Who doesn’t love a run to Starbucks in the morning before a long day of class? If you get excited for the morning because you know a cup of your very favorite caffeinated concoction, made exactly how you like, is minutes away from helping kick-start your morning, then you aren’t alone. College students can all bond over their love of Starbucks, but they also bond over something even stronger – saving money. Yes, the tall, extra whip, double shot hazelnut Macchiato may look like it’s worth $4 (and some weeks even call for a venti or two), but really, if you take off the fancy label, bright green straw, and long morning line, all that’s left is a handful of cheap ingredients.
Making your drinks at home may seem like a huge ordeal, but it’s all in the preparation. Some drinks call for a syrup or flavor that’s added to a coffee base, so if you make a couple of batches then you’ll have your very own homemade flavor bank to choose from. You don’t need any fancy ingredients either; a blender can serve for anything that needs to be crushed or whipped, and you’re just a K-cup away from a cup of fresh coffee.
So, find your favorite drink, a cute to-go mug, and make a run to the grocery store to have all you need to start your mornings off right.
Not only does this smell amazing with the dash of vanilla extract, but mixing it with vanilla bean ice cream gives it an even deeper level of flavor that perfectly replicates the actual Starbucks experience. Throw in some ice, sugar, and a dollop (heaping, of course) of whipped cream, and a blender, and you’re set.
Now, when you read over the ingredients you might get weirded out by ‘xanthan gum,’ but don’t worry, even though it sounds like a cleaning solution, it’s actually an ingredient that’s used to thicken and stabilize foods. It also does a great job in making sure that ingredients don’t separate, especially when making something like a Frappuccino. However, if you find yourself at a loss for xanthan gum, you can substitute it for an equal part of chia seeds or gelatin.
What better way to be reminded of summer than a refreshingly sweet and tangy lemonade? Throwback to your elementary school days of making lemonade, but take it a step further by using Passion Tea to add a new depth of flavor.
“Let’s gather around the campfire (library) and sing a campfire (caffeine) song,” and mix together cocoa powder, graham cracker crumbs, and several spoonfuls of marshmallow fluff to add some summery flavor to a typical Frappuccino.
The holy grail of fall. And although it may seem like the baristas are the only ones that can get this just right, all you need is a simple syrup of sugar, pumpkin puree, and pumpkin pie spice mixed with water and you’ll have a go-to mix in for any coffee or latte that catches your eye.
