How to Make Simple Iced Coffee

Co-authored by wikiHow Staff

Last Updated: September 21, 2023 Tested

Iced coffee is a yummy summer treat, perfect for a warm summer evening. Homemade iced coffee is even better, and there are many different ways in which to make it. It is far less expensive than the iced coffee you get from a cafe. Better yet, you can customize it to your personal tastes.

Ingredients

Instant Iced Coffee ^{[1]
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¾ tablespoon (14 grams) instant coffee
5 to 6 tablespoons (75 to 90 milliliters) hot water
1 tablespoon (15 grams) sugar
Ice (to taste)
Creamer, half-and-half, or milk (to taste)

Basic Iced Coffee ^{[2]
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1 cup (140 grams) ice
1 cup (240 milliliters) coffee, room temperature or chilled
Sugar (to taste)
Cream, half-and-half, or milk (to taste)

Cold Brewed Iced Coffee ^{[3]
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1/3 cup (40 grams) ground coffee
1 1/3 cups (320 milliliters) cold water
Sugar (to taste)
Creamer, half-and-half, or milk (to taste)

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Making Basic Iced Coffee

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1
Brew a cup of coffee. If you have not already, get out your coffee maker, and brew a cup of coffee. Try to make it on the stronger side, as the ice will water it down later on.
- Consider adding the sugar now. Sugar dissolves better in hot drinks than it does in cold drinks.
If you just add ice to it, it will not be cold enough. You'll need to let the coffee cool down a little. Room temperature will be enough. If you'd like your iced coffee even colder, wait 15 to 20 minutes, then place it into the fridge for a little bit.

Don't stick your hot coffee straight into the fridge. You'll risk the cup breaking. The hot steam will also raise the temperature of your fridge.

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You can use regular ice cubes, or ice cubes made from frozen coffee. Avoid filling the glass all the way with ice, or you may not have enough room for the coffee. You can always add more ice later, if it is not enough for you.
If you need to add more ice, do so now.
If you have not already, add the sugar to your drink now. Start with a splash of cream and a spoonful of sugar, stir, and taste. Add more cream and/or sugar until you get your coffee to where you like it.
The longer you let it sit, the more watery it will become.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Making Cold Brewed Iced Coffee

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Stir the coffee until there are no more lumps or clumps. You can use a spoon, fork, or whisk. Many people find that iced coffee brewed this way has a bitter taste to it.
2
Cover the jar and leave it in the fridge for up to 5 hours. This is what makes the coffee "cold brewed." Instead of brewing quickly in hot water, the coffee brews slowly in cold water. Cold brewed coffee is usually less acidic than hot brewed coffee.
- Avoid leaving the coffee in the fridge overnight, or it will taste bitter. ^{[4]
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Make sure that you have enough room for the coffee. You can always add more ice later, if it is not enough for you.
The filter-lined strainer will catch the coffee grounds when you pour the coffee.
Squeeze and press the coffee grounds against the filter-lined strainer using the back of a spoon or spatula. This will help get the excess coffee out of the grounds. ^{[5]
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When you are done, throw the grounds away, or use them to fertilize your garden.
6
Add milk and sugar. Start with a splash of milk (or creamer) and a spoonful of sugar. Give it a stir, and taste it. If you need to add more milk or sugar, do so now.
- Make sure that you stir well to help the sugar dissolve.
As the ice melts, your coffee will become more watery and diluted.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Making Instant Iced Coffee

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You are adding the sugar with the instant coffee because it dissolves better in hot water than in cold. If you like your iced coffee less sweet, use less sugar.
Boil the water first, then add it to the instant coffee-sugar mixture. Keep stirring until the sugar and instant coffee dissolve. Don't worry if your coffee looks strong. It will become less strong once you add the ice in.

Use less water for a stronger coffee, and more water for a weaker coffee. Keep in mind that the coffee will become even weaker once you add the ice.
Don't worry if the ice melts; it most certainly will from the hot coffee. These first few ice cubes will dilute the strong coffee mixture and help cool it down initially.
4
Add in the rest of the ice cubes. You can add as many or as few cubes as you'd like. This ice is what will make your coffee nice, cold, and icy.
- For a lightly-iced coffee, plop in a few cubes. For a regular iced coffee, fill the glass almost to the top. The ice will melt quickly at first, but it will slow down once the coffee becomes cold.
If you'll like a lighter iced coffee, you can also add some cold water. Give the coffee a final stir to mix in the creamer.
The longer you wait, the more watery your iced coffee will become.

Community Q&A

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Question

How many ice cubes do I use with Instant Coffee?

Community Answer

This is to your preference. Keep in mind how strong or how weak you like your coffee so you know how many you like.

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Question

Can I use regular ground coffee to make cold brew coffee?

Community Answer

Yes. Cold brew should be steeped in water in the fridge overnight, and then the grounds are filtered out. I use my French press to simplify the process.

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Question

Can I add warmed milk?

Community Answer

Of course you can, but keep in mind that it will slightly change the temperature of your iced coffee.

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Tips

Consider using a flavored creamer instead of milk and sugar. It will mix into the coffee better. ^{[6]
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To make Vietnamese iced coffee, use 1 tablespoon of sweetened, condensed milk instead of milk and sugar. ^{[7]
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Consider making a big batch of cold-brewed coffee. You will need about 1 cup of water for every ounce of coffee grounds. ^{[8]
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Tips from our Readers

The advice in this section is based on the lived experiences of wikiHow readers like you. If you have a helpful tip you’d like to share on wikiHow, please submit it in the field below.

Grind fresh coffee beans to use for your iced coffee so you have the most flavorful cup.
Brew fresh coffee at double the strength because the ice will melt and dilute it.

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Warnings

Don't put a cup of hot coffee straight into the fridge or freezer. You'll risk your mug cracking or breaking. You'll also raise the inside temperature of your freezer/fridge and cause the other food to thaw.

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