39 Iced Coffee Drinks (And How to Make Them)

What is Iced Coffee?
Iced coffee comes in such a wider variety of forms that it can be difficult to pin down exactly what is meant by it. Generally speaking, iced coffee is any coffee-based drink that is deliberately served cold rather than hot. This is done by adding ice, chilling the coffee in the fridge, or brewing it cold in the first place. There are so many brewing techniques, flavor combinations, and different ingredients associated with iced coffee. One of the most common methods used to give the coffee a sweeter, more subtle taste is adding sugar, honey, or another sweetener of choice to the freshly brewed coffee whilst it’s hot. This allows it to infuse with the coffee more effectively, as the sweetener will dissolve in hot coffee more quickly than in cold.History
There are actually a number of origin stories that relate to iced coffee, so where you believe it all started kind of depends on what specific type of cold coffee you are trying to track down. For example, according to the article “Iced Coffee: the ultimate and tasty refreshment” published by Solis in March 2021, iced lattes were first introduced into popular culture in Algeria back in 1840. It is said that iced lattes were introduced by the French during the battle of Mazagran, and they had a distinctly sweet taste to offset the bitter coffee used at the time. However, another popular iced coffee drink is the frappé. As per The Spruce Eats’ article by Mariette Mifflin “What Is a frappé?” (24/06/2022), the first versions of frappés were introduced in Greek trade markets in the 1950s. Back then, instant coffee was used and the story goes that the frappé was actually created by accident. One of the representatives of Nestle who was working at the Thessaloniki trade fair was trying to demonstrate how to use an instant chocolate-based drink in their new metallic shaker (like a cocktail shaker). Then, another worker could not find any hot water for his instant coffee that he was going to drink on his coffee break, so instead took inspiration from the cold shaker, added milk, instant coffee, and ice cubes to one and hey presto, the first frappé was born! After this revelation, Nestlé went on to make the frappé one of the most popular drinks in Greece. It is found in virtually every coffee shop there and has since been further popularised by coffee giants Starbucks, with its trademarked frappuccino. Other sources claim that iced coffee originated back as far as the 1600s in Vienna. Either way, the point is that iced, cold, and chilled coffee has been around for centuries, and every country has its own delicious spin on it!Taste
Iced or cold brew coffee tends to taste sweeter than a hot cup of joe. This is because they are generally served with additional sweeteners, sugars or more milk than a hot cup of coffee. Cold coffee may not sound particularly appetizing if you have never tried it before, but it is a refreshing, sometimes creamy but always delicious way to enjoy your java!39 Iced Coffee Drinks Every Coffee Lover Should Try!
So, here is an extensive list of iced coffee-based drinks that every coffee lover should try at least once in their life! No matter how you like your iced coffee, there is something for everyone on this list. It is worth noting that of course all of the recipes below require some form of coffee to be brewed in order to make them. Whilst espresso machines or other coffee brewing equipment may not be explicitly mentioned in the list of required equipment, please ensure that a coffee brewing method is available for each of these recipes. The images used are for illustrative purposes only.1. Iced Espresso

2. Frappé

3. Cold Brew Coffee

4. Iced Americano

Step 4: Pour and Enjoy!
Finally, we put it all together! Once your glass is filled with ice, add your now cooled double espresso and approximately the same amount of cold water. Typically a double espresso comes in at around 120ml or 4 fl oz of coffee, so use the same amount of water to fill up your glass. Once you have the espresso, cold water and ice all together, simply stir, sip and enjoy!5. Iced Latte

Equipment:
Serving Glass Straw Teaspoon Ingredients: 1 Cup Ice Cubes ½ Cup Espresso (or strong coffee) ½ Cup Milk (Or Milk Alternative) 2 Teaspoons Sweetener (Sugar, Honey, Stelvia etc) 2 Teaspoons Flavoured Syrup (Optional) Method: Here is a simple, easy to follow step by step method to guide you towards the perfect iced latte! Prep Time: 5 MinutesStep 1: Brew Your Coffee
The first thing to do when making the perfect iced latte from home is to brew a great cup of espresso. The choice of bean is up to you, but I would recommend a medium roast Arabica as a good place to start. The traditional recipe for a latte, or iced latte for that matter calls for a double shot of espresso. To make this, you’ll want to grind your coffee very fine and use a proper espresso machine if possible. If you don’t have an espresso machine to hand, here are a few alternative options:- Combine instant coffee with ½ a cup of small amount of hot water
- Use a Percolator to brew strong coffee
- Add coarsely ground coffee and a cup of hot water to a french press
- Use a moka pot.
Step 2: Mix Sweetener and Syrup Into Your Coffee
Next, add your sweetener and syrup of choice to your freshly brewed coffee and stir. This will give your espresso or strong alternative coffee some time to blend with the sweeter flavors, whilst also giving it a bit of time to cool down.Step 3: Fill Your Glass With Ice
The next step is to fill your serving glass with ice to ensure it is perfectly cold and ready to receive your strong, freshly brewed coffee. Ensure you only add ice to your glass when you are getting ready to serve, as we don’t want any melted ice watering down the strong coffee! You can even place your glass in the freezer before serving so it is misted up and extra cold, a great way to impress your friends! Using larger ice cubes is preferable when making any iced coffee, whether that be a latte or iced americano. This is because they melt more slowly and have a lower chance of diluting your coffee. Tip: If you want to take your iced coffee game to the next level, give coffee ice cubes a try.Step 4: Pour Your Coffee
Once your glass is filled with ice, it is time to add your coffee. Simply pour your coffee into your serving ice and stir, to ensure there is plenty of coverage with the ice cubes.Step 5: Top Up With Milk
This is the fun part! Adding your milk (or milk alternative like soya, almond or oat milk) to your iced glass is so satisfying! Watching the milk cascade down the side of the glass and combine with your ice and coffee is great to watch, and is also a great way to serve your coffee to friends before stirring. Simply fill up the remaining space in the glass with milk and you are ready to go!Step 6: Stir and Enjoy!
Whilst the rippling effects of the milk in your serving glass are very pleasing to watch, iced lattes are best enjoyed when all the ingredients are mixed together. So, simply stir it up, add you straw and enjoy your refreshing, incredible iced latte!6. Cold Coffee

7. Nitro Coffee

8. Affogato

- Combine instant coffee with ½ a cup of small amount of hot water
- Use a Percolator to brew strong coffee
- Add coarsely ground coffee and a cup of hot water to a french press
- Use a moka pot.
9. Coconut Iced Coffee

10. Shakerato

11. Iced Cappuccino

12. Cappuccino Freddo

13. Ube Iced Coffee

14. Vietnamese Iced Coffee (Ca Phe Sua Da)

15. Mint Iced Coffee

16. Espresso Tonic

17. Banana Milk Coffee

18. Iced Caramel Macchiato

19. Iced Mocha

20. Mocha Smoothie

21. Mocha Cola

22. Vegan Iced Mocha

23. German Iced Coffee (Eiskaffee)

24. Brandy Iced Coffee

25. Italian Iced Coffee (Granita di Caffè Con Panna)

26. Caramel Coconut Iced Coffee

27. Topo Chico Iced Coffee
The Topo Chico iced coffee is a modern take on the cool cup of java. This is a clean, refreshing and thirst quenching take on the iced coffee that will leave your feeling energized and ready to attack the day!
28. Lemonade Iced Coffee

29. Vanilla Cold Brew Coffee

30. Kahlua Iced Coffee

31. Samoa Iced Coffee

32. Indonesian Iced Coffee (Es Alpukat Kopi)

33. New Orleans Iced Coffee

34. Mazagran Iced Coffee

35. Cuban Iced Coffee (Con Leche)

36. Yoghurt Coffee

37. Thailand Iced Coffee (Oliang)

38. Malaysian Iced Coffee (Ais Kopi Cham)

39. Iced Coffee with Apple

Additional Resources
Here is a list of some of the most helpful additional articles and videos I used to create this post: 21 Mind Blowing Iced Coffee Recipes (From Around The World) – Home Grounds 20 Refreshing Iced Coffee Recipes To Sip On This Summer – Brit + Co Our 11 Best Iced Coffee Drinks – Allrecipes All Iced Coffee Drinks Explained: Cold Brew vs Iced Latte vs Frappe and more! – European Coffee TripSummary
Overall, there are so many iced coffee recipes out there other than your traditional iced frappe or iced latte! Iced coffee is consumed all around the world and it is no wonder that it is so popular with all of the amazing flavor combinations listed above. Iced coffee can take the form of a delicious sweet treat, or a refreshing, thirst quenching pick me up. Either way, it is well worth giving a few of these iced coffee drinks a try using the methods shown. There are so many new ways to cool off on a hot day!Iced Coffee Drinks Frequently Asked Questions
Many sources claim that the frappe is the most popular iced coffee drink worldwide. Annectodally, I would argue that iced lattes are equally as popular, but both are very sought after refreshing drinks!
Many coffee enthusiasts love adding flavoured syrups, natural flavour extracts, alternative milk substitutes and spices such as cinnamon, ginder and nutmeg.