I tried Starbucks' new Strawberry Funnel Cake Frappuccino and it actually tasted like the carnival classic
- I tried Starbucks' new Strawberry Funnel Cake Frappuccino, which was released on Tuesday.
- The super-sweet drink is Starbucks' first new Frappuccino flavor in three years.
- It features funnel-cake flavored syrup, a strawberry puree, and pieces of funnel cake.
Summer is almost upon us, and Starbucks is celebrating with its first new Frappuccino flavor in three years.
And as many Americans gear up for what's being called the "Hot Vax Summer" amid rising COVID-19 vaccinations, Starbucks has drawn inspiration from a classic summer stomping ground: amusement parks.
The Strawberry Funnel Cake Frappuccino, which was released on Tuesday, features a "nostalgic flavor reminiscent of carefree summer moments," Starbucks said in a press release sent to Insider.
Intrigued by the concept of a carnival in a coffee cup, I headed to my local Starbucks to give the new drink a taste. Here's what I thought.
The Strawberry Funnel Cake Frappuccino is Starbucks' newest summer drink
It features funnel-cake flavored syrup (which I didn't even know existed), along with a strawberry puree, coffee, and milk, all topped with whipped cream and powdered sugar funnel cake pieces.
A grande Strawberry Funnel Cake Frappuccino features 410 calories and a whopping 51 grams of sugar.
I picked up the new Strawberry Funnel Cake Frappuccino on the day it was released
I paid $5.25 for a grande at my nearest Starbucks in Los Angeles and was surprised when I picked up my order on Tuesday.
At first glance, I could already see that my drink looked quite different from the promo photo I saw earlier that day. I had expected the Frappuccino to have the same light-brown color as Starbucks' coffee or caramel Frappuccinos (my usual go-to when I'm craving a sweet coffee fix), but the Strawberry Funnel Cake Frappuccino was a distinct cream color instead.
There also didn't seem to be much strawberry puree within the actual drink, but I could see that the beverage had whipped cream swirled within it, as promised.
The top of the drink looked extremely enticing thanks to the whipped cream, sprinkles of funnel cake pieces, and the pretty bright-red streaks of the strawberry puree.
After admiring the mountain of whipped cream, I got ready to try my new drink.
I got hit with an instant sugar rush the second I took my first sip
Phew is this drink sweet, like super sweet. The first thing I wrote in my notes was literally, "Oh my God, it's so sweet."
And in those first few sips, all I could really taste was the sugar. The consistency was also more icy than creamy, which didn't really seem to fit the vibe or flavor.
I then used my straw to get a taste of just the strawberry puree on the whipped cream, which had a nice fruity taste. I wish that there had been more of the puree throughout the actual drink to give the flavor some balance and temper all that sweetness. The funnel cake pieces were also delicious, but there just wasn't enough of them to make a real impact.
After I mixed everything together, though, the drink improved. I could actually taste the funnel-cake flavored syrup, and it really did remind me a bit of the classic carnival snack. But it still needed way more of that strawberry flavor.
But I will say this: Some Starbucks Frappuccinos are notorious for looking less than pleasant as they start to melt. But the Strawberry Funnel Cake turned into a pretty almost pale pink as I carried it on my 10-minute walk home in the California heat.
Starbucks' new Strawberry Funnel Cake Frappuccino is definitely for the super sugar lovers
I love a sweet coffee drink more than most, but this was just a bit too much for me. I was barely able to drink a quarter of my grande before I decided I'd had enough of my sugar fix for the day.
But the funnel-cake flavored syrup is definitely interesting, and I'd love to see that strawberry puree in future Starbucks drinks.
Plus, carnival snacks are notorious for being loaded with sugar. At least the Strawberry Funnel Cake Frappuccino is staying true to its roots.