This Better Apple Crisp Shaken Espresso is my take on the Starbucks drink. It's just as cozy and delicious as the original, but made with way better ingredients and made a touch different. Let's welcome fall with the sweet flavors of apples, cinnamon, and coffee!
What is a shaken espresso?
In Starbucks, a shaken espresso makes iced espresso drinks where you brew espresso, pour over ice, add a sweetener of choice, and shake in a vessel until foamy. Compared to their other drinks, Starbucks uses three blonde roast espresso shots, whereas, in their other drinks, they use two shots of espresso.
What I love about the apple crisp shaken espresso is that it has a different flavor than the pumpkin spice lattes. While I love a good pumpkin spice beverage, I can sometimes get tired of it. So this apple crisp shaken espresso is a good break from that, and you still get the fall vibes from drinking it! My favorite food to pair this with is vegan pumpkin chai bundt cake or vegan pumpkin whoopie pies.
✨Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Starbucks at home - You can save a trip to the coffee shop by making this drink at home!
- Better ingredients - Yes, most coffee syrups are easily accessible nowadays, but making homemade syrup with basic ingredients is cheaper and more accessible.
- Easily customizable - Like it sweet or creamier? Adjust this recipe to your liking!
✏️Ingredient Notes
- Apple juice concentrate - Using apple juice concentrate gives a better flavor than using apple juice alone. Manufacturers remove most of the water content and fiber from apple juice concentrate, leaving behind a stronger-tasting apple juice.
- Fresh apple - I like to add fresh apples to get a more crisp apple flavor
- Brown sugar - Using dark brown sugar gives the syrup a nice caramel flavor, but you can substitute it for coconut sugar, cane sugar, or even light brown sugar.
- Apple pie spice - I usually purchase apple pie spice pre-made from the store, but it's pretty simple to create your blend at home.
- Dairy-free milk - Starbucks' shaken espresso always has oat milk, so that makes their drinks are vegan-friendly. However, feel free to use your preferred dairy-free milk!
- Espresso - I like using medium-roast espresso blends. You can use whatever coffee roast you prefer.
- Vanilla paste - If you want an excellent syrup flavor, try using vanilla paste. It adds a special taste that's hard to beat. I think vanilla paste brings out the flavor, but you can also go with vanilla extract as a tasty alternative.
See the recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
🍴How to Make a Better Apple Crisp Shaken Espresso
Step 1: Add all your ingredients to a saucepan. Stir the mixture until the sugar has dissolved, and bring it to a boil over medium heat. Once it starts to boil, reduce the heat to low and let simmer for 2-3 minutes until the syrup thickens. Pour the syrup into Mason Jars and let it cool before storing or using it.
Step 2: Place 1-2 tablespoons (or to taste) of the apple crisp brown sugar syrup and a double espresso shot in a shaker with ice.
Step 3: Shake until thoroughly chilled and combined—strain over ice in a tall glass.
Step 4: In a separate cup, combine the cold oat milk, pinch of apple pie spice, and dash of vanilla paste. Froth the milk until thick, then pour over the espresso mixture. Stir to combine, and enjoy!
💭Common Questions
I haven’t made this sugar-free syrup before, so I can’t say how this apple crisp shaken espresso will turn out using sugar-free alternatives.
No, but I like to make cold foam to make this drink slightly different from what you get at Starbucks. In reality, a shaken espresso is just a latte, so why not make it a little bit different?
Technically, they serve apple crisp shaken espresso as a cold drink, but you can turn it into a hot latte. Please do not shake a hot drink; it can build up pressure, causing it to explode.
☕️How to Serve Apple Crisp Shaken Espresso
It's best to serve the prepared shaken espresso immediately for optimal taste.
🥣Storage
- Storage
Keep this brown sugar apple syrup in a sealed container, lasting up to one week.
Did you try this recipe? Please leave a 5-star ⭐️ rating and comment below! Tag @flouredframe on Instagram & Facebook!
📖 Recipe
Better Apple Crisp Shaken Espresso
Equipment
- Medium saucepan
- Whisk
- Rubber spatula
- Fine mesh sieve
- Jar for storage
- Milk frother
- Tall glass for serving
Ingredients
Apple Crisp Brown Sugar Syrup
- 1 cup Apple juice concentrate (can be found in the frozen section)
- ⅓ cup Fresh diced apples
- 1 cup Dark brown sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoon Apple pie spice (see notes for homemade apple pie spice)
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla bean paste (sub for vanilla extract)
Coffee:
- 2 shots Espresso
- 1 cup cold oat milk, I used Oatly
- Pinch of apple pie spice
- Dash Vanilla paste (optional)
Instructions
Apple Crisp Brown Sugar Syrup:
- In a saucepan, add all your ingredients. Stir the mixture until the sugar has dissolved and bring it to a boil over medium heat.
- Once it starts to boil, reduce heat to low and let simmer for 2-3 minutes until the syrup thickens. Pour syrup into Mason Jars and let cool before storing or using.
Assembly:
- Pull your double espresso shots.
- Place 1-2 tablespoons (or to taste) of the apple crisp brown sugar syrup along with a double shot of espresso in a shaker with ice.
- Shake until thoroughly chilled and combined. Strain over ice in a tall glass.
- In a separate cup, combine the cold oatmilk, pinch of apple pie spice, and dash of vanilla paste. Froth the milk until thick then pour over the espresso mixture.
- Stir to combine and enjoy!
Notes
- Can I make this a sugar-free syrup?
I haven’t made this sugar-free syrup before, so I can’t say how this recipe will turn out using sugar-free alternatives. - Do I need to froth my milk?
No, but I like to make cold foam to make this drink slightly different from what you get at Starbucks. In reality, a shaken espresso is just a latte, so why not make it a little bit different? - Can I make this hot?
Technically, they serve apple crisp shaken espresso as a cold drink, but you can turn it into a hot latte. Please do not shake a hot drink; it can build up pressure, causing it to explode.
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