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McDonalds Iced Coffee
About the iced coffee and frappe menu at McDonald’s.
Published March 25, 2022
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Erik Hedlund
Coffee experts@The Coffee Lab
McDonald’s might be a brand best-known for burgers, however, thanks to the McCafe line of drinks, they are also becoming well known for their coffee drinks. The McCafe line was started by McDonald’s to compete with popular beverages from coffee chains like Starbucks with its Mocha Frappes and Iced Caramel Macchiatos. Does McDonald’s sell frappes all day? Their frozen drinks are known as Mc Frappe and you can order them at almost any McDonald’s at any time of day. Small size McCafe drinks are on the Dollar Menu, which is great if you want an iced coffee on a budget with all small drinks less than two dollars each.
There are three sizes of McDonald’s frappe and iced drinks to choose from – small, which is 12oz, medium, which is 16oz, and the large, which is 22oz. The medium size is the same as a grande size from Starbucks.
To make their iced coffees and McDonald’s Frappuccinos, McDonald’s uses 100% Arabica coffee means. Coffee is a medium roast while the espresso is a dark roast. You can choose from either whole and non-fat milk, however, there are no plant-based or dairy-free milk options. A light cream is also used for iced coffees and frappes, and you can get free add-ons and flavors. You can choose from hazelnut, caramel, or French vanilla, and combinations are allowed.
Read on to find out more about the McDonald’s frappe menu and the ingredients included so that you can find out how to make a Frappuccino like McDonald’s.
Mocha Frappe
One of the most popular McDonald’s Café Frappe options is the Mocha Frappe. This frozen drink is made by blending ice and mocha coffee frappe base before topping with whipped cream and chocolate drizzle. Many customers agree that it is the most delicious drink available, and it tastes like melted chocolate ice cream, with a hint of espresso that is not too overwhelming.
Iced French Vanilla Coffee
Made with ice, premium roast coffee, light cream and French Vanilla syrup, this iced coffee is a strong yet sweet option that’s lighter than the frappe. If you want a refreshing energy boost with a drink that’s not as rich as the frappe, this might be perfect for you. It is stronger than the espresso based drinks on the menu, and the French Vanilla flavor stands out a lot.
Iced Latte
A simple iced latte is one McCafe drink that you can’t go wrong with. It is made with a simple combination of ice, espresso, whole milk, and water. It also includes a little bit of sugar syrup for a light sweetening effect. It’s a classic order with ingredients that work well together.
Iced Caramel Macchiato
Offered by McCafe to rival the similar beverage offered by Starbucks, this drink is made with ice, espresso, whole milk, water, caramel syrup, and caramel drizzle. The main difference between this drink from McDonald’s and the one that you’d get at Starbucks is that Starbucks add vanilla syrup to the bottom of the cup while McDonald’s do not. It is made similar to an iced latte, however, the espresso shots are poured in over the milk rather than the other way around, and it has extra caramel drizzle.
Iced Coffee
For a simple and refreshing iced drink that will energize you on a hot day, the classic iced coffee from McDonald’s is a great choice. It is made with ice, premium roast coffee, light cream, and some sugar syrup to sweeten. It’s a solid coffee shop staple, although be aware that you might have to drink it quickly since some customers say that it starts tasting watery quite quickly.
Iced Caramel Mocha
For a sweet and indulgent drink, the iced caramel mocha is a fantastic choice. It is made with ice, espresso, whole milk, chocolate caramel syrup and light cream, before being topped with whipped cream and caramel drizzle. If you enjoy caramel and chocolate brownies, then this drink tastes just like that dessert so you’re definitely going to love it. However, it is quite rich and does taste like a dessert, so it might not be the best option if you want something light and refreshing.
Iced Caramel Latte
Made with a simple combination of ice, espresso, whole milk and caramel syrup, this is a classic iced coffee order that you can’t get wrong. Caramel and espresso work so well together, resulting in just the amount of sweetness without overpowering the flavor of the coffee. Overall, another excellent McCafe drink to order if you want something sweet, light and refreshing on a warm day.
Iced Mocha
If you love a hot mocha, then you don’t have to deprive yourself of this classic drink during the summer – the iced mocha is a perfect, refreshing alternative. It is made using ice, espresso, whole milk, chocolate syrup and a little water, and topped with whipped cream and a chocolate drizzle. It’s definitely delicious, but some customers say that they would have liked to have a little more chocolate in the drink as it tasted more like an iced latte with a chocolate drizzle on top, so this might be something to bear in mind when you order.
Caramel Frappe
When it comes to the frappe menu, the caramel frappe is definitely one of the most popular. Do McDonald’s frappes have coffee in them? It is made with ice, a caramel coffee frappe base, whipped cream, and a caramel drizzle. It’s very sweet, which may not be the right choice for you if you prefer your iced coffee drinks to taste like coffee. But if you like the buttery, sweet taste of the caramel syrup that McDonald’s uses, this might be ideal for you. Sadly, if you are wondering does McDonald’s have sugar free frappe, you can’t get this one in a lighter version and a medium has a whopping 510 calories.
Iced French Vanilla Latte
Made with ice, espresso, whole milk, and French Vanilla syrup, this is another classic iced coffee drink that’s a great option for anybody who likes a sweet beverage. If you don’t like coffee flavors that overpower the coffee, then you might want to steer clear of this drink. However, if you want a sugar hit and love the taste of French vanilla in your coffee, it might be an ideal choice. Even better, you can also ask for a sugar-free version of the French vanilla coffee, so you can get your sweet fix without all the extra calories.
Iced Caramel Coffee
Made with brewed coffee, ice, light cream and caramel syrup, this is a simple iced coffee option for those who don’t want to get an espresso-based drink. At just two dollars for a medium sized drink, this is also one of the cheapest iced coffees on the menu and perfect for anybody looking for a cold coffee fix on a tight budget.
Tips for Ordering McDonald’s Iced Coffee
If you want to try iced coffee options from McCafe, here are some tips to keep in mind:
- If you want to have your iced coffee without milk or sugar, you’ll need to specify this when you order.
- All iced drinks are made with whole milk by default and some of them also have a simple syrup to sweeten them as a core ingredient. You can request that the drink is made with nonfat milk instead, remove the simple syrup, or change it to a different flavored syrup.
- Depending on which McDonald’s you order your iced coffee at, you might get different amounts of syrup pumps added to sweeten the drink. The best option is to ask for the number of pumps that you want in your drink when you order.
FAQs
Here are some frequently asked questions that you might have about McDonald’s iced coffee drinks.
1. Do McDonald’s use different coffee for iced espresso and coffee drinks?
Yes. McDonald’s uses a medium roast blend for both hot and iced coffee drinks. For espresso drinks like lattes, they use a darker roast.
2. Can you get black iced coffee at McDonald’s?
All coffees come with milk as standard, however, if you prefer, you can ask to have it made without milk.
3. Does McCafe frappe have coffee?
The McFrappes are made with a coffee base, which contains coffee. However, they are mot made with coffee or espresso.
4. How much is iced coffee at McDonald’s?
If you want to cut down the amount of money that you are spending on iced coffees, then getting it from McDonald’s can be a cheaper alternative to other coffee shops or Starbucks since the coffee here is very affordable in comparison. The best part is that you will only pay two dollars for any small iced drink at McDonald’s as they are on the Dollar Menu, along with some medium iced coffee drinks too.
While burgers and nuggets might be the first thing to come to mind when you think of McDonald’s, it’s definitely worth trying their McCafe range of coffee and espresso drinks, including iced coffees and frappes.
About the author
Erik Hedlund
With Era of We and The Coffee Lab, I hope to share knowledge, increase the value of coffee – and secure the future of coffee.
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