Pumpkin Spice Frappuccino (Starbucks Copycat Recipe)

We can all instantly recognize the traditional fall spice aromas. Closer your eyes and feel the warm cinnamon, the aromatic clove, the sweet ginger and the earthy nutmeg, you can almost see the orange leaves paving the sidewalk. That’s what the pumpkin spice Frappuccino is all about. 

Starbucks developed the seasonal drink in 2003, it resulted from extensive, and perhaps unnecessary, marketing research. It was rather obvious the pumpkin spice frapp would be a hit.

On the downside, you’ll hardly find this autumn-scented in spring or summer, which means that, if you want to enjoy it all-year-round, you must make your own. And that’s actually great because there’s nothing more empowering than crafting your own coffee shop drinks at home for yourself, your friends and family — you save some money too. 

So, to make a proper pumpkin spice Frappuccino, you need pumpkin spice, and you have two options either you buy it or you make your own. I like making my own soice blend because I enjoy fine-tuning it to my taste (I add a bit less ginger, for example). Combine powdered cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and clove in equal proportions and mix until completely incorporated. You can store your pumpkin spice in a jar, and it will basically last forever!

We’ll also need coffee, and I recommend a strong shot of medium-roast Arabica — it has all those beautiful caramel and nutty aromas you won’t find in heavier roasts.

For the milk, you can use anything, from low fat to almond milk, but for a decadently rich version, I use condensed milk. I know, It’s kind of too much, but when diluted with the ice, it becomes lighter, and it’s absolutely d-lish.

Pumpkin puree is critical here, but you can get a can of the stuff any time of year. Please make sure you’re buying the 100% pumpkin and not the ‘pumpkin pie filling,’ which is already seasoned and has a different consistency. The label can be misleading, so look for the ingredients in the back label.

Now you’re ready to make yourself a seasonal pumpkin spice Frappuccino with our own pumpkin spice. Enjoy the flavors of fall all year round!