Make Simple Iced Coffee

Iced coffee is a yummy summer treat, perfect for a warm summer evening. Homemade iced coffee is even better, and there are many different ways in which to make it. It is far less expensive than the iced coffee you get from a cafe. Better yet, you can customize it to your personal tastes.

Ingredients

Instant Iced Coffee

• ¾ tablespoon (14 grams) instant coffee
• 5 to 6 tablespoons (75 to 90 milliliters) hot water
• 1 tablespoon (15 grams) sugar
• Ice (to taste)
• Creamer, half-and-half, or milk (to taste)

Basic Iced Coffee

• 1 cup (140 grams) ice
• 1 cup (240 milliliters) coffee, room temperature or chilled
• Sugar (to taste)
• Cream, half-and-half, or milk (to taste)

Cold Brew Iced Coffee

• 1/3 cup (40 grams) ground coffee
• 1 1/3 cups (320 milliliters) cold water
• Sugar (to taste)
• Creamer, half-and-half, or milk (to taste)

Steps

Making Instant Coffee

1. Fill a tall glass with instant coffee and sugar. You are adding the sugar with the instant coffee, because it dissolves better in hot water than in cold. If you like your iced coffee less sweet, use less sugar.
2. Stir in the hot water. Boil the water first, then add it to the instant coffee-sugar mixture. Keep stirring until the sugar and instant coffee dissolve. Don't worry if your coffee looks strong. It will become less strong once you add the ice in.
   • Use less water for a stronger coffee, and more water for a weaker coffee. Keep in mind that the coffee will become even weaker once you add the ice.
3. Add in a few ice cubes and stir. Don't worry if the ice melts; it most certainly will from the hot coffee. These first few ice cubes will dilute the strong coffee mixture and help cool it down initially.
4. Add in the rest of the ice cubes. You can add as many or as few cubes as you'd like. This ice is what will make your coffee nice, cold, and icy.
   • For a lightly-iced coffee, plop in a few cubes. For a regular iced coffee, fill the glass almost to the top. The ice will melt quickly at first, but it will slow down once the coffee becomes cold.
5. Top off with a splash of cream, half-and-half, or milk. If you'll like a lighter iced coffee, you can also add some cold water. Give the coffee a final stir to mix in the creamer.
6. Enjoy your iced coffee before the ice melts. The longer you wait, the more watery your iced coffee will become.

Making Basic Iced Coffee

1. Brew a cup of coffee. If you have not already, get out your coffee maker, and brew a cup of coffee. Try to make it on the stronger side, as the ice will water it down later on.
   • Consider adding the sugar now. Sugar dissolves better in hot drinks than it does in cold drinks.
2. Let the coffee cool down a little. If you just add ice to it, it will not be cold enough. You'll need to let the coffee cool down a little. Room temperature will be enough. If you'd like your iced coffee even colder, wait 15 to 20 minutes, then place it into the fridge for a little bit.
   • Don't stick your hot coffee straight into the fridge. You'll risk the cup breaking. The hot steam will also raise the temperature of your fridge.
3. Fill a tall glass with ice. You can use regular ice cubes, or ice cubes made from frozen coffee. Avoid filling the glass all the way with ice, or you may not have enough room for the coffee. You can always add more ice later, if it is not enough for you.
4. Pour the cooled coffee over the ice. If you need to add more ice, do so now.
5. Add the cream and sugar to taste. If you have not already, add the sugar to your drink now. Start with a splash of cream and a spoonful of sugar, stir, and taste. Add more cream and/or sugar until you get your coffee to where you like it.
6. Enjoy the coffee before the ice melts. The longer you let it sit, the more watery it will become.

Making Cold Brewed Iced Coffee

1. Combine the ground coffee and water in a mason jar. Stir the coffee until there are no more lumps or clumps. You can use a spoon, fork, or whisk. Many people find that iced coffee brewed this way has a bitter taste to it.
2. Cover the jar, and leave it in the fridge for up to 5 hours. This is what makes the coffee "cold brewed." Instead of brewing quickly in hot water, the coffee brews slowly in cold water. Cold brewed coffee is usually less acidic than hot brewed coffee.
   • Avoid leaving the coffee in the fridge overnight, or it will taste bitter.
3. Fill a tall glass with ice. Make sure that you have enough room for the coffee. You can always add more ice later, if it is not enough for you.
4. Line a strainer with a coffee filter, and place it over the glass. The filter-lined strainer will catch the coffee grounds when you pour the coffee.
5. Pour the coffee through the strainer and into the glass. Squeeze and press the coffee grounds against the filter-lined strainer using the back of a spoon or spatula. This will help get the excess coffee out of the grounds.
   • When you are done, throw the grounds away, or use them to fertilize your garden.
6. Add milk and sugar. Start with a splash of milk (or creamer) and a spoonful of sugar. Give it a stir, and taste it. If you need to add more milk or sugar, do so now.
   • Make sure that you stir well to help the sugar dissolve.
7. Enjoy your coffee before the ice melts. As the ice melts, your coffee will become more watery and diluted.

Tips

• Consider using a flavored creamer instead of milk and sugar. It will mix into the coffee better.
• To make Vietnamese iced coffee, use 1 tablespoon of sweetened, condensed milk instead of milk and sugar.
• Consider making a big batch of cold-brewed coffee. You will need about 1 cup of water for every ounce of coffee grounds. Your batch will last for up to two days, after you strain the grounds out.
• Consider freezing some coffee in an ice cube tray, and using the coffee ice cubes instead of regular ice. This way, your coffee won't get diluted and watery as the ice melts.
• Use filtered water instead of tap water. Your coffee will taste better.
• For an extra creamy and sweet iced coffee, try it with coconut milk instead. Be sure to give the can a good shake before you open it, as coconut milk tends to separate.
• Sugar does not dissolve well in cold drinks. Consider making a batch of simple syrup, and using that to sweeten your iced coffee instead.
• Add a few drops of vanilla extract for a vanilla iced coffee.

Warnings

• Don't put a cup of hot coffee straight into the fridge or freezer. You'll risk your mug cracking or breaking. You'll also raise the inside temperature of your freezer/fridge and cause the other food to thaw.

Things You'll Need

Making Instant Coffee

• Mug
• Spoon

Making Basic Iced Coffee

• Mug
• Spoon
• Tall glass

Making Cold Brewed Iced Coffee

• Mason jar
• Strainer
• Coffee filter
• Tall glass
• Spoon

Related Articles

• Make Thai Iced Coffee
• Make an Eiskaffee (Creamy Iced Coffee)
• Make Good Iced Coffee (Half and Half and Ground Coffee Method)
• Make Iced Vanilla Coffee (Real Vanilla Bean)

Sources and Citations

See also

• Grind Coffee at Home
• Make Sugar Bark
• Make Ethiopian Coffee (Buna)
• Make Coffee With a Coffee Press
• Clean a Coffee Maker
• Make Instant Coffee
• Make Better Office Coffee
• Make Refreshing Cold Coffee
• Make Coffee on a Stove
• Make Cuban Coffee

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