Here’s How To Veganize Starbucks’ New Strawberry Funnel Cake Frappuccino!
If you’ve ever been to a county fair or carnival, you’ve surely come across the classic sugary funnel cakes sold at every corner. This treat screams summer and is the perfect way to commence the festivities. That’s precisely why Starbucks has released a new Frappuccino honoring this timeless dessert! They call it the “Strawberry Funnel Cake Frappuccino”, and it’s now available in stores across the U.S. and Canada.
“We wanted to capture the joy of this time of year, and we thought about those simple pleasures that really encapsulate summer,” shared a senior product developer at Starbucks, Sara Bennett. “That led us to state fairs and funnel cake – just wanting to channel that sense of carefree fun.”
The original drink features a funnel cake-flavored syrup, coffee, milk, ice, strawberry puree, whipped cream, and an actual funnel cake crumb topping!
How To Veganize the Strawberry Funnel Cake Frappuccino
To veganize this summery drink, all you have to do is replace the milk with soy, almond, coconut, or their new Oatly milk, and ask for no whipped cream. Yes—it’s that easy!
According to the Starbucks website, the only animal-derived ingredients are in the milk and whipped cream. All others—including the funnel cake pieces and syrup—are entirely vegan-friendly.
Ingredients In The Strawberry Funnel Cake Frappuccino
Check out exactly what ingredients their new seasonal toppings contain below!
Funnel Cake Syrup: Sugar, Water, Natural Flavors, Preservative Potassium Sorbate, Salt, Xanthan Gum, Citric Acid.
Powdered Sugar Funnel Cake Pieces: Enriched Flour, Sugars, Palm Oil, Water, Natural Flavor, Salt.
There are, however, a few things to clear up about these ingredients. Firstly, we can’t determine what ‘natural flavors’ are used in the Funnel Cake Syrup and the Powdered Sugar Funnel Cake Pieces, since they’re not listed. This means they could be plant or animal-derived. So, you could give them the benefit of the doubt and go for it, or skip this drink.
Another factor to consider is sugar—this ingredient is sometimes processed using animal derivatives. More info here! And finally, there’s palm oil, which may or may not be considered vegan, due to the deforestation and animal habitat destruction caused by the palm oil industry.
Aside from these details, this drink seems easily ‘veganizable’, and if you still want to try it, go for it! The vegan lifestyle and mentality is not about perfection, but about progress. We hope you enjoy this yum summer drink in moderation, and thanks for all you do for our planet and our animal friends!