Iced Shaken Espresso Recipe

Save money by making this easy Iced Shaken Espresso recipe at home, in minutes, with just a few simple ingredients. 

This post may contain affiliate links. This means, if you click a link and make a purchase, I may earn a small commission at NO extra cost to you. Thank you!

How much is a grande Iced Shaken Espresso at your local Starbucks now? 

Mine is $5. Which is about $2 cheaper than their Iced Brown Sugar Oatmilk Shaken Espresso (for the DIY recipe of that, click here), but we can still make more than one Iced Shaken Espresso at home for that price. 

Depending on the espresso and sweetener, we can make SEVERAL.

Plus, making it at home means we save time, don’t have to get dressed, wait in line, etc. That’s all worth it to me. 

To make more coffee shop favorites at home, check out:
- Strawberry Frappuccino Recipe
- Iced Guava Black Tea Recipe
- Iced Oat Milk Latte Recipe

Simple Ingredients

An iced shaken espresso is just espresso that is sweetened, shaken with ice, and finished with milk. 

It’s easily customizable, but only really requires those four simple ingredients that you probably already have at home. 

Espresso or Strong Coffee

The main ingredient in this DIY recipe is espresso. 

If you don’t have access to espresso or an espresso maker, you can use strongly brewed coffee. 

One with a bold, concentrated coffee flavor can best replicate the intensity of espresso. 

For more about this, please click here to skip to the “Can I make this without an espresso machine?” section.

Sweetener

I use simple syrup in this recipe, as you can see in the recipe card below. 

But, you are welcome to use a sweetener of your choice. 

If you prefer to taste the iced shaken espresso before adding a sweetener, it is best to use a liquid sweetener so it mixes completely into the chilled drink. 

If you would like to use granulated sugar, brown sugar, stevia, or honey, please add it to the hot espresso/brewed coffee before cooling (so it dissolves fully). 

For a Vanilla Iced Shaken Espresso, simply use a vanilla syrup as the sweetener. You can make your own syrup with this Homemade Vanilla Simple Syrup Recipe or use one like this Torani Vanilla Syrup. 

For a sugar-free version, you can skip sweetener completely or use a sugar-free option like this Torani Sugar Free Syrup. It comes in several different flavored syrups as well.

If you’d like to make an Iced Brown Sugar Oat Milk Shaken Espresso WITHOUT needing a brown sugar syrup, you should check out this easy recipe - Iced Brown Sugar Oatmilk Shaken Espresso without Brown Sugar Syrup. 

It is one of my favorite Starbucks copycat recipes. 

Ice Cubes

As always, I recommend using ice cubes that were made with filtered water. 

We don’t want any funky tap water to ruin our café-style coffee drink. 

This recipe uses ice cubes twice - once while shaking the espresso. 

Then when we strain the shaken espresso into a glass of fresh ice cubes. 

It is important to cool the espresso or strong coffee for 1-2 minutes before shaking it with the first set of ice cubes. 

This prevents the ice from melting too fast and diluting the drink. 

Milk

An iced shaken espresso is usually topped off with milk for a creamy finish. 

The default milk in the Starbucks version is 2% milk. 

But, you can use any kind of milk.

Oat milk is commonly used, like in this popular Brown Sugar Shaken Espresso Recipe. It adds a smooth, velvety feel with a slight sweetness that doesn’t overpower the coffee. 

Almond milk is another milk alternative that can be used. It doesn’t add as much creaminess, but it’s great if you’d like an option with less calories. 

Soy milk and dairy milk both work in this homemade shaken espresso recipe as well. 

For a higher protein version, you could add a prepared protein shake. Like some of this Core Power Elite High Protein Shake. 

It would add 6 grams of protein. 

Or this Core Power Protein Shake, which is a tad cheaper, but has less protein. It would add almost 4g of protein to this iced coffee drink.

What is the difference between an iced latte and an iced shaken espresso?

This is a super common question because they both use the same ingredients. 

The biggest difference is the ratio of milk to espresso. Which also means a difference in caffeine strength. 

A grande iced latte from Starbucks includes 2 shots of espresso and about 8-10 ounces of milk. 

A Starbucks’ iced shaken espresso in the grande size has 3 espresso shots and about 3 ounces of milk. 

Therefore, an iced shaken espresso has more caffeine (225mg in a grande) than the same-sized iced latte (150mg of caffeine). 

Another difference is that the espresso is shaken with iced cubes while making an iced shaken espresso. This aerates the espresso coffee leading to the frothy texture. 

Overall, an iced shaken espresso tastes richer, bolder, and more coffee-forward than a regular latte. 

Can I make this without an espresso machine?

Of course! One option, as I mentioned in the “Simple Ingredients” section above, is to use strongly brewed coffee instead of espresso. 

My best friend makes espresso in a Moka Pot (a stovetop espresso maker) that tastes great. 

Instant espresso powder is another option. 

Recently, my local grocery store keeps having sales on this Café Bustelo Espresso Ground Coffee. I’ve been following this Espresso Style Cold Brew Coffee recipe, from the official Café Bustelo site, so I always have some prepared in the fridge. 

As it says, it’s strong and refreshing! And definitely an easy alternative to machine-prepared espresso in this recipe. 

Why is it shaken, not stirred?

Shaking the espresso (or strong coffee) with the ice chills it quickly, creates a frothy texture, and helps the sweetener to dissolve more evenly. 

It’s also the key to making this homemade shaken espresso drink like the smooth, frothy, chilled café-style one from your favorite coffee shop. They shake it too!

Also, more force equals more froth. Shaking vigorously, in an airtight container with a lid, gets that way easier and faster than stirring. It also prevents a huge mess. 

My favorite way to shake any shaken drink is in a mason jar with a lid. 

It especially makes the straining of the shaken espresso (into a glass with fresh ice) super easy. I simply use the lid to hold back the old, somewhat melted ice. 

A cocktail shaker does the same thing, if you already have one of those. 

Can I make this in advance?

The espresso or strong coffee can definitely be made in advance and stored in an airtight container in the fridge. 

This would also help to cool the coffee before shaking it with the ice (which prevents the ice cubes from melting too quickly and diluting the drink). 

I kind of make it in advance by having the Espresso Style Cold Brew Coffee prepared, like I mentioned here. 

I recommend shaking the espresso/strong coffee with ice, pouring it over fresh ice, and adding milk right before serving though. 

For more easy drink recipes, check out:
- How to Make Iced Coffee with Instant Coffee
- Iced Coffee Recipe with Ice Cream
- How to Make a Strawberry Matcha Latte