What are Starbucks Frappuccino Chips (what are they, how does Starbucks use them + more information)

I have often encountered some tiny Starbucks Frappuccino chips in my favorite Frappe, and I love how easily they melt in my mouth. So, what are Starbucks Frappuccino chips?

Starbucks Frappuccino chips are Starbucks’ in-house chocolate chips with extra ingredients. I always observe the barista sprinkle some tiny chips on my Frappuccino, and being a curious cat, I sought to find out what these pieces of heaven are made of. I have met many Starbucks enthusiasts who wonder what these chips are and how else they are used apart from drink sprinkles. In this post, we will answer all your Frappuccino chips questions. You will also learn how they are used apart from the blended drinks, so keep reading.

What is in Starbucks Frappuccino chips?

We all love these tiny delicacies and what they do to our drinks and food items. These chocolate-flavored chips are popular in blended drinks and food items. Let’s look at what they are made of.

What are the ingredients for Starbucks Frappuccino chips?

Unlike ordinary chocolate chips that contain chocolate and a few flavors, Starbucks’ Frappuccino chips are made of several ingredients. The coffee giant is widely known for its blended drinks called Frappuccino blends, and this is where these chips feature most. The main ingredients are cocoa powder, confectioner’s sugar, cookie crumbs, salt, and chocolate mass.

Cocoa

Cocoa is known to have natural acidity, but Starbucks cocoa is alkali-processed to neutralize this acid. After this process, the end product has better color and taste. Cocoa has a chocolaty taste and is ethically sourced from Rainforest Certified Alliance Farmers.

Confectioner’s sugar

The confectioner’s sugar has some additional ingredients like vanilla, palm oil, and starch. These extra ingredients are added to powdered sugar to keep it from caking. This sugar is pulverized to make it so fine, that it resembles dust.

Cookie crumbs

The cookie crumbs are ordinary cookies that Starbucks uses to make the chocolate chip base. They are necessary to carry the coca and chocolate mass on the drink or other items. These are the same cookies used on Starbucks oatmeal raisin cookies. As you can already guess, cookies are made with wheat. In this case, these chips are not gluten-free, and people with a gluten allergy should opt to have their favorite Frappuccino blends without these sprinkles.

Chocolate mass

This is a chocolate paste added to the Frappuccino chips, and it’s a semi-solid mass. The main reason it’s added is to add color and intensify the chocolate taste.

Salt

Salt is added to enhance taste and highlight the taste of other ingredients.

What is the nutritional value of Starbucks Frappuccino chips?

One cup of Confectioner’s sugar contains 119.7g of carbs and 467 calories. Cocoa powder has 49 calories, carbs 12g, protein 4g, and 3g of fat. The chocolate mass has 54g of fat, 5.5g of carbs, 0.3g of sugar, and 12g of proteins. However, these figures represent the mass production of the Frappuccino chips and not the tiny sprinkles that end up in your cup.

Frappuccino chips are added sparingly to a cup and do not have a significant effect on the nutritional value of the whole drink. Frappuccino chips do not contain coffee, and therefore are caffeine-free. Most people confuse coffee nibs and Frappuccino chips, but they are two different things. However, they have a natural stimulant called theobromine that has the same effects as caffeine. This ingredient is found in chocolate and makes it bitter.

What do Starbucks Frappuccino chips taste like?

Frappuccino chips have a rich chocolaty taste, courtesy of the chocolate mass and the cocoa powder. They are easy to consume as they melt easily in the drink and the tongue. They are very sweet due to the confectioner’s sugar, and when blended with cookie crumbs, they produce a crunchy delight. The taste of the cookie crumbs is also prevalent as it is the base that carries the other ingredients.

The small chocolate particles are rich–flavored and velvet smooth. You won’t be chewing them as they melt easily, thanks to the ingredients used. Chocolate has a bitter-sweet taste due to theobromine. However, the bitter taste is suppressed by sugar and other ingredients. In the end, you will pick up tasty tiny chocolaty balls as you enjoy your favorite Frappuccino.

Starbucks Frappuccino chips vs. java chips

The first thing to do is to know what java chips are since we have already talked about Frappuccino chips. Java means coffee, and these chips are named java because they are added to coffee drinks. However, they do not contain any coffee. They are made of cocoa powder and chocolate. Unlike regular chocolate chips, they are easy to blend with drinks and easily melt in the mouth.

The main difference between chocolate chips and Java chips is the limited cocoa in the latter. Now that that’s out of the way, what is the difference between java chips and Starbucks Frappuccino chips?

The Frappuccino chips name is trademarked, unlike java chips

When you go to any other coffee shop, you will get java chips, and if you ask for Frappuccino chips, you will be informed that those are only found at Starbucks. This is because the coffee giant trademarked the name Frappuccino chips, the same way they trademarked the name Frappuccino. With that said, these two items perform the same tasks. Some people might interpret them as Starbucks’ in-house java chips.

The taste and color

The Starbucks Frappuccino chips have a distinct taste, and you will instantly notice the difference from ordinary java chips. The recipe for the Starbucks chips is secret, so we might not point out what makes the taste different. The Starbucks Frappuccino chips are soft and have a lighter color than ordinary java chips. The cookie crumbs make them easy to melt in drinks and the mouth. The cookie crumbs introduce a buttery flavor with a precise chocolate flavor, while the java chips are simply chocolate.

Availability

You can buy java chips in any other coffee shop or find them online. However, Frappuccino chips are only found at Starbucks. They are available all year round, but only in this coffee chain. Their recipe is a secret, but java chips are widely available.

Where to use Frappuccino chips

Frappuccino chips can be used in many areas and are not restricted to Frappuccino drinks. You can eat them as snacks, add baked goods, or add them to coffee drinks.

Blended drinks

This is the most popular use of the Frappuccino chips. They are added to Frappuccino blends for extra flavor. In most cases, the chips are added to coffee drinks to make the mocha taste. A mocha taste is a blend of coffee and chocolate. However, you do not need to restrict yourself to Frappuccino drinks only. You can spice up your iced latte with a generous Frappuccino chips sprinkle. You might get an upcharge, but the amount is insignificant.

If you are not a fan of the bitter taste of espresso but still want to have your coffee, these chips will work their magic and tone down the bitterness of the espresso. The chips will melt into your drink right in front of you to give it a chocolaty taste. You can get around this by adding whipped cream and a sprinkle of more chips at the top if you desire to feel the tiny delights in your mouth.

Baked goods

Frappuccino chips can be used for baking. This is an unconventional way to use them, but the beauty of menus is the ability to be creative with ingredients. You can use chips to bake delicious cookies with a chocolate twist. Mostly, cookies use chocolate chips, but if all you have are Frappuccino chips, you can use them. However, they will not be as sugary as chocolate chips.

You can also bake some Frappuccino chips brownies. Cakes and bread also do well, especially if you only need a dash of chocolate. Chocolate chips have a significant amount of cocoa. If you intend to have a moderate flavor, Frappuccino chips will do the trick for you.

Consume as a snack

There are so many ways to have these Frappuccino chips. You can simply down them as they are. The only precaution you should take s to keep them away from your dog. I’m sure you know that chocolate is poisonous to dogs.

This is a perfect snack for the sweet teeth and their desire to pump sweet stuff into their bodies. They can be nibbled on, and the smooth melting will make your day. The best part is they are not as sugary as ordinary chocolate, so you can enjoy as much as you want, but you might want to consider your intake levels for health purposes.

Use them as toppings

This is another popular way the Frappuccino blends are used. You do not have to take your ice cream in a conventional boring way. Why not add Frappuccino chips as toppings and enjoy your summer or whenever you like to take ice cream? Things don’t have to be boring with your coffee-flavored ice cream anymore.

All you need are these nice chips to make things more interesting. If you are a vanilla person, the chips will work wonders on your vanilla ice cream. I have tried it, and I can tell you it is worth a try. I added some espresso to the ice cream.

How to use Frappuccino chips in drinks

Blend with the other Ingredients

This is the main intention of creating the Frappuccino chips. They are meant to be used in blended drinks like Frappuccino blends. The recipe used ensures that they blend right in and add the chocolate flavor to these drinks. Your cold coffee beverages do not need to be boring as you can have a twist of delicious chocolate in them. Some of the drinks that you should consider adding these chips are the java chip Frappuccino and the Cookie Crumble Frappuccino.

Toppings for cold whipped drinks

This is my favorite way of having Frappuccino chips. I like to feel them in my mouth when they are sprinkled on whipped cream. It makes the topping more interesting, and the smooth texture is easy to consume. Although they are mostly used in Frappuccino drinks, they can also work well in other coffee drinks like iced lattes. You might like them more in strawberry-flavored Frappes.

Mix with hot drinks

Well, the chips are not reserved for cold drinks. You can have them with your favorite hot drinks as well. Unlike in cold drinks, you will not need a blender for your hot drinks. You can just go straight to adding your Frappuccino pieces to your coffee cup and pour your drink over them. Alternatively, you can use some pieces as you steam your milk to add flavor.

Luckily, your blender blades will not be jammed by Frappuccino chips, so you have nothing to worry about. The best way to use Frappuccino chips is in moderation. This way, your drink will not inherit an overly bitter flavor.

Starbucks Drinks with Frappuccino Chips

Starbucks uses Frappuccino chips widely in their drink blends. Let’s look at some common Frappes with these tiny pieces of delight.

Java Chip Frappuccino

This is one of the most popular Frappuccino drinks at Starbucks. This is a basic blend with milk, mocha sauce, Starbucks Frappuccino base, espresso, whipped cream, and Frappuccino chips. The whipped cream is used as a topping along with a mocha sauce drizzle. The drink gives you a whopping 440 calories, but what do you expect from any Frappe? The java part of the name indicates the presence of coffee. When coffee and chocolate meet, they form a delicious mocha taste. The chocolate chips you pick up in this Frappe are the signature Frappuccino chips.

Mocha Cookie Crumble Frappuccino

This is another amazing chocolate drink with coffee, mocha sauce, cookie crumble, ice, milk, and a whipped cream topping with a generous amount of Frappuccino chips. It is similar to the java chip, except for the additional ingredients in the mocha Frappuccino.

All you will be tasting is chocolate and a distant coffee taste. The cookie crumble introduces a smooth touch, and the cookie crumbs topping makes it a delightful dessert-like drink. The whipped cream at the top is flavored with vanilla. This is my go-to drink when all I want is to be surrounded by a chocolate flavor.

Double Chocolaty Chip Crème Frappuccino

Well, if coffee doesn’t cut it for you, here is a drink without any coffee. It is all chocolate and who can ever have enough chocolate? This crème Frappuccino is a descendant of the java chip, without the java. Instead of the traditional Frappuccino syrup, this drink uses a crème base. As you can imagine, it is creamy, smooth, and chocolaty.

The sea of chocolate in this drink is endless, and the Frappuccino chips do not make it any less. All the other ingredients, like milk, ice, and mocha sauce are available, and the whipped cream topping completes the drink.

Chocolate Cookie crème Frappuccino

We talked about the mocha cookie crumble earlier, and the chocolate cookie crumble crème Frappe drink is the crème variation of the drink. There is no coffee in this drink, and it contains a crème base. Other ingredients like milk, ice cookie crumble, mocha sauce, and whipped cream topping remains intact. This Frappuccino has 460 calories and 46g of sugar. This is typical for any Frappuccino drink at Starbucks. The drink is inclusive of Frappuccino chips that blend well in the drink to enhance the chocolate flavor. You might nibble on some chips, but most will blend right into the drink, and you will only experience their rich flavor.

Oreo Frappuccino

This drink is loaded with Oreo cookies, milk, coffee, and Frappuccino chips. The drink, without the Frappuccino chips, can be too sweet. The chips add a dash of bitterness to balance the taste. This drink is also known as the cookie and cream Frappuccino. The drink is on the secret menu, meaning that the baristas are not trained to make it, and it’s not on the official menu.

You can ask for a chocolate cookie crumble Frappuccino without mocha sauce or mocha drizzle. Ask the barista for white chocolate mocha cause and an extra scoop of Frappuccino chips. Next, ask for extra cookie crumbs and ask for heavy crème in place of milk. If you are using the Starbucks app, all you need is to follow the steps above to get the Oreo Frappuccino.

Molten Hot Chocolate

This is a Starbucks Frappuccino that debuted years ago. The Frappuccino is made with Frappuccino chips, ice, milk, mocha sauce, espresso whipped cream, and mocha drizzle. The result is a creamy taste of coffee and chocolate that finishes with a creamy coffee topping. This drink might not be available in all Starbuck stores. If this is the case at your local store, ask the barista to add Frappuccino chips in a cup and pour steamed milk on them. Finish it off with a whipped cream topping and a mocha sauce drizzle.

Alternatives to Frappuccino Chips

Frappuccino chips might be hard to come by, given that they are only found at Starbucks. However, you can use some great alternatives that will fill the gap perfectly. Some of the best alternatives are semi-sweet chocolate chips, roasted cacao nibs, and chocolate bars.

Semi-sweet chocolate chips

These chips will give you an authentic taste without the sweetness of java chips. The lack of too much sweetness makes them closest to the Frappuccino blends at Starbucks. The semi-sweet chips have a similar bitter taste as the Frappuccino chips. If you desire an intense dark chocolate taste for your drink, you are safer with chocolate chips. If you want a dash of chocolate without it being overbearing, the semi-sweet chips will do the trick for you. Your drink will have a balanced taste without too much sweetness.

Roasted Cacao Nibs

These are sugar-free nibs that closely resemble regular chocolate chips. They are derived from dried cacao beans and are unprocessed. The initial taste is a sweet flavor that grows into a lingering bitter flavor. The process is 100% natural and involves harvesting cacao beans from the Theobroma cocoa tree, fermenting, and drying them until they crack into small bits. The flavor is chocolaty and nutty with a similar texture to roasted coffee. They have a moderate amount of caffeine.

Chocolate Bars

Well, things don’t always have to be complicated. A simple chocolate bar can do the trick as an alternative to Starbucks Frappuccino chips. All you need to do is refrigerate the bar until it hardens and cut it into small pieces. You can then proceed to use them as you would the Frappuccino chips. For the most authentic taste, go for a dark chocolate bar and add them to your cold drinks for a dash of chocolate flavor.

FAQ SECTION

Why are Frappuccino chips not called chocolate chips?

Frappuccino chips and chocolate chips are two different products. Frappuccino chips do not have as much cocoa as chocolate chips.

Are Frappuccino chips healthy?

Yes, they are high in antioxidants.

Will Starbucks Frappuccino chips make you fat?

No, they will not if taken in moderation.

Do Starbucks Frappuccino chips contain caffeine?

Yes, chocolate is moderately caffeinated.

Are Starbucks Frappuccino chips okay for celiacs?

No, the chips have gluten in them and should be avoided by celiacs.

Are Starbucks Frappuccino chips sweet?

Yes, they are moderately sweet with a hint of bitterness.

Do Starbucks Frappuccino chips contain allergens?

Yes, the chips contain milk from the confectioner’s sugar.

Where can I buy Starbucks Frappuccino chips?

These Frappuccino blends are not available for sale, but you can get java chips instead.

Can I make Starbucks Frappuccino chips at home?

Yes, you can make copycat Starbucks Frappuccino chips using cocoa, confectioner’s sugar, vanilla, salt, and chocolate.

Can you get a java Chip Frappuccino without coffee?

You can make one at home since all coffee shops use coffee in their java chip Frappes by substituting coffee with more milk.

Are Starbucks Frappuccino chips vegan?

No, they contain hints of milk.

Are Frappuccino chips gluten-free?

No, they have wheat from the cookie crumbs.