Iced Flavored Coffee Recipe

Cold brew method (recommended for smoother iced coffee)

Combine 1 cup coarsely ground coffee with 4 cups cold water in a large jar or pitcher. Stir gently to ensure all grounds are saturated. Cover and steep in the refrigerator or at room temperature for 12–16 hours. After steeping, strain through a fine mesh sieve lined with cheesecloth or a coffee filter into a clean container. This yields concentrated cold brew. Use 1 cup of the finished concentrate diluted with water or milk to taste; the ingredient list assumes 1 cup of concentrate for this recipe.

Quick brewed method

Brew 1 cup of very strong hot coffee (use twice the usual grounds). Let it cool to room temperature, then chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes, or pour over ice to cool quickly. Note: pouring hot coffee directly over ice will dilute it, so consider using a slightly stronger brew.

If using simple syrup or flavored syrup, add 2 tablespoons to the chilled coffee concentrate or brewed coffee and stir to combine. For a vanilla-flavored drink, add 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract and 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon if desired. Taste and adjust sweetness: add more syrup (1/2 tablespoon at a time) until preferred sweetness is reached.

Fill a tall glass with 1 cup ice. Pour the sweetened chilled coffee over the ice (about 8 oz / 1 cup). Add 3 oz milk (or creamer) and 1 oz half-and-half or heavy cream if you want a richer drink. Stir gently to combine. If the coffee concentrate is very strong, dilute with 1–2 tablespoons water to adjust strength before adding milk.

Taste and adjust: if not sweet enough, stir in an additional 1/2–1 tablespoon simple syrup. If too strong, add a splash of water or more milk.

Garnish with a twist of citrus peel, a light dusting of cocoa powder, or a pinch of ground cinnamon. Insert a straw and serve immediately.