Iced Shaken Espresso

An iced shaken espresso is made by vigorously shaking espresso, ice, and sweetener in a cocktail shaker before adding a splash of milk, which aerates the coffee and creates a distinctively frothy, textured drink. An iced latte is simply built by pouring espresso over cold milk and ice, resulting in a smoother but less aerated texture.

Starbucks baristas shake shots of espresso with ice and classic syrup in a cocktail shaker, then pour the mixture into a cup and top it with a splash of milk—typically 2% milk by default. Customers can substitute oat milk, almond milk, or other alternatives, and flavored syrups like brown sugar can replace the classic syrup.

Yes—shaking rapidly chills the espresso and introduces micro-bubbles that create a lighter, creamier mouthfeel even before milk is added. The agitation also softens some of the espresso's harsher bitter compounds, producing a smoother overall flavor profile compared to espresso simply poured over ice.

Introduced by Starbucks in 2021, the Brown Sugar Oatmilk Shaken Espresso combines espresso shaken with brown sugar syrup and cinnamon, then topped with oat milk. It became one of the most popular new Starbucks beverages of that year and helped popularize the shaken espresso format with non-dairy milk options.