Horchata Almond Milk Frappuccino Is Starbucks' Newest Summer Drink
If you were looking for a new Starbucks drink to get you through to the end of summer, you're in luck. Today, Starbucks is releasing the new Horchata Almond Milk Frappuccino, which according to a press release from Starbucks, it's, "the perfect beverage to end the summer and welcome fall." Now, at this point, some folks might be wondering: What is horchata? Simply put, horchata is a Spanish or Latin American drink that's usually made by soaking white rice in water, with some sweetness and spices, most often including cinnamon, added.
There are, admittedly, some pretty big differences between a traditional horchata and this new Starbucks Frappuccino—starting with the fact that there's no rice in this Starbucks take. But the flavor of the Horchata Almond Milk Frappuccino seems to be inspired by both the creaminess and the spiciness of the original drink. The Horchata Almond Milk Frappuccino starts with, as the name suggests, almond milk, to which cinnamon dolce syrup, coffee, and ice are added and then blended together. The drink is then "topped with whipped cream, a swirl of caramel, and cinnamon and sugar sprinkles," according to the press release, for that bit of spice that you get from a horchata.
To be fair, this isn't the first time horchata has appeared on the Starbucks menu. The Cinnamon Horchata Frappuccino has been on the menu at Starbucks stores in Mexico, though that recipe for this Frappuccino hews more closely to the ingredients of a traditional horchata, made by blending "rice, milk, vanilla, cinnamon and a hint of coconut." The Horchata Frappuccino has also long been a staple on the so-called Starbucks secret menu, and it also uses cinnamon dolce syrup, along with chai syrup, to get that spiciness.
Horchata might not be the most obvious flavor with which to celebrate the end of summer, but at least it's not pumpkin spice. And if you're ready to give the new Horchata Almond Milk Frappuccino a taste, this new Starbucks drink is in stores across the United States and Canada, starting today, August 8.
