Starbucks Secret Menu: Puppuccino (Ingredients, Taste, Variations, Sizes, Copycat Recipe, Caffeine, Calories & More information)
A good dog deserves a treat once in a while, and they don’t get any better than a Starbucks Puppuccino. The item comes free with your order and is available all year round.
The Starbucks Puppuccino was not a thing that doggo and I did until the beginning of 2020. With most of us now working more from home, the dog has become a constant companion, occasionally hopping into the car for the morning coffee run. You can also order for your dog left at home. In this post, I will share what I have learned about Puppuccinos, including a recipe that you can use to make pup cups right at home.
Table of Contents
Brief History Of The Drink.
“Puppuccino’ is pup + cappuccino, is a term coined in 2008 by pet rescue advocate Rocky Kanaka. He started out by serving cups of whipped cream to dogs at his store. They seem to absolutely love it.
In 2019, Rocky made a video of him looking for 100 Puppuccinos for dogs at a rescue center in California. The video went viral, and so did Puppuccino.
In May 2021, Starbucks made a trademark application for “Puppuccino”.
Is Puppuccino still available at Starbucks?
Yes, it is still available. You can one at any time of the year.
Starbucks Puppuccino (Ingredients, Taste, Variations, Sizes, Caffeine, Calories)
- What’s in a Puppuccino – (ingredients)
According to booigethepug, the Starbucks Puppuccino is made of whipped cream which contains cream, milk, monoglycerides, diglycerides, and carrageenan. You can make a Puppuccino in minutes if you had a whipped cream maker at home. - Heavy Cream and Milk: Starbucks relies on local dairies to supply them with heavy cream and milk for all their dairy needs, including the making of whipped cream. For your at-home Puppuccino replica, you can easily get both items from your local stores.
- Mono and Diglycerides- These are naturally occurring fatty acids which are used to help oil and water blend. They are extracted from plant and animal fats using chemical processes. The most commonly used fatty acids are made from soybeans and palm oil. For your at-home recipe, you can get them at the bakery section in the form of flakes, such as glycerin flakes.
- Carrageenan – Is an edible extract from the Irish Moss, a red seaweed. It is used as a natural gelling agent and thickener for food. Available in stores, including Amazon.
Starbucks Puppuccino: Sizes, nutrition, Caffeine & Calories
What Sizes Are Available
There is just one cup size for a Puppuccino at Starbucks: an 8 fl oz cup. Now, this may come in a short-sized cup or an espresso cup. I have found this to depend on the store and cup availability. The goal is to get a little amount of whipped cream in a cup that the dog can use. More than 8 ounces is too much cream for a dog in a day.
Nutritional Facts
An adult dog’s daily diet should contain 50% carbs by weight. Of the carbohydrates, between 2.5% to 4.5% should come from fiber. It should be at least 5.5% fats and 10% protein.
The whipped cream contains 4-8 grams of carbs,12-24g Fat (7-14g saturated), 3-6 grams of sugar, 1-2 grams of protein,10-20mg Sodium, and 40-80mg Cholesterol. The whipped cream offers a very low amount of nutrients required by the dog. For instance, 8 grams of carbs can only be sufficient for a dog two times 8 grams, which does not exist. The same goes for the protein, it is quite insignificant. This would be a problem only if the dog doesn’t eat a proper meal on its next meal time.
Cholesterol, and sugar levels, on the other hand, are too high, and here’s where the danger lies. If you take into account that your dog is at risk of heart disease if it has 300mg of cholesterol per deciliter of blood, 80 mg from a serving of whipped cream should never be a daily treat.
High amounts of sugar, such as in the pup cup, can lead to internal problems for the dog later in life.
Below is a table that summarizes the foregoing nutrition facts:
| Calorie count (out of 66 calories/ kg body weight daily intake) | 240 |
|---|---|
| Nutrient Content (per 8 fl oz cup) | % of Daily Value* |
| Total Fat (24g) | 72% |
| Cholesterol(80mg) | 53% |
| Carbohydrates(8g) | 3% |
| Dietary Fiber(0g) | 0 |
| Sugar(6g) | 0 |
| Proteins (2g) | 3% |
| *For 20kg medium-sized dog consuming 3% its body weight/ day | |
Caffeine Information
The Puppuccino is 100% caffeine-free.
- So, what does Starbucks Puppuccino taste like?
Tastes very sweet. Like vanilla. Puppuccino gets its taste from the vanilla syrup used to flavor the whipped cream.
- Ways to Customize Puppuccino at Starbucks – Starbucks PUPPUCCINO Variations
Puppuccino can be made using warm lactose-free milk, coconut milk, or yogurt- instead of whipped cream, then served with a dog biscuit on top. Another variation is made up of lactose-free milk and pumpkin puree. Pumpkin? you may be asking? Well, apparently dogs love the taste of pumpkin. It is also good for them as it is rich in fiber, and contains important minerals, and vitamins. It also acts as a probiotic and helps with digestive issues. All these are homemade pup cup variations since Starbucks does not have an alternative to Puppuccino in store.
How to make Starbucks Puppuccino at home – Starbucks Puppuccino Copycat Recipe
Equipment
- Blender
Ingredients
- 1 cup plain yogurt (non-fat)
- ¼ cup pumpkin puree
- 2 tablespoons whole oats (old fashioned oats)
- ¼ cup whipped cream
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 cup ice
Instructions
- Blend the yogurt, pumpkin puree, oats, and 1 cup of ice in the blender till smooth.
- Serve in a small bowl or cup.
- Garnished with whipped cream and cinnamon. The step is optional.
Notes
- I used plain non-fat yogurt from the local store. You can use this or coconut milk for a lactose-free cup.
- The ice helped the mix have a good consistency.
- I used Libby’s pumpkin puree, but you can also make pumpkin puree at home. I find the process of making pumpkin puree at home a bit long for the purpose, but if you are going to use the puree in your meals, then spare ¼ cup to make the dog treat.
- I prefer to use whole grain oats, such as the Quakers oats that you can get in the store. They cook fast but retain their texture.
- The whipped cream is also store-bought. I love the canister ones because all you do is shake it up and dispense. You can opt to use vegan whipped cream instead if you are keen on a healthier cream.
- I raided my pantry for ground cinnamon to spice the pup cup, literally.
Informative Section.
How do you order Puppuccino from the Starbucks app?
You can’t order a Puppuccino on the Starbucks app- yet. This one you ask the barista to make as you pick your drink or meal order.
Does Starbucks have Puppuccino all year round?
Yes, Starbucks Puppuccino is available all year round.
Is the Starbucks Puppuccino healthy?
Yes, it has no caffeine and won’t harm your dog. However it has a lot of fat and sugar, so give it occasionally and in small portions.
How much is the Starbucks Puppuccino?
$0. It is completely free of charge. You can order one when picking up your drink.
Is Starbucks Puppuccino safe for dogs?
Yes, Starbucks Puppuccino is safe for dogs. There is nothing toxic in it, but you need to watch out and avoid it if your dog is allergic to, or does not tolerate lactose.
Are pup cups okay for cats?
Yes, they are. There is nothing in a pup cup toxic to a cat, but they are not healthy, and some cats may be lactose intolerant.
How many Puppuccinos can you get?
Starbucks does not limit the number of Puppuccinos you can get. It is expected that you will be asking for one cup at a time per dog.
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