How To Make Iced Coffee At Home

Learn how easy it is to make Iced Coffee at home! Make a batch of coffee concentrate to keep in the fridge and you can have iced coffee any time you want. It’s quick and way cheaper than the coffee shop and every bit as delicious!

Whether it’s Cold Brew Coffee, Creamy Bailey’s Irish Coffee, an Espresso Martini, a Cold Brew Milkshake, Homemade Frappuccino, or Iced Coffee, there’s no denying my love of coffee!!

Iced Coffee At Home

Coffee and I go way back.  A hot cup of java has greeted me first thing every morning for all of my adult life.  But in the summer, in the heat of the day…..it’s ice ice baby! Salted Caramel Iced Coffee, that is 😉 

I’ll be honest, the first time I ever tried iced coffee, I didn’t like it. It was basically really strong coffee over ice.  Then when coffee shops and Starbucks started popping up everywhere a whole new world opened up!!  First, it was frappuccinos, then I decided to try the iced coffee again, and one sip and I was in love with the tall glass of sweet creamy iced coffee.

Determined to kick my coffee shop habit (or at least cut it back) I started making iced coffee and cold brew coffee at home.  It’s super easy.

How to make Coffee Concentrate

You can pour cooled brewed coffee over ice, but it gets diluted. For a smoother, bolder iced coffee, make a cold-brew concentrate instead by steeping coffee grounds in cold water overnight.

Start the night before:
Grind 1 cup of whole coffee beans (or use ground coffee—dark roast is best) to a coarse grind. Add to a sealed container with 4 cups of water. Shake to combine and refrigerate for 8 to 24 hours.

After steeping, strain through a fine-mesh strainer lined with paper towels, a coffee filter, or cheesecloth into a clean pitcher. Store covered in the fridge.

The concentrate stays cold, so it won’t melt your ice—and the flavor stays rich and smooth.

How Do You Make Your Own Iced Coffee?

So, what you want to do is make a batch of coffee concentrate to keep in the fridge and you can have iced coffee any time you want, for a fraction of what the coffee shops charge.

What you need for Salted Caramel Iced Coffee:

• a glass (mine is from The Mason Bar Company)
• ice (if I really plan ahead I use coffee ice cubes)
• coffee concentrate (see above) or strong brew coffee, chilled
• sweetened condensed milk
• caramel syrup
• sea salt
• half and half (or milk)
• straw (optional)

I prefer a sweet creamy iced coffee and lately, salted caramel iced coffee is my flavor of choice, and it’s easy since I usually have all of the ingredients on hand.  Sweetened condensed milk is the secret to creamy iced coffee nirvana.

How To Make Iced Coffee:

(full printable directions at the end of this post)

1. You want to start with a glass filled with ice (or better yet, coffee ice cubes!)
2. Fill the glass 3/4 full with coffee concentrate (or strong brewed coffee, chilled)
3. add a few teaspoons sweetened condensed milk, caramel syrup, and a pinch of sea salt
4. Add enough half and half to top off your glass
5. add a straw, stir and enjoy your homemade iced coffee!

 

Originally posted Aug 2015. UPDATED January 2021. We spiffed up this post with more info! No changes to the original recipe.