This Brown Sugar Shaken Espresso is a barista-level drink that is refreshingly simple and inspired by the drink you know and love from Starbucks. Nutty, freshly-brewed espresso is combined with a hint of vanilla and brown sugar, shaken over ice, and topped off with a generous pour of oat milk.
If you’ve been wanting to save some of that Starbucks money, but still want an impressive, 5-minute, handcrafted drink in the morning, you should definitely try this Brown Sugar Oatmilk Shaken Espresso.
Reasons You’ll Love This
Hard to Say, Easy to Make – Iced Brown Sugar Oatmilk Shaken Espresso. Gee, say that 5 times fast. It might be a struggle to say the name of the drink, but making it has never been easier.
Starbucks Copycat – Ever since the Starbucks Brown Sugar Shaken Espresso hit the menu, it has become such a popular drink, and one of my favorites on the menu. Making it at home has been a total game changer.
No Espresso Machine, No Worries – Don’t worry, you can still make this Brown Sugar Shaken Espresso recipe, even without an espresso machine at home. Keep reading to see how!
Perfect Pick-Me-Up – This Iced Brown Sugar Shaken Espresso will make your mornings much more exciting!
A fun little drink in the morning is exactly what I need to brighten my day. Plain, brewed coffee just doesn’t cut it sometimes. That’s where this Brown Sugar Shaken Espresso recipe comes in. It’s fun, it’s impressive and I can’t even tell it’s not from a coffee shop!
Ingredient Info
This is a discussion about the ingredients. For the actual recipe with amounts, please see the recipe below.
- Espresso – If you have an espresso maker, great! If not you can make espresso with a Moka Pot, or use instant coffee powder instead.
- Oatmilk – You can also use almond milk, coconut milk, or regular milk if you’d like. I don’t recommend using a creamer that is sweetened, the drink will turn out very sweet.
- Brown Sugar – You can use either light or brown depending on your taste preference.
- Vanilla Extract – This adds extra sweetness. Leave it out if you’d like.
- Ice – You’ll need ice both for the drink and for the shaker.
Step by Step Instructions
This is a discussion about the recipe. For the actual recipe with amounts, please see the recipe card below.
- Add brown sugar and vanilla extract to the hot, brewed espresso. Let it dissolve and cool.
- In a lidded jar, add ice and pour in the espresso. Shake for 15-20 seconds.
- Prep two glasses with ice. Pour in shaken espresso then the oat milk. Top with cinnamon. Stir and enjoy!
Tips & Advice
Christi’s Kitchen Tips
How To Brew Espresso
Brewing espresso can be a very particular art, but it doesn’t have to be. If you’re using a machine and want a nice, smooth pull, fill your portafilter to the top with ground espresso beans, then level it off. You can use a tamper to gently press the coffee grounds into the portafilter, but this is optional. Attach to your machine, then brew!
If you’re using a Moka Pot , unscrew the top half from the bottom, and fill the bottom with hot water. Place the brewing basket on top, then fill with the grounds. Just level it off, no need to tamper it. Screw the top half of the pot back on, and place the entire Moka Pot on a hot burner with the top flap open. Keep a close eye on the espresso as it pulls. Remove it from the heat once the top is full, and the spout starts making a spitting noise.
And lastly, if you don’t want to do all that… just pick up a bottle of this instant espresso powder instead, and make about 1 cup of it. You could also go with a premade cold brew concentrate that is a pretty good sub for espresso.
Storage – If you have leftover espresso, you can store it in a jar in the fridge for 2 days. If you didn’t finish your drink, you can save it, but I don’t recommend it. The ice will melt and water down the drink.
Make Ahead – You can make the sweetened espresso mixture about 2 days ahead of time and keep it in the fridge. When you’re ready to drink it, pour it over ice, then add the oat milk.
Starbucks Copycat – If you want this to taste exactly like Starbucks, they use a brown sugar syrup. You can replace the brown sugar and vanilla in this recipe with the syrup instead.
Espresso Makers & Equipment
Here are some product options to assist you with your coffee brewing adventures!
- Espresso Machine (higher end) – this is the espresso maker that I have. It came highly recommended to me by a friend who uses hers daily, sometimes multiple time a day. I wish I could recall the specifics of the “why” to go with this one, but it’s been a few years since I purchased it. That said it’s worked flawlessly for years. My brother has the same unit and loves his as well. One of the pluses with this one is that it does not have the built in grinder on top – which at least in my kitchen would have made it too tall to go under my kitchen cabinets.
- Espresso Machine (mid-way pricing)
- Espresso Machine (inexpensive)
- Moka Pot
- Nespresso Machine
- Mason Jars
- Cocktail Shaker
- Drinking Glasses
FAQs
Not necessarily. It depends on how many shots you usually get in a latte. Each serving of this shaken espresso contains about 2 shots of espresso, which is a typical amount in a latte as well.
It could be because the ice shocks the espresso, so it doesn’t taste as bitter. It could be because the sugar is dissolved into the espresso, instead of the milk, or maybe it’s just because it looks so pretty in the cup!
Serves Well With
Don’t worry, I didn’t forget that the best part of a coffee run is the pastry or breakfast item you get with it! Check out some of these familiar, and incredible recipes I think would compliment this shaken espresso perfectly.
More Drink Recipes You’ll Love!
Brown Sugar Shaken Espresso
Equipment
- lidded jar or cocktail shaker
- espresso maker (higher end)
- espresso maker (lower end)
Ingredients
- 4 shots espresso (or 1 cup of strongly brewed instant coffee)
- 2 1/2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup ice (+ extra for the shaker)
- 1 cup oat milk
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon (for garnish )
Instructions
- Start by brewing your espresso. Once brewed, add in the brown sugar and vanilla extract. Let that sit for a minute or two to dissolve and cool.
- In a mason jar with a lid, or cocktail shaker, add ice. Pour the espresso over the ice and give it a good shake for 15-20 seconds. You’ll know it’s done when the espresso is cold, and lightly frothy.
- Prep two drinking glasses with more ice and pour the shaken espresso over the new ice. Next pour in the oatmilk. Top with a dash of cinnamon. Stir before drinking to combine the espresso and milk. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
The nutrition facts provided are calculated using a third-party tool and are estimates only. Actual nutritional content may vary based on the ingredients and brands you use, as well as portion sizes. For accurate results, please consult a registered dietitian or nutritionist.
Meet Christi, Love From The Oven
I’m Christi I love sharing easy & delicious recipes that your family & friends will love. I’m a mom, baker, cookbook author and lover of sprinkles.
