If you click a link on this page, then go on to make a purchase, we may receive a commission but at no extra cost to you. Learn More

Iced Shaken Espresso Starbucks: Step-by-Step Guide

Before we make the Starbucks Iced Shaken Espresso Copycat, you might be wondering what it is. What is the Iced Shaken Espresso from Starbucks made of that makes it people’s favorite drink during the chilly spring days?

The iced shaken espresso is the Starbucks Espresso, simple syrup, and ice mixed and shaken by hand together then topped with about 2% milk. This mixture of espresso, simple syrup, and milk and the handshaking process gives you that frothy texture that’s different from your regular iced coffee.

They make the drink taste much better than your usual iced coffee. This drink is the recent addition to Starbucks’ menu with the Iced Chocolate Almondmilk Shaken Espresso and the Iced Brown Sugar Oatmilk Shaken Espresso. All three were just added to the menu this year, 2021.

Since there are the iced almond milk and oat milk shaken espressos from Starbucks, you can also choose to switch dairy milk to non-dairy if you’re ordering this drink over the Starbucks counter. These are for those who have lactose intolerance.

Those with particular diet preferences can choose to switch from dairy to non-dairy milk in the iced shaken espresso, too.

Now that we have established all of that, the question now is: can you make the Starbucks’ Iced Shaken Espresso at home? The answer is yes. It is easy to recreate this drink at home as long as you have the ingredients and the tools or machines ready to make this.


What is in the Starbucks Iced Shaken Espresso?

Starbucks Iced Shaken Espresso
Starbucks Iced Shaken Espresso

Espresso, simple syrup, and milk are the main ingredients of the Starbucks Iced Shaken Espresso. You can make the espresso from a pack of Starbucks Espresso Dark Roast ground coffee beans. You can buy these in stores and online.

If you purchase your coffee grounds and unground coffee beans from your favorite supermarket, then you may be able to find them there, too. Of course, you are free to use other brands of espresso ground and whole coffee beans.

If a complete copycat of this drink is what you are after, however, it may be better for you to use Starbucks’ Espresso Dark Roast coffee bean grounds to make it.

Quick Fact: Since you are making the drink at home, you can use any espresso-making machine to make this drink.

The Nespresso is a good one to use in this case. You can also choose which milk to use for your drink. You can go with dairy milk or non-dairy milk.


How to Make One at Home (step-by-step)

To make your Starbucks Iced Shaken Espresso at home, the first thing to do is to gather your ingredients for it. Next, make sure you have the machines needed to make the drink. As mentioned earlier, you can use Nespresso to make the espresso. You will also need a cocktail shaker.

If you don’t own one, a jar with a lid you can screw to it tightly will do. Then you can start with making the simple syrup first. You can also brew or make the espresso alongside making the simple syrup if in a hurry.

It’s best to have a week’s worth of simple syrup ready, however, if you want to make copycat Starbucks drinks easier and faster. Simple syrup is just sugar melted in water. Weekly batches of the simple syrup are easy and quick to do at the beginning of every week.

Once you have your simple syrup and espresso shots, you can pour them into the ice-filled cocktail shaker or jar. Tightly seal the shaker or jar with the lid and shake the drink away.

You can make your Starbucks Iced Shaken Espresso copycat drink sweet or less sweet by adjusting the simple syrup and espresso shots added to the shaker or jar to your preference.

It’s also up to you how long you’d like to shake the mixture. Once you’re done shaking the contents of the shaker or jar, pour the drink into a cup and top it off with milk. You can add more ice to the cup to your liking if you feel the ice in it is not enough.

Starbucks usually uses three espresso shots in their grande Iced Shaken Espresso. Those who make the drink at home may find this tricky because most machines only produce two shots of espresso at a time.

You can play with this along with the 2% milk used in your homemade Starbucks Iced Shaken Espresso copycat drink until you find the mix that you like best. You can easily customize your homemade Starbucks Iced Shaken Espresso copycat drink. You can use vanilla syrup, for instance, instead of simple syrup.

You can also use other personally-preferred sweeteners. You can opt for non-dairy milk instead of the regular dairy for the 2% milk you add to the mixed drink.

Homemade Starbucks Iced Shaken Espresso copycat is easy to make. You can make it at home following the recipe and instructions shared above. As long as you have the machine to make the espresso, the jar with a lid, or the cocktail shaker, you’re good to go.

There’s no need to go to Starbucks early in the morning before work to get their Iced Shaken Espresso if you can make this at home. You don’t have to spend on it. You don’t also have to argue with the barista if he didn’t get your order right. And best of all, you can make the drink according to how you like it the most.

You can enjoy the Starbucks Iced Shaken Espresso copycat drink in the comforts of your home. It doesn’t eat up a lot of time to make when your simple syrup is ready. You can even make this drink for others, too, like your spouse or your coffee-loving sibling or child.

Sometimes, we do get bored of our regular iced coffee. It’s good that we have other iced coffee alternatives now. The Starbucks Iced Shaken Espresso copycat is one. You can make this drink for yourself and your loved ones if you’re looking for others to start your day than the good, old iced coffee.

About Rencel Leyran