Summer is just around the corner, and we all know how hard it can be to stay fresh this season. I need something cool and delicious to refresh myself, and iced coffee is one of the best summer beverages on my list. If you are also a coffee head like me who just wants to drink coffee no matter the season, these top 3 iced coffee recipes are perfect for you!
What Do I Like about Iced Coffee?
If I ever have to choose between hot coffee and iced coffee, I would always go for the iced one. Wondering why? Well, the answer is pretty easy. I believe that iced coffee is more of a dessert in a glass than a beverage, and this is what I love about it. On top of everything, it is quite easy to make at home. All I have to do is add some ice cubes in my big glass, coffee, and a splash of my favorite syrup along with milk.
Type of Coffee You Should Go For
Just like your morning hot coffee, you should only opt for high-quality beans. I like to buy roasted beans and grind them at my home for amazing taste. But you don’t necessarily have to buy whole beans and crush them; instead, you can save time by buying pre-ground coffee from your local grocery store.
To make iced coffee, you can either use espresso or brewed coffee – whatever you prefer. If you have all the time in the world to make your iced coffee, you can also go for the cold brewing process that takes about 12 to 18 hours. But the taste you get is simply amazing!
Type of Ice You Need
Wondering what is so important about choosing the right type of ice for your iced coffee? Well, it can impact coffee in various ways.
1. Large Ice Cubes
If you don’t want your iced coffee to get watery right away, you want to go for large ice cubes. And especially if you’re going to take your glass of coffee outside, large cubes won’t melt that quickly.
2. Medium-sized Ice Cubes
This size is what people mostly have in their freezers, and there is no harm in using this type of ice.
3. Crushed Ice (My Preference)
I love adding crushed ice into my iced coffee because it just does instant justice to my coffee. And the taste I get with crushed ice is so good!
Making Iced Coffee at Home
Here is a step by step guide to making three different variants of iced coffee:
1. Caramel Iced Coffee
Ingredients Required
- 1 ½ cups strong hot brewed coffee
- 1/4 cup caramel sauce
- Powdered sugar (to taste)
- Ice cubes or crushed ice
- 1 ½ cups cold milk or half-and-half
- Whipped cream and ground cinnamon for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Pour hot brewed coffee into your glass and stir in the caramel sauce.
- Add sugar and stir again until both syrup and sugar have dissolved completely.
- Place the coffee in the refrigerator to chill.
- To serve, divide your iced coffee into two chilled glasses filled with ice.
- Add milk or half-and-half to the top of the glass.
- If you want to make your glass look fancy, you can garnish it with whipped cream and sprinkle some ground cinnamon on the top (however, it is optional).
2. Vanilla Iced Coffee
Ingredients Required
- 1 ½ cups strong hot brewed coffee (chilled in the refrigerator)
- 1 to 2 tablespoons milk or cream (your choice)
- Powdered sugar (to taste)
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- Ice (cubes or crushed)
- Whipped cream and ground cinnamon for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Fill two-thirds of the glass full of ice cubes or crushed ice (whatever you like).
- Add 1-2 tablespoons of milk or cream and vanilla extract.
- Add chilled coffee and stir all the ingredients well.
- To make your coffee look fancy, you can garnish it with whipped cream and sprinkle some ground cinnamon on the top (optional).
3. Mocha Iced Coffee
Ingredients Required
- 1 ½ cups strong hot brewed coffee (chilled in the refrigerator)
- 1 ½ cups cold milk or half-and-half
- Chocolate syrup
- Powdered sugar (to taste)
- Ice (cubes or crushed)
- Whipped cream and ground cinnamon for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- If you have a blender at home, grab it, put all the ingredients in it and blend them well.
- The coffee will already be chilled because of cold coffee and milk, but you should also add some ice cubes to make it more chilled. After adding ice, blend until smooth.
- Once blended, taste your mocha iced coffee and add sugar to desire. If it is already sweet enough because of chocolate syrup, you don’t need to add sugar. However, it is up to you.
- To make your coffee look fancy, you can garnish it with whipped cream and sprinkle some ground cinnamon on the top (optional).
Tips for Perfect Coffee
- Only use high-quality coffee beans or pre-ground coffee.
- Freeze your hot brewed coffee ahead of time for an amazing taste. Moreover, you can also save time if you follow this step.
- Adjust the recipes according to your taste. Your taste buds are the best judge. Before serving your iced coffee, make sure to taste it and adjust the ingredients accordingly.
