One question Starbucks baristas answer regularly is, “Do frappuccinos have caffeine?” If you’ve also been wondering how much caffeine or coffee is in your favorite frappuccino, then this guide is for you.
Here you can see which Starbucks frappuccinos can give you a bit of a caffeine perk and which to choose if you want to go caffeine-free.
Starbucks Frappuccinos: Quick Facts
- Starbucks Frappuccino blended beverages are ice-cold, creamy drinks, often topped with whipped cream.
- Frappuccinos come in three cold cup sizes—tall, grande and venti.
- There are two main types of Starbucks frappuccinos: coffee frappuccinos and crème frappuccinos. All coffee frappuccinos and some crème frappuccinos have caffeine.
- With the exception of the Coffee Frappuccino and Espresso Frappuccino drinks, coffee-based frappuccinos do not actually contain freshly brewed coffee or espresso.
- There are two tea frappuccinos—Chai Crème Frappuccino and Matcha Crème Frappuccino. Both contain caffeine.
- Starbucks has caffeine-free frappuccinos and it’s possible to order a decaf frappuccino.
- Want an extra boost of caffeine in your frappuccino? Order it with a shot of espresso or affogato-style.
- Coffee and Mocha were the original two flavors of Starbucks frappuccinos introduced in 1995.
- Never call a Starbucks Frappuccino a frappe. That’s a McDonald’s drink.
Do Frappuccinos Have Caffeine?
There are two basic types of Starbucks frappuccino beverages: coffee frappuccinos and crème frappuccinos.
While all Starbucks coffee frappuccinos contain caffeine, not all crème frappuccinos are caffeine-free.
This is because the main sources of caffeine in frappuccinos are coffee, tea and chocolate. And a few crème frappuccinos include tea or chocolate.
Specifically, grande coffee-based frappuccinos contain anywhere from 85-105mg of caffeine. One exception is the Espresso Frappuccino. It has 155mg caffeine. On the other hand, the caffeine content for most crème frappuccinos ranges from 0-15mg. However, the two tea-based crème frappuccinos, Chai Crème and Matcha Crème, contain 40 mg and 70mg respectively.
Wondering how the caffeine in Starbucks frappuccinos compares to other coffee drinks?
Well, a frappuccino will certainly never land on the list of Starbucks most caffeinated drinks.
But here’s how the caffeine content for a few frappuccinos stacks up to other popular Starbucks drinks.
| Starbucks Drink | Caffeine |
| Caramel Ribbon Crunch Frappuccino | 85mg |
| Caffè Vanilla Frappuccino | 95mg |
| Java Chip Frappuccino | 105mg |
| Iced Caramel Macchiato | 150mg |
| Iced Blonde Vanilla Latte | 170mg |
| Vanilla Sweet Cream Cold Brew | 185mg |
Caffeine-free Starbucks Frappuccinos
If you want a completely caffeine-free Starbucks frappuccino, then hop over to the crème frappuccino menu.
Here you’ll find a really delicious selection of non-coffee frappuccinos.
As a matter of fact, some of Starbucks best strawberry drinks are frappuccinos.
Just remember, the matcha and chai tea crème frappuccinos are caffeinated. And chocolate crème frappuccinos, like Chocolate Cookie Crumble and Double Chocolaty Chip have a little bit of caffeine—about 15mg for a grande.
List of Caffeine-free Starbucks Frappuccinos
- Caramel Ribbon Crunch Crème Frappuccino
- Strawberry Crème Frappuccino
- Vanilla Bean Crème Frappuccino
- White Chocolate Crème Frappuccino
- Strawberry Funnel Cake Crème Frappuccino (seasonal)
- Apple Crisp Crème Frappuccino (seasonal)
- Pumpkin Spice Crème Frappuccino (seasonal)
- Caramel Brulee Crème Frappuccino (seasonal)
- Chestnut Praline Crème Frappuccino (seasonal)
- Peppermint White Chocolate Crème Frappuccino (seasonal)
- Sugar Cookie Almondmilk Crème Frappuccino (seasonal)
- Toasted White Chocolate Crème Frappuccino (seasonal)
Crème Frappuccinos a Little Bit of Caffeine
- Chocolate Cookie Crumble Crème Frappuccino (15 mg in a grande)
- Double Chocolaty Chip Crème Frappuccino (15 mg in a grande)
- Peppermint Mocha Crème Frappuccino (10 mg in a grande)
Decaf Starbucks Frappuccinos
What if you want a coffee-flavored frappuccino without much caffeine.
You’re in luck. Starbucks can customize any coffee frappuccino into a decaf frappuccino. As a matter of fact, there are lots of ways to get decaf at Starbucks including decaf iced coffee options.
To make a decaf frappuccino, the barista leaves out the coffee frappuccino syrup and adds in decaf espresso shots.
The only thing is, a decaf frappuccino may be slightly thinner than a regular frappuccino.
How to Order a Decaf Frappuccino with the App: Under “Espresso & Shot Options” select decaf. And under “Blended Options” change the number of pumps of Frappuccino Roast to zero.
How to Add More Caffeine to a Frappuccino
If you’re in the mood for a frappuccino but need an extra boost of caffeine, there’s a solution. Actually, isn’t there always a solution or customization at Starbucks?
All you have to do is add-in a shot of espresso or add affogato-style shots?
Now, there’s a slight difference between these caffeine-filled options.
If you add-in shots they are blended into the frappuccino beverage. On the other hand, affogato-style shots are poured over the top of the drink.
Just like an affogato dessert, the frappuccino is “drowned” in espresso. Of course, if your frappuccino is topped with Starbucks sweetened whipped cream, the affogato shot is poured over top before the whipped cream.
Here’s how much caffeine each shot adds to a frappuccino:
- Signature Roast Espresso: 75mg per shot
- Blonde Roast Espresso: 85mg per shot
- Decaf Espresso: up to 15mg per shot
Questions you May Have
Starbucks has two types of frappuccinos—coffee-based and crème-based. All coffee frappuccinos contain caffeine. And some crème frappuccinos have caffeine while others are caffeine-free. To get a frappuccino without caffeine make sure it doesn’t have any coffee, chai, matcha or dark chocolate in it.
All grande coffee frappuccinos contain 105mg of caffeine or less. One exception is the Espresso Frappuccino which has 155 mg of caffeine. Additionally, the caffeine in crème frappuccinos ranges from 0-70mg depending on the flavor.
Coffee-based Starbucks frappuccinos are made with coffee frappuccino syrup, not actual brewed coffee. The amount of coffee syrup, also called frapp roast, depends on the drink size. Specifically, a tall frappuccino contains 3 pumps of coffee syrup while a grande has 4 and a venti gets 6 pumps.
All Starbucks crème frappuccinos such as the Caramel Ribbon Crunch and Vanilla Bean Creme Frappuccino are made without coffee frappuccino syrup so most have zero or very little caffeine in them. The only exceptions are the two tea-based frappuccinos, Matcha Crème and Chai Crème which contain 40 mg of caffeine each in a grande.