How to make my own iced coffee?

I seriously ADORE coffee. When it's hot, I just drink it black (I think it taste better that way), but iced coffee this summer is seriously becoming my downfall. I searched it up, and a small caramel iced coffee from McDonalds, while it is 130 calories, has 20g of sugar! I'm pretty sure starbucks coffee isn't far off.

Does anyone have any recipes or ideas on making iced coffee at home that doesn't have that many grams of sugar?
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Replies

  • I've read about people cold brewing their coffee overnight in the fridge, but I don't have the fridge space, since I share my fridge with 2 other people. Instead, I have an ice cube tray that I fill with cold coffee and freeze. Then I either make coffee earlier than I plan to drink it, and let it cool. Add the ice cubes, milk (almond, soy, cow, whatever I have on hand!), and sweetener of choice. Much easier to control what is going into it, and the ice doesn't water it down!
  • BarackMeLikeAHurricane
    BarackMeLikeAHurricane Posts: 3,400 Member
    Ice + unsweetend almond milk + splenda (or stevia if you're weird).
  • jaireed
    jaireed Posts: 333 Member
    I am addicted to Maxwell House Sugar Free Suisse Decaf (I'm pregnant) coffee. I put 1 and 1/3 tbs in a large glass mix in about two tbs hot water. (You can boil it in the microwave and then add the instant coffee) put in ice and cold water. I top mine off with two tbs fat free half and half when I want an extra special treat. The coffee is 30 calories and the half and half is 20. Yum! I think I'll make some right now!
  • LAW_714
    LAW_714 Posts: 258
    The trick is to make double strength coffee. Starbucks is using espresso, plus you're adding ice. Make your coffee double strength. If you intend to sweeten, do it while hot. Then refrigerate. When cooled you can add milk or cream as you would like and pour over ice.
  • brnidsusn
    brnidsusn Posts: 13 Member
    I brew my coffee really strong for iced coffee. I have cold brewed too( think coffee crack lol) I like to sprinkle a lil cinnamon and/or baking cocoa powder in the grounds. I have fun experimenting. I put chili with the cocoa & cinnamon for mocha loca and pumpkin or apple spice for fall. also I sometimes use extracts like vanilla or almond instead of flavored creamers. I am trying to eat clean and like to know what is going in my body. this is a heck of a lot more economical than flavored creamers or coffee shops even mcd's ( omg stay away from the frappe, what ever you do!) weaning myself off sweetener & creamer. I used to drink it black. so much lighter & refreshing! I can drink tea black, iced or hot, no problem.
  • JRadd14
    JRadd14 Posts: 206 Member
    I have a small cold brew glass pitcher I got off amazon. Brews overnight and it quite strong, but good for iced coffee. And cold brew is less acidic. I add almond or coconut milk, coconut milk creamer, and sweetener (currently using Sun Crystals - a sugar/stevia blend). I'm currently trying out different ratios to get the right creaminess/sweetness/coffee kick ratio. Cold brew coffee is quite strong so I may need to dilute it some. Also I'm having a hard time achieving the "creaminess" I'm looking for... the testing continues!

    Oh, and flavored coffees and/or adding spices to the grounds is a great idea (as stated above). I'm currently trying out some of the Dunkin Donuts flavored coffees such as Strawberry Shortcake and Chocolate Glazed Donut... yum!
  • pcastagner
    pcastagner Posts: 1,606 Member
    I'm in Japan at the moment, where vending machines have cold unsweetened coffee in cans. I think it is espresso and drip coffee blended. It's awesome!
  • theepervette
    theepervette Posts: 638 Member
    Make coffee.. let it cool down a bit then add ice..... Ice Coffee.
  • c_tap77
    c_tap77 Posts: 189 Member
    I have a Keurig and buy the iced coffee pods for it. They have the flavor but the calories are way less than McDonalds or Starbucks.
  • cadaverousbones
    cadaverousbones Posts: 421 Member
    after you brew coffee, pour into an ice cube tray and freeze. Then when you make coffee in the morning you can use the frozen coffee ice cubes so it doesn't water down the coffee. Add some fat free/sugar free cream or milk or sugar free flavoring syrup (you can purchase flavor syrups in the coffee isle) The sugar free flavor syrups have 0 cals and they are the same kind they use at coffee shops. Also, if you get soy or almond milk when you go to a coffee shop (or at home!) it cuts down a lot of calories/fat
  • tmpecus78
    tmpecus78 Posts: 1,206 Member
    Make coffee.. let it cool down a bit then add ice..... Ice Coffee.

    pretty complicated ****. Now if only I could figure out how to make Iced Tea. :sad:
  • girlcalledryan
    girlcalledryan Posts: 241 Member
    I cold brew 4oz dark roast grounds in 1/2 gal water on the counter for 8 hours. Strain through cheese cloth or paper towels in a collander over a mixing bowl and store in a pitcher in the fridge. Serve over ice (or coffee ice cubes as mentioned above) I love mine with skim milk and granulated splenda (not the packets).
  • megsmom2
    megsmom2 Posts: 2,362 Member
    Cold brewed overnight.....put a half cup coffee and two cups water in your French press...put in the fridge overnight. In the morning hit the plunger, and voila! ! Yummy cold brewed iced coffee. You're welcome.
  • KANGOOJUMPS
    KANGOOJUMPS Posts: 6,474 Member
    um, not hard,
    make coffee, add ice, and whiskey.
    yum.
  • saxmaniac
    saxmaniac Posts: 1,133 Member
    Make a pot of coffee. Drink some or none of it. Let it cool to room temperature, and put the rest into the fridge.

    The next day, drink it. Adjust to your taste. I just use a splash of milk and a little bit of Splenda.
  • Coffee + Ice + a little stevia + a little milk if you want some + cocoa powder + blend = Iced coffee!
  • BrittanyAnnL
    BrittanyAnnL Posts: 140
    I brew a really large pot, refrigerate the leftovers. In the morning I add a few ice cubes, coffee, almond milk vanilla, and a packet of stevia. Super easy and a lot cheaper than starbucks.
  • laserturkey
    laserturkey Posts: 1,680 Member
    Brew coffee. Pour over ice. Boom!

    I drink mine unsweetened, the same way I drink my iced tea.
  • daffodilsoup
    daffodilsoup Posts: 1,972 Member
    I make cold-brew coffee in a huge mason jar and keep it in the fridge. Since it's not "brewed" in the traditional sense, I find it less acidic.

    1 cup coarse-ground coffee
    4 cups cold water

    Swirl water over the coffee grounds, making sure ALL the grounds are soaked. Store in the fridge for 10-15 hours, then filter through a cheesecloth or coffee filter.

    Then I add 1-2 tablespoons of soy creamer per class and a little sugar-free vanilla or caramel syrup. A great start to a summer day!
  • xampx
    xampx Posts: 323 Member
    I make a vanilla protein shake with almond milk and tons of ice, blend it with either a shot of cooled espresso or a spoonful of dried coffee.

    I add a couple of calorie free toffee flavour drops if I am going all out.... Thats about 150 cals
  • keyboardwench
    keyboardwench Posts: 121 Member
    The Tim Hortons method of making ice coffee is
    1. Brew about 4-6 pots of coffee, put in large metal canteen thing.
    2. Let coffee cool in fridge for 4 hours, bring it out. Last 12 hours on the floor.
    3. Serve with preset amount of cream (aka a lot) and a pump of beverage base (a liquid sweetner thing; size small gets one pump, medium 2, and large 3) then put a crap load of ice in as well. Add flavourshot if requested.

    Easy to do at home! Just chill some coffee for a while and add in what you like. Use milk instead of cream if that's your preference, sweetner or sugar or none, half and half, whatever!
  • lilcassers
    lilcassers Posts: 163
    I make a cup on my keurig the night before and put it in the fridge. In the morning, I add a 1/4 cup of coconut milk and a 1/2 pack of stevia which is all natural :)
  • Fabnover40Kat
    Fabnover40Kat Posts: 300 Member
    I just heard a commercial this am for Blue Diamond Almond Milk Iced Latte...may just need to add your own brew to it, also stated it was only 5 cals per serving!
  • BlessedBe23
    BlessedBe23 Posts: 82 Member
    I can't help with the sugar grams the way I make it, but I can tell you how I make it and you could use artificial sweeterner if you use those.....you can buy Bustelo espresso powder at Publix. Put a tablespoon of it in a cup, add appropriate sweeterner, add water to about half way up the cup to disolve. Add ice.....top off with flavored creamer and a splash of milk. Just like at Dunkin Donuts and Starbucks, for pennys a drink!
  • angelique_redhead
    angelique_redhead Posts: 782 Member
    :laugh: That's IRISH coffee.
    um, not hard,
    make coffee, add ice, and whiskey.
    yum.
  • CM9178
    CM9178 Posts: 1,251 Member
    we make iced coffee in our coffeemaker at home all the time, it has a setting for iced coffee on it. It is the Hamilton Beech Brewstation.
    We also buy the Iced coffee k-cups and use them in our Keurig.
  • Fabnover40Kat
    Fabnover40Kat Posts: 300 Member
    I just heard a commercial this am for Blue Diamond Almond Milk Iced Latte...may just need to add your own brew to it, also stated it was only 5 cals per serving!

    It's actually 100 cals per serving!
  • Joreanasaurous
    Joreanasaurous Posts: 1,384 Member
    Could you brew coffee and put in icecube trays and freeze so you have blocks of ready made coffee? Blend with ice and milk and drizzle with caramel or chocolate?
  • CM9178
    CM9178 Posts: 1,251 Member
    I just heard a commercial this am for Blue Diamond Almond Milk Iced Latte...may just need to add your own brew to it, also stated it was only 5 cals per serving!

    It's actually 100 cals per serving!
    yikes
  • zenchild
    zenchild Posts: 680 Member
    French press overnight in the fridge. I have a French press travel mug (Bodum) that I use. It was supposed to be a coffee maker for when we travel because hotel coffee is foul. It's turned into a "it's 104 degrees and 98% humidity and if I drink anything hot I'll die" coffee maker. It works great. Set it up the night before (grounds, sweetener, milk and all) and in the morning it's ready to go.