How to Make Iced Coffee at Home (Easy Step-by-Step)

5 mins
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By Jack Ellis, Barista Trainer at Cafédirect

The short of it: To make iced coffee at home, brew a cup using a little more coffee than usual, let it cool, then pour it over a glass full of ice. Top with cold milk and sweeten to taste. The one upgrade worth making is to freeze leftover coffee into ice cubes, so your drink stays full-flavoured instead of turning watery.

Learning how to make iced coffee at home is one of the most rewarding, money-saving skills you can pick up. It takes just a few minutes, needs no special equipment, and tastes every bit as good as the coffee-shop version, often better, because you control the strength and the sweetness. Here is our simple, reliable method.

The Cafédirect View

One handy tip from experience: if your iced coffee ever tastes a little weak, it is usually the ice. As it melts it waters the drink down, and the more ice or milk you add, the more you will notice it. A standard double shot is a perfectly good starting point. If you like, brew it a touch stronger, or use coffee ice cubes (frozen coffee) instead of regular ones, so it stays full-flavoured to the last sip.

What You Will Need

  • Your favourite coffee. Ground, beans or instant all work.
  • A way to brew it. Cafetière, filter, moka pot, or a kettle for instant.
  • A tall glass.
  • Plenty of ice. More than you think.
  • Milk or a milk alternative (optional).
  • Sugar, syrup or sweetener (optional).

The Easy Step-by-Step Method

  1. Brew it strong. Make a cup using a little more coffee than usual. The ice melts and dilutes the drink, so a stronger brew keeps the flavour from washing out.
  2. Let it cool. Leave it for a few minutes, then chill it in the fridge until cold. In a hurry, pour it straight over a large glass of ice.
  3. Fill a glass with ice. The more ice, the colder and more refreshing your drink, and the slower it melts.
  4. Pour over the coffee. Pour the cooled coffee over the ice, leaving room for milk if you would like it.
  5. Add milk and sweeten. Top with cold milk or a dairy-free alternative, and stir in sugar or syrup to taste.
  6. Stir and enjoy. Give it a good stir and you are done.

The Secret Tip: Coffee Ice Cubes

The single best upgrade to homemade iced coffee is coffee ice cubes. Brew a little extra, pour it into an ice-cube tray and freeze. Use these instead of regular ice and your drink stays full-flavoured to the last sip, rather than turning weak and watery. Keep a tray topped up and you are always minutes from a perfect glass.

Iced Coffee by Brewing Method

How to make iced coffee with a cafetière

Brew as normal but use a little more coffee. Plunge, cool and pour over ice. The cafetière’s full-bodied result holds up beautifully over ice.

How to make iced coffee with instant

Dissolve one or two teaspoons of instant coffee in a small splash of warm water first, which prevents any graininess, then pour over a glass of ice and top with cold milk or water. Quick, easy and surprisingly good.

How to make iced coffee with espresso

Pull one or two shots, pour over ice, and top with cold milk for an iced latte, or water for an iced Americano. The intensity of espresso works especially well chilled.

Make It Your Own

Once you have the basics down, try a few variations.

  • Iced latte. Top your iced espresso with plenty of cold milk.
  • Iced mocha. Stir in a little chocolate or cocoa before adding milk.
  • Vanilla or caramel. Add a dash of flavoured syrup.
  • Blended. Blend coffee, milk and ice for a thick, frappé-style drink.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

  • If it tastes weak, it is usually the ice diluting it. Brew a little stronger, or use coffee ice cubes.
  • Using hot coffee straight away. Pouring piping-hot coffee over ice melts it instantly and dilutes the drink. Cool it first, or use coffee ice cubes.
  • Skimping on ice. A few cubes melt fast. Fill the glass.
  • Forgetting the beans matter. A flat, low-quality coffee tastes even flatter cold. Start with something you genuinely enjoy.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make iced coffee the night before?

Yes. Brew it, chill it in a sealed container, and it will keep in the fridge for a couple of days. Add ice and milk just before serving.

What is the difference between iced coffee and cold brew?

Iced coffee is brewed hot then cooled. Cold brew is steeped in cold water for 12 to 24 hours, which makes it smoother and less acidic, but slower to make.

Do I need special coffee for iced coffee?

Not at all. Any coffee you enjoy hot will work iced. Simply brew it a little stronger.

Start With Great Coffee

The best iced coffee starts with beans worth drinking. Explore our range of Fairtrade, expertly sourced coffees, grown by smallholder farmers and roasted for flavour, perfect hot or over ice.

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