If you love Starbucks brown sugar shaken espresso but hate the taste of coffee, then you need to make this brown sugar shaken matcha instead! Essentially, you swap espresso for matcha and get this creamy, sweet, and cinnamon-y matcha drink that’s so easy to make. You can recreate this Starbucks secret drink with just 4 ingredients in less than 10 minutes.

Here’s how to make a brown sugar shaken matcha at home!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• It’s so easy, and you don’t need super fancy ingredients or equipment.
• Make Starbucks at home and save yourself $10!
• It’s a fun way to switch up your matcha routine.
• Follow a simple recipe that makes you a cafe-quality beverage.

What is Matcha?

Matcha is a finely ground green tea powder made from shade-grown tea leaves called tencha. It has an earthy and vegetal flavor, and sometimes has a deep umami flavor as well. Depending on the origin and blend, matcha green tea can have a variety of flavors, including sweet, creamy, nutty, umami, savory, roasted, chocolate, and more.

It’s also a superfood with lots of antioxidants and a healthy, sustainable caffeine boost. It’s perfect on its own or with a little sweetener and milk as a latte!

What is a Shaken Matcha?

Traditionally, you whisk matcha using a bamboo whisk to suspend the powder in water and create a foamy texture. However, there are also other ways to prepare matcha without a whisk. One of those ways is by shaking matcha in a jar or shaker cup, which does a similar job!

While shaking matcha in a jar won’t get that super foamy texture traditional whisking will, it’s a great alternative when you don’t have access to a whisk or bowl. You shake the matcha and water until it’s well combined and bubbly. There might be some clumps, but that’s normal with this method.

This is essentially how you make a shaken espresso, just with added ice, sweetener, and spice.

How to Shake Matcha

To shake matcha, add the powder and water to a shaker cup or jar, add the lid on, and shake until frothy. For a shaken matcha recipe, do the same but add ice, brown sugar, and ground cinnamon. The extra ice and sugar help make the matcha way frothier, and the mixture should double in size.

Once you get a nice foamy texture, it’s ready to serve with milk!

Note: To get it ultra smooth, you want to whisk it (if possible) beforehand, but it’s not necessary for this drink.

Does Brown Sugar Taste Good with Matcha?

Heck yeah it does! It’s hard for tea not to taste good with brown sugar, as it’s such a versatile sweetener. You get that subtle hint of caramel and molasses, which adds a deeper sugar flavor.

Brown sugar and matcha are already a well-known combination, especially in the boba world; brown sugar boba in a matcha latte is a popular drink! I think the sugar cuts the earthiness of the matcha and makes it taste smoother and less bitter.

Brown Sugar Shaken Matcha: What You’ll Need

Equipment

• 1 lidded jar
• 1 matcha bowl
• 1 matcha whisk
• 1 tea sifter

Ingredients

• 1½ tsp matcha powder
• ¼ cup water
• 1 cup oat milk
• 1 cup ice + ½ cup
• 2 tsp brown sugar
• ¼ tsp ground cinnamon

Brown Sugar Shaken Matcha Recipe

1. Whisk Matcha. Sift matcha powder into a matcha bowl and add hot water at around 175°F. Using a matcha whisk, vigorously whisk the tea in a zigzag motion for 10-20 seconds, until frothy. It’s okay if there’s not a full layer of foam on top.
2. Shake Matcha. In a jar or shaker cup, add ice, brown sugar, cinnamon, and whisked matcha. Screw or put on the lid, make sure it’s sealed, and shake in a two-handed back and forth motion where the liquid inside touches the cap and bottom of the container. (Like a bartender!)
3. Shake until the inside turns frothy. If you’re using an opaque container, open the lid and see if it’s frothy. The foam should be about the same amount of liquid you added.
4. Assemble Drink. Pour shaken matcha, ice, and all, and new ice into a separate glass. Then, top with oat milk and garnish with a dash of cinnamon.
5. Mix and Enjoy!

Tips for the Best Brown Sugar Shaken Matcha

• Use New Ice: If your matcha partially melts the ice in the shaker, you can always use new ice in your drink instead. Just pour out the shaken matcha into a strainer, into the cup, so that you get all the foam without the melted ice.
• Use a Large Enough Jar: You want enough room to shake the matcha up and down to create good foam from aeration. A small jar might not have enough room to fully aerate the tea, and you’ll end up with larger bubbles.
• Whisk Before Shaking: If you have traditional matcha tools, I recommend lightly whisking the matcha before shaking to get rid of any clumps. Obviously, adding the powder to a shaker cup is most convenient, but I find that it leaves lumps.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is shaking better than whisking?

Shaking matcha in a bottle or jar is not as good as whisking it, but it is a great alternative to making matcha if you don’t have a whisk. It gets the tea 80% there, which, honestly, is good enough sometimes for homemade drinks. You can shake it by itself with just matcha powder and water, or with ice, like in this shaken matcha recipe.

Can I make this without whisking?

Yes! You can add the matcha powder directly into a shaker cup or jar, then add the ice, water, sugar, and cinnamon. Ensure you shake vigorously enough to incorporate all the powder and eliminate any clumps. For even smoother results, you can sift the powder into the cup before shaking.

Do I need to sift matcha?

While it’s not a requirement, sifting matcha helps make a nice, even powder easily whisked into water. Sometimes, matcha powder can clump up in humid environments and be hard to break apart with a whisk. You can easily solve clumps by running it through a sift before preparing.

Other Shaken Recipes to Try

I love drinks that are shaken, not stirred! The aeration really lightens the texture and makes it so fun to make and enjoy. If you love this brown sugar shaken matcha, then you need to try these other shaken recipes next (and some matcha):

• Brown Sugar Shaken Espresso
• Chocolate Shaken Espresso
• Brown Sugar Oat Milk Chai
• Brown Sugar Matcha Latte
• Cardamom Bun Matcha Latte