Do you know what’s better than a hot cup of coffee? When you have it over ice on a warm/sweltering day. Whether you like your coffee dark- or medium-roasted, these easy iced coffee recipes will give you a much-needed pick-me-up when you’re starting to feel sluggish at work, especially in afternoons, when the heat is just too much to bear:
Cold brew
Get serious with your coffee game and try your hands at making your own cold brew. When preparing your cold brew, remember that 12 hours in the fridge would produce light brew and 24 hours would give you some strong coffee. You can mix it with a milk of your choice or have it plain over ice. P.S. Don’t forget to use a lot of ice when you’re having it plain — it’s twice as strong as hot coffee. Unless you want to lose sleep or really need that boost of caffeine.
Café Affogato
Don’t be intimidated by the name of this dessert-beverage concoction because it sounds fancy AF – it’s easier to make than you think. Ice cream is a summer staple and how do you make it better? By adding a shot of espresso. Affogato is a popular Italian dessert and it literally only needs two ingredients: vanilla ice cream (because you don’t normally have gelato in Pinoy homes) and a shot of your favorite coffee. It’s the perfect dessert after a nice lunch!
Vietnamese coffee
If you’re someone who treats iced coffee as a dessert, you’re in for a treat with Vietnamese coffee. This iced coffee recipe has condensed milk – the more you add, the better. It’s traditionally served and made with a Vietnamese phin or phin filter but in case you don’t have that, you can make it with instant coffee too.
Caramel macchiato
There’s no wonder why this coffee recipe is a favorite at your fave coffee shop: it’s sweet, creamy, and keeps you awake. It’s another iced coffee recipe that could double as a dessert since it uses sweet vanilla syrup and caramel sauce. The best part about making it home is you can add as much sauce as you want and no one would judge! If you don’t want to make your syrup and sauce, there are bottled ones you can buy online.
Iced mocha
Growing up, we got used to this breakfast setting: hot chocolate is for kids and coffee is for adults. But scratch this setting; you can have the best of both worlds now that you’re an adult who needs a treat from time to time. This recipe would give you a refreshing drink in a jiffy, without the need for brewing and coffee gadgets. You can just use instant coffee, cocoa, and a manually-made milk froth using a bottle.
Yuanyang
For those who want to enjoy two breakfast staples in one cup, you have to try Yuanyang. Also known as yinyeung, yuenyeung, or yinyong, yuanyang is one of the most popular drinks you can find in Hong Kong. It’s basically just coffee and tea, and it’s the combo you didn’t think you ever needed, but once you try it, you’ll definitely want more of.
Greek frappe
No, this isn’t the usual ice blended frappe you order at your local Starbucks branch. Also known as Nescafe frappe, this easy-to-make drink is a popular summer staple in Greece as it’s refreshing and uses instant coffee. If you enjoy frothy coffee then you’ll love this recipe. It’s like an inverted dalgona coffee, where the froth is the base of the drink instead of just adding it on top of ice and milk.
Simple iced coffee
This list wouldn’t be complete without a simple and basic iced coffee recipe. No need for fancy gadgets, expensive beans, or syrups and sauces. It’s just your plain coffee with ingredients you probably already have at home: instant coffee grounds, sugar, and milk. Adjust it to your own liking and you’re good to go!
What’s your go-to iced coffee recipe? Tell us below!
