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This Starbucks shaken espresso copycat features all the dreamy flavors of the original for a fraction of the price at coffee shops! My Iced Brown Sugar Oat Milk Shaken Espresso drink is the real deal- delicious, refreshing, and super budget-friendly!
What Makes This Recipe Great
If you’ve followed along with my summer at all, you know I am obsessed with the Starbucks Iced Brown Sugar Oatmilk Shaken Espresso! It’s gluten-free, dairy-free, and my absolute favorite pick-me-up for long vacation drives, busy weekday camp pick-ups and drop-offs, and all-around jam-packed summer days.
The only problem? Going to Starbucks all the time is PRICEY! So I set out to recreate this favorite of mine in a much more affordable way- and I must say, this homemade version is incredible!
Save time & money and make this yummy brown sugar shaken espresso right in your own kitchen! And if you love being your own barista, try this Best Iced Coffee Recipe or this Dalgona Whipped Coffee.
Recipe Highlights
- 5-Minute Recipe!
- Budget-Friendly
- Just like Starbucks, but faster and less expensive!
- Gluten-free & Dairy-free
- Easy recipe, simple ingredients, & delicious!
Ingredient Notes
- Espresso: You can also use ⅓ cup of very strong coffee, cooled.
- Unsweetened Oat Milk: I really like Oatly oat milk. If you’d like to use non-dairy milk other than oat milk, you totally can!
- Vanilla Extract: A little goes a long way! This gives a great vanilla flavor without adding extra sugar (like the vanilla syrup at Starbucks).
- Cinnamon Stick: This adds a ton of flavor to the brown sugar syrup. You can also dust the top with ground cinnamon for garnish.
- Coconut Sugar: I prefer coconut sugar as it gives the same deep sweetness as brown sugar but isn’t refined! A great natural sugar option. You can also use dark brown sugar if that’s what you have on hand.
Recipe Step by Step
- Make the brown sugar simple syrup: Combine the water, coconut sugar, and cinnamon stick in a small saucepan.
- Bring to a boil while whisking until the sugar is dissolved.
- After it begins to boil, remove it from the heat and stir in vanilla extract. Let the syrup cool completely.
- Add the 2 shots of espresso + 1.5 tbsp of the simple syrup in a mason jar or cocktail shaker with a little ice. Close the lid and shake well.
- Fill another tall glass with ice and pour the espresso mixture over top. Add the oat milk on top. Enjoy!
Mary’s Tips & Tricks
- Milk Alternatives: For this brown sugar shaken espresso, you don’t have to use oat milk if you prefer something else! it will work with almond milk, regular cow’s milk, soy milk, etc.! Choose your favorite.
- Sugar Options: I like using coconut sugar, but you can sub regular brown sugar or brown sugar Swerve (keto-friendly) if preferred.
Serving Tips
Storage Tips
- Store leftover brown sugar syrup in an airtight container or mason jar with a lid in the fridge for up to a week. Use it with cold brew, another coffee drink, or make another shaken espresso! It’s on repeat at my house!
Recipe FAQs
This drink can be as sweet as you want it to be. I think 1.5 tbsp works great, but it’s up to your personal preferences! Adjust sweetness to taste. If you’re looking for a less sweet version, cut the brown sugar syrup down to ½ tbsp – 1 tbsp instead of 1.5. To make it sweeter, add a little extra!
Starbucks’ drinks tend to be on the sweeter side because they use quite a few pumps of brown sugar syrup, which means their drinks are often higher in calories. In my brown sugar shaken espresso recipe, there are just 116 calories! A perfect breakfast or midday pick-me-up!
Actually, yes! Swap the coconut sugar for brown sugar Swerve (a keto replacement found at Sprouts and other grocers). This makes it super low sugar and low carb!
No! You can use cooled drip coffee, a bottle of espresso roast cold brew, or another version of cooled coffee.
More Homemade Coffee Recipes!
Iced Brown Sugar Oat Milk Shaken Espresso (Starbucks Copycat Recipe!)
Equipment
Ingredients
Brown Sugar Syrup
- ½ cup water
- ½ cup coconut sugar
- 1 cinnamon stick
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
Remaining ingredients
- 2 shots espresso, or ⅓ cup very strong brewed coffee, cooled
- ½ cup oatmilk, I prefer Oatly brand
- ice
Instructions
- Make the brown sugar simple syrup: Combine the water, coconut sugar, and cinnamon stick in a small saucepan.
- Bring to a boil while whisking until the sugar is dissolved.
- After it begins to boil, remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract. Let the syrup cool completely.
- Add the 2 shots of espresso + 1.5 tbsp of the simple syrup in a mason jar with a little ice. Close the lid and shake well.
- Fill another glass with ice and pour the espresso mixture over top. Add the oatmilk on top. Enjoy!
Notes
Mary’s Tips & Tricks
- Milk Alternatives: For this brown sugar shaken espresso, you don’t have to use oat milk if you prefer something else! it will work with almond milk, regular cow’s milk, soy milk, etc.! Choose your favorite.
- Sugar Options: I like using coconut sugar, but you can sub regular brown sugar or brown sugar Swerve (keto-friendly) if preferred.
Serving Tips
- Serve in your favorite glass with ice and a straw! Or, if you’re on the go, your favorite tumbler! If you’re hungry, drink this alongside my Overnight Oatmeal or Egg Bites– easy make-ahead breakfast options!
Storage Tips
- Store leftover brown sugar syrup in an airtight container or mason jar with a lid in the fridge for up to a week. Use it with cold brew, another coffee drink, or make another shaken espresso! It’s on repeat at my house!
Nutrition
All nutrition facts are an estimate and automatically calculated. While I fact check them using My Fitness Pal, please note that they may not always be 100% accurate and depend on ingredients used. Weigh your total and divide by the number of servings for the most accurate grams per serving size.
This is delicious! Thanks for the copycat…I love this drink at Starbucks but it’s so bad for you! My husband loved it, too.
Easy and Delish!
Thanks Lauren!
This is so good! I love not having to go to Starbucks & pay $5-6 for a drink – this tastes the exact same and I’ve enjoyed drinking it almost every day!
YAY! Thanks Melissa!
Amazing! So yummy!
Thank you!
So good. I hate the Starbucks prices and this is a perfect copycat. I didn’t have cinnamon sticks so I put in a teaspoon of ground cinnamon and it worked well!
yay! Thanks Stacy!
Love this syrup! Couldn’t be easier. It’s definitely taken my latte’s up a notch 🙂
So glad to hear it, Carrie! Thank you!
Amazing taste, so easy to make. I love it and I have never even tried the Starbucks version!
Yay! Thanks Shannon!
I’ve made this 2 weeks in a row since Mary posted in stories. It’s a staple in my fridge now and really upped my cold brew every morning. Far better then ⭐️Bucks. LOVE this!
Thanks Kathy! Glad you love it as much as I do!