Easy Coffee Frappé Recipe: Learn the Origins of the Frappé

A frappé, sometimes known as a frap, is a sweet iced coffee beverage consisting of brewed coffee, like cold brew or espresso, sugar, and frothed milk, blended or shaken together and served with a straw. The cold beverage was invented in Greece in the mid-twentieth century, where it was originally made with instant coffee, ice, and cold water, which was brought together in a cocktail shaker.

Popular variations include the mocha frappé (made with chocolate syrup) and the caramel frappé. For an even stronger frappé, use coffee ice cubes to prevent the dilution of flavor caused by normal ice cubes.

The modern frappé’s origins date back to 1950s Greece. The idea for the drink came after a Nestlé representative in town for the Thessaloniki International Fair combined instant coffee in a cocktail shaker with ice and cold water, giving the beverage a frothy, icy consistency.

The easy recipe was a hit, and it wasn’t long before coffeehouses began offering “frappés.” The word “frappé” is a nod to the broad category of French iced coffee beverages, café frappé. Worldwide, some frappés may include vanilla ice cream or resemble more of a coffee slush, but the Greek frappé is closer to a frothy, sweetened iced coffee. There are endless variations on the form, some featuring fruit, like strawberries or watermelon, caramel sauce, or even green tea.

Depending on where you find them, a frappé may have more in common with a milkshake than not. Here’s how the ice-cold, sweet treats differ:

• Coffee: While a milkshake can incorporate coffee or espresso, its primary ingredients are ice cream and milk. Some frappés may feature ice cream, but it is primarily a coffee drink more closely related to the iced cappuccino and iced latte, made either with instant coffee, espresso, or cold brew.
• Garnishes: While milkshakes are traditionally finished with whipped cream, a traditional frappé is poured over ice, with the drink’s characteristic icy froth on top. However, modern copycat frappés at coffee shop chains often incorporate garnishes like whipped cream, chocolate chips, and caramel drizzles.
• Texture: A milkshake is made by blending ice cream with various ingredients and flavorings like fruit or sweet syrups, resulting in a thick, creamy, partially-frozen beverage. A frappé has a much lighter, foamy texture, achieved by vigorously shaking coffee with ice cubes. Alternatively, by using a blender, a frappé may take on a slushier, icy texture.