These Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Frappuccinos are a tasty spin on a fall fave – they’re perfect for iced coffee lovers with way less calories!
Whenever I want a sweet coffee drink, this is the one I turn to! You save SO much money making Starbucks drinks at home and you just need to buy the ingredients once to enjoy several times over.
Why you'll love this recipe
- Starbucks copycat: Enjoy your favourite drink at home, no trip to the drive-thru required.
- Fall flavours: It has all the delicious flavours of fall in one yummy drink.
Ingredients and substitutions
- Espresso shots – you can try regular coffee but it'll have a different flavour.
- Simple syrup – use a store-bought version to save time.
- Milk – use any dairy or dairy-free milk of your choice.
- Pumpkin puree – use store-bought or homemade.
- Pumpkin spice mix – make your own using cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger.
- Whipped cream – use coconut whipped cream for a dairy-free version.
How to make a pumpkin spice frappuccino
Step 1: Make the simple syrup.
Boil water and stir in the sugar.
Step 2: Make the pumpkin spice mix.
Mix the cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger together.
Step 3: Brew the espresso.
Use an espresso maker or a pod coffee machine.
Step 4: Blend everything together.
Blend all the ingredients until smooth. Top with whipped cream and serve.
Customize your frappucino
Customize your frappucino to your liking (without the extra cost). Here are some different variations to try:
- Decaf: Use decaf espresso if you don't want the drink to be caffeinated.
- Syrup: Add some store-bought pumpkin spice syrup for extra flavour.
- Skinny: Make the simple syrup with stevia and use skim milk for a lower-calorie version.
- Dairy-Free: Use dairy-free milk and coconut whipped cream.
Frequently asked questions
Does the pumpkin spice frappucino have coffee in it?
Yes, this drink has two shots of espresso in it. For a caffeine-free version, use decaf espresso.
Do you have to use espresso?
Espresso gives you the most authentic flavour, but if you're not a fan, you can use dark roast coffee.
How many calories are in this recipe vs the Starbucks version?
Starbucks’ pumpkin spice frappuccino has a whopping 420 calories per serving for a Grande (16 oz.) size, whereas mine only has 265 calories per serving.
Storing the ingredients
You can't pre-make your frappucino, but you can store certain components:
- Simple syrup: Store in the fridge in a mason jar for 1 month.
- Pumpkin pie spice: Store in the pantry for up to 3 months.
- Pumpkin puree: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 2 weeks, or freeze up to 3 months. Hot tip: I like to freeze in ice cube trays so I don't have to defrost the whole container.
More pumpkin spice recipes
Meal prep tools for this recipe
- I use 16oz mason jars as cups and storage containers for these drinks.
- Vitamix is my all-time fave blender – it crushes through ice super easily!
- You can also use a Magic Bullet for individual servings of this drink.
- I use smaller 4oz jars for storing homemade spice mixes (and just regular spices) such as the pumpkin spice blend.
Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Frappuccinos
Ingredients
- 4 espresso shots
- 3 tbsp simple syrup more or less depending on how sweet you like things
- 1.5 cup 2% milk 1% or skim if you want a low-fat version)
- 1/3 cup pumpkin puree
- 2 tsp pumpkin spice mix
- 1 handful ice cubes
- Whipped cream optional, for garnish
Simple syrup
- 1/3 cup boiling water
- 1/3 cup sugar
Pumpkin Spice Mix
- 2 tbsp cinnamon
- 2 tbsp nutmeg
- 1 tbsp ginger
- 1 tbsp allspice or ground cloves
Instructions
- Make simple syrup by boiling water and mixing it with sugar. In a small bowl, mix together the pumpkin spice mix and set aside.
- Add espresso, simple syrup, milk, pumpkin puree, pumpkin spice mix and ice to a blender.
- Mix together until there are no chunks of ice left.
- Add whipped cream (if desired) and garnish with a pinch of pumpkin spice mix. Serve and enjoy right away!
Video
Comments & Reviews
Ian says
Hi there I made this recipe this morning and all I can taste is the spices. I also had to use almost three times the amount of ice cubes to get the frappuccino consistency. Could that be why? I used coconut milk too. If I was to make this again I’d probably have to use 3x the amount of puree/syrup. I used a butternut squash for a pumpkin substitute also. Apparently it tastes the same
Taylor Stinson says
Hey Ian – did you use 2 tsp pumpkin spice mix per two drinks? I have ingredients listed to make the pumpkin spice mix (2 tbsp cinnamon, etc) but you will have some leftover. Just want to make sure you used the correct measure first. With the substitutions you made there could be a change in consistency and taste so it’s hard to tell what went wrong here.
Marly says
OK, don’t laugh when I tell you this – this looks amazing! The thing is, I’m vegan and I don’t drink coffee. But somehow, someway, I need to adapt this recipe for my life. 🙂
Taylor Stinson says
Haha aww Marly!!! I’m sure you could adapt possibly as a chai pumpkin spice latte frapp? I don’t drink tea very often but assume it could sub in for the coffee and then you could definitely use almond or coconut milk instead! In fact, I’m a HUGE fan of coconut milk in lattes and cappuccinos – it brings this different subtly sweet flavour but it’s oh so good! Lemme know if you end up tweaking this!