To order this drink at Starbucks, ask for a Vanilla Bean Frappuccino, blended with a banana. It’s as simple as that. To take it to another level, try a banana split variation by ordering a Strawberries & Crème Frappuccino, add java chips and blend in a banana. For extra decadence, ask for a drizzle of chocolate or caramel in the cup and on top of the whip.
Swinging into a local Starbucks isn’t necessarily a challenge, but making a great drink at home is liberating. I’ve done the work to decode the banana frappuccino and provide some options so you can make your own frappuccino at home. MORE: The Best Blenders Under $100 of 2019 Our editors & writers only recommend products that we think are awesome and you’ll love. We do occasionally use affiliate links, which means that we may make a small commission at no additional cost to you. Here’s what you’ll need:
Milk of your choice (I used 2% milk) Ice Bananas Homemade vanilla syrup (see recipe below) Whipped cream (the canned stuff works great)
Step one to an at-home frappuccino is the vanilla syrup. The trick here is getting vanilla bean paste. It can be a bit pricey, but the paste will last a while. The Starbucks Vanilla Bean Frappuccino has those little black dots of vanilla that let you know it’s legit. In the homemade version, we want that, too. The syrup has a concentrated vanilla flavor, so when it’s mixed in a beverage the vanilla can shine.
Once the syrup is created, the rest is a matter of assembly. Blended drinks tend to be better when made fresh and in small batches. So, make these to order. MORE: 3-ingredient copycat Wendy’s Frosty you can easily make at home I used a small Magic Bullet to make a grande (16 ounces) size drink. The key to a great blended drink is a smooth consistency without any large ice chunks. My advice is to use crushed ice, so the blender doesn’t have to work as hard to get fine, tiny ice crystals. If you can snag some pellet ice, even better. This ice is not as dense and will blend up perfectly.
I like to have the frappuccino ingredients on hand, as well as additional flavor and mix-in options. These ingredients are great to have in stock if you want to make your own frappuccino bar.
While these frappés are perfect the way they are, you can caffeinate your creation by adding your own strongly brewed coffee or espresso, or you can put your own spin on the drink and throw in some extra ingredients to mix things up.
Let us know your spins on this frappuccino recipe. Tag us on Instagram @makeitgrateful and #makeitgrateful!
Yield 1 frappuccino
1/2 cup water1/2 cup sugar1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract1/2 tablespoon vanilla bean paste
Banana frappuccino
1 banana1/2 cup milk1 cup crushed ice3-4 tablespoons vanilla syrupWhipped cream (optional)Caramel sauce (optional)
To make the banana split frappuccino
Strawberry sauce
8-10 strawberries1 tablespoon confectioners sugar1-1-1/2 tablespoons water
Banana split frappuccino
1 banana1/2 cup milk (of choice)1 cup crushed ice3-4 tablespoons vanilla syrupChocolate chipsStrawberry pureeWhipped cream (optional)Chocolate sauce (optional)
