How to make iced coffee
Learning how to make iced coffee is key to beating the heat while getting a caffeine fix.
If you have invested in one of the best coffee machines (opens in new tab), you may have spent hours perfecting your method of brewing the perfect cup of coffee at home. But when it comes to iced coffee, it’s easy to assume that you need to visit the local coffee shop or grab a pre-made bottle of cold coffee from the grocery store to satisfy a coffee craving on a hot day.
We review many coffee machines from the The best fully automatic coffee machines (opens in new tab) to regular drip coffee makers, and that usually involves brewing lots of hot coffee. But as big iced coffee fans, we discovered that these expensive and fancy coffee makers can also be used to make cold coffee. In fact, barista-style espresso machines are ideal because the short, strong espresso they produce means you only need to chill a small amount of coffee, making it quick and easy to brew delicious iced coffee on demand. But the good news is that you can make delicious iced coffee with virtually any coffee maker, and it’s easy once you know how.
Enjoying the daily caffeine rush is a ritual not to be missed for many of us. And on a hot day, we think the best way to enjoy caffeine is in the form of ice-cold coffee. Here’s how to prepare it yourself.
Steps to make an iced coffee
- Make an espresso
- add sugar
- Pour over ice
- add milk
How to make iced coffee with an espresso machine
OK, so you bought one of the best espresso machines (opens in new tab) and mastered the art of intense, barista-style espresso drinks like cappuccinos and lattes. Now it’s time to add iced coffee to your repertoire. You will need a glass, ice, cold milk or water and sugar if you like it sweet.
Start brewing espresso as you normally would, but do not pour it into the glass you intend to drink it from. Not only will this heat the glass, it could also break it. It is best to prepare the espresso in your usual cup or mug.
If you like your iced coffee sweet, add sugar to the hot espresso and stir until completely dissolved. Don’t wait until the end to add sugar, it doesn’t dissolve properly in cold coffee. However, if you want to add flavored syrups, you can add them at any point in the process.
Next you need to fill your glass with ice. We prefer larger ice cubes, they melt slower so don’t dilute your drink as quickly. If you like to slurp your iced coffee slowly, consider making coffee ice cubes, they don’t dilute the coffee when they melt. More on that later.
Now all you have to do is pour your espresso over the ice — no need to wait for it to cool — and add either cold milk or cold water, depending on whether you want it milky or not.
For research purposes we measured the temperature of our iced coffee and although it was made with a hot shot of espresso, the finished drink was still a cool 46oF/8oC and continued to cool while sitting in the ice. But if you want your coffee super cold, place the espresso in the freezer for a few minutes to cool before making the drink.
How to make iced coffee with a filter coffee maker
As you might expect, the easiest way to use a drip coffee maker to make iced coffee is to make the coffee ahead of time and chill it in the fridge until you’re ready to drink it. But if you’re in a hurry, increase the coffee-to-water ratio so you’re making a stronger coffee, let it cool for as long as possible, then pour over ice to cool.
Since you’re trying to chill a larger volume of coffee than you would with an espresso machine, you’ll need a lot of ice. The ice melts quickly, so it’s best to brew a stronger drink or keep a tray of coffee ice cubes in the freezer so the melted ice doesn’t dilute the coffee.
How to make coffee ice cubes
This isn’t rocket science, but as we’ve said before, using coffee ice cubes means you can take your time over your iced coffee without the melting ice ruining the strength of the drink, so it’s worth doing.
If you have a filter coffee maker, fill an ice tray with chilled coffee – this way you can use up coffee leftovers at the end of the day. For espresso machines, dilute coffee to Americano strength by adding 8-12 ounces of water to a double espresso. Pour the cooled Americano into ice cube trays and freeze.
You can also make coffee ice cubes from leftover coffee from a French press.
What is the difference between iced coffee and cold brew coffee?
Iced coffee is made by brewing hot coffee and cooling it to create a cold beverage. Cold brew, on the other hand, is a longer process in which ground coffee is placed in cold water and brewed for up to 24 hours before being strained. Brewing coffee this way creates a less acidic drink with a more caffeinated punch.
Iced coffee has the advantage of being quicker to prepare and you don’t really have to prepare beforehand. But choosing between the two comes down to personal preference.
What about blended coffee drinks?
If you prefer a blended frappe-style cold coffee, you need one of the best blender (opens in new tab). Simply add your coffee, sugar, milk and a good handful or two of ice cubes to a blender and blend until the ice is broken and the drink is thick.
To recreate your favorite coffee shop-style coffee, you may have to play around with the ratios of ice to coffee and milk, but it won’t take long to master the perfect recipe. And take it from us, grab a straw, it tastes much more authentic if you drink it through a straw!
There are many variations of blended coffee. For a decadent dessert drink, try adding a scoop or two of ice cream or powdered chocolate, or top with whipped cream and flavored syrup.
Final Thoughts
To make the best barista-style iced coffee, you need an espresso machine. Chilling a short intense espresso is much easier and faster than trying to chill any other type of coffee. And while you can make iced coffee with a filter coffee maker, it doesn’t taste quite the same.
Making iced coffee at home saves you money on expensive cold coffee from the cafe, and you can customize your drink exactly to your liking, making it even more enjoyable.