Did you try a refreshing Iced Shaken Espresso? Jump into our guide and find out how to make this trending Starbucks drink at home.

Iced shaken espresso is a star of the Starbucks menu.

No surprises; it tastes amazing!

But, can you make it at home?

Yes, and it’s super easy.

Stay with me, because I will show you how to make the tastiest shaken espresso in just a few minutes.

Let’s go!

Table of Contents

What Is an Iced Shaken Espresso

You probably first heard about shaken espresso at Starbucks, but they are not the ones to thank for this brilliant coffee.

Iced shaken espresso actually originates from Italy (of course), the motherland of espresso.

In Italy, they call it Shakerato (a wordplay, shaker with an Italian twist in the end). It is prepared with one or two shots of espresso and some sugar syrup, and it’s shaken for at least 15 seconds in a cocktail shaker with ice cubes.

In 2021 Starbucks launched Iced Shaken Espresso, their sweet twist on Shakerato. Its popularity skyrocketed overnight.

What Starbucks did with Italian Shakerato is that they added milk to the recipe.

In my humble opinion, milk is what was needed in this drink.

First, milk adds creaminess to the drink. Even more important, protein in the milk levels up that froth which is made by shaking it and helps it last longer.

Iced shaken espresso takes espresso to another level. Jiggling the espresso, sugar syrup, and milk in a shaker with ice creates an amazing bubbly texture.

This coffee tastes light and balanced and looks so delicious.

Plus, I love it on hot days, when drinking a hot espresso is simply unimaginable.

How to Make an Iced Shaken Espresso at Home

I realized that if I would drink Iced Shaken Espresso in Starbucks every day, very soon I would be near bankruptcy.

So, why not put some minimal effort and make it at home by myself? It’s easy-peasy, it takes only a few minutes, and you can customize it as much as you like.

If you’re down to it, let’s jump into the Starbucks Iced Shaken Espresso copycat recipe!

Ingredients

fine coffee ground (for espresso)
milk of choice (you can use literally any type of milk you want)
ice cubes
sugar syrup
flavored syrup or some spices like cinnamon, vanilla, or nutmeg (optional)

Equipment

espresso machine (or any other coffee maker that makes strong coffee, like a Nespresso machine, Moka pot, or AeroPress)
cocktail shaker (mason jar will be more than an adequate replacement if you don’t have a shaker in your home)
large glass or cup (I love using glass for this one since it looks beautiful)

Step-by-step instructions

Before we start, keep in mind that you can customize this coffee as much as you like.

Try different dosages of espresso, use different kinds of milk, flavors, spices…Unleash your creativity!

Now, are you ready to make this piece of (caffeinated) art?

Follow me!

1. Prepare your espresso

Start by pulling your espresso shots.

If you want to be close to the original taste, you can use Starbucks Blonde espresso roast beans. Alternatively, you can use any blonde roast (light roast) coffee.

Make two or three shots of espresso. Pull a regular (short) espresso shot, not a lungo.

If you use a Moka pot or AeroPress, it’s a 2 to 3 oz of espresso drink.

NOTE
You can definitely adapt the amount of espresso if you want. Also, you can use decaf espresso if you are avoiding caffeine.

2. Prepare the shaker (or mason jar)

pouring espresso and sugar syrup in jar — Put a handful of ice cubes into the shaker

While your espressos are brewing, prepare the shaker.

Put a handful of ice cubes into the shaker.

Use them directly from the freezer, so they don’t start melting. You don’t need extra water, because it will water down espresso too much.

Add sugar syrup.

You can make your own sugar syrup (simple syrup) by cooking equal parts of sugar and water until the sugar is dissolved.

Use brown sugar syrup if you want a deeper, caramel taste.

The amount you’re going to use really depends on how sweet you like your coffee. Keep in mind that brown sugar simple syrup will be a bit less sweet than the regular one.

PRO TIP
If you want, add some spices, like cinnamon, nutmeg, or vanilla extract. Or you can use flavored syrup. In that case, make sure you balance the amount with sugar syrup. You don’t want it too sweet.

3. Shake, shake, shake!

shaking espresso in a jar — Shake it vigorously for about 15-30 seconds

Add brewed espresso shots to the shaker and close it.

Now it’s time for magic!

Shake it vigorously for about 15-30 seconds.

4. Pour it over the ice

pouring shaken espresso in a glass — Pour your shaken espresso in

Fill your serving glass with ice. Pour your shaken espresso in. (Admire it for a second.)

5. Add milk

Now, here’s the delicate part.

Add your milk of choice.

pouring milk in shaken espresso — Add your milk of choice

But, do it slowly and try not to ruin too much of the froth. My advice: aim for the center of the glass and make an even and steady flow.

NOTE
You can use any type of milk you want, including non-dairy milk. My favorites are oat milk and almond milk shaken espresso, but you can choose whatever you like.

And, voilà! You have your homemade iced shaken espresso. Enjoy!

Tips

As I spent a few years working as a bartender, I can give you some tips on how to take the best homemade iced shaken espresso. Hear me out:

Use espresso coffee. It’s thick and concentrated, and ice won’t water it down too much during the shaking. Other strong coffees, like Moka pot or AeroPress, are also good. Avoid already too diluted coffees, like drip coffee, because it won’t work well.

Don’t use granulated sugar, use syrup. Sugar may not dissolve totally and can affect the texture of the coffee. If you don’t have simple sugar syrup, you can easily make it on your own.

Use larger ice cubes, especially for serving. Larger ice cubes melt slower, so less water will end up in your coffee.

Shake it well! The shaking has its point; that’s why we don’t just stir it. Ice shaking makes the drink cold very fast. More importantly, it makes the drink lighter and frothy, adding a bunch of micro air bubbles.

Don’t leave it sitting out for too long. You want to feel the texture. That’s why this coffee is meant to be drunk right away. Plus, you don’t want your iced coffee to melt down.