So I may have quit caffeine back on January 1st, but that doesn’t mean I don’t enjoy a nice iced coffee treat every now and then – especially on a hot summer afternoon. But the biggest problem with iced coffee (whether you make it yourself or buy it at a store) is that it’s tough to keep ice-cold…especially since when you add ice, it melts and waters it down.
{I was given an Iced Coffee to Go Bottle by SmartPlanet in exchange for a review – and they’re giving one away to a lucky reader, too! Read on for more info on how to enter. *GIVEAWAY CLOSED*}
So how do you keep your iced coffee as delicious, strong, and creamy as it was when you first made it? Here’s how.
1. Make Coffee Ice Cubes
Well, if this isn’t an ingenious solution. As they melt, they don’t water down your coffee! In fact, Starbucks began testing these in a couple of markets back in May – but they’re charging customers 80 cents for them. Instead, brew some coffee, pour it into an ice cube mold, and freeze it. Then pop a few out and add them to your coffee. I found that a 12-ounce brew filled up one ice cube tray perfectly.
2. Use an Iced Coffee Tumbler
So you want iced coffee but you didn’t plan ahead. Your choices are to 1) buy it somewhere, 2) brew a cup of coffee and stick it in the fridge to cool off, or 3) just dump as many ice cubes as you can in there to cool it down. Now, there’s another option. SmartPlanet sells a tumbler that’s designed specifically for iced coffee, their Iced Coffee to Go Bottle. You just keep the tumbler and freezing rod in your freezer, and when you want iced coffee you pour the coffee right into the frozen tumbler, insert the freezing rod, and let it sit for five minutes.
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- Simple!
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- Freezer gel on the outside, freezer rod on the inside.
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- All frosty and ready for coffee!
Boom. Iced coffee – cold, immediate, and not watered down. Genius.
3. Make Cold Brew
Cold brew is coffee that’s steeped in the refrigerator overnight. It can be stronger – but less bitter – than traditionally brewed coffee. And the good news is that one batch of cold brew makes a BUNCH so you can enjoy your coffee all week long! Check out this simple recipe on how to make your very own cold brew.
Once you’ve got your coffee cold, add all the things that will custom-make it to your liking, depending on how sweet, rich, or creamy you prefer your iced coffee to be. Some ideas are:
- Milk or milk alternatives
- Cream or half-and-half (this will make a creamier/thicker iced coffee)
- Sugar (add this while your coffee is still hot so the sugar granules dissolve)
- Regular or flavored coffee creamer
- Sweetened condensed milk
I’ve found that using a combination of the techniques listed above will keep my iced coffee chilled for a long time. For good measure, I threw a few of the coffee ice cubes into my frozen Iced Coffee to Go Bottle, and even on a hot day working in the garden, it stayed cold. I even found myself sipping the coffee instead of inhaling like I usually do – because I hate when my coffee gets watered down. It’s always a race to beat the clock. This was a really great solution!
Now that you know how to make the perfect iced coffee, we’ve got a surprise for you. SmartPlanet is giving away one of their Iced Coffee to Go Bottles to one lucky reader (U.S. mailing addresses only, please). There are lots of ways to enter below – see if you’ll be the lucky one!
What are your favorite things to add to your iced coffee?
I LOVE coffee! Thanks for the tips! What do I add to my coffee, you ask? Nothing! I do not defile my coffee! (-; Actually, if it’s iced, I do add a splash of vanilla flavored soy.
I love to add coconut milk and a bit of caramel syrup to my iced coffee!
I like to add flavored creamer to my coffee. Then I don’t have to add any additional sugar or anything else.
I love to add flavored creamer to my coffee.
I always add sugar fee french vanilla creamer!!
I like to add a little International Delight Cold Stone Creamery flavored creamer.
I like to add lemon and honey.
I add flavored creamer and whip cream to my iced coffee! Yum!
I’m kind of a purist. I just add creamer. Right now I am enjoying the taste of coconut creamer in my iced coffee.
I like to add vanilla sugar or cardamom to mine.
I usually add flavored creamer or flavored simple syrup!
I love to put caramel syrup and whip cream on top
I love ❤️ love ❤️ love ❤️ coffee – especially iced coffee with flavored creamers! This cup is so very cool! Would be perfect for work!
Coffee, Sugar and vanilla or mocha. Chill and go
I like to add just a splash of flavored creamer
I like to add a little bit of whipped cream and chocolate syrup.
I love to add organic honey, butter and coconut oil.
Love iced coffee and couldn’t agree more about gulping to fight the clock. Love adding a splash of vanilla creamer
I like 2 splashes of hazelnut creamer and a pinch of sugar!
My favorite thing to put in my iced coffee is hazlenut creamer! I will also use vanilla if I don’t have hazlenut.
Almond milk!
Homemade almond milk!
I like to add flavored liquid creamer to my iced coffee.
I love Caramel in my coffee
I would love to add caramel/chocolate to mine.
I add caramel flavor to my coffee.
me i like ice coffee since it so hot here and then i do not put nothing in it but if i go out some time put flavored creamer
Like to add creamer to my coffee.
i love sugar and hazelnut creamer!! the sweeter the better!!
sometimes I like to add chocolate syrup..
I always add hazelnut cream.
I just like lots of cream and sugar.
I like my coffee with french vanilla flavoirng:)
On a really hot day I lime to add a scoop of coffee ice cream in my ice coffee. Then if were having adult time I add the coffee ice cream and a shot of coffee flavor hard stuff and whip cream. Oh lady’s you got to try it..
I like to add vanilla or caramel flavored vodka to my iced coffee along with a small amount of cream.
i do not add anything but coffee and ice. i like my coffee black
I love to add caramel and whipped cream! So good!
I love adding Cold Stone Creamery’s Sweet Cream to my iced coffee. Every now and then I switch it up with a little milk and caramel syrup
Some cool Coconut Milk is always good-to-go with my cup of coffee.
I really enjoy some amazing cinnamon and nutmeg in my coffee to perk things up.
I just love marvelous maple syrup in my coffee everyday.
I just love marvelous maple syrup in my coffee everyday.
I like to add some Vanilla Extract to my coffee for a fabulous flavor.
An awesome addition to my daily coffee would be spoonful of cocoa powder.