12 Mouthwatering Iced Coffee Recipes Perfect for the Summer
Looking for some fun and delicious iced coffee recipes to satiate your mild addiction and satisfy your cravings? Look no further. Here are some refreshing coffee concoctions that will make your mouth water and taste buds tremble.
The Basics
Before you try one of these creative iced coffee recipes, you’ll need to prepare the most basic ingredient — iced coffee! It’s important to start with an unsweetened black coffee so the recipes don’t have clashing flavors. Also, make sure to choose a brew you enjoy.!
Making your own iced coffee is quite simple: brew a pot of drip coffee, let it cool, and store it in the fridge. Cold brew is also easy to make if you purchase a cold brew coffee maker! Prices vary, but they can be as cheap as $12 — check out this one from Target. There are actually many benefits to choosing a cold brew over a hot brew. According to Toddy, cold brew is about 67% less acidic than coffee brewed hot and it can maintain its freshness for up to two weeks.
You can also purchase ready-made cold brew or ready-made iced coffee in a bottle. You can also get concentrated cold brew, which you mix with water to taste. There are many variations, so choose the one you enjoy most!
So now that you have your iced coffee base, it’s time to get creative!
1. Iced Coffee with Coffee Cubes
No more weird watery mess of melted ice — this idea is great for those who like their iced coffee rich, bold, and uncompromised. Start by filling up your ice cube tray with premade cooled coffee or cold brew and then stick it in the freezer. When the coffee cubes are frozen, add them to your iced coffee! Then, when your cubes inevitably start to melt in the intense summer heat, your iced coffee will retain it’s strong, delicious flavor.
2. Cinnamon Iced Coffee
Adding cinnamon to your iced coffee will give your dark coffee a delicious sharp kick — not to mention all the benefits of anti-oxidants. A creative idea way to incorporate cinnamon into your coffee (so it doesn’t just float on top) is to infuse your ice cubes with cinnamon. Just add a few sprinkles of cinnamon along with the water or coffee you add to your cube tray. Then, when you add your cinnamon-infused cubes into your iced coffee, the result is a delectable cinnamon-y treat. Add your favorite milk (almond milk pairs well with cinnamon) and enjoy!
3. Oat Milk Cold Brew
Yes, this one is simple, but it’s also my go-to favorite. If you like your coffee strong but still want a hint of something creamy to pair with the bitterness, adding oat milk to your cold brew or iced coffee is the way to go! I recommend a barista blend oat milk, as it’s creamier than other varieties — you will need less of it to achieve the flavor you desire.
4. Vanilla Iced Coffee
Another easy one to make. Adding a vanilla flavor to your iced coffee will give it an extra twang. Combine a small spoon of vanilla syrup or vanilla extract with your iced coffee and milk of choice. Or, if you want to get a little fancier, try out this recipe to recreate the Starbucks iced vanilla latté!
5. Banana Mocha Smoothie
A slight variation to iced coffee, a banana mocha smoothie will satisfy your coffee craving if you’re feeling a little peckish. Follow this easy recipe to create this refreshing drink. It will taste great with nearly any real or substitute milk variation.
6. Iced Mocha
Iced mocha combines rich, sweet chocolate sauce with strong, bitter coffee (and a splash of milk, of course). If this sounds like your thing, try out this quick iced mocha recipe.
7. Vietnamese Iced Coffee
Recreate the classic Vietnamese iced coffee by adding a spoonful of sweetened condensed milk to your iced coffee! Yes, it’s that simple. Here is a full fancy recipe, if you would like to get a little more snazzy.
8. Salted Caramel Iced Coffee
This option requires a little extra work, but you won’t be able to resist if you have a strong sweet tooth. If you already have salted caramel sauce, stir about a spoonful into a glass of iced coffee. Or, make salted caramel from scratch with this recipe. Add your milk of choice and pour the coffee-caramel mixture over ice. This fancy drink pairs well with a dash of whipped cream and a drizzle of salted caramel sauce on top.
9. Minty Iced Coffee
Sharp green mint complements the rich strong flavor of black coffee. Place a sprig of fresh mint into your iced coffee and store it in the fridge, allowing it some time to properly infuse. Then, take it out, serve it over ice, and drink away!
10. Toasted Coconut Cold Brew
Toasted coconut cold brew is the perfect iced coffee recipe for those who are cuckoo for coconuts. Try out this recipe here. Make sure to pair your coconut-infused cold brew with coconut milk for a truly immersive coconut experience.
11. Dalgona Whipped Coffee
I’m sure you’ve seen this trend floating around the internet. Unlike the other iced coffee recipes, this blend requires instant coffee. You will need two tablespoons of instant coffee, two tablespoons of sugar, and two tablespoons of hot water. Blend them together until your mixture is a light caramel color and incredibly fluffy. Then, place a few spoonfuls over a glass of milk with ice.
12. Frozen Coffee Milk
If you’ve ever been to Rhode Island, you may have heard of this — it’s a phenomenon where coffee flavor meets milk (versus the traditional scenario where milk meets coffee.) Frozen coffee milk (coffee milk blended with ice) will give you the right balance of refreshing and lightly sweet. I recommend getting this coffee syrup from Dave’s Coffee. Add coffee syrup, your milk of choice, and ice to a blender and blend until smooth.
