Orange Cream Frappuccino {Starbucks Copycat}

This Copycat Starbucks Orange Cream Frappuccino blends orange vanilla syrup into a creamy, frosty drink that tastes just like a Creamsicle. It comes together in your blender in about five minutes!

Jump to:

• 🧡 Why this recipe works
• 🗒 Ingredients
• 🍊 Recipe tips
• 🎉 Variations on recipe
• ⏲️ How to store
• 🍓 More fruity Frappuccino recipes
• 📖 Recipe
• 💬 Comments

Starbucks' line of orange flavored drinks launched in July 2026 and I'll admit when I first heard about the orange drinks, I was skeptical.

Orange and coffee? Despite the fact that I did enjoy the viral coffee and orange juice drink a couple years ago, I was surprised to hear the combo was going mainstream.

But guess what? The orange coffee lineup is actually fabulous and really delicious! I'll have a few copycat recipes of the drinks ready for you soon. But first? The Orange Cream Frappuccino. This is the drink from their lineup that doesn't involve coffee.

It's just pure orange creamsicle bliss. And you'll be thrilled you can celebrate the last of the summer days with a drink that is likely reminiscent of your childhood and is sweet, creamy, and delicious.

Starbucks uses an orange powder for the drinks, but after some experimenting, I've found that syrup duplicates the orange vanilla flavor much better, so that's what I decided to use here. And I'm happy to say this is even better than the Starbucks version!

I made my own orange vanilla syrup for the drinks, but you can also use store-bought orange syrup and vanilla syrup (or a combo orange vanilla syrup, but they're a bit tougher to find!).

🧡 Why this recipe works

Syrup can be totally homemade or store-bought: I share my recipe for homemade orange vanilla syrup or you can use a store-bought combo.

Fun whipped cream layer on bottom: this Frappuccino doesn't involve any fancy toppings or mix-ins, but there is a layer of whipped cream on the bottom, which is easy to duplicate and fun to drink!

It's easy to control the sweetness: Starbucks Frappuccinos are notoriously sweet. Making this at home means you can add as much (or as little) sweetness as you want.

Xanthan gum makes this more Frappuccino-y than other copycats: I highly recommend buying some xanthan gum if you want to make Frappuccinos regularly. It helps keep the drink from separating and thickens it without changing the taste at all. Without it, your drink will likely be more icy than frothy. You can use cornstarch as a substitute if you want.

🗒 Ingredients

Here's everything you need to make an Orange Cream Frappuccino at home:

• Whole milk
• Heavy cream
• Orange vanilla syrup: you can either use my syrup recipe below or you can use store-bought. It can be tough to find orange vanilla syrup, but you can use an orange syrup and a vanilla syrup together.
• Xanthan gum: this is an optional ingredient for thickening the Frappuccino, but I highly recommend it. You can substitute with cornstarch, but you'll need to use a little bit more of it.
• Ice
• Whipped cream: for the bottom of the cup and for topping the Frappuccino

If you're making your own orange vanilla syrup, here's what you need:

• Water
• Granulated sugar
• Finely grated orange zest: I recommend grating oranges with a microplane
• Vanilla bean pods: split and scraped with seeds and pod reserved. If you don't have vanilla bean pods, you can use vanilla extract instead.

Note that if you're using the homemade syrup, you may want to add in some coloring to get more of a vibrant orange look. You can either use orange food dye, orange powder, carrot powder, or turmeric.

🍊 Recipe tips

• If you're making your own orange vanilla syrup, be sure to bring the mixture to just a simmer. A hard boil can turn the orange zest bitter and you want it bright and fresh.

• Let the syrup steep with orange zest and vanilla pods for about 15 minutes off the heat as this is where the flavor develops.

• Your Frappuccino will be best if all your ingredients are very cold. That means letting your syrup chill and using milk and cream right out of the fridge.

• I've made the Frappuccino with both homemade orange vanilla syrup and store-bought. Both are delicious, but the homemade version will result in a much paler color orange unless you add in some coloring.

• Blend your Frappuccino longer than you think you need to; for a good 30 to 45 seconds so the xanthan gum can do its thing and you get that signature thick texture.

• Add a layer of whipped cream on the bottom of the cup, pour in the Frappuccino mixture, and then top it off with even more whipped cream.

• Starbucks doesn't add any other toppings to this Frappuccino, but you can certainly add on orange zest, sprinkles, or even mini chocolate chips.

Yes, this Orange Cream Frappuccino really does taste just like an orange creamsicle! It's deliciously sweet and creamy with vibrant orange and vanilla flavors. It's nostalgic and lovely.

At first I thought it was weird that Starbucks was introducing orange to their menu, but now I can't believe they haven't had an orange creamsicle drink all along!

🎉 Variations on recipe

Here are some ways you can make the Frappuccino your own or add even more fun to it:

• Make it dairy-free: swap the whole milk for oat milk and use a splash of coconut cream in place of heavy cream. Use a dairy-free whipped topping. The Frappuccino may not be quite as thick and creamy as with dairy milks, but it will be delicious.
• Add an orange cream cold foam on top instead of whipped cream for a more sophisticated finish.
• Boost the orange with a tiny splash of fresh orange juice in the blender if you like it extra citrusy.
• Drizzle the cup with strawberry puree for a pretty orange-berry twist.
• Blend in a spoonful of chocolate syrup or drizzle it into the glass first. Orange and chocolate is a classic and tasty combo.
• Add a small scoop of vanilla ice cream to the top of the Frappuccino instead of whipped cream for a milkshake x Frappuccino situation.
• Add a splash of vanilla vodka or orange liqueur for a frozen cocktail.
• Blend in a shot of cold brew to make this more of a classic Frappuccino with caffeine.
• Add a pinch of cinnamon or cardamom into the syrup for a warmer, cozier flavor.

⏲️ How to store

The Frappuccino itself is best enjoyed right after blending since the ice will melt and it will separate if it sits. If you have extra, keep it in the fridge and give it a quick re-blend or a good stir before drinking.

The orange vanilla syrup can certainly be made ahead and stored. Keep it in a mason jar or other airtight container in the fridge for up to a month. Give it a shake before using if anything settles.

🍓 More fruity Frappuccino recipes

If you love this new orange Frappuccino, I have lots of fruity Frappuccino copycat recipes you may also be interested in:

I'll be sharing more Starbucks orange drink recipes here with you in the coming days!

Once you have a batch of orange vanilla syrup, the Orange Cream Frappuccino literally takes just 5 minutes to make at home. And it will make your summer so much better!

Make a batch, top it with plenty of whipped cream, and enjoy every frosty sip.

📖 Recipe