The Frappuccino was invented in Boston, Massachusetts in 1992 by Andrew Frank, an employee of the Coffee Connection.

[8][9] Because "frappuccino" is trade-marked, some Starbucks's competitors drop the "uccino" and just call their competing drink a "frappe", sometimes adding an accent mark to make it "frappé".

[13] The Greek version of café frappé, using instant coffee, was invented in 1957 at the Thessaloniki International Fair.

[15][16][17] A frappé can be made with a cocktail shaker or, more commonly today, with an electric milk frother or milkshake machine.

First, instant coffee (traditionally Nescafé), sugar (optional), and a little water are shaken or blended together until a thick foam is made.

For example, making a frappé by using a handheld shaker produces finer, longer lasting, and more stable bubbles.

At some establishments, particularly beach bars, alcoholic liqueurs such as Kahlúa or Baileys Irish Cream are added to frappés.

[1][20][21] Though not technically frappés (since they are not shaken), some variations are stirred with a spoon when a shaker is not available and this creates a different texture and taste.

Frappés first became broadly known outside of Greece during the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, wherein many tourists became fond of them and an article was published in the Los Angeles Times.