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What Is Iced Coffee?
Iced Coffee vs. Cold Brew
History Of Iced Coffee
Iced Coffee Today
How To Make Iced Coffee+−
Alternatives/Substitutions
My Favorite Iced Coffee Recipes+−
Final Thoughts

I love iced coffee. In fact, I’m obsessed with coffee in general. It’s probably why I have 10 years of barista experience and decided to start my own coffee blog!

There’s nothing quite like an iced cold coffee on a hot day. In fact, since I’ve taught myself how to make good iced coffee at home, during the summer months I drink it almost exclusively to get my daily caffeine intake. It’s a good barista skill to have in your repertoire.

A good iced coffee sitting on a wooden table

But iced coffee has an interesting story, and the way we make it is different in every part of the world. So I thought I’d put my two cents in and share how to make iced coffee at home, as well as how to make it your own with some interesting recipes.

What Is Iced Coffee?

So what actually is iced coffee? How is it different from cold brew? Is it just coffee that’s been left to cool? Let’s set the record straight.

Iced coffee isn’t just cold coffee. If you left coffee in the fridge for a while after you’ve brewed it, you wouldn’t get iced coffee. As soon as coffee is brewed it begins to oxidise. It loses flavor, punchiness and can even taste a little funky.

Iced coffee, on the other hand, is brewed and used immediately. It makes use of traditional brewing methods for espresso, and then is rapidly cooled with ice.

The Japanese method calls for espresso to be poured from the machine directly over ice, cooling it in an instant after it is brewed.

However, it should not be confused with cold brew coffee, which is a different brewing method entirely.

Iced Coffee vs. Cold Brew

Iced coffee and cold brew, what’s the difference? They’re both cold, so they’re probably the same, right? Wrong. Let’s discuss why.

As I said above, iced coffee utilises traditional brewing methods, all of which use heat as a way to infuse coffee with water quickly. Heat is great at getting all the coffee oils and flavor out of your coffee beans.

But cold brew is different. Instead of using heat to extract your coffee, this method uses time. 24 hours to be precise.

The end product is a cold coffee that has a lot of the delicious intensity of regular coffee, but without any of the acidity.

Want to learn how to make cold brew? Take a look at our recipe!

History Of Iced Coffee

Iced coffee has a long and storied history. First brewed by the French during their conquest of Algeria in the 19th Century. The soldiers ran out of milk, so instead they added water to their coffee and let it chill.

Upon returning to Paris, the soldiers suggested that local cafe owners serve the cold drink to patrons, and the first commercial iced coffee was sold.

Since then, different variations of the same drink have cropped up across the globe, with some interesting regional variants. In Greece, instant coffee is shaken with milk and ice to create what they call a ‘frape’. In vietnam, strong coffee is mixed with sweet condensed milk.

Iced Coffee Today

Not too much has changed since the French were drinking iced coffee in Africa. However, the consumption of iced coffee exploded when American coffee houses began to blend their coffee with milk and ice.

This delicious mixture was dubbed the ‘frappuccino’ (frappe + cappuccino) and took the coffee market by storm. Now it’s devoured the world over!

Although you can still get your hands on an ordinary iced coffee. Most coffee houses have them on their menu. But they still haven’t quite beaten out its steaming hot cousin. Hot coffee is still, and probably always will be, the dominant cup of joe. Probably because it’s cheaper.

But don’t let your budget stop you from enjoying a delicious iced coffee on a scorching summer’s day. Put your money away and make one at home with my simple 3 step method!

An iced coffee sitting on a wodden table

How To Make Iced Coffee

There’s nothing quite like an iced cold coffee on a hot day. This iced coffee recipe is just the thing you need to cool yourself down in the summer months.

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Prep Time 10

Cook Time 5

Total Time 15

Course Drinks

Cuisine American, Italian

Servings 1 Glass

Equipment

Glass
Straws

Ingredients

1-2 shot(s) Espresso from cafetiere/french press, moka pot or espresso machine
Ice to fill your glass
250 mls Milk, Half and Half or Single Cream or enough to top up your espresso
Simple Syrup or Coffee Syrup optional and to taste

Instructions

Make a shot of espresso in the ordinary way you would. You can do this with an espresso machine, cafetiere/french press or moka pot.
If you want a stronger kick, make a double or triple shot.
Never made espresso before? Check out my guide on how to make an espresso.
While your espresso is brewing, fill a glass with fresh ice.
Once your espresso is brewed, pour it over the ice immediately. Some of the ice will melt, but very quickly your espresso will cool.
Then, top up your glass with cold milk. For an extra special treat, you can use half and half or single cream.
Best enjoyed immediately and with a straw. If you have a sweet tooth, try adding a coffee syrup or a few teaspoons of ordinary simple syrup.
Coffee syrups come in many different flavors for you to try and enjoy in your iced coffee, as well as plenty of sugar-free options.
You can use regular sugar, but be sure to add it to the espresso shot(s) and stir to dissolve prior to pouring over ice.

Alternatives/Substitutions

As the iced coffee has gone global, there are lots of variations you can try:

Instead of using milk or half and half, you could try a vietnamese twist and use sweet condensed milk. A strong robusta blend is recommended for this, to offset the sweetness.

If you don’t have an espresso machine, french press or moka pot, you can try using a teaspoon of instant coffee and add a few inches of freshly boiled water. In some parts of the world, instant is the norm in most households. So if this is you, know you can still have your iced coffee at home.

If you have a blender, treat yourself to a frappuccino by pouring all your ingredients into your blender and blitzing until the ice is crushed enough so it can pass through a straw (think slushy).

Suffer from lactose intolerance? Swap out your milk for your favorite dairy substitute. Your best choice is soya milk, as it has a better fat content when compared to most nut milks. It will hold your coffee well and give you a better mouthfeel. But you can use whatever you have or prefer.

Also, remember that iced coffee doesn’t actually need milk at all. If milk isn’t your thing, replace the milk with cold water.

My Favorite Iced Coffee Recipes

Once upon a time, coffee was something people drank black, bitter, and hot, how times have changed! The iced coffee recipes below are some of my favorites and any coffee lover is sure to enjoy them!

Espresso Martini Recipe

Goodness, Martinis have changed in recent years! There seems to be the perfect martini for a wide range of occasions.

This espresso martini recipe is perfect for almost any great occasion. And this particular recipe serves two people.

Martini:

7 ounces of your favorite vodka
1/2 ounce of Kahlua
1/2 ounce of espresso
Crushed ice

Garnish:

4 coffee beans

Method

You’ll need a cocktail shaker to make the most of this delicious delicacy.
Mix vodka and crushed ice in the shaker and shake well for about half a minute.
Then add the Kahlua and espresso. Give it a quick couple of shakes to make sure the flavors fuse together nicely.
Allow the mixture to stand for a full minute. This gives the mixture plenty of time to properly chill.
Then strain the mix into two pre-chilled martini glasses and place two coffee beans in each glass for garnish.

This is another great “after hours” ice coffee recipe but it is a wildly popular and delicious one to try. The true coffee lover can enjoy a regular rotation of all these great concoctions for excellent mileage and in order to avoid boredom due lack of options among iced coffee recipes.

Iced Mochaccino Recipe

Chocolate and coffee… These are a few of my favorite things! This recipe combines them both. This recipe is one that can be also be enjoyed without the ice for a delicious hot coffee treat in winter as well.