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    The Heirloom Pantry » Recipe Index » Drinks

    How to Make Iced Coffee at Home

    Published: Oct 22, 2022 · Modified: Oct 30, 2022 by Kathleen Higashiyama · The following content may contain affiliate links. When you click and shop the links, we receive a commission.

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    Homemade iced coffee Pinterest pin.

    Make perfect Iced Coffee at Home with this simple recipe! In just 2 easy steps, you can make your own delicious iced coffee to kickstart your day or provide an afternoon energy boost. Don't waste your time or money buying coffee from Starbucks or another coffee shop ever again!

    Homemade iced coffee in a glass with oat milk, coffee ice cubes, brewed coffee or espresso, and sweetener.

    We love iced coffee and drink it almost everyday. Alec even drinks it all winter! Our favorite way to prepare iced coffee is with espresso or brewed coffee, oat milk, and coffee ice cubes because it combines the light sweetness of oat milk with the richness of coffee.

    Iced coffee at home is a great way to customize your coffee exactly how you like it without the Starbucks price. Plus, you can add homemade coffee cubes, which prevent the coffee from getting watered down. Give it a try and add a splash of Caramel Syrup for Coffee!

    Jump to:
    • About Iced Coffee
    • Ingredients
    • Substitutions
    • Variations
    • Instructions
    • What to Serve with Iced Coffee
    • Recipe FAQs
    • Equipment
    • Storage
    • Top tips
    • Related Recipes
    • Did You Like This Recipe?
    • How to Make Iced Coffee at Home

    About Iced Coffee

    • Taste - The coffee is rich and the sweetness is adjusted based on your preference. Add caramel for extra sweetener.
    • Texture - The texture is light and smooth.
    • Effort - Making iced coffee is easy. All you need to do is make the coffee then mix in ice, milk, and sweetener.
    • Time - It takes just a few minutes to make the coffee and mix the ingredients!

    Ingredients

    Ingredients to make homemade iced coffee at home, including coffee iced cubes, brewed coffee or espresso, milk or choice, and sweetener.
    • Coffee - We use espresso or strongly brewed coffee. But you can also use instant coffee or cold brew.
    • Milk - Make this recipe with your milk of choice, like soy milk, nut milk, or regular milk. Our favorite is oat milk because it is light and sweet.
    • Coffee ice cubes - Coffee ice cubes both maintain the coffee flavor and keep your coffee cold. If you don't want to take the time to make them, you can just use ice.

    See recipe card for quantities.

    Substitutions

    • Milk and milk alternatives - Use regular milk, cream, half and half, or a milk alternative like almond milk, oat milk, cashew milk, and soy milk. You can also use sweetened condensed milk.
    • Decaf - Use decaf espresso or strongly brewed decaf coffee.
    • Regular ice cubes - If you don't have time to make coffee cubes, regular ice cubes also work.

    Variations

    • Hot - Skip the ice and use warm milk to enjoy this drink hot.
    • Frothed milk - Add frothed milk for some foamy sweetness and creaminess.
    • Vanilla extract or paste - Use vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste for sweetness and vanilla flavor. Paste has a more intense vanilla flavor and adds flecks of vanilla bean to the coffee.
    • Blended - Pulse the coffee and ice cubes in a blender to make it a blended icy drink.
    • Maple syrup - Maple syrup is a tasty alternative to traditional sweeteners.
    • Caramel syrup - Caramel syrup will add toasty sweetness.
    • Chocolate syrup - Make this coffee rich and chocolatey with chocolate syrup.
    • Whipped cream - Make this coffee extra decadent with our Easy Homemade Whipped Cream.

    Instructions

    Steps to make homemade iced coffee, including placing the coffee ice cubes in a glass, adding sweetener, adding milk of choice and coffee, and stirring.
    • Add ice cubes and sweetener to a glass. (Photo 1 and 2)
    • Pour milk and coffee over ice then stir. (Photo 3 and 4)

    Pro tip: Taste as you go to control the sweetness.

    What to Serve with Iced Coffee

    This refreshing cold coffee drink pairs perfectly with warm and buttery Brioche French Toast, or a Bacon and Egg Breakfast Rice Bowl. It is also great with a light lunch like a Teriyaki Spam Musubi or Tomato Tartlets with Puff Pastry.

    Recipe FAQs

    What is the difference between cold brew coffee and iced coffee?

    Iced Coffee is brewed then cooled while cold brew is made without heat. Since cold brew is made without heat, it is less acidic and bitter. Cold brew is slightly higher in caffeine than regular brewed coffee or espresso.

    Can you drink iced coffee without ice?

    Yes, but we recommend chilling the coffee in the refrigerator and using cold milk and sweetener.

    Does iced coffee keep you awake?

    Yes, iced coffee has caffeine in it. If you ware worried about staying up, use decaf coffee instead.

    Can you refrigerate coffee for iced coffee?

    Yes! We love to brew coffee in the morning then save some in the fridge for later in the day when it is hot.

    Is iced coffee just regular coffee with ice?

    Yes, iced coffee is made by cooling regular coffee then adding ice. We enjoy ours with coffee ice cubes for extra coffee flavor.

    Equipment

    This homemade iced coffee requires just a few kitchen essentials, including an espresso machine or espresso maker, measuring spoons, and silicone ice mold or ice cube tray. If you want frothed milk, this milk frother is a fantastic investment to add to your kitchen collection.

    Check out The Heirloom Pantry Shop for all of our recommended kitchen essentials.

    Storage

    Iced Coffee is best enjoyed fresh. However, you can make it up to one day ahead of time. Just store it in an air-tight jar in the refrigerator then enjoy it the next day. If you store it with water ice cubes, remove them so the coffee doesn't get watered down.

    Top tips

    • If you want to use a plant based milk, we recommend oat milk, almond milk, soy milk, or coconut milk.
    • Wait for the coffee to cool a little before adding it to the glass. This will ensure the ice doesn't melt right away.
    • Chill your glass ahead of time. This will ensure your drink stays colder longer.

    Related Recipes

    • Iced Pumpkin Spice Latte
    • How to Make Caramel Iced Coffee
    • How to Make Fresh Squeezed Orange Juice
    • Hojicha Latte (Iced and Hot)

    Did You Like This Recipe?

    Love this easy iced coffee recipe? Please leave a 5-star 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 rating in the recipe card & leave a comment below. Thanks in advance!

    Homemade iced coffee in a glass with oat milk, coffee ice cubes, brewed coffee or espresso, and sweetener.
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    5 from 1 vote

    How to Make Iced Coffee at Home

    Make perfect Iced Coffee at Home with this simple recipe! In just 2 easy steps, you can make your own delicious iced coffee to kickstart your day or provide an afternoon energy boost. Don't waste your time or money buying coffee from Starbucks or another coffee shop ever again!
    Prep Time5 mins
    Total Time5 mins
    Course: Drinks
    Cuisine: American
    Servings: 1
    Calories: 149kcal
    Author: Kathleen Higashiyama

    Equipment

    • 1 Espresso maker
    • 1 Measuring spoons
    • 1 silicone ice mold

    Ingredients 

    • 1 cup strongly brewed coffee or 2 shots espresso
    • 1 cup milk or plant-based milk
    • 1 tablespoon sweetener of choice, or more or less to taste
    • 1 cup ice or coffee ice cubes

    Instructions

    • Add ice cubes and sweetener to a glass.
      1 cup ice or coffee ice cubes, 1 tablespoon sweetener of choice, or more or less to taste
    • Pour milk then coffee and stir.
      1 cup milk or plant-based milk, 1 cup strongly brewed coffee or 2 shots espresso

    Notes

    Storage
    • Make this coffee up to one day ahead of time. Just store it in an air-tight jar. If you store it with water ice cubes, remove them so the coffee doesn't get watered down.
    Top tips
    • Taste as you go to control the sweetness.
    • Wait for the coffee to cool a little before adding it to the glass so the ice doesn't melt.
    • Chill your glass ahead of time to ensure your drink stays colder longer.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 149kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 29mg | Sodium: 109mg | Potassium: 482mg | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 395IU | Calcium: 312mg | Iron: 0.02mg
    Keyword: caramel iced coffee recipe, how to make an iced latte, how to make cold coffee, how to make iced coffee, how to make iced coffee at home, iced coffee, iced coffee recipe
    Tried this recipe?Mention @theheirloompantry or tag #theheirloompantry!

    More Drinks

    • Blackberry Strawberry Banana Smoothie
    • How to Make Caramel Syrup for Coffee
    • How to Make Coffee Ice Cubes
    • Vanilla Matcha Latte

    About the Author

    Kat Higashiyama and Alec Totto are recipe developers, food photographers, and the authors behind The Heirloom Pantry. Since 2017, they have shared recipes inspired by their Japanese and Italian heritage and California and Hawaii roots. They reside in San Jose with their two dogs, Peeps and Paisley. Read More…

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