Home > Recipes by Category > DIY Recipes > DIY: Iced Coffee
DIY: Iced Coffee
I have been a habitual drinker of diet pop (or soda, for everyone not from Pittsburgh) for a long, long time; probably since high school. I’m that person who will go through a drive-thru just to get a Diet Coke. I have never been a coffee drinker, so my Diet Coke fixes have long been my only source of caffeine, and some afternoons I just need it to power through. However, I recently began reading a lot of articles relating to the effects of aspartame and a little over a month ago decided that I wanted to curb how much diet pop I have been drinking. Making that resolution meant I needed a way to get a little caffeine into my system when I need it. I went back to an iced coffee recipe that I saw a couple of years ago and thought I might just like it… given the sweetened condensed milk and half-and-half. Turns out, with sweet, creamy additions, even the coffee-averse can create an iced coffee drink that they love!
This recipe is incredibly easy to make and takes virtually no time at all to prepare. Coffee grounds are steeped in water overnight, then strained through cheesecloth (or a coffee filter!) into a clean container. The coffee concentrate is chilled, then when you’re ready for a glass of iced coffee, simply fill your glass with ice, fill it up to three-quarters full of the chilled coffee and add in your sweeteners. I couldn’t resist the couple tablespoons of sweetened condensed milk and a big splash of half-and-half. For someone who has never been a big fan of the taste of coffee, this was the perfect combination. It gave the coffee a sweet, creamy flavor that I loved.
I’m thrilled to have a cold drink with a little jolt of caffeine that I can enjoy in place of my Diet Coke habit; this is perfect for my transition to less pop, as well as the upcoming warm weather.
(Don’t forget to leave some room at the top of the glass for whipped cream!)
MY OTHER RECIPES 
One year ago: Chicken Fried Steak with Sawmill Gravy
Two years ago: Top 10 List: Favorite Ice Cream Recipes
Three years ago: Baking FAQ: Answers to Common Baking Questions
Six years ago: Chicken Salad
Did you make this recipe?
A simple recipe for making iced coffee at home.
Place the coffee grounds in a large food-safe container and add the cold water. Mix with a large spoon, then cover and allow to sit overnight at room temperature.
Strain the mixture into a clean container through a fine-mesh sieve that has been lined with two layers of cheesecloth or coffee filters. Discard the coffee grounds. Chill mixture until ready to use.
To make the iced coffee, fill a glass with ice and fill it two-thirds full of the chilled coffee concentrate. Sweeten as desired. (I made mine with 2 tablespoons sweetened condensed milk and an additional splash of half-and-half.)
Nutritional values are based on one serving without diary or sweetener
Calories: 5kcal
Sodium: 15mg
Calcium: 0.9%
Did you make this recipe?
Leave a review below, then snap a picture and tag @thebrowneyedbaker on Instagram so I can see it!
Subscribe to receive new posts via email:
FYI. If you are a habitual creator of coffee concentrate for your coffee drinks, invest in a reusable nut milk bag that you can put your grounds in first and then place in water overnight.
It is a lot easier and quicker to dump the used grounds out of the bag when you are done, than straining the coffee and grounds through a cheesecloth or filters. Plus since the bag can be used over and over by just rinsing the bag and hanging dry to be ready for the next batch, you don’t have to keep buying filters and a nut milk bag will keep 99% of the grounds out of your drink.
I got mine from Amazon.
Looks perfect!
I just put coffee granules in a glass, melt with a small amount of warm water, add ice cubes and top with ice cold milk. No need for any kind of sweetener.
I’ve been making this coffee concentrate for years. I drink it year- round because I’m not a huge fan of hot coffee. I love to add flavored creamers and syrups. Chocolate syrup gives that mocha vibe, while dulce de leche is heavenly. I’ve even added extracts, like almond and coconut.
Adding 250gms of cardamom powder and few drops of vanilla extract to this recipe increases the taste of the dish. Last week I tried your nuts rolls recipe and no doubt it was one of the good desserts also my son Ryan Loved it very much , and as I was unable to post my review there and so I am doing it here. The recipe turned out great (no surprise there!) but the only change I would make is that I would lightly toast the nuts in ghee before adding it to the saffron milk before serving . It adds a wholesome flavour. Other than that you are wonderful and I am grateful that I found this delicious recipes :) I have tried a variety of tasty recipes that can be made within 30 minutes. I am sharing the link to that recipe if you wish to try it:http://www.nestle-family.com/recipes/english/30-minutes-or-less-recipes.aspx
If you don’t want/have sweetened condensed milk, make a simple syrup to sweeten. I’m a fan of throwing a vanilla bean to give it a super vanilla kick.
When you say 8 ounces of ground coffee…do you simply fill a 1-cup measuring cup with coffee grounds (since 1 cup equals 8 oz)? Just wondering how to measure it accurately. Thanks so much!
Hi Heather, No, you’ll want to weight them, or just based on the size of the package you purchased. 8 ounces = 1 cup is typically only true for liquid measurements. Non-liquid ingredients have varying volumes, so 1 cup could have much different weights depending on what you’re measuring.
Yummy. I just tried your Iced coffee. Wow. Great taste.
I love it when people come up with exciting ways to do something better that has potential positive health beneifits. That is how I lost 52 pounds. By making the choices in what I eat and what I don’t eat.
Recently I discovered an organic coffee that has the equivalent level of antioxidants as a pint of blueberries in every cup. 6 times more than other coffee.
Coffee is a great source of antioxidants and coffee is the number one source of antioxidants in the American diet. What is not known is that until recently coffee roasted using traditional methods only contained 1/6 of the antioxidants of the raw coffee bean. That is due to the high heat in the roasting process which destroys the antioxidants. There is a new Patented Roasting method that preserves the antioxidants right to the finished cup of coffee. In fact it does not alter the flavor or the taste. You can learn more about this breakthrough roasting method at http://superantioxidantcoffee.com There you will find scientific research about this break through roasting process. Super antioxidant coffee is made with organic coffee beans.
The only other thing I did to add to my nutrition levels is that I buy virgin coconut oil from Costco and I add that to my morning cup of Joe.
I am happy to report that I have not kept the weight off for two years. I did add green coffee extract to my supplementation routine. That I get at dietsfaq.com other than that I have not increased the amount I exercise. I just look for great blogs like yours. Find interesting ways to enjoy food with suggestions like your ice coffee. As a result my health improved I lost weight and I feel great.
This is a great recipe, thanks for sharing. The weather’s really hot in the UK at the moment, so I think a glass or two of this tomorrow may well be the order of the day!
Made this for the first time today and it was amazing. Used french vanilla creamer and sugar and i have to say i will never buy pre-made iced coffee again. Thank you for sharing this recipe. :)
How long can you keep the iced coffee concentrate in the fridge?
At least 2 weeks.
My coffee is “brewing” right now! I absolutely love this recipe! It tastes just as good as Dunkin Donuts or Starbucks coffee and it makes enough to last me for a week! I just add a touch of sweetened condensed milk and it’s perfect.
Good read. Iced coffee seems like a far better beverage than sodas. Thanks for the post.
I’ve been experimenting with Javita Coffee to make iced coffee. The energy coffee gets me moving and the weight loss coffee controls my appetite, I’ve lost inches and NO sweet tooth!
This looks pretty amazing!
I think you meant, I don’t like coffee but really wanted to blog about it anyway so people will pin it. Yeah, that seems more like it.
Really??
Why not just brew coffee and put it in the fridge for tomorrow? Takes up less space in the fridge.