Learn how to make the best Iced Coffee at home with this easy recipe! Rich and smooth coffee with creamy milk served over ice – so refreshing, no matter the season.

A cup of iced coffee with milk that is unmixed.

If you like iced drinks, try the Pumpkin Spice Latte and our Iced Caramel Latte!

ICED COFFEE RECIPE-

We love making iced coffee at home, it’s so much cheaper that coffee shops and tastes even better than any chain coffee shop. This delicious iced coffee recipe is so easy, sweet, creamy and bold, this is going to become your new favorite!

Iced Coffee verses Cold Brew Coffee– There is quite a difference between cold brew and iced coffee. Cold brew is ground coffee that is steeped in cool water. Iced coffee is brewed coffee that is cooled. Since cold brew doesn’t use heat, it creates a smoother and sweeter taste coffee. Meanwhile iced coffee creates a lighter coffee.

Two glass cups filled with iced coffee.

WHAT TYPE OF COFFEE DO I USE-

The fresher the beans the BETTER the coffee will be! You can use any of your favorite coffee beans, whether it is light roast, medium roast, dark roast or even espresso beans!

You want to be sure to use fresh coffee beans, you can use pre-ground beans or grind them at home, we like to do that using THIS grinder. Here are some of our favorite coffee beans-

Whole Beans-

Ground Beans-

You can also use flavored coffee beans instead of sugar, sweeteners or flavors!

Flavored Coffee Beans-

Black coffee being poured into a glass cup with ice.

HOW TO MAKE ICED COFFEE-

There are several different methods that you can use to make your coffee, here are two classic methods!

COFFEE MAKER METHOD-

  1. Using a coffee maker you brew the amount of iced coffee you want.
  2. Transfer the coffee into a pitcher or cup, depending on the amount you made and allow to cool.

If you use your coffee hot, when you pour it over ice, it will melt and dilute the coffee and be warm. It’s a great idea to add sugar when the coffee is still hot so the sugar dissolves.

Once the coffee is chilled, pour over ice and top with desired creamer and syrups.

COLD BREW METHOD-

When making cold brew, no matter the amount you are making, you want to stick to this basic ratio, 1:4. Every one cup of water you want to use ¼ cups of ground coffee.

  1. In a mason jar or pitcher, add the ground coffee and then pour in the water and stir.
  2. Transfer to the fridge and allow to steep 16-18 hours!
  3. Pour the brewed coffee through a thin strainer, to avoid the beans from going through.
  4. Discard the beans and pour the coffee over ice and add creamer and syrup.
A glass of black coffee with ice next to coffee beans.

BEST MILK FOR ICED COFFEE-

Although some prefer black coffee, we believe the key to the perfect iced coffee is the milk! There are so many different milks you can use from whole milk to dairy-free options, here are some of our go-to options-

  • Milk– You can use either whole milk or 2% milk, this is a classic and basic option.
  • Cream– We love adding half and half creamer or even heavy cream for a creamy and richer coffee.
  • Creamer– Any flavored or basic creamer is also great, whether it being dairy or dairy free.
  • Dairy Free– Any dairy free options work great too! Almond milk or oat milk are both great options.

SWEETENER OPTIONS-

You can sweeten your coffee with several different options!

CHEF’S TIP-  If you are going to use sugar to sweeten the coffee, you want to sweeten it when the coffee is hot so that the sugar dissolves better.

COFFEE FLAVOR IDEAS-

A glass cup with black coffee and creamer being poured into the cup.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS-

Can I make this ahead of time?

Yes, we love making a large pitcher and enjoy it throughout the week.

Can I use espresso?

Yes, if you want a strong iced coffee, give our iced latte recipe a try!

How to store iced coffee?

Store your iced coffee in the fridge, it can last for up to 1 week. We love storing it in THIS pitcher.

Can I use decaf coffee?

Yes, you can use decaf coffee beans!

What kind of ice can I use?

Any ice cubes will work great for this recipe. We LOVE these large ice molds for longer-lasting ice.

How do I make coffee ice cubes?

If you hate your iced coffee watering when your ice melts, use coffee ice cubes! Just pour coffee into the ice molds instead of water and freeze!

Glass cup with loaded with iced coffee and creamer.

MORE DRINKS TO TRY-

Iced Coffee Recipe

Author: Valentina
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5 from 4 votes
Learn how to make the best Iced Coffee at home with this easy recipe! Rich and smooth coffee with creamy milk served over ice – so refreshing, no matter the season.
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes
Servings: 1 servings

Ingredients

  • 1 cup brewed coffee chilled
  • 1/4 cup whole milk or creamer
  • sweetener
  • ice

Instructions

Coffee Maker Method-

  • Using a coffee maker, brew the amount of coffee you want. Transfer the coffee into a pitcher or cup, depending on the amount you made and allow to cool.
  • Once the coffee is chilled, pour over ice and top with desired creamer and syrups.

Cold Brew Method-

  • In a mason jar or pitcher, add the ground coffee and then pour in the water and stir.
  • Transfer to the fridge and allow to steep 16-18 hours!
  • Pour the brewed coffee through a thin strainer, to avoid the beans from going through.
  • Discard the beans and pour the coffee over ice and add creamer and syrup.

Nutrition

39kcal Calories3g Carbs2g Protein2g Fat1g Saturated Fat1g Polyunsaturated Fat1g Monounsaturated Fat7mg Cholesterol28mg Sodium208mg Potassium3g Sugar99IU Vitamin A80mg Calcium1mg Iron
Nutrition Facts
Iced Coffee Recipe
Amount Per Serving
Calories 39 Calories from Fat 18
% Daily Value*
Fat 2g3%
Saturated Fat 1g6%
Polyunsaturated Fat 1g
Monounsaturated Fat 1g
Cholesterol 7mg2%
Sodium 28mg1%
Potassium 208mg6%
Carbohydrates 3g1%
Sugar 3g3%
Protein 2g4%
Vitamin A 99IU2%
Calcium 80mg8%
Iron 1mg6%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
(The nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.)