Make a healthier Starbucks frappuccino for $.32

Every now and then I just have to splurge and indulge in a decadent coffee drink…and I have to use words like decadent and ganache when ordering said drink. Unfortunately, running to my local Starbucks for a mocha coconut frappuccino will set me back in excess of $4…for a small, errr, “tall”.

Anyone share my anguish?

Well if you’ve got 5 simple ingredients and just a couple of minutes, you can make your own frappuccino for about 92% less than the one you’ll buy at Starbucks…and yours will even taste better too.

Kerry at Squawkfox.com posted this awesome frappuccino recipe earlier this summer and I thought it was just too good NOT to share. Sure you could use the ingredients from the original recipe, but if you’re improving your spending habits by making your own frosty coffee beverage, why not improve on the quality of the ingredients in said beverage as well?

The Frappuccino Recipe

The recipe on Squawkfox.com makes 2.5 cups (590mL):

• 1 cup double-strength Starbucks coffee OR 3/4 cup fresh espresso (cold)
• 3/4 cup milk (low fat, 2%, whole or whatever)
• 3 tablespoons granulated sugar (or to taste)
• 2 cups ice
• Secret ingredient: Pinch of xanthan gum OR 1 teaspoon dry pectin (keeps Frapp from separating)

But hey, why not make some healthier upgrades to that recipe? Rock some organic or fair trade coffee, organic milk (or milk alternative like rice, almond, or soy milk), and/or sugar in the raw or agave nectar.

The problem I’m having is finding an alternative to the xanthan gum. Xanthan gum isn’t necessarily a “bad” ingredient, it just isn’t “good” either…it’s simply a fermented corn sugar polysaccharide, kind of like corn syrup. It’s used in a lot of gluten-free products and its only purpose really isn’t anything more than a thickening agent.

[UPDATE 3/15/12]: Clever xanthan gum alternative!

Laine Dakin-Salomonson, the social media coordinator for Pure Essence labs (and one of our awesome readers), just sent me an email with a clever gluten free alternative to xanthan gum. She says,

After reading that article I did a little research…this may work for you! Golden Flax. I can’t try it since I don’t drink coffee but worse case, it will add a nutty flavor…shouldn’t be oily and I add it to my teens’ (and horses’) food for the antioxidant qualities.

I’d  probably avoid the brown or toasted ones and just go with golden, grind the flax seeds, soak them in a little water until they become soft and the liquid becomes gummy, like an egg white (15-30 minutes). I usually use 1½ tablespoons of flax seeds in 1/3 cup water. You may have to experiment a bit to get the consistency you most enjoy. Flax is frequently used as a thickener in gluten-free bread recipes as well as in soups and puddings. Frankly, wherever an egg is called for, one can use soaked flax seeds.

Caution: flax seeds go rancid rather quickly, so buy only from refrigerated storage, and store them in your refrigerator, too… also only make this is small batches for the same reason.

Please let us know if you try using golden flax instead of xanthan gum. How did it turn out?

The original recipe says that it is used to keep the frappuccino from separating, but I wonder if that is really even a necessity. What do you think? Would this recipe be better with some xanthun gum alternative, without it altogether, or would you be ok with just leaving it in the recipe?