Vegan Iced Mocha Coconut Frappuccino

Vegan Iced Mocha Coconut Frappuccino

Today we are making a Starbucks-inspired Vegan Iced Mocha Coconut Frappuccino! If you’re a coffee lover, you’re going to love this iced summer drink! The first time I tried a frappuccino from Starbucks, I was taken aback by how sugary it was (mind you, it was a green tea frappuccino and the bitterness of the green tea was completed masked by the sugar in the drink).

I got so hooked on these cold coffee drinks (I mean, have you tried the Java Chip Frappuccino?!), I even went so far as to search up their secret menu and order various frappuccinos on there! Well … until I learned to make my own. That was the game changer.

For anyone unfamiliar, this specific flavor of frappuccino isn’t always on the menu. It seems to be an on-again, off-again drink, rotating with the seasons or only during a specific time of year while supplies last. That’s what makes it so special to get your hands on!

Starbucks defines this frappuccino as a “blended beverage is made with Starbucks signature Frappuccino® Roast coffee blended with mocha sauce, coconut syrup, milk, and ice, and then topped with whipped cream, chocolate drizzle and toasted coconut flakes.” Doesn’t that sound amazing?! Mocha iced drinks are a favorite (well, they are combining two delicious flavors – coffee and chocolate) but add to it a toasted coconut flavor and the summer vibes are on!

Copycat Recipe

The best thing is that today’s take on this frappuccino recipe is that it’s way easier to make than you may think, although the description at Starbucks may suggest otherwise. It seems complicated, like it has a lot of different parts to it, right? However, you don’t need to make a simple syrup or any type of coffee syrup, use any super fancy ingredients, or even need a coffee machine!

So I used a few simple ingredients here: coconut milk, almond milk, cacao powder, instant coffee and sweetener.

We begin with frozen coconut milk ice cubes to mimic a creamy base, adding toasted coconut for more nutty flavor. Then we use instant coffee powder so as not to dilute the drink with coffee liquid and add some more dairy-free milk (almond milk) so the drink isn’t too rich in taste (we don’t want it to taste like melted coffee ice cream by only using a milk very high in fat).

Lastly, top the drink with slightly melted chocolate chips and toasted coconut flakes! You can also add an optional vegan whipped cream to top, or leave it as it is.

Perfect Summer Drink

So let’s get onto the recipe! This vegan coffee drink is fun to make for the summer, with a delicious flavor combination that you might not be able to find at local coffee shops either. I love recreating coffee shop drinks at home though – it’s satisfying, cheaper and you can make it anytime of the day!

Why You’ll Love This Vegan Iced Mocha Coconut Frappuccino

Starbucks-Inspired: This recipe was inspired by the Starbucks Mocha Coconut Frappuccino, which is a cold and creamy coffee drink full of coconut and mocha flavors. The best part of this recipe is that it’s dairy-free! We use coconut milk ice cubes instead of ice cream or dairy products to blend into a thick frappe base. Fruity desserts are all the rage for summer, but fruit + cocoa + coffee?! Sign me up please!

Substitutions: Milk

Coconut Milk: For best results, use full-fat, canned, unsweetened coconut milk (I like Thai Kitchen brand). Carton milk or lite / low-fat options don’t make for a rich tasting base. You want it to have a thickness and creaminess similar to using ice cream! Check the ingredients on your can of coconut milk to make sure it has as minimal ingredients as possible.

Ideally, it should just have coconut and water, but some brands have one or two ingredients added, and some even more. I like Thai Kitchen brand because of the minimal ingredients added. Plus, you get healthy fats from the coconut!

Also, make sure you don’t skip the freezing step. Freezing the coconut milk makes it way thicker than just blending it from the refrigerator or at room temperature!

Oat milk, almond milk or other plant-based milk alternatives will still make a great tasting drink, but it won’t be a coconut mocha anymore. And that’s kind of the whole point!

Unsweetened Almond Milk: Substitute this with oat milk, cashew milk, soy milk or another non-dairy milk of choice. Don’t use more of the full-fat, canned coconut milk from above though. It will make the recipe taste like you’re drinking melted ice cream – a little too rich in taste.

Substitutions: Chocolate & Coffee

Cacao: Cacao is the raw, unprocessed form of cocoa powder. Cocoa powder is the unsweetened powder with a bitter chocolate flavor that’s most commonly used in baking, but it’s more processed than cacao. You can substitute cocoa powder for cacao in a 1:1 ratio for this recipe.

Chocolate Chips: Check the ingredient label on store-bought vegan chocolate to make sure there are no dairy products added to the product (like milk or milk powder) or they would not be considered vegan.

Instant Coffee: Using instant coffee granules are the best option for this recipe, because they dissolve in liquid rather than brewing hot coffee to give this recipe a coffee flavor. You can opt to brew fresh coffee or use a few tablespoons of cold brew.

Adjust the other ingredients as you see fit to make the drink have the desired consistency (since cold brew or any coffee liquid will make a thinner drink consistency).

Substitutions: Coconut & Sweetener

Agave: Substitute this with another liquid sweetener. I recommend to use pure maple syrup instead. Use Grade A syrup (it should be listed on the front of the bottle). This does not have a very heavy maple flavor as compared to other grades.

Coconut Flakes: I used unsweetened coconut flakes, but you can also use sweetened flakes. Opt for coconut flakes and not desiccated or very finely shredded coconut. I found the taste and texture is different with different companies and forms of the coconut. (I tried a very finely shredded coconut before that sat at the back of the cupboard, and it tasted very oily. Taste test your coconut before using to make sure it isn’t rancid and that you like the flavor before using in this recipe). I like Camino’s coconut flakes.

Vegan Iced Mocha Coconut Frappuccino Notes

• Opt for vegan semisweet chocolate chips on top for a more sweet taste. For a less sweet, slightly bitter and richer in the deep chocolate flavor, opt for dark chocolate.

More Easy Recipes You’ll Love

Iced Brown Sugar Oat Milk Shaken Espresso

Green Tea Frappuccino

Vanilla Iced Latte

Java Chip Frappuccino

Iced White Chocolate Mocha

Frozen Hot Chocolate

Banana Cream Pie Frappuccino

If you make this Vegan Iced Mocha Coconut Frappuccino, then leave a comment and star rating! Don’t forget to tag your photos @peanut_palate on Instagram. Enjoy!