Frosty and satisfying cold coffee is a fantastic beverage treat to enjoy on a warm day. This cold coffee recipe with step-by-by photos and video is a classic for preparing blended ice coffees that are perfectly sweet, creamy and frothy – just like from your favorite cafe!
About Cold Coffee Recipe
Icy cold coffee is simply the best beverage to enjoy on a hot summer day. Even though I tend to be more of a tea drinker, I do love a good cup of coffee occasionally – and this cafe-style blended coffee drink is my favorite!
Similar to what you find at nearly every local coffee shop, this shake-like cold coffee recipe is made with sugar and milk blended together with ice. It creates a refreshing and rich beverage, with a delightfully frothy layer on top.
The taste is like a lighter Frappuccino or Frappe – but you can add flavored syrups to recreate nearly any blended iced coffee flavors.
I have used instant coffee powder to make this a quick and easy recipe. You could use either the powdered or granular instant coffee.
You can also make delicious cold coffee using traditionally brewed Filter Coffee or espresso. Prepare your drip coffee or espresso per usual, and allow it to cool (at room temperature or in the refrigerator) before using to make icy blended coffee shakes.
How to Make Cold Coffee
Make Coffee Mixture
1. Firstly, add 1 tablespoon of instant coffee to a bowl. If using brewed filter coffee or espresso you can add ¼ cup directly to the blender jar as shown in step 3 below.
2. Add ¼ cup of warm water (not hot) to the instant coffee. Stir and mix very well.
Blend Coffee Concoction
3. Add the coffee solution to a blender jar.
4. Next add 3 to 4 tablespoons of sugar.
5. Blend for a minute or until the coffee solution becomes frothy and the color fades to a lighter shade of brown.
Make Iced Cold Coffee
6. Add 6 or 7 ice cubes. For a thicker blended cold coffee use just 2 to 4 cubes of ice.
7. Then pour in 2 cups of cold or chilled milk. To make this recipe, I used whole milk. See FAQs below for low fat cold coffee tips.
8. Blend once for again just a few seconds, until everything is mixed well and you get a nice frothy and foamy layer on top.
9. Pour into tall glasses and serve cold coffee immediately. The frothy top layer will settle into the beverage as it sits, so it’s best to enjoy blended iced coffee right away.
Expert Tips
- Coffee: Make use your favorite brand of instant coffee. The instant coffee can be finely ground or in granules.
- Sweetener: Add your preferred sweetener. I always add raw sugar but you can experiment with various types of sugar like palm or coconut sugar or sweeteners like maple syrup or honey.
- For a stronger coffee flavor: If you prefer a stronger and slightly bitter taste in your cold coffee, increase the amount of instant coffee to 1.5 or 2 tablespoons.
- Creamy consistency: Include about ¼ cup of light or whipping cream while blending to make your cold coffee rich and creamy. You may need to add some sugar if you include cream. So do check the taste after the coffee is blended and add more sugar as needed.
FAQs
You can swap the ice cubes for a scoop of vanilla ice cream to make a thicker and creamy milkshake-like cold coffee. Here is a full Coffee Milkshake recipe you might want to check out!
Use skimmed milk or your preferred low fat milk. If using skimmed milk or low-fat milk, then just reduce the ¼ cup water to about 2 to 3 tablespoons.
Yes, you can. Substitute your preferred plant milk, such as almond milk, oat milk, or soy milk to make a vegan-friendly blended iced coffee shake.
Do note, however, that your cold coffee will likely not be quite as rich and frothy as versions made with dairy milk.
Feel free to add a 1 ounce shot (2 tablespoons) of your favorite flavored syrup to the recipe. You can make a vanilla, hazelnut, or amaretto coffee shake – whatever you like!
For a chocolate mocha cold coffee, add 1 tablespoon of cocoa powder or chocolate syrup before you blend for a second time.
Yes! As written this recipe yields approximately 2 beverages that are about 8 to 10 oz each. You can double ingredients for larger drinks or more servings.
More Drinks To Try!
World Recipes
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Cold Coffee Recipe (Creamy & Cafe Style)
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon instant coffee – powder or granules
- ¼ cup warm water
- 3 to 4 tablespoon raw sugar or add as required
- 2 cups whole milk – cold or chilled
- 6 to 8 ice cubes or as needed – optional
Instructions
- In a blender take your instant coffee, raw sugar, add warm water.
- Blend for a minute or until the coffee solution becomes frothy and the brown color lightens a bit.
- Add 6 to 7 ice cubes. For a thick cold coffee, you can reduce the ice cubes from 2 to 4.
- Pour 2 cups cold milk.
- Whole milk gives a slightly thicker consistency and is richer. You can opt to make the cold coffee with skimmed milk or low-fat milk. If you decided to add either, then reduce the ¼ cup water to about 2 to 3 tablespoons.
- Blend for 1 to 2 minutes or until the milk is mixed evenly with the coffee concoction and you see a nice frothy layer on top.
- Pour in glasses and serve cold coffee. The frothy top layer will settle into the beverage as it sits, so it’s best to enjoy blended iced coffee right away.
Video
Notes
Ingredients and Recipe Notes
- Coffee: Use your favorite brand of Instant Coffee. The instant coffee can be finely ground or in granules.
- Sweetener: Use your preferred sweetener. I always add raw sugar but you can experiment with various types of sugar like palm or coconut sugar or sweeteners like maple syrup or honey.
- More coffee: If you prefer a stronger and slightly bitter taste in your cold coffee, increase the amount of instant coffee to 1.5 or 2 tablespoon.
- Scaling: This recipe yields approximately 2 beverages that are about 8 to 10 oz each. You can double ingredients for larger drinks or more servings.
Variations
- Make a rich Coffee Milkshake: You can swap the ice cubes for a scoop of vanilla ice cream to make a thicker and creamy milkshake-like cold coffee. Here is a full Coffee Milkshake recipe you might want to check out!
- Make it rich and creamy: Add about ¼ cup of light or whipping cream while blending to make your cold coffee rich and creamy. You may need to add some sugar if you include cream. So do check the taste after the coffee is blended and add more sugar as needed.
- Make it low fat: Use skimmed milk or your preferred low fat milk. If using skimmed milk or low-fat milk, then just reduce the ¼ cup water to about 2 to 3 tablespoons.
- Make it vegan: Substitute your preferred plant milk, such as almond milk, oat milk, or soy milk to make a vegan-friendly blended iced coffee shake.
- Make flavored blended cold coffee: Feel free to add a 1 ounce (2 tablespoons) shot of your favorite flavored syrup to the recipe. You can make a vanilla, hazelnut, or amaretto coffee shake – whatever you like!
- Make Mocha Cold Coffee: For a chocolate mocha cold coffee, add 1 tablespoon of cocoa powder or chocolate syrup before you blend for a second time.
Nutrition Info (Approximate Values)
This Cold Coffee recipe from the blog archives was first published in May 2015. It has been updated and republished on April 2023.
Just tried it, so good and quick to make, thanks for all the wonderful recipes you post – especially love the video recipes.
thank you aparna for this feedback. yes, this cold coffee is easy and too good. most welcome.
Thanks for this recipe.. Me n My Husband throughly enjoyed it.. It’s a go to bed drink!!
Wonderful…I followed the recipe and it was the best home made cold coffee ever! Thanks.
Welcome Pallavi. Glad to know that you liked this cold coffee recipe.
It’s so yummy
Thank you so much for this recipe. This is probably one of the best cold coffees I have ever had. Bless you!
Welcome Monica. Thanks for your best wishes and positive feedback.