Cold Coffee (Cafe Style Recipe)
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 This Cold Coffee
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.
Step-by-Step Guide
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!
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Cold Coffee (Cafe Style Recipe)
Frosty and satisfying Cold Coffee is a fantastic treat to enjoy on a warm day. This Cold Coffee recipe is a classic for preparing blended ice coffees that are perfectly sweet, creamy and frothy – just like from your favorite cafe!
Prep Time 15 mins
Cook Time 0 mins
Total Time 15 mins
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.
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 Facts
Cold Coffee (Cafe Style Recipe)
Amount Per Serving
Calories 229 Calories from Fat 72
% Daily Value*
Fat 8g12%
Saturated Fat 5g31%
Cholesterol 24mg8%
Sodium 110mg5%
Potassium 416mg12%
Carbohydrates 32g11%
Sugar 30g33%
Protein 8g16%
Vitamin A 395IU8%
Vitamin B1 (Thiamine) 1mg67%
Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin) 1mg59%
Vitamin B3 (Niacin) 1mg5%
Vitamin B6 1mg50%
Vitamin B12 1µg17%
Vitamin D 3µg20%
Vitamin E 1mg7%
Vitamin K 1µg1%
Calcium 284mg28%
Vitamin B9 (Folate) 12µg3%
Iron 1mg6%
Magnesium 34mg9%
Phosphorus 213mg21%
Zinc 1mg7%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
This Cold Coffee recipe post from the blog archives first published in May 2015 has been republished and updated on November 2022.
