You’ve come to the right place. I’m going to show you How to Make Iced Coffee. Watch the video showing you How to Make Iced Coffee, then scroll to the bottom of this post so you can print out the recipe and make it at home. You might also be interested in a more authentic way of making Iced Coffee: How to Make Cold Brew Coffee. Be sure to check out that post because that recipe makes really great iced coffee too! Oh, and Boozy Iced Coffee is another favorite (cocktail-style).
I’m not much of a coffee drinker. No sirree. No caffeine needed. My body is hard-wired to have an abundance of natural energy from the moment I wake up. I guess I’m lucky that way. I do love the flavor of coffee though… coffee candies and coffee ice cream and even those foo foo frozen coffee drinks that contain your total allotted calorie consumption in just a dozen sips.
That’s why on one rather sweltering afternoon recently, I grabbed my husband’s mug o’ coffee that had been sitting untouched on the counter all day long, and I made myself a rather delicious version of Iced Coffee.
How do You Make Iced Coffee?
You’ll need a tall glass and a spoon long enough to reach the bottom of that glass.
Fill that glass full to the rim with ice. If you really want to get serious about your iced coffee, you can make ice cubes out of coffee too. Then you won’t get that “watered-down” effect. And if you’re into that flavored sort of coffee then go for it.
Pour room temperature (or chilled) coffee into the glass.
Fill it almost to the top.
Pour in the white stuff. Here’s where you get to make a big decision. Do you want to go all out and make this a decadent treat? If so, then add cream or half & half. If you want to go a little lighter, use whole milk or fat-free half & half. And lighter still, use nonfat milk.
Take a moment to watch the swirls sink to the bottom and mix in with the coffee. It’s a magical moment. 🙂
Add a couple spoonfuls of sugar (if you like sweet)… or whatever sort of sweetener you usually add to your coffee. In the recipe notes below, I share how to make sugary simple syrup in case you prefer to use that instead of granulated white sugar.
Stir it all up!
Anticipate drinking your creation.
Add a purple straw. If you’re a straw person, that is. And drink up!
Things you can buy to help you make the perfect iced coffee:
- MY FAVORITE GLASS MUGS: I absolutely love these glass mugs and I use them for both coffee and tea. They’re microwavable and large.
- TALL GLASSES: I use these for iced tea and iced coffee and any drink where I want to add ice in a tall glass.
- TALL PLASTIC GLASSES: I also have this set of plastic, non-breakable glasses since we have a pool area and use them outside often in warmer weather. They are dishwasher safe.
- TALL SPOONS: These are a must if you use the tall glasses!
- SILICONE ICE CUBE TRAYS: Even if you have an ice maker built-in to your refrigerator, you would totally love these ice cube trays. I love the shape of the cube molds (they look pretty in a glass), and they come out super easy with bendable silicone. You may also choose to make ice cubes out of coffee, so these are perfect for that.
- COFFEE STIRRER STICKS: We have a little coffee station in our kitchen, and since I don’t always like to get our spoons dirty… these wooden stirrer sticks come in handy.
- GLASS MEASURING CUP: You might already have one of these in your kitchen, but it’s definitely a must-have (I’m pretty sure I have 3 or 4).
- RE-USABLE STRAWS: I use these for everything I drink these days. This set comes with a straw cleaner, which is a nice thing to have!
- MY FAVORITE NO-CALORIE SWEETENER: I just started using this sweetener for tea and coffee, and I’m obsessed with it. No aftertaste!
Here’s the cool part (at least I think this is kind of cool…). You’ve seen these flavored coffee creamers, right? You can always use this stuff in your iced coffee. It’ll cover both your cream and your sweetener. And if you get this particular brand… then you’ll be getting a coffee creamer with a photograph that yours-truly took! Yep, those cupcakes that you see right there– those are my White Wedding Cake Cupcakes that I posted on the site a couple of years ago.
I made those cupcakes with the pearls on top for a teacher’s wedding from my son’s school. This company liked my photo and wanted to use it for the label on their new product, so they bought it from me! Isn’t that fun?!
Enjoy your iced coffee, however you decide to make it 🙂 This is the super easy way to make iced coffee. Check out my other post: How to Make Cold Brew Coffee, for a more authentic way of making iced coffee.
If you need a few delicious treats to have with your coffee, you might consider baking some Brown Sugar Cinnamon Biscotti or Lemon Tea Cake. Mini Crumb Cake Bites would also be a nice goodie to munch on while sipping your iced coffee. Butter Swirl Shortbread Cookies make good dunkers too.
If you happen to be following the Weight Watchers WW plan, you will find a link to the WW Points on the recipe card below.
How to Make Iced Coffee
Recipe Details
Ingredients
- 1 cup ice (or coffee frozen into cubes)
- 1 cup coffee, at room temperature or chilled
- 2 tablespoons cream, milk or half & half
- 1 to 2 teaspoons granulated white sugar (or simple syrup- see Recipe Notes below)
Instructions
- Fill a glass with ice. Pour in coffee. Add cream and sugar (or simple syrup). Stir and drink!
- See recipe notes below for variations and tips.
Video
Notes
- For accurate WW points indicated, use 2 tablespoons half & half cream and 1 teaspoon sugar.
- Lighten things up in this drink by using nonfat milk... or fat-free half & half. Use your desired low/no calorie sweetener in place of sugar.
- Another option is to add a flavored creamer, which will cover both the cream and the sugar.
- If you want to use simple syrup in place of sugar, here's how to make it: In a small saucepan, bring ½ cup water and ½ cup granulated white sugar to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, stirring the mixture until the sugar has dissolved. Remove the pan from heat and cool. Chill until ready to use!
I make Iced Coffee by taking a tall glass, adding instant coffee & hot water 1/4 the way. Then spring water another 1/4 the way, lots of cubes,sugar & milk. Always tastes great.
I love iced coffee! I prefer it to hot coffee, especially in the summer. However, I always add sugar to it when it’s still hot so that it dissolves better. I also like to brew it stronger so that it doesn’t get watered down when the ice melts. The coffee ice cubes are a great idea! I recently discovered your website and I am already in love with it!! Thanks for all your amazing recipes.
I love this so much. I love photography and these pictures are so cute. I really adore how I came to this page and I didn’t even need to read, I could just go along with the pictures. With such a well thought out description though, I figured I should read it. By the way, I never leaves comments on these types of sites, I just really had to this time!
Amy- you’re so cute :). Thx for the sweet comment!
I LOVE iced coffee! But I’ve never made it myself at home. I definitely will now!
Love all your photos. You are an artist!
Congratulations! I am so happy for you!
Thanks for the iced coffe info- as always you are the best!
Looking forward to my time- soon- on tCape Cod and once again using a few (a lot) for your receipes……..again I am so happy for you!
Lynda
That is so cool that they bought your photo! You must get a happy glow inside, every time you see that product. Thanks for the iced coffee directions. My daughter is going to love this!
I adore ice coffee. And the link to how I make mine is live on my current post. And I relink that post all the time..b/c I ALWAYS have iced coffee. And I shot my pics on dark wood. Great minds think alike. 🙂
Congrats on I.D. using your cupcake picture!!!! That is soooo cool! I want that creamer! I have a thing for Coffeemate French Vanilla creamer. Like I could guzzle it. Must try that I.D. sweet creme one!
I absolutely loveee iced coffee. Love the picture of your cupcakes, how cool is that!!
Wow love that your cupcake photo is on the creamer – too cool! And unlike you, I NEED my morning coffee. 🙂 Now that it has been warmer, iced coffee sounds perfect!
Too cool about the picture. The cupcakes do look awesome! I’ll have to try the creamer when I see it and tell everyone I know the girl who made those cute cupcakes. Too fun! Now, I could really go for that iced coffee.
Congrats on the gig Lori! Those cupcakes looks so regal 🙂 I’ve been downing a huge amount of iced coffee lately. I blame it on sweltering hot weather here in Florida 😀
So awesome that they bought your photo! Congrats!
Congratulations on the photo!
I love iced coffee and NEVER drink hot coffee. I think adding a lot of normal ice is best because it tastes soooo much better after the ice has melted just a touch. YUM!
I love iced coffee! My favorite way to make it is to add a little vanilla soy milk in addition to sweetener. Yum! I also use the cold brew method and have found a French press coffee maker works well and makes the straining part much easier.
That is so cool, Lori! I think I remember you tweeting something a question that may have alluded to this. Good for you!
I’m not a coffee drinker…I go the iced tea route. But I can tell you my mother adored iced coffee. She loved to watch that cream swirl as it went in. Just reading this made me smile in memory!
I love iced coffee, I first tasted it when I was in Bangkok, Thailand but they only used evaporated milk, this is awesome! By the way, your cupcake photo is so pretty. How do you make the frosting, what kind of tip did you use? Thanks!
Here is my post on the wedding cupcakes… with all of that information https://www.recipegirl.com/2009/03/17/how-to-make-wedding-cupcakes/
Iced coffee is the only way I can drink coffee. Making ice cubes out of coffee is a good idea, because my problem is that it gets watered down. If I think in advance, though, I can make a pot of coffee and keep it in the fridge overnight so in the morning I can pour and go.
And how fun to have your cupcake picture on a coffee creamer bottle!!
Consider crushed ice for the best ‘swirls’ sensation, it really gives the cream a thrilling ride to the bottom of the glass.
cool- fun tip! Love watching the swiiiirl…
Ice coffees are summer must no? Love this!
I made my first iced coffee this past weekend because I was sanding and painting a wooden bench in 98 degree weather outside. Why I did that, I have no idea! I just wanted to get it done!
I did not like the watered down effect with the ice cubes. Good idea on freezing leftover coffee and use that. Thanks for that tip!
That is seriously cool!! Way to go! What a fun claim to fame–I bet the teacher who got married would also be excited to know her wedding cupcakes are on the creamer bottle. Did you tell her?
I’m not a coffee drinker, but this looks absolutely delicious! Maybe if I added enough sugar and cream… 😉
Love the tutorial on making iced coffee, and how cool that your photo is on my favorite brand of creamer! I haven’t tried that particular flavor before, so now I’m going to have to just so I can say that I know the blogger who took the photo. 😉