Iced Coffee Recipe

Combine coffee and water

In a large jar or pitcher, add 1 cup coarsely ground coffee. Pour 4 cups cold filtered water evenly over the grounds. Stir gently to ensure all grounds are wetted.

Steep

Cover the jar with a lid or plastic wrap and let steep in the refrigerator or at room temperature for 12 to 16 hours. Longer steep (up to 18 hours) yields a stronger concentrate; shorter (8–10 hours) is milder.

Strain

After steeping, strain the coffee through a fine mesh sieve lined with a coffee filter, cheesecloth, or a nut milk bag into a clean container. If necessary, strain a second time to remove fine sediment. The result is a cold brew concentrate.

Store concentrate

Cover and refrigerate the concentrate for up to 1 week. The concentrate will be strong — typically a 1:4 coffee to water ratio — and is ready to dilute when serving.

Prepare glass

Fill a tall glass with 1/2 to 1 cup ice cubes (about 1 to 2 cups by volume depending on size of glass).

Dilute concentrate

Pour 1/2 cup cold brew concentrate into the glass. Add about 1/2 to 1 cup cold water or milk to dilute to drinking strength (adjust to taste). Typical dilution is 1 part concentrate to 1–2 parts water/milk.

Sweeten and flavor

Add 1–2 tablespoons simple syrup (adjust to taste) and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract if using. Stir well to combine — simple syrup blends easily with cold liquid. Taste and adjust sweetener or milk level as desired.

Add milk or cream (optional)

If you like your iced coffee creamy, pour 1–2 ounces (about 1/8–1/4 cup) milk, cream, or non-dairy milk over the drink and stir. For a layered look, pour milk slowly over the back of a spoon.

Serve

Top with a few additional ice cubes if needed and serve immediately. Leftover concentrate can be refrigerated and used within one week; adjust dilution and flavor each time you serve.