Iced Coffee
intro
Smooth, non-bitter iced coffee made with a quick flash-chill method, perfectly balanced for sipping on hot summer days, no fancy café equipment required.
Ingredients
Steps
Prep coffee grounds
Measure 80 grams of coarse-ground medium-roast coffee, with a grind size matching the texture of coarse sea salt to prevent over-extraction. Place the measured grounds into the bottom of a clean 1-liter French press or heat-safe glass jar.
Brew hot concentrate
Heat 480 ml (2 cups) of filtered water to exactly 93°C (200°F, just before a rolling boil) over medium heat. Pour the hot water evenly over the coffee grounds to fully saturate every particle, then let the mixture steep undisturbed for 4 full minutes—do not stir, as this will release excess fine sediment.
Strain brewed coffee
After the 4-minute steep is complete, slowly and evenly press the French press plunger all the way down, or pour the brewed coffee through a fine-mesh sieve lined with a paper coffee filter into a 1.5-liter heat-safe glass pitcher. Discard the used coffee grounds for compost or waste.
Flash-chill concentrate
Add 480 grams (approx 2 cups) of ice cubes directly to the hot strained coffee, stirring continuously with a long metal spoon for 30 seconds until roughly 90% of the ice melts, instantly cooling the coffee. Transfer the pitcher to the refrigerator for 5 minutes to bring the coffee to a consistent 4°C (39°F).
Assemble serving glasses
Take four 470 ml (16-oz) tall glasses, and fill each with 120 grams (approx 1 cup) of fresh, solid ice cubes. Pour 240 ml (1 cup) of the fully chilled coffee concentrate over the ice in each glass, leaving 2 cm (¾ inch) of headspace at the top for mix-ins.
Add mix-ins and serve
Pour 120 ml (½ cup) of cold whole milk (or oat milk for a vegan alternative) into each glass, followed by 15 ml (1 tablespoon) of simple syrup for light, balanced sweetness. Stir each drink gently for 10 seconds to fully combine the ingredients, add a paper or metal straw, and serve immediately.
Tips
2.Store leftover plain coffee concentrate in a sealed airtight pitcher in the refrigerator for up to 3 days; never store mixed iced coffee with ice, as melting ice will dilute the drink to a flat, watery taste.
3.Customize to your preference: swap whole milk for oat, almond, or coconut milk for dietary needs, or replace milk and syrup with 30ml (2 tablespoons) of sweetened condensed milk per serving for a richer, sweeter drink.
OMG, made this for our weekend potluck brunch and everyone was begging for the recipe! It’s so smooth, not watery like the iced coffee I’ve made in the past where I just poured hot coffee over ice. Total crowd pleaser, even my sister who only drinks fancy lattes loved it.
Super straightforward, no fancy equipment needed which is a huge win for my tiny apartment kitchen. I added a splash of oat milk and a dash of cinnamon, chef’s kiss. Way better than waiting in the drive-thru line on my way to work.
My kids kept stealing sips of this when I made it yesterday! It’s not too strong, so I didn’t even mind making them their own tiny cups with extra milk and a little vanilla syrup. Perfect quick pick-me-up for those chaotic school mornings.
I prepped a batch of this before our day trip to the mountains last weekend and it stayed perfectly cold in my insulated tumbler for hours. No sad, watered down coffee halfway through the hike, which is all I’ve ever wanted tbh.
Took me literally 12 minutes start to finish, which is faster than waiting for my delivery coffee to show up. I used a medium roast instead of dark because that’s what I had on hand, and it turned out great. Will be making this on repeat all summer.
Wait, can I make this ahead and store it in the fridge for a few days, or does it get weird and bitter if it sits too long? I want to prep a big batch for my work week!
I don’t have a fancy pour over, will a regular drip coffee maker work okay for this? I don’t want to mess it up!
Is there a way to make this a little sweeter without adding a ton of plain sugar? I love my iced coffee on the sweeter side but hate when the sugar doesn’t dissolve all the way in cold drinks.
Y’all this saved me so much money this semester. I was spending almost $50 a week at the campus coffee shop between classes, now I make a batch of this on Sunday night and it costs me like $2 total for the whole week. Game. Changer.
Has anyone tried making this with dairy free creamer? I’m lactose intolerant and don’t want it to curdle or taste weird when I add my oat milk creamer!
Made this for our Fourth of July cookout and it was a hit with the whole crew, even the in-laws who are super picky about their coffee. I set out little carafes of flavored syrups and different creamers so people could customize their own, so fun!
Wait, what’s the difference between this and regular cold brew? I always thought cold brew was the only way to make non-bitter iced coffee, but this was way faster and tasted just as good, if not better?
I messed up the ratio my first try and added way too much ice, it was a little weak for my taste. Oops! Any tips for dialing it in for someone who likes their coffee strong enough to wake up a room full of 8th graders on a Monday morning?
Can I use leftover coffee from my morning pot to make this? I hate pouring out half a pot every day when I don’t finish it before I leave for work, it feels so wasteful!
SO good! I added a scoop of vanilla protein powder to mine this morning and blended it for 10 seconds, it tasted like a fancy coffee shop protein latte for a fraction of the calories and cost. 10/10 will be doing that again.
I’m literally the worst at making coffee, I always burn it or make it so weak it tastes like brown water. I was nervous to try this but it was SO easy, and it came out perfect on my first try! I can’t believe it, I even impressed my roommate.