Is It Possible To Order A Hot Frappuccino At Starbucks In The Winter?

Chilly winter days are perfect for sweaters, scarves, cozy days indoors, and of course, hot drinks. Thankfully, Starbucks doesn't fall short in the hot drink department — plenty of their coffee drinks come piping hot.

And then there's the Frappuccino — a Starbucks classic that you probably only order on warm days. The drink is usually cool, refreshing, and topped with a dollop of airy whipped cream. But can it be ordered hot? Does Starbucks offer seasonal hot Frappuccino drinks, or do Frappuccinos have only one temperature setting? Regardless of what you order year-round at Starbucks, the prospect of a warm, wintery Frappuccino sounds pretty satisfying on cold, rainy days. But the question remains: does it even exist? And if this elusive warm Frappuccino is indeed a legitimate Starbucks order, when can you order it, how can you order it, and which flavors does it come in? It all comes down to what a Frappuccino truly is — and Starbucks has the answer to this question perfectly laid out for us.

The Frappuccino is one of Starbucks' best-known signature drinks. It even comes in both caffeinated and non-caffeinated forms, so Starbucks lovers of all ages and with any taste preference can enjoy the drink. But if you like your Starbucks drinks as hot as possible, is there a Frappuccino for you?

Although Starbucks does roll out seasonal drinks for the winter and many of them are hot, unfortunately a hot Frappuccino will never make the cut. The coffee chain doesn't have anything against hot drinks, of course, but it does have a specific definition of what a Frappuccino is, and according to that definition, a Frappuccino can't be hot. Frappuccino drinks all have ice blended with syrups and various other ingredients, and they're usually topped with whipped cream (though you can also get them whip-free). Therefore, because every Frappuccino must have ice in it, Starbucks can't make this particular drink hot, no matter how hard they may try. In fact, it's a running faux pas to ask for your Frappuccino hot — doing so might annoy the employee who's tasked with making your drinks. Frappuccinos are cool and refreshing because of all that ice, so no matter what time of year it may be, don't try to change the temperature of your Frappuccino. It's just not possible.

So you know that asking for your Frappuccino hot is a serious red flag, but what other mistakes could you inadvertently be making? Once you square away any potential hiccups in your coffee order, it'll be smooth sailing every time you stop at Starbucks.

Make sure that you know exactly what you want once you arrive at your local Starbucks — and know how to share your order with the barista. If you tend to order coffee drinks with long, complicated specifications, make sure you share the temperature or your order, the size, the drink type, any extra shots or syrup pumps you'd like, the type of milk, and any extras you'd like on your drink. Your barista will have all the intel on your drink order that they need — and it'll come across as more orderly. Of course, almost everyone knows that Starbucks' secret menu exists too, but your barista might not know how to make your drink if you ask for it by name. Keep the instructions for your favorite secret menu drink on hand so that your order will come out correctly every time. Whatever you do, though, please don't ask for a hot Frappuccino in the wintertime — you won't find any on Starbucks' menu.