Orange Cold Brew Recipe

Combine coffee and water

In a jar or pitcher, add 1 cup coarsely ground coffee. Pour 4 cups cold filtered water evenly over the grounds. Gently stir once or twice to ensure all grounds are saturated.

Steep

Cover the jar and steep at room temperature or in the refrigerator for 12 to 16 hours. Steeping time toward 12 hours yields a lighter concentrate; 16 hours yields stronger, more full-bodied concentrate.

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 needed, filter a second time to remove fine sediment. This yields about 3 cups cold brew concentrate.

Store

Refrigerate the concentrate in a sealed container for up to 7 days. Use chilled for best results.

Prepare juice and zest

Zest one orange until you have about 1 tablespoon zest, avoiding the bitter white pith. Juice 2–3 oranges to yield 1 cup fresh orange juice. Strain the juice to remove pulp if you prefer a smooth syrup.

Make syrup

In a small saucepan combine 1 cup fresh orange juice, 1 cup granulated sugar, and 1 tablespoon orange zest. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat, stirring until the sugar fully dissolves. Let simmer gently for 3–4 minutes to concentrate flavor—do not boil vigorously.

Cool and strain

Remove from heat and allow syrup to cool to room temperature. Strain through a fine mesh to remove zest and any solids. Transfer to a jar and refrigerate; syrup will thicken slightly as it cools and will keep in the fridge for up to 10 days.

Dilute cold brew

For a single serving (about 12–14 oz), combine 1/3 cup cold brew concentrate with 2/3 cup cold water or milk in a mixing glass. Adjust dilution to your taste—use more concentrate for a stronger drink or more water/milk for a milder cup.

Sweeten with orange syrup

Add 2 tablespoons orange syrup to the diluted cold brew and stir to combine. Taste and add up to 1 tablespoon more syrup if you prefer sweeter or more pronounced orange flavor.

Serve over ice

Fill a serving glass with 1 cup ice. Pour the orange-flavored cold brew over the ice. Garnish with an orange slice or twist. Optionally express an orange peel over the drink (twist to release oils) and drop it in.

Notes and scaling

The recipe yields about 3 cups concentrate and ~1 cup syrup. Use recommended ratios to make multiple servings: each serving uses ~1/3 cup concentrate and 2 tablespoons syrup. Stir before serving if concentrate has settled. If you like brighter citrus, add a squeeze (1/2 tsp) of fresh lemon or lime juice per serving.