How To Order The Cap'n Crunch Frappuccino At Starbucks For A Nostalgic Treat

The frenzy surrounding the 2017 release of the Unicorn Frappuccino (a phenomenon that quickly crashed and burned) put Starbucks' limited-edition flavors on everyone's radar. The downside for fans of these temporary drinks is they're just that — gone for good, in most cases, after a short run. However, you don't have to let the whims of the corporate office dictate when you can sip on a frap that's out of the ordinary — something with flavor and color combinations that are wild, weird, and delicious. There's actually a secret menu with a long list of customizable options, one of which will appeal to anyone who has fond childhood memories of eating bowls of cereal while watching Saturday morning cartoons. The Cap'n Crunch Frappuccino — meant to mimic the flavors of the sweetened, square-shaped breakfast staple in many households — is fairly straightforward to order since its base is the Strawberry Crème Frappuccino, a Starbucks' standard.

Before you march into your neighborhood cafe demanding the Cap'n Crunch Frappuccino, keep in mind that the secret menu is not sanctioned by Starbucks. In fact, your server may have never heard of your request. The unofficial menu is the work of a cadre of creative Starbucks baristas and die-hard fans of the brand who develop recipes and share them with the public. There's even a secret size — a 30-ounce trenta. Each beverage comes with a list of ingredients and syrup pump measurements that customers can share with their baristas in case they're not in the know. The secret menu has also given new life to discontinued drinks, such as the smoked butterscotch latte, which Starbucks dropped in 2020.

To recreate the essence of Cap'n Crunch in a Frappuccino, start by ordering the Strawberry Crème Frappuccino. You'll then want equal pumps of caramel and hazelnut syrups (½ for a tall, 1 for a grande, 1 ½ for a venti) as well as a slightly larger squirt of toffee syrup (1 for a tall, 1 ½ for a grande, 2 for a venti). Combining the trio of liquids results in a drink with a buttery sweetness tempered by some roasty undertones. To get the cereal's crunchy mouthfeel, just ask for some java chips as a garnish. Now not only is Cap'n Crunch more portable, you don't risk ripping open the roof of your mouth on those rough golden chunks.