Every good morning starts with a good cup of joe, and if you want to save money and gas, it’s important to learn how to make Iced Coffee at home! This recipe is easy and a time-saver, too.
Iced Coffee
There are some lazy summer days when you don’t have the time or energy to grab an iced coffee from your favorite coffee spot, or the cash, either! (Hey, good coffee can get expensive sometimes, and have you seen the price of gas?!)
That’s why knowing how to make iced coffee at home is one of the most crucial skills you’ll ever have! They should teach it in college!
Kidding, but in all honesty, this is an easy iced coffee recipe that’ll bring you a flavorful cuppa each time. You can brew it up in advance and have it ready to go in the fridge for early mornings, or days that drag on where you need a kick of energy!
With this easy Iced Coffee recipe, you don’t need to make a run to Mcdonald’s, Starbucks, Dunkin, Hardees, or your corner gas station. Save some cash, save some gas, and make coffee with ice right at home! I hope you enjoy it!
Best Iced Coffee: Ingredients & Substitutions
For this Best Iced Coffee recipe, you will need …
Ingredients
- cold water and ground coffee – brew these according to your coffee maker’s instructions. Use your favorite brand of coffee…we all have one, and I can’t recommend anything specific.
- condensed milk – sweetened. This adds a dash of flavor that’ll stick even after the ice in the coffee starts to melt.
- ice – since this is ICED coffee, after all!
Best Iced Coffee: FAQs
It takes about five minutes to prep the ingredients and another ten minutes to brew the coffee. (Or less, maybe more, depending on your coffee maker brand!) I recommend then chilling the coffee for about four hours in the fridge.
This makes about six servings, more or less!! (So, six coffees.) You may need to make a few batches if you have a coffee lover in the house, though.
If you want a tasty vanilla coffee, add about 2 tablespoons of vanilla extract to the pitcher! You can also try caramel, peppermint, or your favorite flavored syrup! When it’s all done, you can also add whipped cream. Sometimes I like to top my drink with chocolate sauce or caramel sauce (or try my salted caramel sauce!) – it’s super tasty when you want a sweet, cold treat. Yum!
Oh, man, I don’t think so, but that’s a personal opinion. With just a Google search, it’s a big debate! I think in the end, you’ll have to experiment yourself! No matter what, I’m sure your at-home coffee maker is just fine for the task.
I didn’t think so at first, but I’ve been asked this enough (and wondered enough) that I went researching this. Water does matter! Using your tap is fine in the end, but if you want to go fancy with your coffee, make sure it’s filtered. You’ll taste the difference, believe it or not, since the minerals (or lack of) in your water will bind differently to the coffee grounds. Interesting!
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Best Iced Coffee
Equipment
Ingredients
- 6 ⅓ cups cold water
- 6 tablespoons fresh ground coffee
- 1 can sweetened condensed milk 14 oz.
- Ice for serving
Instructions
- Prepare the coffee using cold water and fresh ground coffee per your coffee maker’s instructions. After the coffee has finished brewing, set it aside to cool slightly, about 10-15 minutes.
- In a large pitcher, combine the freshly brewed coffee with the can of sweetened condensed milk, stirring to ensure everything is thoroughly combined.
- Refrigerate until the coffee mixture is chilled.
- To serve, pour the chilled coffee mixture over ice in individual glasses.
Notes
- For vanilla flavor, you can add 2 tablespoons of vanilla extract when you combine the brewed coffee with the sweetened condensed milk. You can also try caramel, peppermint, or your favorite flavored syrup!
- Try drizzling caramel or chocolate sauce into your cup, or topping it off with whipped cream, for an extra flavorful treat!
- Depending on your coffee maker, cook time can vary. With my Bunn, I can have freshly made coffee in under 3 minutes! When I use my cold brew pitcher, it takes about 15-20 hours.
Nutrition
Please note that the nutritional information listed on this page is an estimation based on the products I used. Ingredients and nutritional information can vary significantly between brands. Always be sure to read labels. Please verify that a recipe fits your needs before using it. Nutrition info may contain errors, so please verify it independently. Likewise, recipes may contain errors, so please use your common sense when following them.
I’d like to substitute instant decaf. How much should I use in place of the brewed coffee?
I would follow the ratio/instructions on the can/jar for about 6 to 7 cups of coffee for the best results. Once the coffee is prepared, you can transfer it to a pitcher and add the sweetened condensed milk as stated in the recipe.
If I want Peppermint flavor but no peppermint syrup can I use peppermint extract??
You can. I would start with a small amount and add more if needed.