Bold, chilled, and irresistibly smooth, the Iced Shaken Espresso is one of Starbucks’ most popular cold drinks for a reason. It combines strong shots of espresso with a touch of sweetness from brown sugar, all shaken with ice to create a light, frothy finish.
It’s fancy enough to impress but simple enough to make at home, and once you try that light, airy foam on top, regular iced coffee just won’t cut it anymore.
What is a Shaken Espresso?
Iced shaken espresso is a cold coffee drink made by pulling fresh espresso shots, adding a bit of sweetener (usually simple syrup or brown sugar), then shaking it vigorously with ice in a cocktail shaker to create a frothy, chilled drink. The shaking aerates the espresso and creates a light foam on top, plus it cools it down pretty fast.
It’s inspired by the Italian shakerato, a popular summer drink in Italy, and Freddo Espresso from Greece, where espresso is shaken with ice and sugar. Starbucks has put its twist on the drink, offering versions with oat milk, almond milk, and different syrups.
How to make Iced Shaken Espresso at home
You can easily prepare shaken espresso at home with just a few simple ingredients.
The Ingredients for a Shaken Espresso
- Espresso: You need 2-3 freshly pulled espresso shots as the base. Starbucks typically uses blonde espresso, made with lightly roasted beans, for a smoother flavor.
- Liquid Sweetener: Use liquid sweeteners like simple syrup, vanilla syrup, brown sugar syrup, or other flavored syrups. Liquid is key because granulated sugar won’t dissolve properly when you shake it with ice.
- Ice: You need plenty of ice – both for shaking and serving.
- Milk: You can use whole milk, oat milk, almond milk, or light 2% milk. Oat milk or 2% milk is a good choice because it’s light, naturally sweet, and creamy.
- Flavorings (optional): Cinnamon, cocoa powder, or flavored syrups can be added for extra taste.
Step-by-Step Recipe
1. Brew the Espresso shots: Start by pulling 2-3 fresh espresso shots using your espresso machine. If you don’t have an espresso machine, you can use a moka pot or strong coffee from an AeroPress.
2. Add Sweetener to Hot Espresso: Add 1-2 tablespoons of your liquid sweetener directly to the espresso while it’s still hot. Stir it in so it dissolves completely.
3. Add ingredients to the shaker: Add a generous amount of ice to your cocktail shaker – fill it about halfway. You need plenty of ice to properly chill the espresso and create that frothy texture. Pour sweetened espresso on top of it.
4. Shake Vigorously: Put the lid on your shaker and shake it hard for 20-30 seconds. Really go for it – the vigorous shaking is what creates that signature frothy, aerated texture.
5. Prepare the serving glass: Add a few ice cubes to the serving glass. Don’t use the ice from the shaker – you want clean, unmelted ice for the final drink.
6. Pour and add milk: Pour the shaken mixture over the fresh ice in your glass. Then, add a splash of cold milk on top. Give it a gentle stir to mix everything together, and enjoy it right away while it’s still nice and frothy!
The Variety of Shaken Espresso at Starbucks
1. Classic Iced Shaken Espresso
Signature espresso shaken with classic syrup and a splash of 2% milk. Bold, slightly sweet, and super refreshing.
2. Iced Brown Sugar Oatmilk Shaken Espresso
Blonde espresso shaken with brown sugar syrup, oatmilk, and cinnamon. It’s smooth, sweet, and dairy-free. Feels light but gives a nice caffeine kick.
3. Iced Horchata Oatmilk Shaken Espresso
Blonde espresso shaken with cinnamon syrup, oatmilk, and ice. Inspired by the classic horchata drink, it’s creamy, spiced, and dairy-free. Tastes warm and cozy, even when iced.
4. Iced Hazelnut Oatmilk Shaken Espresso
Blonde espresso mixed with hazelnut syrup and oatmilk, shaken until frothy. It’s light, nutty, and super smooth.
5. Iced Chocolate Almondmilk Shaken Espresso
Blonde espresso blended with chocolate malt powder and almond milk. It’s chocolatey, not too sweet, and totally dairy-free. Great for a mocha-style twist.
Seasonal Varieties
Starbucks regularly rotates special flavors like pumpkin spice, peppermint, or holiday-themed versions that give the shaken espresso format new seasonal twists throughout the year.
You can also personalize your drink at Starbucks by swapping out the milk, changing the syrup flavor, or adding extra espresso shots for a stronger caffeine kick.
The Unique Taste of Shaken Espresso
A shaken espresso has a different taste than your typical iced coffee. It has a relatively lighter and smoother espresso flavor than a regular iced coffee. The shaking process chills the drink fast and gives it a light, frothy texture. You get that rich, roasted coffee taste without the harsh bitterness because the vigorous shaking and creamy milk mellows out the intensity, while the cold temperature smooths everything out.
Personally, I think it’s the perfect middle ground between wanting serious coffee flavor and needing something cool and refreshing on a hot day.
Shaken Espresso vs Iced Espresso
The main difference between shaken espresso and iced espresso is all in the preparation and texture. Iced espresso is simply hot espresso shots poured directly over ice – it’s quick, simple, and gives you that pure, intense coffee flavor with no frills. You get the full strength of the espresso with just ice to cool it down.
Shaken espresso, on the other hand, gets the cocktail treatment. The shaking aerates the coffee, giving you a light, frothy foam on top that iced espresso just can’t match. This process also mellows out the intensity and makes the drink smoother and more refreshing.
If you want pure, undiluted coffee power, go with iced espresso. If you want something more refreshing and sweet with that Instagram-worthy foam, shaken espresso is your drink.
How many Calories are in Iced Shaken Espresso?
The amount of calories in Iced shaken espresso depends on the type and amount of milk and sweetener you add to the drink. A typical serving of shaken espresso has 100-150 calories.
Here’s a quick look at the calories of Starbucks shaken espresso:
- Classic Shaken Espresso ~ 100 calories
- Brown Sugar Oatmilk Shaken Espresso ~ 150 calories
- Horchata Oatmilk Shaken Espresso: ~150 calories
- Hazelnut Oatmilk Shaken Espresso: ~150 calories
You can lower the calories by asking for less syrup, using non-dairy milk, or skipping the milk altogether.
Iced Shaken Espresso Recipe
Equipment
- Espresso machine
- Cocktail Shaker
Ingredients
- 2-3 Espresso Shots
- 1-2 tbsp Sweetener (Simple syrup, Vanilla syrup, Hazelnut Syrup, or any flavorings you like)
- 2-3 oz Milk (Whole Milk, 2% Milk, Oat Milk)
- Plenty of Ice Cubes
Instructions
- Brew the Espresso shots: Start by pulling 2-3 fresh espresso shots using your espresso machine. If you don't have an espresso machine, you can use a moka pot or strong coffee from an AeroPress.
- Add Sweetener to Hot Espresso: Add 1-2 tablespoons of your liquid sweetener directly to the espresso while it's still hot. Stir it in so it dissolves completely.
- Add ingredients to the shaker: Add a generous amount of ice to your cocktail shaker – fill it about halfway. You need plenty of ice to properly chill the espresso and create that frothy texture. Pour sweetened espresso on top of it.
- Shake Vigorously: Put the lid on your shaker and shake it hard for 20-30 seconds. Really go for it – the vigorous shaking is what creates that signature frothy, aerated texture.
- Prepare the serving glass: Add a few ice cubes to the serving glass. Don't use the ice from the shaker – you want clean, unmelted ice for the final drink.
- Pour and add milk: Pour the shaken espresso mixture over the fresh ice in your glass. Then, add a splash of cold milk on top. Give it a gentle stir to mix everything together, and enjoy it right away while it’s still nice and frothy!
