Iced Chocolate Almond Milk Shaken Espresso
Iced Chocolate Almond Milk Shaken Espresso is the perfect warm weather pick-me-up for coffee lovers! With bold coffee flavor, chocolate and creamy goodness, it’s a refreshing caffeine boost.
Iced Chocolate Almond Milk Shaken Espresso is the Perfect Pick-Me-Up on a Hot Day!
When the temps start to rise and you crave a refreshing and energizing drink, this iced chocolate almondmilk shaken espresso is the perfect solution for you. It’s a combination of bold coffee flavor, decadent chocolate, and smooth nutty almond milk with just a touch of sweetness, making it one of my favorite iced espresso drinks!
I’ll guide you through the step-by-step process of creating this delicious beverage in the comfort of your own home. From gathering the ingredients to tips for customizing this simple recipe, you’ll be sipping on a refreshing and delicious drink in no time. So, let’s get shaking!
Menus for Entertaining
Get everything you need to pull off 3 sensational parties in our subscriber exclusive eBook! Choose from Cozy Dinner Party, Mimosa Brunch or Game Day Grazing…with recipes, prep timelines and grocery lists.
Gather Your Ingredients
To start, make sure you have all the main ingredients…
- Chocolate malt powder — I use Ovaltine (I loved this stuff as a kid!). Malt is derived from grain, typically barley, and is used in the making of breads, beer, whiskey, malted milk shakes + Whoppers (yes, I love those, too)! It provides a sweet, toasted, nutty flavor.
- Espresso — or really, really strong coffee. Coffee drinks should have coffee flavor, no?
- Unsweetened almond milk — using unsweetened milk allows you to control the sweetness level.
- Maple syrup — I’ve used maple syrup as a coffee sweetener for years. A little goes a long way, and its subtle undertones of caramel and vanilla are lovely.
- Sea salt — just a pinch does wonders to enhance all the other flavors!
The Tools To Be Your Own Barista
While a super fancy all-in-one espresso machine is handy (to say the least), there are alternative methods for making your favorite espresso beverages.
- Coffee grinder — grinding whole coffee beans will yield fresh, coffee flavor. If you already use a grinder at home, you no doubt have your grind dialed in. If this isn’t part of your arsenal, simply use pre-ground espresso or dark roast coffee.
- Espresso machine — after destroying two coffee machines during lock-down (I guess we were drinking A LOT of coffee), we finally invested in a super-automatic espresso machine. This makes pulling shots as easy as pushing a button. In the before times, I would use either a french press or moka pot to brew really strong, concentrated coffee for lattes and iced coffee drinks. These are both a great option whether you grind your own beans or use pre-ground coffee. To use a french press, spoon coarse ground coffee into the bottom and add hot water to steep and brew. After the coffee is brewed, use the plunger to press the grounds to the bottom of the vessel. The moka pot is a stove top, percolating vessel that uses a fine to medium grind.
- Shaker — any vessel that is heat or cold proof and can be sealed shut should work. A lidded cocktail shaker is great as it’s equipped with a built-in strainer. A large mason jar is another great option…simply use a small mesh strainer to hold back the ice used to chill the coffee.
How to Make Iced Chocolate Almond Milk Shaken Espresso
The elements of this iced shaken espresso should be well blended to avoid clumps of undissolved chocolate malt powder. To prevent this, I like to dissolve the powder in hot espresso first. Here’s the deets…
- Measure 2 tablespoons of chocolate malt powder and 1 teaspoon of maple syrup into a small coffee cup; add a pinch of sea salt.
- Pour or brew (3) 1-ounce shots of espresso directly into the cup and stir until the powder is dissolved.
- Fill a cocktail shaker halfway with ice. Fill a serving glass halfway with ice.
- Pour the espresso mixture into the shaker, close the lid and shake vigorously for at least 30 seconds. Strain the espresso into the serving glass.
- Pour 3/4 cup of almond milk over the shaken espresso + take a sip!
Substitutions + Additions
DIY your own by combining 5 parts plain malted milk powder (like Carnation or King Arthur) and 3 parts unsweetened cocoa powder. Depending on the amount of sugar in the malted milk powder, you may need to adjust the amount of sweetener you add to your drink. Another alternative is to use chocolate powder/cocoa mix or chocolate syrup/chocolate sauce. Because these are pre-sweetened, you may not need to add any additional sweetener.
Use regular almond milk for extra sweetness, vanilla-flavored almond milk for another flavor component, regular dairy milk or another plant-based option like oat, cashew or soy milk.
Use granulated, brown or coconut sugar, or simple syrup. It’s easy to make your own simple syrup by dissolving 1 part white sugar in 1 part water. You can even add some vanilla extract. Omit the maple syrup for a less sweet coffee beverage.
You could use instant coffee. (*crickets*) I always have a small jar of instant espresso in the pantry for adding to chocolate desserts (like Deliciously Decadent Raspberry Java Brownie Sundae). While it’s not great to drink as a straight espresso, for a blended drink it can substitute in a pinch. That’s all I have to say about that.
Top off your shaken espresso with fresh whipped cream, chocolate shavings, or a dash of cinnamon. Heck, need a real eye opener? Add another shot of espresso!
Helpful Tips for This Iced Shaken Espresso Recipe
Before you whip up this delicious summer pick-me-up, there are a few recipe tips that can help you achieve the perfect balance of flavors and textures.
- Just like with cocktails, the larger the ice (less surface area), the less dilution will occur. Use large format ice cubes to shake the espresso. It will chill it down quickly without melting as much as smaller cubes.
- To maintain a bold coffee flavor, go the extra mile and make coffee ice cubes for shaking and serving! Simply fill ice cube trays with cooled, brewed coffee and freeze overnight. It’s a great way to use up any leftover coffee in the bottom of your pot.
- I love the layered look of this shaken espresso, and one way to ensure that creamy layer is to use a cold milk frother or pitcher to whip the almond milk before pouring it into your drink. If you prefer a blended drink, shake the espresso and almond milk together.
What Goes Great With Coffee?
- Caramel Apple Pecan Coffee Cake
- Baked Chocolate Donuts with Chocolate Glaze
- Chai Spiced Baked Donuts with Cream Cheese Glaze
- Pumpkin Spice Latte Sweet Rolls
Iced Chocolate Almond Milk Shaken Espresso
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon chocolate malt powder, like Ovaltine (see note 2)
- 1 teaspoon maple syrup, (see note 3)
- pinch sea salt
- 3 ounce brewed espresso, (see note 4)
- 6 ounce unsweetened almond milk, (see note 5)
Instructions
- Measure the chocolate malt powder and maple syrup into a small coffee cup; add a pinch of sea salt. Brew the espresso directly into the cup and stir to combine the ingredients.
- Fill a cocktail shaker or mason jar halfway with ice. Fill a serving glass halfway with ice.
- Pour the espresso mixture into the cocktail shaker, close the lid and shake vigorously for at least 30 seconds. Strain the espresso into the serving glass. Top off the glass with almond milk.
Notes
- Use a 16-oz glass to serve this drink. It is equivalent to a grande at Starbucks.
- DIY your own chocolate malt powder by combining 5 parts plain malted milk powder (like Carnation or King Arthur) and 3 parts unsweetened cocoa powder. You can also substitute chocolate powder/cocoa mix or chocolate syrup/chocolate sauce (both will add more sweetness).
- In place of maple syrup, use granulated, brown or coconut sugar, or simple syrup. It’s easy to make your own simple syrup by dissolving 1 part white sugar in 1 part water.
- Very strong coffee can be used instead of espresso.
- Unsweetened milk alternatives: regular almond milk for extra sweetness, vanilla-flavored almond milk for another flavor component, regular dairy milk or another plant-based option like oat, cashew or soy milk.
Nutrition
Pin for Later! Iced Chocolate Almond Milk Shaken Espresso
I love the idea of this, especially as the weather is starting to get warmer and the sun is coming out; this would be a good cool drink to have throughout the Spring and Summer!
😎 Thanks, Molly!