Whats the difference between a frappe and a Frappuccino?

Upgrade your coffee this summer with a chilled frappe or Frappuccino for the ultimate cooling treat

Now that UK temperatures have soared and British Summer Time is well and truly upon us, it’s time to ditch the standard morning coffee and head for the freezer instead! You may be familiar with frappe and Frappuccino coffees but have you ever wondered what the difference between them is?

Whatever your iced coffee preference, we’ve got the low-down on how to kick-start your morning (or afternoon) coffee experience. Discover the luxury and bliss of our favourite chilled coffees.

Is a frappe the same as a Frappuccino?

In short – no! Believe it or not, the first ever frappe was invented in Greece in 1950. It was created by a researcher experimenting with new ideas for coffee-based drinks.

The original frappe was made by blending water with instant coffee, ice and milk. The result? A creamy, foam-topped coffee, enjoyed best with a straw, to delve into the chilled coffee below.

A Frappuccino, on the other hand, is made using brewed coffee. The unmistakable flavour and aroma from espresso, which simply cannot be replicated by instant, makes the Frappuccino a firm choice for coffee-lovers all year round.

Frappuccinos can also be made without coffee. Many high street coffee shops serve up sweet concoctions such as strawberries and cream, salted caramel and chocolate fudge brownie combinations. These make the perfect iced summer treat for those that prefer their sips decaffeinated.

Frappes, however, are always made with coffee. Both types of iced coffee are often topped with whipped cream or other delicious toppings.

You’re more likely to find a frappe in Europe. Whereas the Starbucks-patented Frappuccino, is less common here but an absolute staple in the US.

Read on to find out how to upgrade your at-home iced coffee and make your very own frappe or Frappuccino using one of our five irresistible Rabot Estate Coffee blends.

How to make a frappe

A quick and easy alternative to cold brew coffee, a frappe is the perfect summer pick-me-up. It’s the ideal beverage to enjoy in breaks between work-from-home meetings, or as morning refresher.

• Step 1: Find a container that you can easily shake – a protein shaker or cocktail shaker will do! Alternatively, use a blender for optimum smoothness.

• Step 2: Add your instant coffee and cold water to the blender – depending on how strong you like your coffee, whilst adding sugar to taste. For a 12-ounce glass, a good rule of thumb is to use 2 teaspoons of instant coffee plus equal amounts of sugar and water (depending on your sweet tooth!)

• Step 3: Next, blend the mixture for around five seconds until smooth or shake your workout or cocktail shaker for at least 30 seconds to achieve a smooth and silky foam.

• Step 4: Take your favourite glass and fill generously with ice, then slowly pour the velvety coffee foam over the ice cubes to cover.

• Step 5: Then, top up your glass with water or milk until your desired texture is achieved.

• Step 6: Finally, place a straw into the glass and enjoy your refreshing frappe.

Top Tips:

• Fancy something a little sweeter? Why not try adding some condensed milk to the mixture? Blend until it’s decadently smooth and creamy.
• Use a darker roast coffee, then add water or milk to lighten the taste, (as opposed to using blonde or light roast coffee, which can result in a sour-tasting frappe.

Add a final flourish with cream, chocolate shavings and cookie pieces, or a sprinkle of nutmeg and cinnamon.

How to make a Frappuccino

To replicate the much-loved Frappuccino at home, why not try our very own Rabot Estate coffee? We’ve taken our knowledge of high-quality cacao and applied it to our coffee beans.

Choose from mellow and comforting Cashmere, through to our deep and intense Rocket. All of our blends are available in 100% recyclable pods as well as responsibly-sourced whole coffee beans. Plus, of course, all five coffee blends are perfect for pairing with chocolate!

Frappuccinos can be easily tweaked to your flavour preference. Simply add chocolate to make a rich and indulgent Chocolate Frappuccino or even add one of our Premium Liqueurs or Chocolate Creams for a grown-up twist, perfect for summer celebrations with friends.

To prepare a homemade Frappuccino to rival the original high street hero, simply follow our steps below.

• Step 1: Choose your Hotel Chocolat coffee of choice – either espresso pod or whole bean coffee prepared how you best like it. Once brewed, place in the fridge to cool. You want it to be short and strong.

• Step 2: Pour the chilled, concentrated coffee into a blender and add the milk of your choice. We love creamy whole milk or indulgently rich oat milk.

• Step 3: If you’d like, you can add in a flavouring and sweeten to taste using sugar, condensed milk or another sweetener.

• Step 4: Once you’ve achieved the perfect depth of flavour, add a handful of ice cubes to the mixture and blend.

• Step 5: Continue to blend well, adding more ice if needed, until the mixture is smooth and the ice cubes have completely broken down.

• Step 6: Enjoy! Serve your Frappuccino straight away and enjoy the blissful, caffeinated smoothness. We love to drink ours in the garden with friends or relax on the sofa with a book, for a moment of pure, uninterrupted indulgence.

Top tips:

• Start with coffee stronger than you would normally enjoy, to allow for the addition of milk, cream, toppings and syrups that can dilute the coffee.
• Add enough ice cubes in step 4 to reach the top of the blender.
• Why not try a Mocha Frappuccino, by adding delicious Hotel Chocolat chocolate flakes to the mixture? Top with cream and chocolate shavings for the ultimate decadent treat to impress friends with.

Start with irresistible coffee from Hotel Chocolat

The base of any delicious frappe or Frappuccino is high-quality, responsibly-sourced coffee.

As cacao roasters, we’ve learnt how to get the best from our beans, and now we’ve applied this expertise to coffee. Find the blend to suit your taste using our strength-o-metre.

Have you tried our Velvetiser? Not only can it whip up velvety hot chocolate, it can also provide the perfect partner of silky smooth milk to your iced coffee. Simply add your milk of choice to The Velvetiser and stand by as the magic happens. Allow it to cool before adding to your coffee and ice. 

In a rush? Simply add a single-serve latte sachet to The Velvetiser along with your milk, and add to your espresso and ice. Explore our full latte sachet range.