Name: Vanilla Bean Frappuccino Recipe
Prep time: 10 min
Total time: 10 min
Yield: 1
Cuisine: Drinks
Ingredients: 1/2 of a real vanilla bean; 1 cup ice; 1 cup milk; 3 scoops vanilla bean ice cream; whipped topping

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If you love a good vanilla bean frappuccino, be sure to save this with your copycat coffee recipes. This easy vanilla frappuccino recipe allows you to skip the drive-thru and enjoy the creamy drink whenever the urge strikes.

Since this is a frappuccino without coffee, we can also call it a vanilla bean milkshake recipe. When you’re craving a refreshing blended drink without the caffeine kick, a vanilla frappé is an excellent choice.

vanilla bean frappuccino on a blue napkin

Easy Vanilla Bean Frappuccino Copycat Recipe

As a lover of the Starbucks Vanilla Bean Frappuccino, it was necessary to create a recipe I can easily make from home. When I’m out and about running errands, I happily support my local Starbucks. However, more often than not, I am home and don’t want to make a special trip for my indulgent drink habit.

Let’s be honest here – this is what many of us would call a milkshake. But doesn’t a vanilla cream frappuccino somehow sound better? Fancier maybe? Less like a dessert? Call it what you want, but it’s a delicious treat to enjoy any time of the day. The ice thins out the texture a bit so it’s not as thick as a traditional shake.

scraping out a vanilla bean on a cutting board

Vanilla Bean Frappuccino Ingredients

(Exact measurements are in the printable recipe card below)

Real vanilla beans
Ice
Milk
Vanilla bean ice cream
Whipped topping

Vanilla Frappuccino Directions

Add ice, milk, and ice cream to a blender.

scooping vanilla bean ice cream into a blender

Gently cut the vanilla bean along the long edge lengthwise.

scooping out vanilla beans with a knife on a cutting board

Using the back side of the knife (not the sharp end), scrape the beans out of the vanilla bean pod and place them into the blender.

knife with vanilla beans going into a blender

Blend until smooth.

blended vanilla bean frappuccino in the blender

Pour the blended vanilla frappuccino into a glass and top with whipped cream.

Recipes Notes and FAQ

Do I have to use vanilla beans?

Vanilla beans are expensive and completely optional in this recipe. You can leave them out or use 1 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste.

Is this drink super sweet?

This recipe is not overly sweet. The ice helps tone down the sweetness and makes the texture more like a frappuccino and less like a milkshake.

Vanilla bean frappuccino topped with whipped cream in a glass

Can I add mix-ins?

Since this is a DIY blended drink, you can play around with add-ins. The vanilla bean gives you a great base to add other flavors if you choose.

Tasty additions include chocolate chips, espresso chips, cinnamon chips, strawberries, matcha powder, a dash of coffee, or whatever you like!

Does a vanilla bean frappuccino have caffeine?

No. A vanilla bean frappuccino is ice cream-based rather than coffee-based. There is no coffee or caffeine in this drink.

blended vanilla bean frappe in a glass with two red straws

What’s the difference between a frappe and a frappuccino?

Frappes and frappuccinos are the same thing. The only difference is that Starbucks trademarked frappuccino.

What’s the difference between a frappuccino and a milkshake?

The difference is the ice cream. Technically, milkshakes don’t have ice cream in them. What many of us call milkshakes are actually frappes or frappuccinos (which are the same thing).

Why is my frappuccino watery?

If the frappuccino isn’t blended long enough, it will have a watery consistency. Blending both combines the ingredients and introduces air to create a thicker, creamier texture.

Yield: 1 glass

Vanilla Bean Frappuccino Recipe

A creamy and delicious vanilla bean frappuccino recipe using real vanilla beans.

Prep Time 10 minutes

Total Time 10 minutes

Ingredients

1/2 of a real vanilla bean
1 cup ice
1 cup milk
3 scoops vanilla bean ice cream
whipped topping

Instructions

Add ice, milk, and ice cream to a blender.
Gently cut lengthwise along the long edge of the vanilla bean and using the back side of a knife (not the sharp side) scrape the beans out of the pod and place into the blender.
Blend until smooth.
Pour into a serving glass and top with whipped topping.

Notes

If you don't have vanilla beans, use 1 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste. You can also skip it altogether if you're using vanilla bean ice cream.

Vanilla Bean Frappuccino