Our Best Iced Coffee Recipes

Nutella Iced Coffee Recipe

Don’t be surprised if this decadent, chocolatey twist on a typical iced coffee becomes your #1 caffeinated beverage of choice. While you can also prepare this Nutella Iced Coffee by whisking the ingredients together by hand, the blender makes creating a perfectly smooth beverage easy work. P.S. You do not want to skip out on the coffee ice cubes—they make this cool caffeine hit all the more delicious. To make them, simply freeze lightly sweetened coffee (you can use leftovers from your morning pot) in ice cube trays overnight. 

Muddled Mint Iced Coffee Recipe

Inspired by the signature mint mojito iced coffee from Philz Coffee, this refreshing, creamy iced beverage is the only way you're going to want to get your caffeine come warmer weather. All it takes is a simple muddle of fresh mint and raw sugar, combined with your espresso and cream, to make this deliciously cooling sipper that any java-drinker is sure to love. If you can't get your hands on espresso, go ahead and brew a pot of strong coffee instead.

Sparkling Limeade Iced Coffee Recipe

In 2015, people were all abuzz over the coffee tonic. By 2016, coffee lemonade was a minor frenzy among people who pay attention to these sorts of things. Has there yet been an official coffee and citrus-based iced beverage declared for Summer 2017? Let's go ahead and say that sparkling limeade cold brew coffee is gonna be your beverage jam for next few months. Let's even call it something like the Electro Lime or Turbo Lime or SparCoLime or some such—that part doesn't matter. The important thing is that you introduce sparkling limeade iced coffee into your body early and frequently while it's disturbingly hot outside. 

Sparkling limeade iced coffee is pretty much the sensory opposite of hot car vinyl or a crowded subway car. It is best served spine-tinglingly cold, packs a lovely carbonation-caffeination one-two punch, and makes a strange, beautiful balance of sweet, tart, bitter, chill, sparkle, and bliss. Still hung up on the coffee and citrus thing? Think of it this way: You wouldn't bat an eye at an iced tea and lemonade mash-up, would you? You'd just call that an Arnold Palmer and get on with your day. Limeade is even better than lemonade, iced coffee is better than iced tea. Accept that truth, and give yourself the bliss of an open mind and palate. If an added splash of rum, tequila, or your favorite clear spirit helps get you there, so be it.

While you can just toss your favorite commercial limeade into cold brew and get on with your day, you may find your consumption rate necessitates a batch situation. This method also lets you keep things fresh, fizzy, and a la minute with minimal effort.

Sparkling Limeade Iced Coffee

Vietnamese-Inspired Iced Coffee Recipe

Traditional Vietnamese iced coffee involves steeping dark roast coffee grounds anywhere from 10 minutes to overnight. That’s awesome and all, but that method is slow, and ain’t nobody got time for that. Luckily, cold brew coffee is now readily available at most grocery stores, so grab a glass and start making your own at home. It’ll save you time and money. Smooth, sweet, dense, and dark—you're equipped with all the caffeine you'll need for that morning grind.

Directions

In a tall glass filled with ice, combine condensed milk, coffee and as much milk as you like. Stir the ingredients together and drink up.

Iced Coffee Ice Cubes Recipe

It may or may not be iced coffee weather yet where you live, but tuck this info away for later when it's hot as blazes out: Regular, dry sugar just won't cut it. The granules don't dilute easily into cold liquid like they do into your nice steaming cup, and you're left with a bunch of gritty yuck at the bottom. There is a better way, and it can even add a touch of extra flavor to your beloved beverage. We're talking about simple syrup here—which can be made on your stovetop in a matter of minutes using just two ingredients: sugar and water. One more if you feel like getting wacky, but let's start with the basic formula.

You'll see simple syrup recipes all over the place that call for equal measures of sugar and water, and sure, that'll work just fine. But if you like a heavier, silkier syrup, opt for a 2:1 ratio of sugar to water. It just takes a brief simmer to meld the two, and you can surely stop there—but why? Baking spices, herbs (think mint, thyme, and rosemary), dried chiles, citrus zest, and whatever other ingredients you desire can add an extra note of flavor. 

And hey, crazy thought—you could even add powdered espresso to the mix and swirl sweet coffee syrup into your coffee (along with frozen coffee ice cubes) for an extra shot of undiluted, ultra-caffeinated joy. 

Simple Syrup

Avocado Iced Coffee Recipe

We can all agree that making a cup of coffee should be simple. Die-hard black coffee fans can totally attest to this. Even fancy latte drinkers don’t need too much. The simplistic yet versatile world of coffee is exactly why most cafes don’t need a lot of space. We’re accustomed to the usual ingredients of syrup, milk, and sugar. Maybe some cinnamon and cocoa to shake things up. That’s all you need, right? Well... Hm. It turns out that another cult favorite should be on that list. Let me introduce you to the almighty avocado iced coffee. And yes, I can hear you saying WTF from here. 

Mixing avocado and coffee isn’t a groundbreaking idea. The combo is actually a popular treat in many parts of Southeast Asia. In Indonesia, the drink is known as es alpukat, or “iced avocado.” It makes perfect sense, if you think about it. Avocado has all the characteristics of the ideal coffee creamer. It’s mild in flavor and smooth in texture. And unlike most creamers, avocado is very nutritious with all its healthy fatty acids.

Still not on board? Toss all the ingredients into a blender to make a milkshake version. Take a sip and marvel at the magic that is avocado iced coffee. I won’t say “I told you so.”

Avocado Iced Coffee

Iced Tahini Mocha Recipe

This clever coffee drink from The Daily in Charleston gets a touch of savory complexity from the addition of tahini. Here we serve it on ice, but it can also be served hot in the colder months.  Slideshow: More Coffee Recipes

Doppia Bevande  Recipe

Ingi Sigurdsson and Alexis Belton of The Aviary in Chicago modeled this coffee cocktail after an affogato, which is soft vanilla gelato paired with robust espresso. They call it the Doppia Bevande and serve it in two glasses that should be consumed side-by-side, so each part can show off its own unique personality. The clarified milk punch mimics the gelato in an affogato, and the egg white and Amari-based cocktail serves as the espresso. The Cynar 70, Averna, and Sibilla in the concoction create a smooth bitterness, and the oregano and hibiscus play off the tart and sour flavors of a perfect espresso pull.

Doppia Bevande

Part 1: Milk Punch

Ingredients

Part 2: Cold Brew Coffee and Amaro Cocktail 

Ingredients

Fizzy Cold Brew Lemonade Recipe

Coffee + lemonade… sound weird? Maybe. But there’s a good reason for the recent buzz around this unexpected flavor combo—it’s one of the most delightfully refreshing things you’ll drink this summer. Clean and slightly sweet flavored cold brew coffee does not deliver the same signature acidity of coffee brewed with hot water; thus, it pairs beautifully with bright citrus juice, as they bring out the very best in one another. The acidity delivered with sweet lemonade is refreshing and sunny, but not harsh or overpowering. While most coffee shops that offer a variation of “coffee lemonade” typically create each beverage using already-made batches of their own cold brew coffee and lemonade, we opted to make a version that doesn’t require anyone to make an entire pitcher of homemade lemonade in order to enjoy one of these cool and light caffeinated treats. Incorporating sweetened condensed milk and sparkling mineral water (others great BFFs for cold brew coffee) in addition to purchased cold brew concentrate and fresh lemon juice, this cold brew lemonade is as easy to prepare as a single serving as it is to make a large batch for a crowd. Its bright and bubbly qualities deliciously balanced by sweet richness, this is the ideal beverage for a warm summer day. 

Coffee-Bourbon-Cola Fizz Recipe

Spiked Vietnamese Coffee Frappé Recipe

Iced Mexican Latte Recipe

For this recipe, use the liqueur left over after making the trifles.

Berry Iced Coffee Recipe

I love a steaming-hot cup of coffee but find it unappealing in the summer heat. My solution: Make an iced--but just as flavorful--version instead.

Vietnamese Coffee Fizz Recipe

This pleasant cold coffee drink is a refreshing and crisp way to get your cup of joe that doesn't feel like a milkshake or an overly saturated, sweet concoction that's found at most coffee shops. It has a very rich and creamy taste along with a pleasant effervescent fizz at the end from the sparkling water, making the two ingredients an unlikely duo that taste surprisingly perfect together. Coffee lovers will love this super simple recipe. 

Ultra Iced Coffee Recipe

Using a French press will create a strong coffee that keeps its bold flavor even when frozen.

Fizzy Coconut Cold Brew Recipe

Why add cream and sugar to your java when you can jazz it up with a pour of bubbly coconut-flavored La Croix? Effortlessly refreshing and light, this simple spin on cold brew is just the beverage you'll want to be sipping poolside. A spritz of fresh lime juice adds a bright kick of citrusy flavor.

Cold Brew Concentrate Recipe

We’re all guilty of spending way too much money on those darling bottles of cold brew at our local third-wave coffee shop. Turns out, it’s actually way too easy to make DIY cold brew at home. Should we not have told you this?

Fill a large measuring cup with coarsely ground coffee (think: the stuff you’d put in a French press). Cover the coffee with a slow and steady stream of cold, filtered water, stirring the mixture to ensure moisture. Let the coffee sit at room temperature for 8 hours to steep. Strain coffee through a fine mesh sieve, then once or twice through a coffee filter for the smoothest possible drink. Serve this super-strong cold brew over ice with plenty of cream or milk, plus a spoonful of maple syrup if you like. This cold brew concentrate is strong, so if you prefer black coffee, mix one part coffee with two parts water and serve over ice.

Cold Brew Coffee Concentrate

Cold Brew-Banana Smoothie Recipe

Who says you can't caffeinate and fill up on a hearty, wholesome breakfast smoothie all at the same time? In this cozy java concoction, prepared cold brew is blended into a banana and almond milk smoothie. Rather than using ice cubes which will dilute the flavor of the smoothie, the cold brew is cleverly frozen. With a dash of cinnamon and agave nectar, this healthy breakfast smoothie tastes like banana bread in a glass.

Drambuie Swizzle Recipe

Vance Henderson, the U.S. Brand Ambassador for Drambuie, marries vanilla cold brew with scotch whisky for a polished coffee cocktail that, in his opinion, is out-of-the-box and “surprisingly harmonious.” The bold scotch and sweet hints of honey in Drambuie complement the traces of vanilla in the cold brew. The citrus and bitters are the cherry on top. Seriously, this spiked coffee drink is worth the fuss and provides a killer buzz. For a pick-me-up that’s a little less sweet, substitute club soda for ginger beer; for a coffee cocktail that’s a bit less bitter, swap in Aperol for Campari.

Drambuie Swizzle