On impulse I ordered a mocha frappe at McDonald’s, and UM YUMMY. The ingredients didn’t seem hard to figure out: I guessed coffee, chocolate, milk. I tasted cream, so probably it was whole milk or maybe a blend of whole milk and cream. I could see little teeny bits of ice, so either there was ice in it too or else the coffee was frozen. I often have leftover coffee, so I froze some.
It’s hard to make things at home because I have to acknowledge what’s in them. If I get a frappe, all I have to think about it how much it costs and how good it tastes, and I don’t have to think, “Hey, am I drinking…CREAM??”
But the nice thing about making things at home is that I can substitute. In this case, I used 2% milk, but next time I’ll try it with skim.
One cup milk
Squeeze the Hershey syrup for awhile
(I’ll try to remember to measure next time.)
Blend. While it’s blending, add eight coffee ice cubes and two plain water ice cubes through the hole in the lid. (If yours doesn’t have a hole in the lid, shut off blender, remove lid, add a cube, replace lid, blend, shut off blender, remove lid, add a cube….)
Another squeeze of chocolate syrup, perhaps
PLEASE AND THANK YOU
Makes enough for two people to have some, or for one person to have seconds.
I am the only one in my house who likes coffee.
Update! I looked online and got calorie info for the McDonald’s Frappe.
Then I made my version again, so I’d know how many ounces. Fluid ounces are a little tricky because the blender puts air into the mixture, so presumably the ounces wouldn’t be the same after the mixture sits for awhile, but anyway, my recipe made 18 ounces so let’s compare it to the 16-ounce medium.
I used 1/2 cup skim milk (40 calories), 1/2 cup 2% milk (65 calories), and 4 T. (or 1/4 c.) Hershey syrup (200 calories FTLOG). (The Hershey syrup is a great example of the point I made near the beginning about how it can be harder to make things at home where I have to Acknowledge The Ingredients). That’s a total of 305 calories, and it’s quite chocolatey and sweet; if my goal were to reduce the calories, I could use less chocolate syrup and/or replace some of the syrup with unsweetened cocoa and plain sugar (or even Splenda, I suppose). If I’d known it would be so close to the hundred-calorie mark, I might have done all skim milk and then it would have been 280 calories which sounds much less—AND would have been exactly half the calories of the 560-calorie medium frappe.
Another note: the second time I made it, it wasn’t thick enough. I didn’t want to add more coffee ice cubes because I was doing measurements, but I think it could easily have used another couple of cubes—which might have brought it ounces up to compare to the 680-calorie large frappe, an even more impressive calorie difference.
And yet another note: The kids were all very jealous that I got to drink a “shake,” but they all hated the coffee flavor, so I froze MILK ice cubes and made the same recipe but with milk-cubes instead of coffee-cubes. VERY good, and just like giving them chocolate milk—but with them having the feeling they’re getting ice cream.
This looks like the perfect Saturday morning treat for me!
I would just like to say thanks for this. I used to love those drinks and now they are just too sweet. Looks like I can make them myself now though. Thanks again.
YUM. I wish I hadn’t had to ban caffeine from my life (chronic insomnia), because that looks yummy. Maybe a chocolate malt will suffice…
I make a lazy version of this – no need to get out or clean the blender. I use about a cup of skim milk, a good squeeze of chocolate syrup and then float the coffee ice cubes in it. Since I never get to drink a whole beverage in one sitting, by the time I get back to it, the coffee cubes are melted and it is a delicious treat.
I used to be the only coffee drinker in our house but now my oldest likes it and I let him have one cup with me a couple times a week just like my Mom used to do with me. I loved a coffee syrup made by Nescafe for a long time (you added it to milk) and then they stopped making it. I happened across a recipe someone else made up to replace it and I make and use it all the time. If you are interested in the recipe, I put it on my food blog: http://rcpmomfeeds.blogspot.com/2010/05/coffee-fix.html
Also to Anne above, you could always use decaf!
That’s awesome. I might have to try that decaf.
This looks absolutely delicious! Also amazing is a concoction that my roommates and I came up with one summer: Weight Watchers shake powder in Chocolate, skim milk, two packets of splenda, and lots of ice cubes. Absolutely delish. You can add a banana or strawberries if you want to get fancy.
I had the caramel frappe at McDonald’s recently and it’s also way yummy. And probably more sugar than I should have in a week, but STILL!
There is nothing you just said that I don’t want to become best friends with! Coffee = yes! Milk = yes! Hersey’s syrup = yes yes yes!
I tried this with Kool aid when the local movie theatre stopped serving there slushies. My world had ended! My recreation wasn’t as good, but I am tempted to try again.
Having worked at a Starbucks way back when, I can tell you how their frappes are made: I carton of Starbucks Frappe mix (this is a concentrate with all the cream and sugary stuff in it) mixed with a pot of double strong brewed coffee. When a customer orders, fill cup to “fill here” line, add ice, and put through fancy blender. If it’s a mocha frappe or a carmael frappe, add the company-approved amount of said chocolate or caramel. Blend in your uber-fancy-industrial-strength blender. Top with whipped.
So basically, you are a genius for thinking to FREEZE THE COFFEE, because otherwise you’d need to brew double-strength coffee to make up for the watered-downness of the added ice. YOU SKIIPPED A STEP!
Imma have to try this.
That sound you hear is my jaw hitting the floor at your BRILLIANCE. I am going to brew some coffee immediately because it needs time to freeze. Why does the freezing process have to take so long? DAMN YOU, PHYSICS!
I would like a verdict on how close it was to the “real thing”, i.e. the McDonald’s version.
Misty- I though t itwas just as good, except that my version didn’t have whipped cream and HOT FUDGE SAUCE on it like theirs did. But on the other hand, I’ve only tried two McDonald’s frappes, so it’s hard to be sure: it could be that if I were more used to them, I wouldn’t think my version was as close.
THIS. IS. AWESOME.!!! I will definitely be trying this soon.
I never thought to freeze the coffee. All last summer I’d brew double strength coffee, wait for it to cool and then mix it with ice etc. Hassle! Freezing the coffee is BRILLIANT!
Genius. Except I can’t drink milk. Soy?
I’ve done this, except I froze some prepared chocolate milk (I just looked it up and it’s 150 calories for 1 cup of 1% chocolate milk) and whipped it up with leftover coffee. Mine probably wasn’t as chocolatey as yours, but it was very good!
This looks fabulous. :) You can use lowfat or nonfat evaporated milk (just less of it) to get the flavor closer to the store stuff… I’m pretty sure they use evaoporated milk. (Just don’t get it confused with the sweetened condensed, which my husband always does!)
For the kids: mine love “Egg Creams.” We do a variation on the New York classic, with a tablespoon of chocolate syrup mixed with a splash of milk. Then you fill up the rest of the glass with seltzer water. Doesn’t sound good, I know, but it’s very tasty and refreshing. Now I’m thinking it’d be even better with some coffee! :)
This sounds lovely but… a) I don’t own a blender (I know, I know, just call me a Luddite) and b) as a Brit living in France, I have no idea what “chocolate syrup” might be here (it’s not something I’ve ever knowingly come across/bought/used/tasted except maybe the stuff you put on icecream? I don’t know… Finding equivalent ingredients is a real problem for me when I read American recipes..).
Magic27- Yeah, it’s the opaque stuff that goes on ice cream, though it’s also added to cold or hot milk to make chocolate milk or hot chocolate. Basic ingredients are corn syrup, cocoa, sugar, and water. The most common brand here is Hershey. BUT—it’s different than, say, hot fudge sauce, which also goes on ice cream but is thicker and commonly heated-up before put on ice cream (thus the “hot”); chocolate syrup is usually cold. (I think hot fudge sauce might work, though, as long as it wasn’t the kind that thickens into a crunchy shell when it hits the cold ice cream—but it also might be too thick to really blend in well.) What do you call the stuff that goes on ice cream there?
I was just experimenting with this today – I figure it’s got to be better for me than the McDs version – at least I *know* what’s going in there. I didn’t have leftover coffee, but I bought myself some better tasting instant coffee to mix up. Delicious and almost makes up for the fact that the Girl has given up napping.
nom nom nom!
nesquik has 60 calories per 2 tbsp, which is about a cup of chocolate milk. Ovaltine has 72 in 4 tbsp, which is also a cup. That would make it, wait for it, 140 or 152 calories. DAYUM.
I can replicate an iced caramel macchiato to a T at my house. Fill glass with ice, put in a doubleshot of espresso, a spritz of caramel flavoring, a touch of creamer, and skim milk.
For our coffee beverages, we just put the coffee in the fridge til it’s cold, then do the flavoring, creamer, skim milk thing.
If you can get the sugar free flavorings, they have NARY A CALORIE. Plus, I’ve got the sugar free creamer, so a coffee drink is, like, 20 calories for a BIG ASSED drink.
Freezing the coffee! Freezing the milk! What other genius ideas will you give me, Swistle? I never ever ever would have ever thought of freezing the coffee or the milk. But I now have coffee cubes in my freezer for tomorrow and I’ll make some milk cubes in the morning for Jack to have in the afternoon and I LOVE YOU FOREVER. I mean, I already did love you, but now I love you more.
PS Do you think this will work with Ovaltine? Because I don’t have any syrup. Eh, I’m going to try it.
Amazing! Thanks for the recipe, I might just try the milk version for my ice cream loving husband and kids.
Tasty. Smart idea freezing the coffee! Im sure there is a plethora of summer drink possibilities there. :)
Also– having a giveaway of Japanese goodies if you or anyone else is interested. :)
Beautiful! Now I need to save some coffee to freeze. . .
You might try frozen fruit smoothies for the kiddies – I usually use yogurt, but I’ll bet you could use milk with, say, frozen bananas or pineapple. I love either with a spoonful of peanut butter in my smoothies, but I’ll bet a squirt of chocolate sauce would be excellent!
If the chocolate syrup or associated calories/sugar are a problem, you can use a package of Swiss Miss sugar-free cocoa mix in place of the chocolate, sugar, and milk. I’m just saying.
Rah- MMM, that sounds good! I was also thinking that since Hershey syrup is basically cocoa and corn syrup and sugar, I could use cocoa powder and either sugar or Splenda. I used to use cocoa/Spenda in my coffee sometimes.
I made something similar last night, similar in that I used cold coffee left over from morning, with regular ice cubes and a shocking amount of the Italian Sweet Cream creamer (I tried it once because you said you liked it). Any way, public service announcement, you shouldn’t drink that an 10:00pm because you will NEVER fall asleep. I don’t know what I was thinking. Now I need another one to keep me awake today.
I guess you’d call the stuff “sauce au chocolat”, but it’s not something I’ve seen in shops in particular (though to be honest I’ve never actually looked) – there’s also fruit stuff, like “coulis de framboise” (raspberry sauce) which kind of looks like you could pour it over icecream and certainly doesn’t look like it would harden… I’m intrigued, now. I think I might have to do some experimenting this summer… The “no blender” part is a bit of a bummer, so I’ll have to find a solution for that, but I’ll let you know if I come up with anything as yummy as what you made sounds…
I made biscuits & gravy gluten free from scratch and was HORRIFIED. So tasty but OMG terrible for you.
Ok, now figure out how to make a Starbucks Caramel Macchiatto at home and I will be your devoted deciple and send you pretty things! Including postcards! From Los Angeles! And etsy jewelry! From my shop!
Swistle, you not only saved money & calories, but look at all the ingredients in McDonald’s drink. (This is off of their official website.)
Mocha Coffee Frappe Base
Water, cream, sugar, milk, high fructose corn syrup, coffee extract, natural (botanical source) and artificial flavors, cocoa (processed with alkali), mono- and diglycerides, guar gum, potassium phosphate, disodium phosphate, carrageenan, carob bean gum, colored with (red 40, yellow 5, blue 1).
CONTAINS: MILK
Whipped Cream
Cream, nonfat milk, water, corn syrup, sugar, high fructose corn syrup, mono-and diglycerides, carrageenan, polysorbate 80, beta carotene (color), natural (dairy and vegetable source) and artificial flavor, mixed tocopherols (vitamin E) to protect flavor. Whipping Propellant (nitrous oxide).
Chocolate Drizzle
Corn syrup, water, hydrogenated coconut oil, high fructose corn syrup, glycerin, nonfat milk, cocoa powder, cocoa (processed with alkali), food starch-modified, disodium phosphate, potassium sorbate (preservative), xanthan gum, artificial flavor (vanillin), salt, soy lecithin.
That’s A LOT of extra ingredients that seem unnecessary according you your recipe. (I know that was too much info, but still!)
I always have extra coffee at the end of my morning. I almost always just pour it in a pitcher, add nequick and cream and stick it in the fridge. It’s a good afternoon pick-me-up if I need one!
Swistle, you not only saved money & calories, but look at all the ingredients in McDonald’s drink. (This is off of their official website.)
Mocha Coffee Frappe Base
Water, cream, sugar, milk, high fructose corn syrup, coffee extract, natural (botanical source) and artificial flavors, cocoa (processed with alkali), mono- and diglycerides, guar gum, potassium phosphate, disodium phosphate, carrageenan, carob bean gum, colored with (red 40, yellow 5, blue 1).
CONTAINS: MILK
Whipped Cream
Cream, nonfat milk, water, corn syrup, sugar, high fructose corn syrup, mono-and diglycerides, carrageenan, polysorbate 80, beta carotene (color), natural (dairy and vegetable source) and artificial flavor, mixed tocopherols (vitamin E) to protect flavor. Whipping Propellant (nitrous oxide).
Chocolate Drizzle
Corn syrup, water, hydrogenated coconut oil, high fructose corn syrup, glycerin, nonfat milk, cocoa powder, cocoa (processed with alkali), food starch-modified, disodium phosphate, potassium sorbate (preservative), xanthan gum, artificial flavor (vanillin), salt, soy lecithin.
That’s A LOT of extra ingredients that seem unnecessary according you your recipe. (I know that was too much info, but still!)
I always have extra coffee at the end of my morning. I almost always just pour it in a pitcher, add nequick and cream and stick it in the fridge. It’s a good afternoon pick-me-up if I need one!
swistle-
try this for the kiddos-
1 banana
skim milk
ice cubes
squeeze of the honey bear (generous squeeze, generous for me, painful for the bear)
yummmmmmy!
You guys can use Dunkin’ Donuts Dark Decaf coffee if you can’t drink caffeine. It tastes just as good :)
Here in the south we have Publix grocery stores – I say that because I never know who has what where they live. Anyway, some time ago I found a fat-free sugar-free zero calorie chocolate syrup that is really good. Next time I go by there I will look for the brand and shoot it to you. It is the only one that is comparable to Hershey’s. I really like chocolate anything and when I’m trying to watch my calories I try to cut whereever I can and this is a tasty alternative.
Homemade Chocolate syrup ( I made mine with agave nectar cause I don’t eat sugar or HFCS and I left out the salt. It tastes Incredible!!)
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa
• 1 cup tap water
• 2 cups sugar
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
Find a 2 quart saucepan. In it, mix the cocoa and water with a wire whisk or fork. Heat the chocolate water over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Add the sugar and continue to stir until the sugar dissolves. Bring the mixture to a full rolling boil. Reduce the heat to medium low and boil for a full 3 minutes. Remove the syrup from the heat.
Add the salt and vanilla, stirring to blend. Pour the syrup into a clean pint sized canning jar, or a clean container. Put a good lid on the jar and store it in the fridge.
Use this chocolate syrup to make chocolate milk, or serve it over ice-cream. This is remarkably similar to Hershey’s Chocolate Syrup in the can.
Been craving this drink since I tasted it. Thanks for the recipe!
Love this stuff. Not a coffee fan. now I can make it healthy for me and save gas too. Thank you all. C.
My son is diabetic. A small caramel frappe has 60 grams of carbs in it, which means that he has to use 6 units of insulin. I can substitute the stevia, sugarfree Hershey’s syrup & sugarfree caramel syrup. He’ll think I’m the most awesome mom alive, score!
omg dude thank you! I *LOVE* THIS!!!!!!!!! XD
I have gotten addicted to the frappe from Mickey D’s and this recipe is by far the best one I have had. AND I HAVE TRIED A LOT OF THEM BELIEVE ME. THIS IS THE BOMB REALLY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THX
Instead of freezing coffee cubes, I use 2oz of hot water, 1 teaspoon of instant coffee, and 3 teaspoons of sugar. Mix together. Blend into ice cubes, add chocolate syrup to taste. As good as McDonalds and I can make as chocolatly as I want. Yummy yummy.
well, for the record im only 12, but i just love coffee and loved these almost the same, but i keep asking and my dad wont take me out to get them, i needed this, im gonna make some tonight! :P
Instead of freezing the coffee. I use the coffee left over in the pot and use ice cubes, with milk, sugar,chocolet and a little sugar. Now for a even special drink.. no ice cubes, use ice cream and kahola and a little milk. YUM.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR POSTING THIS!! I am in LOVE with McDonald’s Frappe Mochas but agree that they are a little costly (in calories & dollars) to have EVERY day. I’ve been looking for a close replacement for months and looks like I’ve found it!!
Thanks again!! Will try and let you know how it goes :-)
I’ve always tried to make these, and they never turned out right. But I used this and they turned out perfect. Thanks!
OMIGOSH!!! I tried a McDonald’s frappe mocha too one Sunday morning X3 it was delicious and now I’m trying to make my own too. Thank you for making this recipe, I kinda guessed chocolate syrup and milk too. But wouldn’t it be easier just to add coffee and exclude the icedcoffeecubes?
Anywho, you just made this 17-year-old’s day :D
My Mom and I made this. It was delicious. Thanks for the tips on ho to make it :)
omg that comment about the milk & coffee icecubes?? ingenious.
imma gonna have to try this……… sounds YUMMY
This sounds delicious i love frappes. I don’t realky buy chocolate syrup. Could i use hot fudge topping instead?
Thanks alot!! Ive been looking for this recipe for awhile
We have found that the Frappes at our local McDonald’s sometimes taste great and sometimes taste not so good. At almost four bucks a pop, this is a much better option for us. We can make them taste just like we want them. We like decaf, use Splenda instead of sugar, lactose free milk, and extra chocolate! I can even make a completely sugar free version for my husband who is diabetic! Life is good!!!
I tried this the first time and it was just as good! but i didnt make the coffee cubes i just put in ice cubes and coffe and the other things an muwaaa!
Frappe’s from McDonald’s seem to be the new trend at our house, but I am certainly going to try your recipe to obtain them cheaper! Thanks for posting.
OK I am a diabetic and so is my dad but our neighbors got us hooked on Mickey D’s Frappes. Good for our taste buds but bad for our health. Now I can make sugar-free versions and watch the calories! You are a GOD!!! I love you so much right now:)
OMG, I just finished one (medium) and thought I was saving calories by not getting the whipped cream on top (I still got the carmel)!
I’m so glad I stumbled on your blog. You are so right, if I make it myself, I will be responsible for what I put in it! Thanks for the recipe ~ Carol
I make them at home using the Starbucks 100 calorie Mocha Frappucino drinks.
I use the single serving slushy maker, fill the cup with ice, then fill with Frappucino (which is only about 1/2 the bottle, 50 calories) Add two tablespoons of Hershey’s Chocolate (100 calories), Spray the top with Rediwhip (30 Calories for 4 Tablespoons) and ENJOY! 180 calories for a 16oz glass!
Thanks for this recipe. I love the McDonalds frappe. Did you know that there is a Lite Hershey syrup. I use it and it tastes great. It’s only 45 calories for 2 tbls.
2 pkts of Swiss Miss s/f hot cocoa powder, 1 tsp instant coffee — mix well with 1/4 cup of hot water (50 calories)
Add to Ninja blender, dump in 2T of half and half (40 calories) and about 1 1/2 cups of ice cubes —
Whir until the ice cubes are well crushed — pour into my plastic Starbucks cup —- makes about 16 ounces — top with whipped cream.
I figure about 150 calories total and it is a really good sub for the McD’s version — the ice stays a little bit crunchy and I stir in the whipped cream to make it taste really creamy.
Hi Thanks for sharing this !! I went to get the hot coffee and ended up trying this from McDonalds its really yummy !!! except mine has a wiped cream on it yummyy!!
xubi
I added peanut butter to mine. It was delicious!
If you use fat free half and half it turns out more creamy and there are only about 150 calories for a cup :-)
How did you make the coffee like how much water and how many scoops and what size scoops of coffee did you use because I tried this and it was good but didn’t taste as close to McDonald’s as I was thinking it would.
Anonymous- I just follow the instructions on the package of coffee. I think McDonald’s uses Green Mountain / Paul Newman coffee; you could try using the same brand and see if that helps.
Swistle: here in Oregon, McD’s uses Seattle’s Best coffee.
Your recipe sounds great! Love the idea of freezing the coffee and milk. Didn’t occur to me, either. :D
im a manager at mcdonalds. its whole milk and chocolate syrup and one shot of expresso. mixed with ice.
I found this post after searching for a frappe recipe. I had my first Mc D’s frappe last week only because I had a coupon. It was wonderful. I didn’t really want to know the calories but I did want to know how to make them at home! Now I can. And I will also use your idea for my kids to be able to have a treat like me.
I’m in love with the McDonalds Mocha frappe but I knew the calories were extreme so I tried to make it at home also. I used leftover coffee (kept in the fridge overnight) crushed ice, soy milk & Hersheys syrup. It was really good & the best thing was less calories!
This is great! but what do you do if you don’t have chocolate syrup? Could I melt some chocolate or something? (I’m 17 and my mom…not too fond of chocolate syrup.)
kookicookie- Any melted chocolate would, I think, re-harden as soon as it hit the cold/icy drink. Does your mom allow Nestle Quik, or is that just as bad as syrup? Or I’ve seen recipes for “healthier” chocolate syrups. I think they all use baking cocoa—is your mom okay with baking cocoa? You could use that plus additional sugar, and not even need to mess with making syrup.
I don’t do the coffee cubes i just put a teaspoon of instant in milk and mix it put some chocolate syrup and some chrused ice
Can’t do chocolate? This is really good using Dr. Pepper – Cherry dessert syrup, too. This is so fast and so good! Thanks!
Omg my husband and I have only just discovered Frappes. I have been making Berry ones for Breaky but this recipe sounds awesome. We tried making a coffee one but it was really watery. Freezing coffee cubes is genius.
Has anyone tried using chocolate soy milk? I cnt have real milk just wonder if it would still work.
I do not freeze my coffee, I love my Mocha Frappe’s….
I throw everything in the blender,
a tray of ice cubes, instant coffee (right from the jar) sugar, milk and chocolate syrup then water almost enough to cover the ice cubes, blend it all and there you go, gives a creamy, delicious Frappe. I skip the whip cream on top and I do not add any more choc syrup. (I hit hi – Liquid on my blender)
I have been doing this for 2 months now, I go past a McDonald’s and it doesn’t bother me a bit anymore.
T
Algonquin, IL