Perfect Iced Coffee
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Tips and tricks to make the best, most perfect iced coffee right at home. It’s quick, easy and so budget-friendly!
why i love this recipe
- Easy, fool-proof recipe. With this easy-to-follow recipe, you’ll be making coffee-shop-quality iced coffee in no time.
- Budget-friendly. A single cup of coffee can range anywhere from $3 to $7 (or more). Making coffee at home is much more economical, letting you kick that coffee shop habit.
- Convenient and time-saving. Now you can skip that hectic Starbucks drive-thru line and enjoy a quality cup of iced coffee right at home.
- So customizable. One of the best things about homemade iced coffee is how customizable it is. Add your favorite milk, coffee creamer or sweetener. The best part? An optional easy simple syrup recipe is included below (which also works great for homemade cocktails!).
what is simple syrup
Simple syrup is a liquid sweetener made from dissolved sugar and water, primarily used for cold beverages such as coffee and cocktails. Simple syrup mixes smoothly and evenly, whereas granulated sugar can leave a gritty texture when mixed in.
how to make the most perfect iced coffee right at home
- Brew the coffee using your favorite beans and preferred method (coffee maker, French press, etc.)
- Let the coffee come to room temperature or chill overnight
- Make the simple syrup (if using), storing in the fridge to extend shelf life
- Pour the chilled or room temperature coffee over ice, adding a splash of milk, creamer and/or simple syrup to taste (starting at 1 tsp)
tips and tricks for success
- Good quality beans go a long way. Grab a bag of beans from your favorite local coffee shop.
- Use coarse ground coffee beans. Finely ground coffee beans can yield a gritty cup of coffee. Purchase coffee beans that have already been coarsely ground or grind the beans at home using a grinder like this or this.
- Room temp or cold coffee is key. Iced coffee is meant to be cold. Skip the hot coffee, making sure to use cooled down coffee to start. Adding ice to already hot coffee will yield undesirable watered down coffee.
- Start the night before. This is a great recipe to make ahead of time. Brew the coffee the night before, storing in the fridge overnight.
- Store simple syrup in the fridge. Always store simple syrup in an airtight container in the refrigerator to extend shelf life, keeping up to 1 month.
pro tip
Make coffee ice cubes.
Don’t want your iced coffee diluted with water? Use coffee ice cubes! Opt for a stronger brew for coffee ice cubes for more flavor, freezing for at least 4 hours using a silicone ice cube tray for easy removal.
more favorited drink recipes
Tools For This Recipe
Saucepan
Perfect Iced Coffee: Frequently Asked Questions
Adding ice to already hot coffee will dilute the coffee quite a bit. Using room temperature or chilled coffee is ideal for the most perfect iced coffee.
Homemade simple syrup can last anywhere from 2 weeks to 1 month when properly stored in an airtight container in the fridge.
Simple syrup can be used for cocktails, mocktails, lemonade, or even whipped cream (swapping out the sugar for a smoother consistency).
Black coffee (without milk or creamer) can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
Perfect Iced Coffee
Ingredients
- 1 cup coffee, at room temperature or chilled overnight
- 2 tablespoons half and half*, or more, to taste
For the simple syrup
- ½ cup sugar
- 1 cup water
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Serve coffee over ice with half and half and simple syrup, adding 1 teaspoon at a time, to taste.
for the simple syrup
- Combine sugar and water in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring until the sugar has dissolved.
- Let cool completely and stir in vanilla extract; set aside in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
Notes
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This was hands down the best iced coffee I have ever made at home. I definitely will be making this recipe again and again.
Absolutely wonderful recipe! Simple and delicious. It was a huge hit with family and friends.
I’ve been using your recipes for years and you are top notch and amazing!
Taste good, simple, and it takes no time!
Tastes really good.
Can I apply this same recipe to a cold brew coffee?
it was sssssssssooooooooooooooo good and i loved it. it was damn delishious
Tried this and it’s really good! It’s final week and I really need iced coffee!! Thank you for this!!
I LOVE THIS COFFEE! I always see these complicated recipes that i’m too lazy to follow. This was a quick and simple recipe that anyone can follow. I’m typing this while i’m drinking my coffee lol. The coffee has a right taste to it not too sweet not too bitter! Thank you for creating this!
Absolutely delicious I 9/10 recommend my only problem is I’m not sure of the syrup. This is so good, if you like iced coffee I recommend this for you!
It was so easy and soooooooooo yummy.
delicious
How much calories?
this was my first time making homemade iced coffee and it was amazing I was so happy that it turned out great and my family loved it to can’t wait to drink more soon.
Wow! That’s a nice and simple recipe. Last summer I was mainly living on cold brew, but didn’t try iced coffee yet. It’s getting warmer now and it will be time soon to recreate this beauty. Looks cool in a mason jar, will order one and prepare for the warm spring and hot summer! 🙂 Thanks for the recipe!
So good!
love it!!
Tasted amazing
yhanks sooooooooooooooooooooooooooo much school is tommorow and i needed a good recipe
awesome
Does anyone know a healthier sugar alternative that works for iced coffee because 1/2 cup of sugar is WAY too much for me. I’ve tried honey and it’s honestly so much better than sugar but we ran out yesterday.
Stevia is a great, healthier substitute for sugar. 🙂
You can buy liquid stevia (with glycerine ). I use 7 drops for a glass of iced coffee. I think it is “NOW” brand.
Skinny syrups
We have this bad of sweatier called Lankato monk fruit stuff
You don’t put the whole half cup of sugar in one serving of coffee. It makes enough to have it on hand. Honey is not healthier than sugar. It’s all the same to your body.
Honey has a lot of health benefits!
Maple sugar is what we’ve been using. It’s plenty sweet, but lower glycemic index. It’s basically just granulated maple syrup. Been using it for years