Frosty and satisfying, cold coffee is a great drink to enjoy on a warm day. This cold coffee recipe with step-by-step photos and videos is a classic for preparing blended iced coffee that’s perfectly sweet, creamy and frothy – just like your favorite cafe!

About Cold Coffee Recipe
Iced cold coffee is the best drink to enjoy on hot summer days. Although I’m more of a tea drinker, I do enjoy an occasional cup of coffee – and this cafe-style blended coffee drink is my favorite!
Like what you find at almost every local coffee shop, this jerky cold coffee recipe is made by mixing sugar and milk with ice. It makes a refreshing and rich drink, with a pleasant frothy layer on top.
The flavor is similar to a light frappuccino or frappe – but you can add flavored syrup to recreate the flavor of almost any blended iced coffee.
I used instant coffee powder to make this a quick and easy recipe. You can use either powdered or ground instant coffee.
You can also make delicious cold coffee using traditionally brewed filter coffee or espresso. Prepare your drip coffee or espresso as usual and let it cool (at room temperature or in the refrigerator) before making an iced coffee shake.
Step by step guide
How to make cold coffee
Make the coffee mixture
1. First, add 1 tablespoon of instant coffee to a bowl. If using liquefied filter coffee or espresso you can add ¼ cup directly to the blender jar as shown in step 3 below.

2. Add ¼ cup warm (not hot) water to the instant coffee. Stir and mix very well.

Blend coffee concoction
3. Add the coffee solution to a blender jar.

4. Then add 3 to 4 tablespoons of sugar.

5. For one minute or until the coffee solution becomes foamy and the color turns light brown.

Make iced cold coffee
6. Add 6 or 7 ice cubes. Use only 2 to 4 ice cubes for a thick brew of cold coffee.

7. Then pour 2 cups cold or chilled milk. To make this recipe, I used whole milk. Check out the FAQs below for low-fat cold coffee tips.

8. Blend again for a few seconds, until everything is well combined and you get a nice frothy and frothy layer on top.

9. Pour into tall glasses and serve cold coffee immediately. The frothy top layer will settle as the drink sits, so it’s best to enjoy the brewed iced coffee right away.

Expert tips
- Coffee: Use your favorite brand of instant coffee. Instant coffee can be finely ground or granulated.
- Sweetener: Add your favorite sweetener. I always add raw sugar but you can experiment with different types of sugar like palm or coconut sugar or sweeteners like maple syrup or honey.
- For a stronger coffee flavor: If you like a strong and slightly bitter taste in your cold coffee, increase the amount of instant coffee by 1.5 or 2 tablespoons.
- Creamy Consistency: Add about ¼ cup of light or whipping cream while blending to make your cold coffee rich and creamy. If you include cream, you may need to add some sugar. So check the taste after the coffee is brewed and add more sugar if needed.
FAQs
You can swap the ice cubes for a scoop of vanilla ice cream to create a thick and creamy milkshake-like cold coffee. Here’s a full coffee milkshake recipe you might want to check out!
Use skimmed milk or low fat milk of your choice. If using skim milk or low-fat milk, just reduce the water by ¼ cup to about 2 to 3 tablespoons.
Yes, you can. Substitute your favorite plant milk, such as almond milk, oat milk or soy milk, to create a vegan-friendly blended iced coffee shake.
But keep in mind that your cold coffee probably won’t be as rich and frothy as the version 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 blending a second time.
Yes! As written this recipe yields about 2 drinks that are about 8 to 10 oz each. You can double the 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 great treat to enjoy on a warm day. This cold coffee recipe is a classic for preparing blended iced coffee that’s perfectly sweet, creamy and frothy – right from your favorite cafe!
Q. Time 15 minutes
cooking time 0 minutes
total time 15 minutes
Prevent your screen from going dark while making the recipe
Take your instant coffee in a blender, add raw sugar, hot water.
Blend for one minute or until the coffee solution is foamy and the brown color is slightly lighter.
Add 6 to 7 ice cubes. For a thicker cold coffee, you can reduce the ice cubes by 2 to 4.
Pour 2 cups cold milk.
Whole milk gives a slightly thicker consistency and is richer. You can make cold coffee with skimmed milk or low-fat milk. If you decide to add any, reduce the ¼ cup water to about 2 to 3 tablespoons.
Blend for 1 to 2 minutes or until the milk is evenly mixed with the coffee and you see a nice frothy layer on top.
Pour into glass and serve cold coffee. The frothy top layer will settle as the drink sits, so it’s best to enjoy the brewed iced coffee right away.
Ingredients and recipe notes
- Coffee: Use your preferred brand of instant coffee. Instant coffee can be finely ground or granulated.
- Sweetener: Use your favorite sweetener. I always add raw sugar but you can experiment with different types of sugar like palm or coconut sugar or sweeteners like maple syrup or honey.
- More coffee: If you like a strong and slightly bitter taste in your cold coffee, increase the amount of instant coffee by 1.5 or 2 tablespoons.
- Scaling: This recipe yields about 2 drinks that are 8 to 10 oz each. You can double the ingredients for larger drinks or more servings.
variety
- Make a rich coffee milkshake: You can swap the ice cubes for a scoop of vanilla ice cream to create a thick and creamy milkshake-like cold coffee. Here’s 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. If you include cream, you may need to add some sugar. So check the taste after the coffee is brewed and add more sugar if necessary.
- Make less fat: Use skimmed milk or low fat milk of your choice. If using skim milk or low-fat milk, just reduce the water by ¼ cup to about 2 to 3 tablespoons.
- Make it vegetarian: Substitute your favorite plant milk, such as almond milk, oat milk or soy milk, to create a vegan-friendly blended iced coffee shake.
- Make Flavored Blend Cold Coffee: Feel free to add a 1 ounce (2 tablespoon) 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 blending a second time.
nutrients
Cold Coffee (Cafe Style Recipe)
No. per job
calories 229 Calories from fat 72
% Daily Value*
thick 8 grams12%
5 grams of saturated fat31%
Cholesterol 24 mg8%
Sodium 110 mg5%
potassium 416 mg12%
carbohydrates 32 grams11%
30 grams of sugar33%
protein 8 grams16%
Vitamin A 395IU8%
Vitamin B1 (Thiamine) 1 mg67%
Vitamin B2 (riboflavin) 1 mg59%
Vitamin B3 (niacin) 1 mg5%
Vitamin B6 1 mg50%
Vitamin B12 1µg17%
Vitamin D 3 µg20%
Vitamin E 1 mg7%
Vitamin K 1µg1%
calcium 284 mg28%
Vitamin B9 (folate) 12µg3%
iron 1 mg6%
magnesium 34 mg9%
Phosphorus 213 mg21%
zinc 1 mg7%
* Percent Daily Value is based on a 2000 calorie diet.
This cold coffee recipe from the blog archives was first published in May 2015 and republished in April 2023.
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