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Who wouldn't love a fancy strawberry shortcake drink in the middle of winter? That's one reason I love Valentine's Day so much; it's a great excuse for enjoying strawberries in February!
And all of the 2026
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The Strawberry Shortcake Frappuccino isa twist on the Strawberry Crème Frappuccino and very similar to the secret menu Strawberry Cheesecake Frappuccino I've previously shared a recipe for.
It's easy to make at home any time of year, but is especially delicious in the depths of winter when you need a little sweet strawberry cheer!
❤️ Why this recipe works
It takes the Strawberry Crème Frappuccino and gives it shortcake flavor: this drink is very similar to the regular menu item, but it uses cinnamon dolce syrup instead of classic syrup, which instantly gives it that strawberry shortcake flavor!
A sweet topping finishes the drink: while the Strawberry Crème Frappuccino doesn't have any toppings, this drink has caramel sugar sprinkles. I sometimes substitute with toffee bits for a similar sweet touch.
Options for homemade or store-bought ingredients: when you look at the recipe card, this Frappuccino might sound pretty involved. But it's actually super easy! I love making my own syrups, sauces, and purees from scratch. But if you prefer, you can purchase them and make this drink in just a few minutes.
Use of xanthan powder: many of the Frappuccino recipes you find online are nice icy drinks, but seem to be missing that thick frothy Frappuccino consistency. The xanthan powder helps keep the drink from separating and thickens it without any change in taste. You can use cornstarch instead for a similar effect.
🗒 Ingredients
As I mentioned, most of the components of this drink can either be homemade or store-bought. I share links to my product recommendations and also recipes for how you can make everything yourself.
Here's everything you need for this Strawberry Shortcake Frappuccino recipe. Be sure to view the recipe card at the bottom of this post for ingredient amounts and full recipe instructions:
- Whole milk
- Strawberry puree: homemade with Starbucks copycat recipe shared or store-bought
- Cinnamon dolce syrup: homemade with Starbucks copycat recipe shared or store-bought. You can even purchase Starbucks Cinnamon Dolce Syrup or you can get a more budget friendly syrup option.
- Xanthan gum: you can also substitute with cornstarch, but will need to use a little bit more
- Ice
- Whipped cream: for topping
- Caramel sprinkles or toffee bits: for topping
If you're making your own strawberry puree, you'll need:
- Strawberries
- Granulated sugar
- Water divided
- Cornstarch
- Lemon juice
- Salt
And if you're making your own cinnamon dolce syrup, you'll need:
- Water
- Brown sugar: you can use light or dark
- Granulated sugar
- Cinnamon sticks
- Vanilla extract
🍓 Recipe tips
This Frappuccino recipe is incredibly easy and can be whipped up in no time at all.
But here are some helpful tips as you make it:
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- If you're making your puree and syrup from scratch, I recommend doing so ahead of time as they'll need time to cool completely before using.
- In addition to the recipe written out in this post's recipe card, I also have a post dedicated to making homemade cinnamon dolce syrup.
- In addition to the recipe written out in this post's recipe card, I also have a post dedicated to making homemade strawberry puree.
- Frappuccinos work best if you add the liquids to the blender first, followed by any powders, and finally, the ice.
- Blend until frothy and smooth.
- Give the Frappuccino a taste to make sure it's sweet enough for you. You can always add a little more syrup or puree
- Use a spoon to drizzle the strawberry puree around the inside of the glass or cup (do this right before serving) and rotate the cup while you pour in the Frappuccino drink.
- Top the drink off with whipped cream and caramel sprinkles or toffee bits.
And enjoy the sweet flavors of spring for Valentine's Day.
The cinnamon dolce and caramelized topping really brings a warm, cake-like flavor to the traditional strawberry Frappuccino.
It's sweet, fruity, and really does taste like strawberry shortcake!
It's perfect for celebrating the "day of love," but you'll want to enjoy this drink well into spring and summer.
🎉 Recipe variations
When you make this Strawberry Shortcake Frappuccino at home, there are so many ways you can customize it to your own tastes. Here are some ideas:
- You can turn this drink into my Strawberry Cheesecake Frappuccino by adding a little white mocha sauce and vanilla bean powder.
- Add a little mocha sauce for a chocolate strawberry shortcake.
- Use a little vanilla syrup for more cake-like flavor or mix in some raspberry syrup for extra berry flavor.
- Use the milk or non-dairy alternative of your choice. For non-dairy, the barista version of oat milk and soy milk will work best. Almond milk and coconut milk don't froth up quite as well.
- Add unflavored, vanilla, or strawberry protein powder to make this a protein Frappuccino.
- Add a shot of chilled espresso or cold brew for a caffeine boost. If you want the caffeine without the coffee, you can add in green coffee bean extract (it's what
Starbucks uses in their Refreshers).
🧋 More Frappuccino recipes
Homemade Frappuccinos are just as good as what you can get at
Here are some of my favorite copycat Frappuccino recipes:
You can see all my Frappuccino and other Starbucks copycat recipes here.
For now, I'll be dreaming of strawberry season with this delicious Strawberry Shortcake Frappuccino!
📖 Recipe
Strawberry Shortcake Frappuccino {Starbucks Copycat}
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Ingredients
- 1 cup (8 oz) whole milk
- ¼ cup (2 oz) strawberry puree plus more for cup (store-bought or with recipe below)
- 2 Tbsp (1 oz) cinnamon dolce syrup (store-bought or with recipe below)
- ¼ teaspoon xanthan gum (can substitute with cornstarch, but use a little bit more)
- 1 cup ice
- Whipped cream for topping
- Toffee bits for topping
Strawberry Puree
- 1 ½ cups chopped strawberries (about 8-10 large berries)
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 2 Tbsp + ½ tsp water divided
- ¼ teaspoon cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- Pinch salt
Cinnamon Dolce Syrup
- 1 cup water
- ½ cup packed brown sugar (can use light or dark)
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Line inside of cup with a little strawberry puree.
- Add milk, ¼ cup strawberry puree, cinnamon dolce syrup syrup, xanthan gum, and ice to a blender and process until smooth and frothy.
- Pour into cup and top with whipped cream and toffee bits.
Strawberry Puree
- Put chopped strawberries, sugar, and 2 tablespoon water to a small saucepan over medium heat.
- Cook for 7-9 minutes, stirring occasionally, until strawberries are very soft and the liquid is bright red and glossy. The consistency should be loose and saucy; not jammy.
- In a small bowl, stir ¼ teaspoon cornstarch with the remaining ½ teaspoon water until completely smooth.
- Once the strawberries are softened, stir the cornstarch slurry into the mixture and let it gently simmer for about a minute, until just slightly thickened. Avoid boiling or cooking too long as mixture may get gummy.
- Remove from heat and stir in the lemon juice and pinch of salt.
- Let puree cool slightly, then blend until completely smooth using either a blender, handheld immersion blender, or food processor.
- Strain mixture through a fine-mesh sieve, pressing firmly with a wooden spoon to extract as much puree as possible.
- Store strawberry puree in an airtight container in fridge and let cool completely before using. Purée should stay fresh for about 5 days when stored properly.
Cinnamon Dolce Syrup
- Put water, both kinds of sugar, and cinnamon sticks in a medium-size saucepan and bring mixture to a boil.
- Once boiling, lower heat and let mixture simmer for about 10 minutes, until syrup has thickened (note that it will continue to thicken as it cools).
- Remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract. Strain cinnamon sticks out of syrup and pour into a heat-proof bowl or mason jar. Place bowl or jar in fridge to cool completely before using. It should keep fresh for about a month when stored properly.
Notes
- For the cinnamon dolce syrup, you can replace the cinnamon sticks with 2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, but note that it won't likely dissolve completely into the syrup, which could result in syrup that's a bit grainy. I recommend shaking the jar really well before using the syrup.
- See this post for more information on Starbucks Strawberry Puree.
- See this post for more information on Cinnamon Dolce Syrup.
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