Brown Sugar Shaken Espresso Recipe

Easily and quickly make an Iced Brown Sugar Shaken Espresso at home, for a fraction of the cost of Starbucks’, with this simple recipe AND without having to make brown sugar syrup or any other syrup. 

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As I mentioned in this Iced Matcha Latte Recipe Oat Milk, I started to make my own version of Starbucks Iced Brown Sugar Oatmilk Shaken Espresso at home because it cost $7 in my local store.

Now, a venti costs almost $8 at the coffee shops in my city. 

EIGHT dollars for an iced coffee drink. That’s just insane!

If you’re like me - obsessed with the popular brown sugar espresso drink - and want to save a lot of money (and time), you’ll enjoy this Starbucks copycat recipe.

For more easy coffee recipes to make in your own kitchen, check out:
- Iced Coffee Recipe with Ice Cream
- Strawberry Latte Recipe
- Matcha Coffee Recipe
- Iced Coffee Recipe with Instant Coffee

Without Brown Sugar Syrup

This brown sugar shaken espresso recipe is NOT made with brown sugar syrup or any other simple syrup.

I wanted something I could quickly throw together in the morning. No cooking. No thinking. No extra steps. 

I understand that simple syrups can be made ahead of time and preserved in cute containers. I do it all the time.

But, this espresso recipe is different. AND it still tastes like the real deal. 

What is Brown Sugar Shaken Espresso made of?

This brown sugar shaken espresso recipe includes five simple ingredients that you probably already have at home.

And, if not, you can definitely easily get them at a local grocery store. 

Espresso

Espresso is, of course, the key to this espresso copycat recipe. 

The Starbucks version uses a blonde espresso, so I like to do that as well. 

But, you can use any kind of espresso you have at home. 

I understand that not everyone has an espresso maker or a cool Nespresso machine though, so it’s okay to use strong brewed coffee instead of espresso shots. 

The recipe card below shows the amount of coffee to use, in addition to the amount of espresso, so you can do whichever is best for you. 

Ice Cubes

It’s always best to use filtered ice cubes in drink recipes. Chemicals in tap water can affect the taste. 

In this original recipe, ice cubes are not optional. 

We need to shake the espresso and ice cubes together in a cocktail shaker or an airtight container, like one of these mason jars. 

I like to add fresh ice cubes to my serving glass before pouring the final drink in it.

The shaken ice cubes tend to melt a little from the espresso while shaking. You're welcome to use them in your prepared iced brown sugar shaken espresso though.

Brown Sugar

The amount of brown sugar can be adjusted for your personal preferences or dietary needs. 

I tend to use light brown sugar in this recipe because that’s what I usually have in my own home. 

But, dark brown sugar works wonderfully as well. 

Cinnamon

I will admit it was hard to find the exact amount of ground cinnamon to make this homemade version of the Starbucks iced brown sugar oat milk shaken espresso taste just like the real thing. 

At first, I would do 1/4 tsp of cinnamon in my drink. But, that’s pretty heavy on the cinnamon, especially if it’s added on top of your drink as well. 

Now, I like to use 1/8 tsp of cinnamon in this delicious drink. 

If I remember or am feeling fancy, I’ll add a light dash of cinnamon to the top of the drink. But, that’s entirely optional. 

Oat Milk

If you would like an iced brown sugar oat milk shaken espresso like Starbucks, I recommend using creamy oat milk. 

Starbucks uses Oatly Barista Edition Oat Milk. 

You can use any kind of oatmilk though.

If you would prefer a different kind of milk (soy milk, almond milk, coconut milk, cashew milk, etc.), that works too. The shaken espresso drink will just taste differently than the Starbucks version. 

Want to save money by making your coffee shop favorites at home? Check out these delicious recipes:
- Iced Guava White Tea Lemonade
- Iced Green Tea Lemonade
- Vanilla Matcha Latte

If you make this recipe and love it, please remember to rate it and/or comment below. 

And, if you post your drink or any other tasty treats from Love Mischka on social media, I’d love to see them! Tag @lovemischka on FB, Insta, Pinterest, and Tiktok.