How to Make Iced Coffee at Home That Tastes Just Like It Came From a Fancy Coffee Shop
Coffee cubes do double duty by keeping the drink cold and making it more flavorful!
Iced coffee season is all year round — but if you’ve made it at home, only to be disappointed by a watery flavor or less-than-barista quality, have no fear. You’ll be happy to know that you don’t have to keep running back to the coffee shop just to get your hands on a proper iced brew. The easy fix: Make coffee ice cubes, which will keep the cold without diluting it like regular ice cubes do. Read on to learn how to make tasty iced coffee at home with the help of frozen java cubes!
The basics of iced coffee
Iced coffee consists of brewed coffee, milk or creamer, sweetener and ice. These ingredients are stirred or mixed up to create a refreshing java concoction. Making it at home allows you to save a few dollars, while customizing the drink to your liking.
Is cold brew different from iced coffee?
Although cold brew is another popular coffee shop drink, it’s not to be confused with iced coffee. Making cold brew involves steeping coffee grounds in cold water for up to 24 hours. This process slowly extracts the flavor from the coffee in order to create a more intense brew. On the other hand, iced coffee typically starts with hot-brewed java that’s cool at room temperature before other flavorings are added. The iced coffee method is the quicker option — and you can make it more delicious by incorporating frozen coffee cubes.
Related: Iced Coffee vs Cold Brew: Which Is Healthier for You? Health + Coffee Pros Weigh In
Why you should add coffee cubes to your sip
Frozen coffee cubes involve freezing brewed java in an ice cube tray until solid. Then, they’re added to the drink. Not only do these cubes keep the drink cold, but they’re entirely made from coffee so they’ll make the drink stronger as they melt. This also gives you more servings of iced coffee without paying an extra cent!
It’s a good idea to make a tray of coffee cubes so you can make your go-to iced java at a moment’s notice. Here’s a simple breakdown of preparing these cubes as demonstrated in a video on OXO’s YouTube Channel.
- Brew about 2 cups of coffee, making sure it’s fully cooled before moving onto the next step.
- Divide coffee between ice cube tray openings and cover with lid.
- Freeze for 3 to 4 hours or until solid.
- Add your desired amount of coffee cubes into the glass and continue making the drink.
How to make iced coffee at home
While we all have our tried-and-true way of making java, we’ve included a basic method for preparing iced coffee that contains coffee cubes. To personalize the drink, add a variety of mix-ins including homemade coffee creamer, skinny syrup or even protein powder. Once you’ve nailed this method, your homemade iced coffee awaits!
Iced Coffee
Ingredients:
- 8 oz. brewed coffee, chilled
- A few frozen coffee cubes
- Milk or creamer of choice, optional
- Sweetener of choice, optional
- Additional flavorings, optional
Directions:
- Yield: 1 drink
- Place coffee cubes in tall glass.
- Pour brewed coffee, milk or creamer, sweetener and/or flavorings into glass and stir well.
- Taste and adjust sweetness or creaminess if needed. Enjoy!
- Bonus: We love brewing coffee using the L’OR BARISTA Coffee & Espresso System as it’s a single-serve machine that produces café-quality drinks at home in mere minutes!
For more refreshing chilled drinks, try these recipes below!
Homemade Coffee Milkshake Recipe: Secret Ingredient Makes It Extra Creamy + Dreamy
Strawberry Horchata Is the Perfect Sweet + Creamy Refreshing Sip — 2 Easy Recipes
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