For those of us who need a caffeine fix in the morning, but can’t bear the heat any longer, iced coffee is the only way to go. But at this point in the summer, we’re looking for something more than just coffee + milk + ice cubes. So we’ve been poking around our favorite blogs and talking to the best baristas we know to find creative ways to make that cold brew extra special. Try these iced coffee recipes at home this week to see which is your favorite. They all look pretty spectacular to us.
Top: Carbonated Cold-Brewed Coffee | Live Eat Learn
Related: How to make cold brew coffee at home in 5 easy steps.
Upgrade your iced coffee: Add lemonade
Hard Iced Coffee Lemonade | Glue and Glitter
We first heard about lemonade coffee coming out of Brooklyn (where else?) and, though it sounds a little weird, we’re intrigued. Apparently, it’s described as having a tart, almost caramel flavor, which sounds totally delicious. We love the step-by-step explanation for how to make lemonade coffee at Food52. And when we found out the Portuguese like this recipe with a little rum added, we thought that the Hard Iced Coffee Lemonade at Glue and Glitter (pictured) didn’t sound so bad either.
Upgrade your iced coffee: Make a slushie
If you want to start your morning with a caffeine-laden slushie, then you’ll need to start the night before. Go ahead and prepare a cup of coffee they way you like, whether with creamer, sugar, or other flavors added, and then freeze it in a freezer-safe container overnight (or for at least 3 hours). When you wake up, take the coffee out of the freezer first thing so that, after about an hour, you can break it up with a fork for a perfect slushie consistency.
Upgrade your iced coffee: Go Japanese-style
Japanese-style iced coffee is basically brewed at double strength, then poured directly over ice so that it doesn’t get watered down when the ice melts. Smart, right? There are very detailed instructions on how to make it in this recipe for a Japanese-style Cardamom Rose Iced Latte at Local Milk. We’d go ahead and make a week’s worth of that creamer all at once to cut down on the legwork.
Related: Save money with these 9 Starbucks copycat recipes that you can make at home.
Upgrade your iced coffee: Make it bulletproof
Apparently adding grass-fed butter to your coffee can help you lose weight. Sounds crazy, but we’re up for trying it, especially since it’ll taste good no matter what. You can read more about it and grab the recipe for bulletproof coffee that we found at Cool Mom Picks. And to make it an iced coffee, just use half the amount of water when brewing and pour the finished product over ice cubes to serve.
Upgrade your iced coffee: Make it fizzy
Doesn’t summer just beg for fizzy drinks? Well, why not fizzy coffee? This carbonated cold-brewed coffee recipe at Live Eat Learn looks so tempting for a sweltering summer morning that we can’t wait to try it. Make enough of Sarah’s coffee concentrate all at once to last for a week’s worth of drinks to save time, then add the sparkling water and other ingredients each morning for a fizzy wake-me-up.
Upgrade your iced coffee: Use sweetened condensed milk (yes, really)
Vietnamese coffee is known for using sweetened condensed milk as a sweetener and creamer in one since it complements the super strong, dark flavor of Vietnamese coffee beans. So, if you’re running short on creamer and like a stout cup of coffee, try stirring in some sweetened condensed milk for a drink that’s creamy and seriously rich.
Upgrade your iced coffee: Add salt
Coffee is already so bitter, I was unsure about the idea of adding salt. But it turns out, salt actually reduces the bitterness and brings out the natural coffee flavor. You can add it directly to the drink, or make this irresistible sea-salt cream at The Little Epicurean to top off your cold brew. And definitely follow her tips on making coffee ice cubes so that your iced coffee doesn’t get watered down by regular ice.
Related: 6 of the best iced coffee recipes to fuel the warm weather months.
Upgrade your iced coffee: Freeze it, Popsicle style
If iced coffee isn’t enough to help you beat this heat, then go all out and make these cold brew mocha popsicles at The View from Great Island. Because who says we shouldn’t start our mornings with a popsicle?
