Lavender Crème Frappuccino (Starbucks Copycat)

Forget sniffing—take a minute to stop and sip the flowers with my delightfully simple homemade Starbucks Lavender Frappuccino! This creamy, dreamy, coffee-free treat is a snap to make with just 5 basic ingredients and is right in time for sunnier weather. 

Spring is the perfect time to explore the magic of florals. I know, I know—Miranda Priestly would have a fit. But, whether you opt to make a cozy lavender latte on a chilly morning, a cool, colorful iced lavender cream matcha as you stroll through the first farmers market of the season, or a frosty lavender crème frappuccino when temps spike, IMO, flowers + spring = brilliant.

If you’re new to the floral flavor game, lavender is an excellent place to start. It’s perfume-y, but not overpowering, and just happens to be one of my favorite ingredients for sleepy time tea blends. By the way, that’s not just a random addition for taste; lavender has been shown to be an effective all-natural remedy for anxiety. 

Considering my house is about to be a zoo for the next week—it’s spring break, so both kids will be home, AND we’re dog sitting on top of just having adopted a new pup—I’ll be slurping these lavender frappuccinos down with reckless abandon. Maybe I’ll see if they can tame the kiddos, too… 🤔

Jump to:

• What is a lavender crème frappuccino?
• What does it taste like?
• Why You’ll Love This Homemade Frappuccino Recipe
• Ingredients Needed
• Substitutions
• How To Make Starbucks Lavender Frappuccino
• Optional Variations & Dietary Adjustments
• Serving Suggestions
• Recipe Success Tips
• FAQs
• Homemade Starbucks Lavender Frappuccino Nutrition
• Other Frappuccino Recipes
• Lavender Crème Frappuccino (Starbucks Copycat)

What is a lavender crème frappuccino?

Unlike classic Starbucks frappuccinos that are basically frozen coffees, this lavender creme frappuccino is made without any java. Instead, it’s closer to a regular milkshake—sweet, creamy, and frosty—but flavored like an aromatic flower.

What does it taste like?

Imagine a mug of lavender herbal tea and a vanilla milkshake made a baby—that’s what a lavender crème frappuccino tastes like! It has a lusciously thick texture that’s perfect for slurping through a straw and a deliciously rich mouthfeel thanks to plenty of dairy. The flavoring duo of vanilla and lavender coffee syrups provides a delicate balance of fragrant flowers and sweet warmth.

Why You’ll Love This Homemade Frappuccino Recipe

• Fresh & Frosty - Lavender has a floral, vegetal flavor that can only be described as fresh. When blitzed into a cool, creamy frappé, it’s the perfect accessory for spring!
• Caffeine-Free - If you’re sensitive to the effects of coffee, you don’t need to worry—this frozen drink is made without a single drop.
• Budget-Friendly - Splurging for an occasional Starbucks run is one thing, but making it a regular habit is a huge financial commitment. Just do the math: $5 per drink over the course of a month is $130, and over $1500 for the year! Making your own Starbucks favorites at home is easy with my step-by-step recipes and costs just pennies on the dollar.

Ingredients Needed

• Ice - If possible, start with filtered water for the best results.
• Half & Half & Whole Milk - Using both types of dairy ensures an extra rich and yummy consistency.  
• Lavender Syrup & Vanilla Syrup - Adding both vanilla and lavender syrups to the mix is a great way to balance the flavors so your drink tastes like a treat, not a frozen glass of potpourri. 😂
• Xanthan Gum - This all-natural emulsifier helps keep the shards of ice evenly suspended throughout the creamy mixture so the texture is just like your favorite Starbucks frappuccino.
• Purple Food Coloring - Totally optional, but fun for adding a pop of pale purple to your glass.
• Whipped Cream - Also optional, but encouraged—whipped cream, like butter, makes just about everything better! 

Substitutions

Want to do some customization? When you’re the barista, you can! Here are just a few ideas to get you started:

• Ice - For more of a lavender latte effect, try swapping in coffee ice cubes. 
• Half & Half - Half & half is just a 50/50 mix of whole milk and cream, so feel free to make your own.  
• Whole Milk - Only have 2%, skim, or nonfat milk on hand? Use that, but replace 1-3 tablespoons of it with extra half & half (1 for 2%, 2 for 1%, 3 for nonfat) to ensure the right consistency. 
• Lavender Syrup & Vanilla Syrup - You’ll need the lavender syrup to make a lavender frappuccino, but you can swap out the vanilla in favor of honey syrup or white chocolate syrup for a fun twist. 
• Xanthan Gum - Since we’re not using ice cream, some kind of emulsifier will be necessary for the right consistency. Guar gum is a good 1:1 substitute. You can also use chia seeds (though they’ll add a boba-like vibe).
• Purple Food Coloring - For an all-natural option, try using a mix of butterfly pea flower powder and beet powder. You can also just omit it!
• Whipped Cream - You can omit the whipped cream or add another fun topper like sweet cream cold foam instead.

How To Make Starbucks Lavender Frappuccino

You’ll love how quickly this copycat recipe comes together: 

Step 1: Add ice, half & half, & whole milk to a blender.

Step 2: Add the lavender syrup, vanilla syrup, xanthan gum, and food coloring to the blender with the milk. Secure the lid. 

Step 3: Blend until smooth.

Step 4: Pour the blended frappuccino into a tall glass.

Step 5: Top with whipped cream as your garnish. Drink up!

Optional Variations & Dietary Adjustments

• Dairy-Free - Use your favorite plant-based half & half substitute and a creamy vegan milk option like full-fat oat milk, soy milk, or coconut milk in place of the dairy.
• Sugar-Free - Make (or buy) sugar-free lavender and vanilla simple syrups to make a lower-calorie, diabetic-friendly version of this homemade spring frappuccino.

Serving Suggestions

Regardless of how you serve your lavender frappuccino, it’s certain to add a little sunshine to your day. That said, there are plenty of ways to shake things up for extra fun:

• Add some sparkle (and texture) by rimming your glass with clear, white, or purple sanding sugar. You can also blitz in some luster dust or edible glitter to make the whole drink shine.
• Make it adults-only with a tipple of lavender, blueberry, or vanilla-infused vodka or gin.
• Get old-fashioned by using tall, footed milkshake glasses that you’ve frozen ahead of time. Consider adding an amaretto cherry on top and serving it with a long silver spoon, just like your favorite diner.
• Stave off the sugar crash by pairing your frappuccino with a healthy spring-inspired snack like my high-protein strawberry overnight oats or blueberry protein muffins. 

Recipe Success Tips

• Don’t blend ahead. Frappuccinos are fleeting, so don’t mix them up until you’re ready to sip! If you’re a slow drinker, freeze your glass ahead of time to help keep it cold and blended till the last sip.
• Start cold. Make sure your milk, half & half, and simple syrups are chilled before starting so the ice doesn’t melt. 
• Use a high-powered blender for the best texture. But don’t overprocess it! Eventually, the blades will cause enough friction to warm the mixture, defeating the purpose of making a frozen frappé.
• Don’t skimp on fat. I know it can be tempting to “lighten things up” when you’re trying to stick to a particular fat and calorie budget, but you need fat to achieve the dreamy milkshake consistency we’re after. 

FAQs

Homemade Starbucks Lavender Frappuccino Nutrition

While they’re not quite so caloric as a regular milkshake, these lavender creme frappuccinos are definitely in “special treat” territory with 377 calories per serving. Granted, you are getting 8 grams of protein and 20 grams of fat on account of the dairy—both of which will help a bit with satiety. 

That said, there’s also 43 grams of carbs (41 of which come from sugars), so the full-feeling will be fleeting unless you pair it with something high-fiber or high-protein (or both). There’s also 149 milligrams of sodium per drink—not a ton, but something to be mindful of. If you’re making the recipe as instructed, you’ll also get a nice boost of calcium from the milk.

All in all, you should be able to fit this homemade frappuccino into your diet so long as you’re drinking it in moderation and making responsible decisions throughout the rest of your day. Enjoy every fantastically floral sip!

Total nutritional content per serving is:

• Calories: 377 calories
• Total Fat: 20 grams
• Protein: 8 grams
• Sodium: 149 mg
• Carbohydrates: 43 grams
• Sugar: 41 grams

*This nutritional information is an estimate and calculated based on the ingredients used to create the recipe. The nutritional value of your ingredients may differ slightly. Furthermore, this food is not intended to prevent, diagnose, cure, or treat any disease.

Other Frappuccino Recipes

xoxo Megan