Iced Coffees Recipe

Combine coffee and water

Add 1 cup coarsely ground coffee to a clean pitcher or large mason jar. Pour 4 cups cold filtered water over the grounds, making sure all grounds are saturated. Stir gently to combine.

Steep

Cover the pitcher or jar and let steep at room temperature or in the refrigerator for 12 to 18 hours. Longer steep time increases strength; 12 hours is a good balance.

Strain

After steeping, strain the coffee through a fine mesh sieve lined with a coffee filter or a double layer of cheesecloth into a clean container. Press or gently squeeze the grounds to extract liquid, then discard grounds.

Store

Transfer the cold brew concentrate to a sealed container and refrigerate. Concentrate will keep for up to 1 week chilled.

Fill a tall glass with about 1 cup of ice cubes.

Pour in 1/2 cup (120 ml) cold brew concentrate.

Dilute with 1/2 cup (120 ml) cold water or milk to taste. For richer, creamier iced coffee use milk or cream; for a lighter cup use water.

Stir gently to combine and cool. Taste and adjust sweetness or flavorings as desired.

For sweetened iced coffee add 1–2 tablespoons simple syrup per serving and stir to dissolve. Simple syrup mixes in cold liquids better than granulated sugar.

To make a vanilla iced coffee add 1/4 tsp vanilla extract to the glass and stir. To make mocha, add 1 tablespoon chocolate syrup and stir until incorporated.

If using milk or cream, pour 1–2 tablespoons on top for swirl and extra creaminess. Top with whipped cream if desired.

Garnish with a straw or a light dusting of cocoa or cinnamon if desired. Serve immediately.

Scale: The recipe quantities for the cold brew base produce about 4 cups concentrate; dilute each serving 1:1 with water or milk for four 12-ounce (approximately) iced coffees. Adjust concentrate-to-water ratio for stronger or weaker coffee.