Iced Coffee Recipe

Make cold brew concentrate

Combine 1 cup coarsely ground dark-roast coffee with 4 cups cold filtered water in a large jar or pitcher. Stir gently to saturate all grounds, cover with a lid or plastic wrap, and steep at room temperature or in the refrigerator for 12 to 18 hours. (Longer steeping gives stronger, more concentrated flavor.)

After steeping, strain the coffee through a fine-mesh sieve lined with cheesecloth or a paper coffee filter into a clean container. If needed, strain a second time to remove fine sediment. You will have a cold-brew concentrate.

Make simple syrup

Combine 1 cup granulated sugar and 1 cup water in a small saucepan. Heat over medium, stirring until sugar fully dissolves and mixture is clear. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature. Transfer to a sealed container and refrigerate. This yields about 1 to 1¼ cups syrup. Use to sweeten iced coffee to taste.

Dilute concentrate and assemble iced coffees

For each serving (makes about 4 servings total): Fill a tall glass with 1/2 cup ice cubes. Add 1/2 cup cold-brew concentrate (adjust to taste; concentrate is strong — typical ratio is 1:1 concentrate to water/milk). Add 1/4 cup milk or cream. If you want a smoother, sweeter drink, add 1 to 2 tablespoons simple syrup (or to taste) and 1/4 tsp vanilla extract if using. Stir gently to combine.

Taste and adjust: add more milk for creaminess, more syrup for sweetness, or top with additional ice. Serve immediately over ice.

Storage: Keep leftover cold-brew concentrate refrigerated in a sealed container for up to 1 week. Simple syrup keeps refrigerated for up to 1 month.