How To Make Iced Coffee
Ultimate Iced Coffee Recipe – You’ll love these the top tips and easy step-by-step instructions for how to make the best iced coffee that’s perfectly creamy, sweet, and strong. Customize this cold coffee recipe with your favorite ingredients and flavors!
Why We Love to Make Iced Coffee at Home
Have you ever tried making Iced Coffee at home? It sounds like a good idea… Yet the moment you pour hot coffee over ice cubes, the mixture is watered down and tastes nothing like the iced coffee at your favorite shop.
Obviously, this is not how baristas do it.
This Ultimate Iced Coffee guide will show you exactly how to make the best cold coffee latte, with no icky wateriness whatsoever. You need only a few simple ingredients and few handy tricks – like keeping a stash of coffee ice cubes on hand at all times!
Keep reading and in no time you can make one in your favorite to-go cup, knowing the ‘cubes will keep it cold (and strong) down to the very last drop!
Iced Coffee Vs Cold Brew Coffee
Before we dive in, let’s first discuss the difference here.
In fact, most iced coffees you buy are made with cold brewed coffee. As in, coffee that is mixed with cold water, left to steep for hours, then strained.
Cold brewing is a great method for making an iced latte… The problem is, I always forget to start my iced coffee the day before I want to drink it.
So today I’m sharing another method for a quick and easy iced coffee with milk that is just as rich and flavorful as iced coffee at coffee shops. Maybe even better!
How to Make Ice Cubes with Coffee
When you pour warm coffee over the top of the coffee ice cubes, they melt making the iced coffee even richer and more intense. In fact, the iced coffee gets even better with time, not weaker as the ice melts.
I like making iced coffees using fresh and pre-made coffee ice cubes. Here’s how to do it
- Mix espresso (or dark roast coffee) with a little Wholesome!® Organic Blue Agave. That way, the sweetness isn’t diluted as the cubes melt.
- Pour the sweetened coffee into ice cube trays. Wipe away any splashes that might get on the tray.
- Freeze for at least 3 hours.
Once your coffee ice cubes are frozen, you can make an easy Iced Coffee drink anytime. I make large batches of coffee ice cubes, store them in a freezer bag, and use them all month long.
Top Recipe Tips
- Use a coffee grinder for the coffee beans, then you can use fine coffee grounds to make it with a french press, a drip coffee maker, or try “pour over” with a coffee filter. (Only under drastic situations use instant coffee.)
- Here I am using a large ice cube tray that makes super big cocktail ice cubes. Use whatever size tray you like!
- As you can see, this method also involves a little thinking ahead… Yet you only have to think ahead every now and again when you need to replenish your batch of coffee ice cubes stashed in the freezer.
- You can add warm or cold coffee to the glass, yet the iced coffee will stay cold longer if the coffee isn’t scalding hot.
- I usually make the coffee first, then go about with other kitchen duties to allow the coffee time to cool for at least 15 minutes, before preparing my iced latte.
Ingredients For Iced Coffee
- Coffee – dark roast is best for the most bold flavor
- Ice cubes – ideally make with coffee as shown here, but plain water cubes will still work albeit make the drink a bit watery
- Organic blue agave* – or other liquid sweetener
- Heavy cream – can be substituted with whole milk or 2% milk for a less rich drink that is still ultra creamy
*Notice we’re using Wholesome!® Organic Blue Agave as the coffee sweetener. Agave is a fabulous natural sweetener that is more concentrated than sugar. Meaning, you can add less and still get a great sweet taste.
Wholesome!® Agave is considered a low glycemic sweetener, so it’s perfect for people watching their glycemic index.
Because it’s liquid, it is a great sweetener to add to beverages, eliminating sugar crystals settling at the bottom of the glass. I like to use agave in tea and lemonade as well!
How to Make Iced Coffee
Make a pot of coffee, either a couple of hours beforehand or as you want to enjoy the drink. Then when the moment strikes, place several coffee cubes in a tall glass. Add a little agave and/or other flavored syrups, if you like.
Then pour warm (or cold) coffee over the top and stir.
Pour in cream to taste. I love a deep, caramel mocha color that’s not too light and really lets the coffee shine.
Get the Complete (Printable) Best Iced Coffee Recipe Below. Enjoy!
Substitutions and Variations
- Mix in simple syrup, maple syrup, or brown sugar syrup for a more deep, warm sweetness.
- Use coconut milk, almond milk, or oat milk for a vegan and dairy-free iced latte.
- Add a drizzle of chocolate syrup or caramel syrup for more of a coffeehouse vibe.
- Use 50/50 prepared flavored syrup – like caramel or vanilla syrup – plus agave syrup for a nice balance of sweetness and flavors.
- Use another sugar substitute like liquid stevia.
- Make this an adults-only boozy iced coffee by adding in 1-ounce shot of Irish cream, whiskey, or vodka.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, you can… So long as it doesn’t get too old or stale beforehand. At room temperature, the brewed coffee should be used within an hour or so for the best taste. But you can cool the coffee, transfer it to a container, and keep it in the fridge for a day before using.
Sure you can! Mix the coffee, sweetener, and cream in a mason jar or large glass jug and keep it in the fridge for up to 3-5 days. When ready to serve, add in the coffee ice cubes.
Once frozen, I suggest popping the cubes into a large freezer-safe ziploc bag to preserve their flavor. In a bag they’ll keep well for at least a month in the freezer.
Looking for More Easy Drink Recipes? Be Sure to Try:
- Vietnamese Egg Coffee
- Best Chai Tea Recipe
- Mexican Mocha (Mexican Coffee)
- Chocolate Brandy Latte
- Toffee Caramel Latte
Check the printable recipe card below for the nutrition information including calories, protein, sugar, and fat percentages.
How To Make Iced Coffee
Ingredients
For the Coffee Ice Cubes:
- 14 ounces espresso or dark roast coffee
- 1 1/2 tablespoon Wholesome!® Organic Blue Agave
For Each Iced Coffee:
- 4-6 ounces dark roast coffee
- Several coffee iced cubes
- 1 teaspoon Wholesome!® Organic Blue Agave
- 1-2 tablespoons heavy cream
Instructions
For the coffee iced cubes:
- Stir 14 ounces dark coffee with Wholesome!® Organic Blue Agave. Pour the mixture into an ice tray and freeze. (I used an ice tray for large cocktail cubes.)
For each iced coffee:
- Place several coffee ice cubes in a tall glass. Pour in 1 teaspoon of Wholesome!® Organic Blue Agave. Then pour slightly cooled coffee over the ice cubes, leaving room in the glass for cream. Stir.
- Then pour 1-2 tablespoons cream into the glass. Taste and add additional agave if desired.
Notes
Nutrition
Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Wholesome!®. All sweet-loving opinions are my own.
Great guide on making iced coffee, there are devices that make the process faster but there is something to be said for not rushing things.