Since it’s summer season I wanted to share some of my favorite iced coffee recipes with you guys with the hopes that it will help you beat the summer heat!
Because hot weather is good enough excuse to enjoy some ridiculously delicious iced coffee drinks!
And I don’t know about you, but braving the scorching temperatures just to get my fix is not really my thing. Well, unless it’s an emergency, of course. And it always is, it seems…
Anyway, over the years I’ve become somewhat decent at making these types of drinks at home, so here are a few iced coffee recipes from me to you, with hopes that you will invite me around when you make them.
But first…
The Base
The best base for an iced coffee is a coffee concentrate. Think about it – if you add ice to a regular cup of joe, you’ll end up with coffee flavors water. So, better turn to your espresso machine, Aeropress, Moka pot, some pod coffee makers, or your cold brew setup, since all of them can produce some good, strong coffee.
But which one of those to choose? Well, that depends on your taste and the beans you want to use. Darker roasts and robustas can handle almost anything, but your arabicas might need a taste test first.
You know how coffee can go a bit meh or bleh after it cools down? That’s why you’ll have to do the test, to make sure that you don’t have to add a mounting of sugar to your drink so it tastes nice.
A word about sweeteners…
With cold drinks, it is easier to go with liquid. Think simple syrup or liquid stevia. Sugar crystals need a bit more coaxing or time to dissolve in cold liquid, so it might be a good idea to avoid them if you want evenly “seasoned” coffee.
A particular favorite of mine is sweetened condensed milk since it’s not only liquid sugar, but it also brings some extra flavor to the party.
#1 Iced Americano
Let’s start with the basics. An americano is a very long lungo, which means that you will have to add some hot water to your espresso or coffee concentrate. To make an iced americano, you will have to add… something, I forgot.
Ingredients:
- Cafe lungo.
- Ice
Fill a glass halfway with ice. Pour your coffee over it and stir. The ideal ration of coffee to ice is 1:1 by volume so you don’t end up with a paddle of brownish water as your ice melts. So, when you’re deleting your espresso, remember to aim only for the half of your final serving size.
Pro Tip: For a super-strong coffee from the first sip to the last, make two batches of americano – freeze the first, and use the second as before. That way when your ice melts, it will turn into just more coffee.
#2 Iced Latte
Iced lattes are a little bit more forgiving when it comes to the choice of brewing method and beans. However, they are a little bit more strict about the “latte” part. Skip the skim and pick milk with some fat in it for a better flavor and mouthfeel. Just add it to the glass, or check out how I do it.
Ingredients:
- Shot of espresso or another coffee concentrate.
- Hazelnut milk (if you’re making your own, roast the nuts first for a stronger flavor).
- Other milk of choice (I recommend soy because it will amplify the coffee aromas).
- Sweetener of choice, optional.
Freeze the hazelnut milk in advance – we will use it instead of regular ice. When you’re ready to serve, fill the glass halfway up with iced milk, then cover with other milk of choice, then add your coffee and stir.
Pro Tip: To make things a bit more interesting, swap the hazelnut with chocolate, strawberry, or banana milk.
#3 Iced Nutella Mocha
A mocha is a chocolate latte deep down inside. If you’re a fan of hazelnuts like I am, and, since hazelnuts and coffee are so delicious together, why not try a mocha with Nutella? After all, it’s summer, and we must be allowed to break some rules…
Ingredients:
- Shot of espresso or another coffee concentrate.
- 1 tablespoon of Nutella.
- 2 to 3 ounces of milk of choice.
Make a hot chocolate by microwaving the Nutella and the milk for a minute or two. Add your coffee concentrate and set aside to cook for a bit. Fill a very tall glass halfway up with ice and follow it up with the Nutella coffee mixture.
#4 Iced Chocolate Frappuccino
It’s time to break out the blender. A good frappuccino can be more satisfying than any ice cream when done right. Oh, and it’s so easy to do it right, you’ll curse me next time you try to fit into your favorite pair of jeans.
Ingredients:
- Shot of espresso or another coffee concentrate.
- 1 to 2 ounces of sweetened condensed milk (adjust sweetness to taste).
- 1/2 cup of half and half.
- Ice.
- Whipped cream.
- Chocolate syrup.
Into the jug of your blender pour the coffee, sweetened condensed milk, and the half and half. Follow up with enough ice to fill half of your serving glass. If your blender has a frozen dessert or ice crush button, press it. If not, use your trusted frozen margarita blending technique until your drink turns into a slushie.
Take the bottle of the chocolate syrup and pour a little bit of it directly on the walls of the serving glass. Fill the glass with the coffee, top with whipped cream, add another touch of chocolate syrup, and your drink is done.
#5 An Iced Visit to the Dentist
Now, this drink is pure evil. You will need a double session in the gym to work it off and, if you continue to drink it semi-regularly, your dentist will put their kids through college by working on you alone. Still, it’s worth it.
Ingredients:
- Shot of espresso or another coffee concentrate.
- 1 to 2 tablespoons of sweetened condensed milk.
- 1/2 cup half and half.
- 1/2 cup chocolate milk.
- Vanilla ice cream.
- Dulce de leche or regular caramel syrup.
Freeze the chocolate milk in advance, since that’s what we’ll use instead of ice. When you’re ready to enter a sugar coma, take some dulce de leche and pour on the walls of the serving glass.
Place the chocolate milk ice cubes in the glass. Combine the coffee, half and half and condensed milk, and pour over the ice. Follow with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and a generous dollop of dulce de leche… And enjoy!
These are some of my favorite iced coffee recipes I highly suggest you try! Hope you enjoy it!
Feel free to check out other iced coffee recipes I absolutely recommend trying out!
If you have any questions please let me know, and don’t forget to share this post if you found it useful! 🙂
Thanks for reading and stay awesome!
Author: Trevor Fletcher
Trevor Fletcher is the author of FinestCupOfCoffee.com. He brings his decade of experience as a barista and shares his passion and knowledge about coffee on his blog. You can find him on Instagram @FinestCupOfCoffee.