What's Actually In Starbucks' Secret Menu Cookie Butter Shaken Espresso

Much ado has always been made about the Starbucks secret menu — and whether or not it actually exists. Is it an actual thing that only Starbucks baristas and savvy coffee drinkers have privileged knowledge of?  Or is it just drinks that some people ordered and then told other people about, who told other people, and so on until everybody wants one? Most Starbucks baristas insist there isn't a secret menu: The drinks are just creations concocted and named by customers. Of course, there's much discussion of this mythical beast on the internet, and even websites that post all "secret menu" drinks and some version of the recipes online. Which is good news for Starbucks baristas, who can't be expected to know the recipe for every delightful imaginary drink making the rounds. You might not be able to order it by name, so you'd better get the ingredients right.

While you may be crazy about the very sweet, very creamy, very pink secret Starbucks Barbie Frappuccino, if you're looking for a sweet summer beverage that's a little less cloying, look no further than the viral cookie butter shaken espresso. Contrary to the name, it doesn't actually contain cookies or butter. Rather, it has a spicy nutty flavor reminiscent of Trader Joe's popular cookie butter made from speculoos cookies. Ordering the drink is pretty easy, especially when compared with other secret menu items. Ask for a grande blonde shaken espresso with no classic syrup, add almond milk, one pump of chai, and 1½ pumps of brown sugar syrup. 

While searches for Starbucks' secret menu drinks usually bring up Frappuccinos and lattes, shaken espressos are becoming more popular among those who don't want as much milk but want to curb the bold espresso flavor. With Starbucks' regular menu items such as the Iced Toasted Vanilla Oatmilk Shaken Espresso and the Iced Chocolate Almondmilk Shaken Espresso increasing in popularity, finding more shaken espresso concoctions on the various secret menus shouldn't be a surprise. 

The cookie butter shaken espresso has already started gaining traction among social media influencers, especially among fitness-conscious users or those on special diets, who appreciate the fact that it is gluten-free, dairy-free, macro-friendly, and allegedly has only 76 calories and 11 grams of sugar. There are plenty of tweaks and modifications to the recipe, with some insisting on upping the brown sugar syrup to two pumps or adding a stevia packet or cinnamon powder, and others saying it doesn't need extra sweetener at all. Various videos discussing the drink have reached nearly 100,000 views. Are you listening, Starbucks? It may be time to add a cookie butter shaken espresso to your non-secret menu.