Iced Brown Sugar Oatmilk Shaken Espresso
This Iced Brown Sugar Oatmilk Shaken Espresso is simple to make, with just a few ingredients. Enjoy this Starbucks copycat iced coffee drink whenever the craving strikes, without leaving your house!
Copycat Starbucks Brown Sugar Shaken Espresso
The Iced Brown Sugar Oatmilk Shaken Espresso was released by Starbucks a couple years ago and we became quick fans. The name is quite a mouthful, but worth every one of those eleven syllables. Of course, we had to come up with a copycat recipe to make at home – you’re gonna love it!
It’s no secret that we’re a house-full of coffee lovers. While we like to pop into a store for a caffeinated pick-me-up, we enjoy the majority of our coffee from home. We like to think we’re pretty good home baristas, mixing up gorgeous, delicious drinks like a pumpkin cream cold brew.
This Starbucks drink features espresso and a bit of brown sugar syrup shaken with ice. The shaking method gives this iced coffee a fuller body with a little frothiness, and it perfectly chills and dilutes the drink. Then it’s topped off with creamy oat milk, a swirly-pretty contrast to the dark espresso, plus a dusting of cinnamon.
This drink is lightly sweet, with a deep, rich, earthy flavor. It’s iced coffee perfection!
Why You’ll Love This Oatmilk Shaken Espresso
This iced coffee drink is a family favorite – here’s why we think you’ll like it, too!
- Quick & easy. It only takes 5 minutes to prepare this drink, so you can enjoy it whenever you want.
- Cheaper than Starbucks. WAY cheaper than Starbucks, actually!
- Only 4 ingredients. Besides ice, you only need 4 ingredients to make this drink.
- You control the flavor. You can easily adjust this brown sugar shaken espresso to your preferences by adding more or less brown sugar simple syrup, espresso shots, oat milk, etc.
- Fun factor. I don’t know about you, but I love shaking a cocktail shaker. This drink gives that same vibe, but with coffee!
- Body. And because of that shaking, the drink gets some added body and frothiness.
- Flavor. But most of all, it’s just so dang delicious!!
What You’ll Need
You’ll need just 4 ingredients to make this Starbucks copycat recipe.
See the recipe card below for exact measurements and full instructions.
- Espresso – If you don’t have an espresso machine, don’t worry! See the options below.
- Brown sugar syrup – This is absolutely key to making this Starbucks shaken espresso. It adds a deep, warm, caramel-like sweetness. And it’s super easy to make – here’s my brown sugar syrup recipe!
- Unsweetened creamy oat milk – You definitely want to use unsweetened, since we’re adding the simple syrup. See my recommendations below.
- Cinnamon – Just a light dusting over the top of the finished drink adds a lovely warm flavor and scent.
What If I Don’t Have An Espresso Machine?
I you don’t have an espresso machine, you have a few options.
- Nespresso machine – If you have a Nespresso machine, and want to use the exact coffee that Starbucks uses for this drink, get the Starbucks® by Nespresso® Blonde Espresso Roast capsules. This is what we use!
- Moka pot – If you have a stove-top moka pot, this is a great option for making espresso-like coffee. When I want a special cup of coffee, this is what I use. Starbucks recommends using their Veranda Blend when making this drink.
- Cold brew espresso – If you don’t have any of these machines, grab a bottle of cold brew espresso from the grocery store. There are usually at least a few options at a well-stocked store.
- Brew super strong coffee – Use your coffee maker or a French press.
- Instant espresso – Or grab a packet of instant espresso and add boiling water, per packet instructions.
What’s The Best Oat Milk for a Brown Sugar Shaken Espresso?
There are two things I look for when buying oat milk for this brown sugar shaken espresso and all our coffee drinks – unsweetened and creamy.
We’ve tried many different varieties and our favorite is Chobani Oat “Plain – Extra Creamy”. Coming in second is Oat-ly “The Original – Full Fat”, though we find that it doesn’t froth quite as well when we want to add froth to coffee drinks. This particular coffee drink doesn’t need the froth, so it’s still a great option.
How to Make An Iced Brown Sugar Oatmilk Shaken Espresso
Here’s how to make your very own Starbucks shaken espresso in just a few minutes!
- Shake the espresso and brown sugar syrup. Add 1/2 cup of ice to a pint jar, then pour in the espresso and brown sugar syrup. Cover tightly and shake for 20 seconds. It should have some froth.
- Assemble the drink. You have two options here – prepare the drink right in the glass jar (so you don’t lose any of that precious froth!) or pour it into a different glass.
- To assemble it in the jar: Add a bit more ice, then pour the oat milk over the top.
- To prepare it in a different glass: Pour the shaken espresso (with the ice) into a new glass, and make sure to get all the froth. Add more ice, then pour the oat milk over the top.
- Enjoy! Top with a dash of cinnamon and enjoy.
Starbucks Oatmilk Shaken Espresso FAQs
Here are a few common questions about this Starbucks copycat drink.
- What is a shaken espresso? Shaken espresso simply means that the espresso is shaken with ice (and simple syrup). It’s the same basic concept as shaking a cocktail.
- Is the Starbucks brown sugar oatmilk shaken espresso vegan? Yes, both the original Starbucks recipe and this copycat version of the oatmilk shaken espresso are vegan, as they’re made with oat milk.
- How many shots of espresso does Starbucks add to this drink? It depends on the size. In general, Starbucks uses 2 shots of espresso in their Tall drinks, 3 shots in Grande drinks, and 4 shots in Venti drinks.
- Can I use regular brewed coffee? Yes, but I recommend a very strongly brewed coffee, to get that full flavor like the original drink. Or as mentioned above, you can grab a bottled espresso at the store.
Can This Be Prepared in Advance?
Since this is an iced drink, and it includes shaking, it should be enjoyed immediately. There’s not really a way to prepare it in advance.
But, you can prepare the brown sugar syrup in advance. It keeps well for up to 4 weeks – and as long as you have it on hand, you can whip up a brown sugar shaken espresso in just a few minutes!
Serving Suggestions
After you pour the oat milk over the ice, you’ll have a beautiful drink with contrasting layers of dark, almost black, espresso and brown sugar syrup at the bottom, with the lighter oat milk swirling through the top. This is how Starbucks will hand you the drink – and we always grab a straw to combine it altogether.
So when we make this at home, we either pop a straw into the glass for stirring or we give the drink a stir with a spoon.
If you’re looking for something to enjoy with your coffee, my grandma’s blueberry muffins are a favorite. This sour cream coffee cake with cinnamon ripple would also be lovely!
More Coffee Drinks:
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Iced Brown Sugar Oat Milk Shaken Espresso
Ingredients
- ice
- 4 ounces espresso – see Notes below
- 1 ounce brown sugar syrup
- ½ cup unsweetened creamy oat milk – see Notes below
- dash ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Add ½ cup of ice to a pint jar, followed by espresso and brown sugar simple syrup. Cover tightly and shake for 20 seconds.
- If you're going to use the jar as your glass: (so you don't lose any of the froth created from shaking!), add a bit more fresh ice to the jar. Then pour the oat milk over the top. If you're going to use a different glass: pour the shaken espresso WITH THE ICE into a new 16 ounce glass (quickly scrape out any of the froth in the jar, into the new glass), add a bit more fresh ice, then pour the oat milk over the top.
- Add a dash of cinnamon to the top, and enjoy! Starbucks does not mix this drink further – when they hand it to you, it's very dark at the bottom with the espresso and brown sugar syrup, with the lighter oat milk layer settling in over the top. It's striking. But when we drink it, we do give it a good stir to incorporate the layers.
Notes
Nutrition Information:
I have been looking for a copycat recipe for this drink for months, and this one nails it! It’s the perfect replica. Thanks for sharing :-)