nutritional powerhouses.
Chia seeds contain a whopping 5 grams of fiber per tablespoon, and their mild, nutty flavor makes them easy to add to just about anything. Try sprinkling them over salads or bowls of cereal, stirred into yogurt or oatmeal, and blended into smoothies.
I couldn’t resist adding a few tablespoons of chia seeds to this copycat Starbucks Mocha Frappuccino recipe, and I am so glad I did! I could hardly detect them, and I loved knowing that I was enjoying an extra nutritional boost with my sweet treat. In less than two seconds, I’d added some serious healthy fuel to my day.
My enjoyment of this healthy Starbucks Mocha Frappuccino recipe has reached the point where I’ve started brewing a little extra coffee in the morning to make sure I have extra on hand for when my next Frapp craving strikes.
Make Ahead Tips
- To Make Ahead. This Mocha Frappuccino is best enjoyed immediately after its made. For a head start on the recipe, brew your coffee up to 1 day in advance and store in the refrigerator in an airtight container.
As written, the recipe is perfect for a cool midday pick-me-up or late-night treat (use decaf coffee if you need to avoid caffeine), and it’s also easy to tweak to be even more substantial. After a long workout, I’ll often add a scoop of chocolate protein powder and a handful of spinach to turn it into a recovery smoothie. Try it both ways and let me know what you think!
Starbucks Mocha Frappucino | Healthy Copycat Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup strong black coffee - chilled
- 1/2 medium banana - cut into chunks and frozen
- 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 tablespoons Bob’s Red Mill Chia Seeds
- 1 tablespoon light agave - plus additional to taste
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- Ice
- Optional for serving: whipped cream - whipped coconut cream, chocolate shavings, chocolate syrup or mini chocolate chips
Instructions
- Combine the coffee, banana, cocoa powder, chia seeds, agave, and vanilla extract in the bottom of a blender.
- Blend until smooth, about 30 or so seconds depending upon your blender, then add a small handful of ice cubes, blending until the mixture becomes thick. Continue adding ice cubes until you reach your desired consistency (I like mine fairly thick). Pour into a glass. Garnish as desired and enjoy immediately.
Notes
- This Mocha Frappuccino is best enjoyed immediately after its made. For a head start on the recipe, brew your coffee up to 1 day in advance and store in the refrigerator in an airtight container.
I am sharing this post in partnership with Bob’s Red Mill. As always, all opinions are my own. Thanks for supporting the brands and companies that make it possible for me to continue to create quality content for you! For more healthy recipe inspiration, coupons, or to find a store that carries Bob’s Red Mill products near you, visit bobsredmill.com.
This post contains some affiliate links, which means that I make a small commission off items you purchase at no additional cost to you.
