Review: Starbucks Green Tea Frappuccino

I have been a fan of Starbucks Frappuccinos for as long as I can remember. My taste has evolved from mocha to the caramel mocha to pumpkin spice (college years.) Now that I have tasted the Green Tea Frappuccino, I possibly have a new favorite?

While my past favorites tasted like chilled coffee drinks, this one didn’t taste like coffee at all, and I don’t think I was expecting that. But I do like to be surprised, and I do like green tea!

Where The Frap Did This Drink Come From?

On the west coast back in the ’90s, coffee and espresso bars were gaining popularity, but there weren’t many cold coffee options during the warmer months. Thing is, not many people want hot coffee in the middle of a hot day – I am not one of those people! – so the Starbucks founders answered the demand.

In 1995, it launched its first Frappuccino, a sweet slushy coffee with caramel flavoring. Besides being famous for its Frappuccinos, Starbucks is also a hot spot for delicious teas. The earthy, sweet green tea Frappuccino was born from a genius idea to blend both.

This specific drink is made with classic syrup and matcha powder, which is a mixture of crushed up green tea leaves, milk, and sugar. 

 

How Do They Make It?

Starbucks’ Geen Tea Frappuccino is made with 2 (Tall size), 3 (Grande size), or 4 (Venti size) scoops of green matcha powder, classic syrup, steamed milk, and sugar. You could order yours without sugar to cut out some sweetness, but because Starbucks’ matcha powder is pre-mixed with sugar first, there is no true sugar-free version.

Tossed into a soft-serve machine, this vibrant green drink comes out slushy and delicious! If you don’t like chunks of ice getting stuck in your straw, you can do what I do, and ask that your frappuccino is double blended. 

Green Tea Frappuccino Variations 

Starbucks offers over 36,000 drink variations, and the Green Tea Frappuccino accounts for a few of those. In asking baristas and looking around online, it seems that there are three big variations to their Green Tea Frapp. 

One of the most popular flavors to add to the Green Tea Frappuccino is raspberry. Two to four pumps tend to be the sweet spot. More than that makes it almost unbearably sweet. 

Another way to order this drink is to add whipped cream. For me, this made the frap perfectly sweet without any other addition. The more I drank it, the more the whipped cream blended into the drink, and I so loved the green tea ice cream flavor.

The third way to order this drink is to make it vegan by substituting the milk for soy, almond, or coconut milk. 

 

So What is the Green Tea Frappuccino All About?

Starbucks offers over 30 Frappuccino flavors, but the Green Tea Frappuccino is their second most popular drink overall. I think there are a few reasons why. 

 

1. Taste and Texture [5/5]

When I purchased my first Green Tea Frappuccino, I also purchased a Cookie Straw, which was a hollow green-striped wafer, coated inside with hard white chocolate.

Upside: the straw didn’t get soggy as I drank. 

Downside: I ate the wafer and had to get a regular straw anyway. 

I ordered my Green Tea Frappuccino with whipped cream. I was clearly in a colorful mood that day. The taste was surprisingly sweet and reminded me of a green-tea-flavored ice cream mixed with a chai tea. I first tasted the milky sweetness, followed by an earthy, floral green tea taste. The aftertaste was bittersweet but in a very pleasant way. 

Frappuccinos are icy or slushy, but I always ask for my fraps to be double-blended to avoid getting ice stuck in my straw. While drinking from the bottom of the cup, I could catch a distinct green tea flavor with a hint of grass or spinach. But not ordering a shot of wheatgrass from a juice shop strong, it was milder than that. Had I ordered this drink without whipped cream, I think the matcha flavor would have been stronger, but it seems that sugar balanced out the intensity a bit. 

I swished some of my whipped cream into the drink to make it taste sweeter, as I loved that ice cream flavor, but I was a bit surprised that this drink didn’t taste like any of the fraps I had before. I mean, it is made from matcha, not coffee, so it makes sense. But I think I expected it to taste like Starbucks’ other signature fraps. 

I drank my Green Tea Frappuccino outside on a warm afternoon, and I found it to be refreshing, tasty, and light, and almost delicate.

 

2. Are they Healthy? [3/5]

The tall Green Tea Frappuccino has 44 grams of carbohydrates, and about 300 calories, which is fewer than other fraps. But if this is considered a treat or a dessert, then who’s counting? Matcha tea is healthy in its natural state, but the powder is made with sugar.

The healthiest way to enjoy this treat is to substitute the milk for a vegan milk option and to omit whipped cream or sugar.  

 

3. Are they Worth it? [4/5]

Overall, I was pleasantly surprised by the Green Tea Frappuccino. Matcha tea usually has an intense, bitter earthy taste. While this drink had hints of that, it was much sweeter and flavorful than I expected. I enjoyed how the milk and the matcha tea tasted blended. It was perfect for a warm day and can be ordered in a variety of ways to satisfy diet restrictions.

It is not to be used as an energy booster or a drink to be served with a meal because the taste is too strong. It is better as a late-afternoon snack or a dessert. I would say the price is a bit steep, around $5, which is about average for Starbucks. The Cookie Straw was $1, but I will save those for when I’m feeling fun. 

 

Final Verdict

I feel like I found my new favorite Frappuccino. This had the most distinct taste from all the others, the bright green color is a fun variation, and I preferred the earthy aftertaste to some of the other sweeter drinks.

 

Green Tea Frappuccino Nutrition

Calories 300

Calories from Fat 100

Total Fat 11 g

Saturated Fat 7 g

Trans Fat 0 g

Cholesterol 35 mg

Sodium 0 mg

Total Carbohydrates 44 g

Dietary Fiber 1 g

Sugars 0 g

Protein 4 g

Caffeine 50 mg

The official ingredient list includes the following:

Ice, Milk, Crème Frappuccino Syrup [Water, Sugar, Salt, Natural And Artificial Flavour, Xanthan Gum, Potassium Sorbate, Citric Acid], Classic Syrup [Sugar, Water, Natural Flavors, Potassium Sorbate, Citric Acid], Matcha Tea Blend [Sugar, Ground Japanese Green Tea].

 

To Tea or Not to Tea?

So what do you think? Do you like Starbucks’ traditional coffee-based fraps, or do you prefer the sweet milky earthy flavors of the Green Tea Frappuccino? Do you add some pumps of raspberry or savor that ice-creamy taste without? Let us know in the comments below!