These Iced Coffee Recipes (iced vanilla latte, mocha & caramel machiatto) are AMAZING! Keep the homemade syrups in the fridge all summer!
Ingredients and substitutions
- Ice cubes – use crushed ice, medium-sized ice cubes or large blocks of ice.
- Espresso shots – you can also used brewed coffee for a regular iced coffee.
- Milk – use any dairy or non-dairy milk of your choice.
Simple syrup
- Sugar – substitute for a cup-for-cup sugar substitute like stevia.
Vanilla latte syrup
- Vanilla extract – pure vanilla extract, artificial vanilla extract or vanilla bean will all work.
- Simple syrup – you can try just using sugar, but it won’t dissolve as well.
Iced mocha syrup
- Simple syrup – see substitution notes above.
- Cocoa powder – chocolate syrup, chocolate syrup or Nutella would also be good variations, but will have a higher calorie count. Add some mint extract for an iced peppermint mocha!
Iced caramel macchiato syrup
- Simple syrup – see substitution notes above.
- Dulce de leche – if you don’t have any dulce de leche at home, boil a can of sweetened condensed milk for 3 hours in a large pot of boiling water.
How to make iced coffee
- Make the syrup.
- Brew the coffee.
- Pour everything over ice.
- Serve and enjoy!
Espresso vs. brewed coffee
I don't know about you, but hot or cold, I like my coffee STRONG. To get a stronger coffee flavour, I like to pick a dark roast over a medium or blonde roast, but it all depends on your personal preference.
For these iced coffee recipes, you can use either espresso or brewed coffee. You will get that stronger coffee flavour with espresso shots, and honestly this is the way I prefer to make my iced coffee because the shots blend with the ice to create a cold liquid right away and then all you have to do is add your milk and sweetener.
Proper iced coffee using brewed coffee on the other hand takes an hour or two to chill, and who the hell wants to wait that long?! You can choose either method, but just be aware that you'll have your iced coffee in hand much quicker by using short espresso shots and pouring them over ice.
Frequently Asked Questions
These iced coffee recipes aren’t just regular coffee that’s been left out on the counter to cool down! They’re actually fresh coffee that’s served over ice, so you’re still drinking fresh coffee, just in a chilled form.
Iced coffee isn’t necessarily healthy, but as long as you drink it in moderation and don’t go overboard on the sweeteners, it’s not bad for you. Just like everything else, make sure you consume it in moderation!
What you put in your iced coffee depends on whatever you’re in the mood for. I’ve listed three different iced coffee recipes below for you to try, but with all the different sweeteners and milks you can add, the flavour options are endless! You can also try adding in some mint extract, vanilla extract, coconut extract, coconut milk, almond milk, sweetened condensed milk, vanilla ice cream, coffee ice cubs, Nutella, chocolate milk, chocolate syrup, Kalua or Bailey’s.
Choosing the right ice for your iced coffee is key! Crushed ice is the most popular kind but you can also use medium-sized iced cubes, which is what a lot of people typically have on hand, or larger blocks of ice if you plan on drinking your coffee outside (since the ice takes longer to melt).
The Best Iced Coffee Recipes
These are three of my favourite iced coffee flavours. Of course, you can mix and match with different flavour options! Just stick to the basic formula of ice, coffee and flavoured syrup.
Making the Iced Caramel Macchiato
The trick to this Iced Caramel Machiatto recipe is making the rich dulce de leche caramel syrup and layering the espresso and milk; it’s way easier than you think too!
Start with an empty cup full of ice, then add a couple tablespoons of the syrup. Brew your espresso, and pour it very delicately over the milk of your choice – I usually go with 2% but whole milk makes this drink extra creamy and over the top.
If you don’t have dulce de leche at home (you can usually find it with the jams or in the ice cream isle of your local grocery store), simply boil a can of sweetened condensed milk for 3 hours in a large pot of gently boiling water.
Making the Iced Vanilla Latte
Vanilla lattes are so easy to make and you don’t need to splurge on an expensive vanilla bean to get good flavour with this syrup. Like the rest of the syrups here, the formula is pretty straightforward. Make a plain simple syrup by mixing boiling water and sugar together, then add in your flavouring of choice.
For this vanilla latte, I used plain old artificial vanilla extract but you could use the more expensive pure extract or opt for the vanilla bean if you can find them. But really, the vanilla latte is the easiest of all to make. Like the machiatto, start with an empty cup full of ice. Brew two espresso shots and pour them over the ice, then stir in 1 cup of milk and add vanilla syrup to your taste. Yum!
Making the Iced Mocha
This chocolate iced mocha is made very similarly to the vanilla latte, and you probably already have the main ingredient at home: cocoa powder! Make the simple syrup from the Vanilla recipe above, mix in a tablespoon of cocoa, and you’re good to go. Start with an empty cup full of ice, pour your espresso shots overtop, mix in some milk and some chocolate syrup. Super easy!
If you really want to take this iced mocha over the top, you could also use chocolate milk, or even add in a little mint extract to make it an iced peppermint mocha. Amazing combo right?! There are so many ways to get creative with iced coffee!
Can you store leftover iced coffee in the fridge?
Yes and no. This really depends on how much of a coffee snob you are to be honest. If you're used to a fresh brew, storing any leftovers in the fridge may not be a good idea. Cold brew typically lasts 2 to 3 days in the fridge if you've covered it properly – the flavours will last a bit longer because it's brewed cold.
However, drip coffee that has been chilled has a shorter shelf life before the robust coffee flavour starts to disappear and become stale. I wouldn't recommend keeping it for more than 24 hours. However, there will be nothing inherently wrong with the coffee other than the taste so feel free to go ahead and judge by your taste buds.
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- Pick up some coffee beans or pre-ground coffee such as Lavazza.
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- And if you're feeling really lazy and just want your coffee already, these iced coffee syrups are an AWESOME way to jazz up your summer drinks!
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The Best Iced Coffee Recipes
Ingredients
Simple syrup base
- 3 cups sugar
- 3 cups water
Iced Vanilla Latte syrup
- 1 cup simple syrup
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
Iced Mocha syrup
- 1 cup simple syrup
- 1 tbsp cocoa powder
Iced Caramel Machiatto syrup
- 1 cup simple syrup
- 1/4 cup dulce de leche
FOR EACH DRINK
- Handful of ice cubes
- 2 espresso shots
- 1/2 cup milk (I use 2% but you can use skim or whole as well!)
Instructions
For syrups
- Prepare in advance: Bring 1 cup water and 1 cup sugar to a boil in a large pot on the stove. Boil for 1 minute, then divide 2 cups of the simple syrup among 2 heat-safe mason jars (1 cup of syrup in each jar).
- Stir cocoa powder into 1 mason jar to make the chocolate syrup, then stir vanilla extract into another to make the vanilla syrup.
- With the remaining simple syrup left in the pot on the stove, stir in the dulce de leche. You may want to turn the heat back on the stove and stir to ensure the dulce de leche gets dissolved. Pour this syrup into a third mason jar.
- Let all 3 syrups cool for 30 minutes before using. Syrups can be kept in the fridge up to 4 weeks.
For drinks
- Brew espresso shots using an espresso maker. Add ice to a large glass, then pour espresso shots and milk over top. Add in 1-2 tbsp syrup of your choice. Serve and enjoy!
- To make the machiatto: add syrup to the bottom of a glass, top with ice, add milk and then slowly pour espresso shots over the top of a spoon to create that layered effect. Enjoy!
Comments & Reviews
Chris says
Being a fan of Lavazza (Espresso Armonico, Gran Selezione, and Espresso Italiano) your recipe truly speaks to me. It is wonderful, thank you! For my ice I’ll partly fill a traditional ice cube tray with espresso shots and freeze; they’re not visually appealing but it works without watering down the refreshing iced coffee.
Taylor Stinson says
Love the idea of using ice cube trays, Chris!
Olivia says
This recipe is good and the entire website is amazing. It has all the factors you need like jump to recipe, Print, doubling the recipe for you, the option of the printed picture, and the best of all-amazing recipes!
Cc says
How do you make espresso shots? 😩
Taylor Stinson says
You will need an espresso maker to do so. You may want to consult the manual for the particular make and model of your espresso maker as all of them operate differently. I personally use a Nespresso machine where it’s easy to insert a pod and just press a button so this could be an option for you if you use a Keurig or Tassimo machine to make coffee. Otherwise, you can sub in regular brewed coffee that has been cooled.
Marianne says
Thank you for this recipe!! I don’t have an esspresso machine and for me, mixing coffee with ice and dairy, waters it down too much for me so I’m gonna try this with my coffee concentrate i make using my instant pot! Can’t wait to try my hand at one of these!!
Jeff says
After boiling the water and adding sugar, how much caramel syrup do you suggest adding? I am using Torani sugar free classic caramel syrup.
Taylor Stinson says
Hey Jeff – I know this may not be super helpful but you should go by taste. I always recommend starting with 1 tbsp and adding a little bit more from there as everyone’s tolerances for sweetness can range. Hope you enjoy!
Heather says
When making the simple syrup For the mocha recipe do you add both the vanilla band the cocoa powder or just the cocoa powder?
Heather says
When making the simple syrup For the mocha iced coffee do you still add the vanilla or just the cocoa powder?
Taylor Stinson says
Hey Heather – you just mix together the simple syrup and cocoa powder for the iced mocha. The vanilla is for the vanilla latte!
Heather says
Can’t wait to try your coffee recipes they sound great. My husband and I are trying to find yummy recipes to try so we can cut out the expensive trips to dunkin. My question is with your recipes can you use regular brewed coffee or does it have to be espresso shots?
Taylor Stinson says
Hey Heather! You can use either brewed coffee or espresso, it doesn’t matter so much 🙂
Katie says
Does the simple syrup require refrigeration? Also, approximately how long does it last?
Taylor Stinson says
Hey Katie! You can keep the simple syrup on the counter in a sealed jar for 3-4 days, but it will last a lot longer in the fridge; typically a month or more!
Jeanette H Hamrick says
I made all 3 syrups this morning and this has got to be the easiest recipes I have ever made. I personally am not a big fan of vanilla in my coffee but my daughter and granddaughter really liked the vanilla syrup. As far as the mocha syrup goes, I am the only one of the 3 of us that tried the mocha and it was okay, a little bitter for my taste but after I added another 1/8 of a cup of the simple syrup it was delicious. The caramel was by the far our favorite syrup without having to tweak it at all. It was wonderful! I still have some dulce de leche left over along with more simple syrup but I feel sure that will not be a problem since we all like the syrups. I should have bought stock in Starbuck’s and I would be rich just from the amount of iced coffee and frappacino I drink every day by myself. This recipe is definitely going to save me money since I am hooked on frappacinos and drink at least one a day every day. Thank you so much for posting these recipes.
Taylor Stinson says
I’m so thrilled you love all these iced coffee recipes Jeanette, and I’m so happy they’ve saved you some money from buying coffees out! That makes me so happy 🙂 Thanks for leaving your review!
Jo says
This sounds delish!! You said that you love to start your day off with one of these. So my question is, do you make the coffee the night before and refrigerate it? I don’t know if I can wait an hour for it to chill first thing in the am lmao
Taylor Stinson says
Hah, totally with you on the waiting Jo! You can totally leave it to chill overnight then just pour over ice in the morning 🙂
Jack says
Trying over and over to sell us a coffee machine!
Taylor Stinson says
There was a disclaimer at the top of this post announcing a sponsorship. This is in part what helps to keep my website up and running as I otherwise create recipes available to the public for free. There are still three free recipes that you get as part of this post with no obligation to buy the coffee machine that I used.
JenJen says
Thanks for the recipes. They sound and look delicious 😉