DIY Caramel Frappuccino

It's no secret that I have a special kind of love for caramel blended coffee drinks. The day Caribou shut it's doors, I was heart broken. Starbucks Caramel Frappuccino will never taste the same to me as a Caribou Caramel Cooler, but I've learned to love them. This morning I woke up determined to find a copycat recipe to save some time and money while still getting my coffee fix. The end result:

Who doesn't hate driving out of your way, waiting in line for 5-10 minutes while carrying a 35lb toddler to stop him from attacking the juice box display, handing over $5 a drink and getting a Frappuccino that  isn't 100% the way you like it? I can't be the only one! What's great about the DIY Caramel Frappuccino is there is so much for you to  choose from while creating a frapp to your liking. Another plus about making a Frappuccino at home is being in control of how much sugar is (or is not) in the drink.

 

Jaxon wanted to make sure he made an appearance in this post. ;)

In my Ninja I blended the following:

 

1 - 1 1/2 cups of ice. 

1 cup of Starbucks Caramel Iced Coffee.  I found this in the cold juice/drinks section separate from the milk at Jewel, it could be by the milk section at a different store. You could also brew your own coffee at home and let it cool down. I find the store bought coffee more convenient for myself.

1/4 - 1/2 cup of milk. Totally up to you on what kind of milk you prefer to drink and how much you prefer.

Smucker's Caramel Sundae Syrup. Regular and sugar free syrup can be found near the ice cream cones/toppings. I drizzled some before I blended. Depending on whether your coffee is flavored already, you'll want more or less.

 

Optional: 1-3 teaspoons of granulated sugar if you're feeling extra sweet. I did not add any and it was just fine.

 

Whipped Cream to top it off, along with some caramel drizzle and you have yourself a Caramel Frappuccino!

 

My very honest little brother drank one with me and immediately said it tasted just like Starbucks. I spent $10 at the grocery store for all of the ingredients (minus the milk I stole from Jaxon's supply) and figure the iced coffee will be enough for 6-8 16oz drinks while the syrup and whipped cream will last much longer. Unless Grant eats the whipped cream before that.

Enjoy!