Chocolate makes everything better, no? It’s one of the most popular flavors in the world for a reason. It’s great with coffee, like in a mocha, but you need to try this chocolate shaken espresso with vanilla cold foam that’s way better than Starbucks. This shaken espresso is such an easy recipe, and you can make a cafe-quality iced coffee in less than 5 minutes.

Here’s how to make a chocolate shaken espresso at home!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• It’s so easy and has fewer than 5 steps!
• Saves you money from buying it at Starbucks.
• It only takes 5 simple ingredients, which you already have in your pantry.
• Makes a delicious iced coffee drink that’s sweet, slightly bitter, and chocolatey.
• Make 2 iconic Starbucks items that you can repeatedly make at home.

What is Shaken Espresso?

First, what exactly is a shaken espresso? You might be familiar with the Italian shakerato, which is ice, coffee, and sugar shaken until frothy. It’s kind of like a frothy dalgona coffee, but still liquid with a nice froth on top. It’s cold, frothy, sweet, and refreshing.

Well, Starbucks ran with that concept and created their shaken espresso drink, which is espresso, sugar, and ice shaken until frothy, then topped with oat milk. The milk adds a whole level of flavor and creaminess that makes it so addictive. While it’s good on its own, it pairs well with tons of flavors, including chocolate!

What’s in a Chocolate Shaken Espresso?

Starbucks has a version of an iced chocolate almond milk shaken espresso, which is espresso, ice, almond milk, and chocolate malt powder. It’s a mocha-like beverage with a slightly nutty taste from the malt powder. However, you can also make it with just regular cocoa powder or syrup, which is what I do here!

You can use espresso, ice, your favorite milk, and chocolate syrup. Or, use cocoa powder, melted chocolate, chocolate milk, etc. It’s up to you! It will all taste like chocolate at the end of the day!

How Much Caffeine is in a Shaken Espresso?

A standard espresso shot has 60 mg of caffeine in it, and most standard espresso-based drinks have 2 shots of espresso. So, a regular shaken espresso will have 120 mg of caffeine in it, which is quite a lot! That’s about a third of the recommended daily intake of caffeine for adults.

How to Add Chocolate Flavor

As mentioned, there are several ways to add chocolate flavor to your shaken espresso. The most popular way is with chocolate or cocoa powder, which are easy, dry powders you can shake into the espresso. No cooking required! For convenience, I’d probably go with a sweetened chocolate malt powder like Milo or Ovaltine to knock out the sweetener step.

However, you can also use chocolate syrup, unsweetened or sweetened like Hershey’s or Torani. Since the syrup is liquid, it mixes much more easily than powders, which can have clumps. This is what I prefer, since the coffee is way smoother after shaking.

You could also use melted chocolate, but it will leave small grains or clumps since it has fat in it. And you know what they say, oil and water do not mix.

How to Make Cold Foam

Starbucks’ shaken espresso drinks do not come with sweet cream cold foam by default, but it’s a popular add-on. You can add literally any flavor cold foam to shaken espresso, and it will taste so good. It’s basically runny whipped cream, haha.

I like to add vanilla cold foam to shaken espresso to give it another dimension of flavor and texture. Plus, who doesn’t like some fluffy whip? It’s super easy to make at home with 3 ingredients and a handheld frother. Plus, it pairs nicely with chocolate!

Chocolate Shaken Espresso: What You’ll Need

Equipment:

• Handheld frother

Ingredients:

• Chocolate Shaken Espresso
• 2 shots of espresso
• 1 tsp brown sugar
• 1 tbsp chocolate syrup
• 1 cup ice
• 1 cup milk
• Vanilla Cold Foam
• ¼ cup heavy cream
• 1 cup milk
• ¼ tsp vanilla extract (or paste or vanilla syrup)
• 1 tsp sugar

Chocolate Shaken Espresso Recipe

1. Brew Espresso. Brew 1-2 shots of espresso using your favorite beans with an espresso machine. You can also use a stovetop espresso maker or instant espresso powder as a replacement.
2. Whip Cold Foam. Add heavy cream, milk, vanilla, and sugar to a cup, then use a handheld frother and whip the cream until light and fluffy but still pourable. The cold foam should have the consistency of a thick smoothie, so it’s easy to mix into liquid.
3. Shake Espresso. Add brewed espresso, ice, brown sugar, and chocolate syrup into a shaker cup. Seal the lid tightly and shake in an up-and-down motion aggressively for 20 seconds. You should hear the ice get less clunky, and a lot of foam should form. Take a peek inside to ensure that your coffee is nice and frothy.
4. Assemble Drink. Add new ice to a separate glass, then add the shaken espresso with the old ice to remove all the froth. Top with your favorite milk, leaving an inch’s worth of space at the top. Then, add your vanilla cold foam. Garnish with a dusting of cocoa powder if desired.
5. Mix and Enjoy!

Tips for the Best Chocolate Shaken Espresso

• Shake Espresso Last: Shaken espresso froth only lasts for a couple of minutes, so make it right before serving this drink. You’ll preserve most of the froth for the ultimate foamy iced coffee. Without the foam, it tastes less airy and creamy.
• Use New Ice: The ice in the shaker melts slightly from the hot coffee, and it will melt faster in your end drink. Use new ice when serving and try to add as little old ice as possible while still getting all the froth.
• Shake a Lot: There’s no such thing as too frothy here! You’ll want to shake the espresso a lot to get it nice and foamy. If you don’t see a good layer of foam, keep shaking until the foam is about the same amount as your espresso.
• Shake Like a Bartender: Bartenders shake their cups in a slightly diagonal motion, making sure the liquid inside touches the top and bottom of the cup. This aerates the liquid efficiently, so try to mimic their movements!

Frequently Asked Questions

How to order a chocolate shaken espresso at Starbucks?

Starbucks has since discontinued its chocolate almond milk shaken espresso, but you can still order it through customizations. Ask for a brown sugar shaken espresso, but substitute the brown sugar for chocolate malt powder or mocha syrup. Then, you can add vanilla cold foam on top!

How long should you shake a shaken espresso?

Vigorously shake the espresso for 10 – 20 seconds. This will give a great froth that’s the same amount of coffee and a creamy texture. If you don’t shake enough, it won’t be as fluffy.

How much milk goes into a shaken espresso?

Honestly, I don’t think people really measure it, but it’s definitely less than one cup. Think of a shaken espresso as a flat white, so it has less milk in it. I typically add about half a cup, which gives me a creamy and strong iced coffee! But you can add as much or as little milk as you want.

Other Starbucks Copycat Recipes to Try

Who doesn’t love making coffee at home and saving money? And luckily, Starbucks drinks are yummy and easy to make at home! Here are some other Starbucks copycat recipes to try next:

• Brown Sugar Shaken Espresso
• Pumpkin Chai Latte
• Peach Green Tea Lemonade
• Gingerbread Latte
• Pink Drink with Matcha Cold Foam
• Strawberry Acai Lemonade