Do you want to learn how to make the Iced Brown Sugar Oat Milk Shaken Espresso from Starbucks at home? Try this copycat recipe! You only need a few basic ingredients, and you might even end up liking it more than the one from Starbucks!
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Why You'll Love This Shake Espresso
Better than Starbucks - Making your own shaken espresso at home is easier than you might think! Even with a homemade syrup, it comes together in about 10 minutes! By making it yourself, you know exactly what goes inside, and you can adjust everything to your liking.
More budget-friendly - This probably comes as no surprise, but making your morning lattes at home is much cheaper than getting them at a coffee shop! The syrup is easy to batch and freezer-friendly!
It's versatile - You can change up the flavor of the drink just by switching to different coffee beans but you can always make it your own by adding a different syrup. Check out my Iced Chocolate Almond Milk Shaken Espresso or my Iced Apple Crisp Oat Milk Shaken Espresso!
Ingredients
- Espresso - You'll need 2-3 shots of espresso. I only recommend espresso here because any other coffee won't froth the same. Starbucks has 3 shots in their Grande size, but I do a double shot of espresso most of the time. It just yields a slightly smaller drink. Use decaf coffee or mix of regular and decaf if you prefer. A manual espresso machine will give you the best coffee, but a Nespresso machine is great as well.
- Brown sugar - You can either make your own Brown Sugar Syrup, use a store-bought one like Monin or Torani, or just add brown sugar to your hot espresso! I like using dark brown sugar for a stronger flavor, but regular or light brown sugar will work great as well.
- Vanilla extract - I add this to the homemade syrup. You could also use vanilla powder or vanilla paste. If you use the powder, you'll need much less because it's much stronger.
- Oat milk - Use your favorite oat milk, whole milk, or any other non-dairy milk (Earth's Own Barista Oat milk is my favorite). The milk doesn't need any frothing for this recipe, so any oat milk will do, but the barista ones tend to be creamier. An oat creamer also works here (Elmhurst is my favorite).
Variations and Substitutions
- Add cinnamon to your syrup - If you want to avoid the gritty taste of cinnamon powder in your drink, add a stick of cinnamon to your syrup when you're simmering it on the stove! This way, you infuse it with the flavor without having to add the powder. Alternativelly, you can also add Cinnamon Simple Syrup, but you'll have to add less brown sugar syrup.
- Toasted vanilla syrup - This one is hard to achieve, but if you like the toasted vanilla shaken espresso Starbucks had a few years ago, I recommend mixing hazelnut and vanilla syrup together or adding a little bit of Monin's toasted marshmallow syrup with added vanilla extract to achieve that flavor.
Step-by-Step Instructions
I have two versions of how you can make this drink. Either you can make your own syrup, or you can do the lazy version and mix brown sugar right into your espresso! I also have a separate post for the Brown Sugar Simple Syrup with additional tips and tricks!
Brown sugar syrup
- The lazy version: Add 1 tablespoon of brown sugar and ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract to the bottom of a mason jar, brew the coffee over it, and swirl it to mix them together. The sugar will melt, and you won't have to make any syrup!
- The syrup: Mix equal parts of brown sugar and water in a saucepan and bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally. Lower the heat and let the mixture simmer for about 5 minutes. Stir in vanilla extract and transfer to a glass jar. Cool completely before closing with a lid and storing in the fridge.
- Store-bought: There are brown sugar syrups you can buy, like the ones from Monin or Torani. I prefer Monin over Torani because their syrups don't have preservatives. Keep in mind the syrup will have also have regular cane sugar along with the brown sugar and flavors. Homemade is always best, but if you need a shortcut, a store-bought syrup is an option!
Shaken Espresso
- Add a heaping cup of ice to a large mason jar (I use a 32 oz jar, but a smaller one works too) or a cocktail shaker.
- Pour 2-3 shots of freshly brewed espresso over the ice.
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- Add brown sugar syrup and a dash of cinnamon.
- Close the jar and shake vigorously for about 5-10 seconds or until the espresso is very frothy.
- Pour the frothy espresso, including the ice, into a tall glass.
- Add more ice here if needed.
- Slowly top up with the oat milk to create a layered effect.
- Sprinkle with more cinnamon if desired and enjoy!
Make-Ahead Options
I highly recommend making the syrup ahead of time if you're using a homemade one. This way, making the actual shaken espresso will take only a few minutes!
The syrup keeps well in both the fridge and the freezer! You can store it in an airtight container or a jar in the fridge for up to 2 weeks or in the freezer in a freezer-safe container for 2-4 months. The syrup never freezes completely solid, so avoid freezing it in an ice cube tray.
FAQs
It's freshly brewed espresso shaken with ice and syrup, the same way you would shake a cocktail. It adds air into the coffee and makes it frothy without having to froth the milk.
Their Tall size has 2 shots of espresso, a Grande has 3, and a Venti has 4.
I recommend using only fresh espresso if possible. It's much stronger than regular brewed coffee, which could make the drink taste much weaker. Regular coffee also doesn't froth the same way when shaken.
Yes and yes! Both this recipe and the original Starbucks versions are completely vegan. They both use oat milk.
The original drink has cinnamon powder shaken with the rest of the ingredients, so that's what I used in this recipe. The slight grittiness of the cinnamon never bothered me, but if it bothers you, feel free to use syrup or add a stick of cinnamon to the brown sugar syrup when making it! You may need to adjust the brown sugar syrup amount if you're adding cinnamon syrup as well.
More Starbucks-Inspired Coffee Drinks
I've been creating my versions of Starbucks drinks for a while now, both coffee and non-coffee drinks. You can see all of them under Starbucks Drinks, but below are four of my all-time favorites similar to this one! To see all the latest coffee drinks, head over to Coffee Recipes!
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Have you tried this Brown Sugar Shaken Espresso? Please leave a star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below!
Hungry for more? Grab my free 10 Best Homemade Starbucks Drinks, and don't forget to follow me on Pinterest and Instagram!
Print📖 Recipe
Iced Brown Sugar Oat Milk Shaken Espresso
This copycat Iced Brown Sugar Oat Milk Shaken Espresso tastes better than Starbucks, and it's so easy to make at home! It uses homemade brown sugar syrup, and the shaken espresso has just a few simple ingredients and comes together in less than 5 minutes!
- Total Time10 minutes
- Yield1 drink (1 ⅔ cup of syrup) 1x
- DietVegan
Ingredients
Brown Sugar Syrup
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1 cup water
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
Brown Sugar Shaken Espresso
- heaping 1 cup ice (plus more as needed)
- 2-3 shots of freshly brewed espresso
- 2 tbsp brown sugar syrup
- ¼-½ cup oat milk
- A dash of cinnamon*
Instructions
Brown Sugar Syrup
- In a small saucepan, mix together the brown sugar and water. Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium-high heat while stirring consistently just until the sugar dissolves.
- Lower the heat and simmer for 5 minutes.
- Take the syrup off the heat and stir in the vanilla extract. Pour into a heatproof glass jar and set aside to cool.
Brown Sugar Shaken Espresso
- Add a heaping cup of ice to a large mason jar (I use a 32-oz jar, but a smaller one works too).
- Pour 2-3 shots of freshly brewed espresso over the ice.
- Add brown sugar syrup and a dash of cinnamon.
- Close the jar and shake it vigorously for about 5-10 seconds or until the espresso is very frothy.
- Pour the frothy espresso, including the ice, into a tall glass. Add more ice here if needed.
- Slowly top up with oat milk to create a layered effect.
- Sprinkle with more cinnamon if desired and enjoy!
Equipment
Notes
Syrup - Check out my post for Brown Sugar Simple Syrup with more info and tips. Store the syrup in an airtight jar in the fridge for up to 2 weeks or in a freezer-safe container in the freezer for 2-4 months. If you don't want ground cinnamon in your coffee, add a cinnamon stick when simmering the syrup. The syrup makes about 12 servings (2 tablespoon per serving).
Starbucks cup sizes - Different Starbucks cup sizes have different amounts of coffee and syrup. Their shaken espresso pumps of syrup are half pumps. The regular pump is about ½ tbsp. I find the Starbucks syrup sweeter because it uses regular cane sugar along with brown sugar, and this recipe only has brown sugar, so I use more of it.
Here are the exact Starbucks measurements:
- Tall - 2 shots espresso, 3 pumps of syrup (approx. ½-1 tbsp)
- Grande - 3 shots, 4 pumps (1-2 tbsp)
- Venti - 4 shots, 6 pumps (2-3 tbsp)
- Prep Time: 5 mins
- Cook Time: 5 mins
- Category: Coffee, Drink
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
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Allyssa says
Thank you so much for sharing this amazing iced brown sugar oat milk shaken espresso recipe! Will surely have this again! It's really easy to make and it tasted so delicious! Highly recommended!
Tosha says
How do you keep the syrup from getting too hard?
Veronika Sykorova says
The syrup should stay liquid and pourable even in the fridge. It never hardens. It will only harden if you don't add enough water or cook it for way too long which would create hard caramel. Make sure your sugar and water ratio is 1:1.
Liz says
This sounds yummy! I need to start trying some of the coffee recipes at home! Thanks for the share!
Freya says
This sounds so delicious! I love brown sugar anything and I love that it’s already vegan!
Michele says
I love copycat recipes and this is one I have to make because it looks and sounds amazing! Thanks for sharing. I'll be trying this one soon.
Mikayla says
Had I not been standing in my kitchen making this myself, I would have thought it came straight from Starbucks. I think I may play a bit with a few flavor adds.
Devan says
Veronika this looks so good! Thank you for sharing this - I can't wait to try it. One of my favourite drinks at Starbucks and just like you mentioned - a great way to save money at home.
Shelley says
You are my HERO!!! I seriously love this drink - it's my little treat every once in awhile when I happen to reward myself with a Starbucks adventure. And now I can make it at home! I'm so excited - so happy to find this recipe! Thank you!!
Colleen says
I love this drink at Starbucks, so I was so happy to see this recipe. Now I can have it anytime at home and save myself some $. Thank you!
Amanda says
I love this Starbucks drink, and it turned out so good! The brown sugar simple syrup added such a rich flavor, and it was super easy to whip up.
veenaazmanov says
Homemade is surely delicious and healthier. Would love to try this for the Summers. Cooling and filling too.
Aya says
This beats starbucks! The iced brown sugar oat milk shaken espresso is delicious and addictive. I love it, it is my new favorite drink!
Sarah says
I bought Torani brown sugar cinnamon syrup and this is FAR better. Like night and day. It's a little different from Starbucks (I even used the Starbucks blonde espresso) but it's good enough to prevent me from getting Starbucks, which says something!
Katie Crenshaw says
I loved how this turned out. It was the perfect pick-me-up to start my morning with. I will be making this often!
Amy Liu Dong says
This espresso looks so tasty, it has everything we love. The color it gives makes it enticing and tempting. Plus it's easy to prepare and make.
Moop Brown says
I'm always looking for more vegan recipes to try and this one looks super tasty and like a great drink to start the day off with
Silvia says
Thank you!!! I discovered oat milk a few months ago and I want to add it to every single thing and it goes so well in this shaken expresso.
Susan Marshall says
Thank you for the recipe and including the lazy version instructions. I tried that one first and it was very tasty. I’m new to espresso so I’m not sure how much a shot is. I think maybe I didn’t use enough but it was still good and I look forward to playing with it until I get it right. I also look forward to saving a little money with fewer trips to Starbucks.
Courtney says
I made it this morning on my day off and it is so delicious! It tastes just like I got it from Starbucks! Definitely going to try out more of your recipes in the future!
Veronika | thehealthfulideas says
I see, okay. Not sure how one would know whether or not someone who comments actually tried it or not though?
Sherri Miles says
I just made this and it is AMAZING!!! ⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ The brown sugar syrup is so good! I want to drink it by itself…lol When I got Covid a few years ago and lost my taste and smell, it never truly came back, but then I got something called parosmia where the nerve endings in your nose are trying to repair itself and misfiring which causes everything to smell rancid or like rotting flesh. It is now been a year and a half and I can finally drink coffee. Coffee was the absolute worst so I am in heaven drinking this right now! Thank you so much for posting it!
Nichole says
This tastes exactly like Starbucks! Thank you!
Megan says
Just made, flavor is a lil weak compared to Sbux so I'll have to tweak it.
Also confused why there are so many 5 star reviews from "excited to try" people. So here's my review from an *actual* "I tried the recipe" person.
Veronika Sykorova says
It's always hard to mimic the flavors of a syrups with natural or artificial flavors exactly. I recommend trying dark brown sugar instead of regular brown sugar for a stronger molasses flavor, hope that helps!
E says
Thankyou for this great recipe! Tastes just like my fav Starbucks….gonna save me SO MUCH 💵💰💰💰💰👸
Emily says
I tried the recipe 5 minutes ago. I do have a nepresso espresso machine. I used the Starbucks blond espresso pods which luckily were at my local Walmart. I added about. 1 TBS dark brown sugar poured in the espresso, shake 5-10 seconds added ice and Oatmilk… stirred. EXACTLY LIKE THE STARBUCKS DRINK 100%.
I’m obsessed with the Starbucks drinks so trust me it tasted exact
madhu says
great recipe! very easy to follow and saves buying a massive bottle of syrup!! thank you for this :)
LE says
I love this recipe! It saves me from spending too much $ at ⭐️bucks. How long does this stay good for on the counter or refrigerator?
Veronika Sykorova says
Yay! I'm glad you like it! I always store it in the refrigerator, it would need to have more sugar to be shelf stable. It will last 2 weeks in the fridge in an airtight container. I keep it for up to 3 weeks sometimes but I would say 2 to be safe.
If you need to store it for longer, you can also store it in the freezer. Because of the high sugar content, it never freezes fully so you can easily scoop it out with a spoon into your drink without defrosting it prior. I like freezing it in small plastic containers for easy access.