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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
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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%
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Such an awesome recipe! I’m not a huge coffee drinker, but I love it in the summer sometimes… just like this!
I love an iced double mocha latte. I have at least one a day!
I’ve been making this same recipe for a while now – it’s my favorite! To the point where all my co-workers make fun of me for bringing it every day – whatever! haha I’ve never thought to top it with whipped cream – that is going to have to happen soon.
I love iced coffee in the summer, this looks like the perfect way to get a caffeine fix!
I have not tried this yet but I keep meaning to! I love my coffee but in the summer it isn’t as good to me. I make a “coffee syrup” that you add to milk but this sounds like a great one too :)
I love making homemade iced coffee. Once when I worked in a restaurant I used to have them everyday because they always had the ingredients and I never had to buy them! :)
I’m a coffee addict, and I’ll drink it in any form. Iced coffee is a great alternative when the weather is warm!
I keep meaning to try sweetened condensed milk in coffee! It sounds so lovely. Anyone have any tips how to best store the leftover sweetened condensed milk? And how long it’ll hold up? It might take me a few weeks to make it through a whole can.
Hi Annie, You can store leftover sweetened condensed milk in a Tupperware container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks or so.
Hi Annie. I like to make my own sweetened condensed milk by blending 4 cups sugar, 2 cups of powdered milk, 1 cup boiling water and 1 cube melted butter until smooth. This makes almost as much as two of the cans you buy at the grocery store and costs just pennies. I store mine in lidded glass containers. We go through about a container a week by adding it to our hot tea, but with all that sugar I’d imagine it would last longer than that.
Iced coffee is the best! I think I’ll be getting a lot of use of out this recipe…perfect for summer!
Looks perfect!
Thanks for the yummy looking iced coffee recipe. Another way to get a good boost of caffeine is Crystal Light Energy. They have strawberry, grape, and orange flavor in individual serving packets. Just mix it in a bottle or glass of water and you’re good to go. Definitely healthier than a bottle of pop!
Great looking recipe and congratulations on cutting down on the diet pop. Wanted to mention that you may want to also try iced tea for the summer. If you brew it yourself you can control the strength and sweeten to taste. It’s good for a little caffeine kick and some antioxidants. We drink it without sweetener at my house for less calories. Cheers!
I have a pitcher full of ice coffee! I just love it! It’s perfect for the summer! Love the recipe!!
No better drink in hot weather than iced coffee, in my opinion! I love mine with vanilla almond milk!
This looks great! I love the picture of it in the jar!
Throw that in your ice cream maker for a coffee sherbet! Really nice on a
summer day too. :)
You can save the used coffee grounds and put them in the compost or just put them around your hydrangea bushes for lovely blue flowers.
That’s such a gorgeous idea to serve iced coffee in a jar. So very pretty with the cream on top. =)
The first day of my organic chemistry class, our professor came out and said she wanted to get this out of the way first. She then proceeded to write out and explain exactly how aspartame was actually metabolized into a simple sugar. This scary rumor has been put about for years. I used to believe it myself, until I saw the truth writ large across that blackboard.
I can’t put your mind at ease, but aspartame isn’t going to make you ill. It makes my husband nervous, so he uses the yellow packet sweetener, which is simply sugar with an extra carbon molecule stuck onto it so it can’t be absorbed. The key will go in, but it won’t fit the lock, if you will. Just use that sucralose stuff in the yellow packets, it’s indisputably safe.
I like the blue packet or the yellow packet stuff, and I use both alcohol sugar (manitol, xylitol, etc.) and “regular” sugar, too — but no one in my family has diabetes or a problem with being overweight!
Thanks for the clever and scrumptious iced coffee recipe.
Xylitol is a natural sugar alternative.
Aspartame was a by product of a farming pesticides & insecticides which was found to be sweet. It was banned in lot of places before the company bought people out of their contracts on the condition that they saw it fit for food consumption first.
It was also found to be created using genetically modified (GM) bacteria.
Avoid Aspartame it is a poison, for the manufacturer it is a cheap cheap substitute for sugar
Congratulations for starting a transition away from it. You will notice a difference in the way you feel – please let us know x
Trying to reduce my own sugar consumption, i’ve found stevia (granulated) a great option. I’ve also been experimenting with liquid sweeteners such as brown rice syrup aka rice malt syrup, good in hot drinks but not as sweet as sugar x
Love iced coffee! I always save my leftover coffee, put it in a glass jar, refrigerate and the next day(s), pour over ice with cream, vanilla stevia, etc. I have always wanted to try the Pioneer Woman’s method to see how it compares to my repurposing leftovers method. Great pics – now I’m thirsty!
I have some old plastic ice cube trays and make “coffee cubes” so it won’t delete the coffee, and as it melts gives you more coffee.