The Best Iced Coffee Recipes

When the days turn hot, nothing is quite as refreshing as an iced coffee. Iced coffee can be as easy to make as pouring coffee or espresso over ice. But, if you're looking for something just a tad more interesting, there are 16 options below to tempt your tastebuds.

From deliciously smooth cold brew iced coffee to intensely sweet and creamy Thai iced coffee, and from edible cold coffee jelly to a handful of iced coffee cocktails, we predict you'll love these a latte.

Tips

For a balanced iced coffee, use a ratio of 4 cups of water for every 1 cup of coarse ground coffee.
Keep things intense by using cooled or cold brew coffee to make ice cubes that you can use in your iced coffee. That way you don't accidentally water down your beverage.

The 10 Best Cold Brew Coffee Makers, According to Our Testers

01 of 14

Cold Brew Iced Coffee

S&C Design Studios

While pouring old hot coffee over ice cubes may work for some, and others like to brew espresso right over ice for their iced coffee, the best flavor for iced coffee comes from cold-brewing the coffee in the first place and then putting it over ice.
02 of 14

Thai Iced Coffee

Thammanoon Panyakham / EyeEm / Getty Images

The use of sweetened condensed milk gives Thai iced coffee its unique and, for some, irresistible flavor. It's sweet, creamy, and intensely flavored. Because everything in it is so intense, it benefits from being poured over ice and diluted just a bit to help those flavors and textures meld as they chill.
03 of 14

Homemade Frappuccino

Leah Maroney

Frappuccinos are popular for a reason: they are insanely delicious. Save money by making frappuccinos at home. Since a frappuccino is simply espresso, milk, and sugar blended with ice, it's pretty easy. The bonus is that you can control the sugar, and play with the exact proportions
04 of 14

German Iced Coffee

Fatima Hammna/EyeEm/Getty Images

Cold coffee, ice cream, and evaporated milk—plus additional sweetener if you're so inclined—make this classic summer treat known as eiskaffee. It's popular in German sidewalk cafés during the long days of northern summer, and super easy to throw together at home.

Continue to 5 of 14 below
05 of 14

Iced Café Canario

Guido Mieth / Getty Images

This Spanish favorite can be served hot or iced. Café Canario, also known as café bombón, features espresso, condensed milk, a touch of vanilla extract, and cocoa powder. It's espresso-forward enough for the morning, while being sweet and tempting enough for an afternoon pick-me-up.
06 of 14

Dehli-Style Iced Coffee

Armstrong Studios / Getty Images

Just cold milk, instant coffee, and plenty of ice come together in this hot-weather classic. This particular version of instant iced coffee is named after Delhi, where it is popular - but similar concoctions are found in hot climates around the world. In some areas, the drink is known simply as a "Nescafé," after the instant coffee used to make it.
07 of 14

Cold Coffee Jelly

I Believe I Can Fry/Creative Commons

For those times when it's too hot out for hot coffee and you're in too much of a rush to sip anything, that's when having a batch of coffee jelly in the fridge, ready to slurp down, is needed. This easy recipe makes a coffee gelatin that's as refreshing as iced coffee without the need for ice.
08 of 14

Affogato

The Spruce Eats / S&C Design Studios

Keep glasses and ice cream in the freezer and you can enjoy this delicious Italian affogato whenever you please. It's a quick coffee dessert that's perfect for a dinner party or afternoon treat. If you don't have an espresso machine, a moka pot or stovetop brewer will do just fine.

Continue to 9 of 14 below
09 of 14

Coffee Chocolate Protein Shake

Leah Maroney

Turn your iced coffee into a snack, or even a meal, with this recipe for an iced coffee chocolate protein shake. Strong coffee or espresso, plus milk and chocolate protein powder makes this iced coffee drink a single-cup breakfast. Add a banana to turn it into a real smoothie.
10 of 14

Sombrero (Kahlua Milk)

The Spruce

Sweet coffee liqueur - commonly known by the brand name Kahlua - and milk over ice make for a refreshing, coffee-charged drink. Add a shot of espresso to kick it up a notch.
11 of 14

Spiked Iced Vanilla Latte

gordana jovanovic/E+/Getty Images

A bit of vanilla vodka brings this iced latte to the level of the perfect brunch cocktail. You can easily adjust the booze to make it stronger or weaker and the alcohol-buzz is balanced by the coffee-buzz.
12 of 14

Coffee Old-Fashioned

S&C Design Studios

Want something icy, caffeinated, and boozy? This coffee old-fashioned combines espresso, bourbon, crème de cacao, and orange bitters over plenty of ice. Watch out with this iced coffee drink—it goes down smooth and easy, but packs a real punch.

Continue to 13 of 14 below
13 of 14

Bailey's Irish Ice

Tom Pfeiffer/VolcanoDiscovery/Photographer's Choice RF/Getty Images

Bailey's Irish cream and Guinness, or vanilla ice cream with some espresso, make a lightly boozy, heavily delicious cold coffee treat. Whipped cream on top will kick it up a notch. You can sip some of this, but you'll want a spoon to really dig in and get every bit.
14 of 14

Dorda Café

Dorda

A bit of espresso, some Dorda chocolate liqueur, and some amaretto over ice make a special iced coffee cocktail known as a Dorda café. Add whipped cream to turn a delicious cocktail into something supremely special.

14 Knock-Out Iced Coffee Recipes

Tips