Are you an iced coffee lover? Learn how to turn freshly brewed (or leftover) coffee into Coffee Ice Cubes! This clever hack is the best way to ensure you never drink a watered down cold coffee again!
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Calling all iced coffee lovers ... if you're looking for a great way to make iced coffee FAST (with no cooling required), then you're going to love these Coffee Ice Cubes!
If you've ever tried to make a cold coffee by pouring hot coffee over ice, you know that you'll end up with a watery, diluted drink. These frozen coffee cubes totally solve that problem!
The cubes take minutes to prepare, and once they're frozen, you can use them to make any cold coffee drink quick. Simply pour your hot coffee over the frozen cubes to chill the coffee, then add your favorite sweeteners, milk, and flavorings for the perfect morning treat!
Here are a few reasons you'll love this recipe:
- The cubes makes a stronger cup of coffee ... basically, an iced coffee that's ALL coffee!
- They won't won't water down your drink when using hot coffee. And you can use them with cold coffee (or cold brew) to make drinks, too.
- It's the perfect way to use up leftover coffee, plus they couldn't be easier to make!
- They're the best ice cubes for iced coffee! You can use them for any cold coffee drink (from lattes to mochas), plus shakes, smoothies, and more.
Ready to try this simple recipe for yourself? Keep reading for all the details!
Ingredients
This recipe is so simple and uses super basic ingredients! Here's what you'll need:
- Coffee - You can use any type of coffee for this recipe (from light to dark roast and from weak to strong brew). I typically use freshly brewed coffee, but coffee made with a french press, espresso, instant coffee, and cold brew also works.
- Sweetener + Optional Additions - I prefer to make these frozen coffee cubes with black coffee (they're more versatile that way), however you can doctor them up with milk, sweetener, and more ... basically, however you'd like! Check out the Variations section below for ideas.
This basic recipe is vegetarian, vegan, gluten free, dairy free, so pretty much every coffee lover can enjoy it!
Ice Cube Tray
Of course, you'll also need an ice cube tray. A regular, old-fashioned plastic tray will work fine, however I prefer to use a silicone tray. Because silicone is flexible, the frozen coffee pops out so easily (no frustrating bending or twisting required). This is the silicone ice cube tray that I used here ... the set comes with two trays, plus lids, and they're stackable (which is super helpful).
How to Make Coffee Ice Cubes
These Iced Coffee Cubes really couldn't be easier to prepare! You'll find a detailed recipe card below, but here's an overview of the steps.
- Brew coffee. Start by making the coffee (preparing it as weak or as strong as you'd like), then let it cool completely. I used freshly brewed coffee here, but french press, espresso, instant coffee, or cold brew will also work. Tip: If you'd like to pre-sweeten the cubes with sugar or thick syrups, mix it while the coffee is hot (so it can dissolve). Other add-ins (like milk) can be added to the cooled coffee.
- Fill ice cube tray. Once your coffee has cooled, use it to fill your ice cube tray (I used this silicone tray). Tip: Liquids expand as they freeze, so make sure to leave a little room (about ¼-inch) at the top.
- Freeze. After you've filled the trays, cover them, then transfer for them to a flat surface in your freezer. Freezing coffee takes at least four hours, however I prefer to freeze the cubes overnight to be on the safe side. Tip: If you're finding it difficult to remove the cubes from your ice cube tray, let them sit at room temperature for a few minutes, or run hot water over the bottom of the tray.
And that's all there is to this handy Coffee Ice Cubes recipe ... wasn't it simple? You'll find some easy variations, plus more tips for using the cubes below.
Tip: If you find that a coffee scent lingers in your ice cube tray after making the cubes, check out this helpful tip for removing coffee smells!
Variations
You can make this recipe with black coffee, then add sweetener / flavorings later (like I prefer to do), or you can add these ingredients directly to the coffee cubes. Here are some ideas to try:
- Sweetener - If you prefer sweeter coffee, stir in some sugar, easy Simple Syrup recipe, maple syrup, honey, or your sweetener of choice. Tip: If you're using sugar with crystals (such a granulated or brown sugar) or a thicker sweetener (like honey), make sure to mix it in while the coffee is hot (otherwise it will be difficult to dissolve).
- Flavored Syrup - You can also sweeten and flavor the cubes at the same time, by adding a flavored syrup. Try it with my Brown Sugar Simple Syrup or Cinnamon Brown Sugar Syrup, or use a store bought flavor, like hazelnut, caramel, or pumpkin spice. You could even mix in my Chai Spice Concentrate!
- Vanilla - Amp up the flavor with vanilla extract, or add a vanilla-flavored syrup.
- Milk / Cream - If you prefer your iced coffee with milk, cream, or coffee creamer, feel free to mix some in before freezing. Regular and vegan milk will both work, and I'd recommend using a creamier variety for best results.
- Condensed Milk - If you're a fan of Vietnamese coffee, try adding some condensed milk. For a more authentic flavor, make your coffee with robusta beans or chicory coffee. You could even brew it with a phin filter right over the coffee ice.
- Chocolate - Create a mouthwatering mocha flavor by stirring chocolate syrup into the coffee before cooling.
- Spiked - Mix in some Kahlua or Baileys for an extra morning or brunch special treat!
- Spices - Adding spices is a great way to give your ice cubes a flavor boost! You can infuse their flavor into the coffee by adding a cinnamon stick, crushed cardamom pods, ground nutmeg, or other warm spices to the grounds before brewing.
How to Use
There are so many fun ways to use these coffee cubes!
- Iced Coffee - Pour coffee (hot or cold) over the cubes (plus sweetener or milk, if desired) to make an easy Iced Coffee.
- Iced Latte - To make an Iced Latte, pour your coffee over the ice cubes. Then make frothed milk by adding milk to a mason jar (along with sweetener / flavoring) and shaking, or by using a milk frother. Finish your drink by pouring the frothed milk over the chilled coffee.
- Iced Mocha - Top the cubes with hot or cold coffee, then mix in chocolate syrup to taste to make an Iced Mocha. Top with frothed milk, if desired (see tips above).
- Vietnamese Iced Coffee - Add coffee to the cubes, then stir in sweetened condensed milk to make a Vietnamese Iced Coffee. As I mentioned under the Variations section above, you can make your coffee with robusta beans or chicory coffee for a more authentic flavor, and you can even brew the coffee with a phin filter right over the cubes.
- Frappuccino - To make a Frappuccino, blend the cubes with milk, sweetener, and flavor syrup. Top with whipped cream.
- Shake / Smoothie - Blend the cubes with ice cream, yogurt, or milk to make a shake or smoothie. Other ingredients, like banana, chocolate powder or syrup, peanut butter, and more can also be added.
- Other Cold Coffee Drinks - Use the cubes to cool down hot coffee to make any cold coffee drink!
- Kori-Kohi - Make this trendy drink by pouring warm milk poured over the cubes. Sweeten with simple syrup if you'd like.
Tip: Because cold coffee is normally made with regular ice cubes (water), iced coffee with coffee cubes will taste stronger, and it will have more caffeine. If you're a one cup a day person, you may want to make a smaller drink ... at least for your first cup!
Storage
Remove the frozen Iced Coffee Cubes from the tray, then transfer them to an airtight container (such as a zip top bag) and store in your freezer. The cubes will taste freshest when used within one month.
Related Recipes
Looking for more Iced Coffee ideas? Check out these recipes next:
- How to Make Iced Coffee - Learn how to make this classic cold beverage three different ways ... all super easy!
- Instant Iced Coffee - This recipe uses instant coffee powder to make a delicious drink extra fast.
- Iced Irish Coffee - A super tasty twist on the traditional spiked coffee.
- Iced Brown Sugar Oatmilk Shaken Espresso - Treat yourself to this yummy Starbucks copycat drink.
- Whipped Coffee - This simple recipe make it easy to create Dalgona Coffee at home!
- Aussie Iced Coffee - Coffee + ice cream ... what could be better?
- Dirty Chai Latte - A tasty hybrid that mixes coffee and tea with warm spices. Yum!
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Coffee Ice Cubes can be used to make iced coffees, iced lattes, frappuccinos, and other cold coffee drinks, plus shakes, smoothies, and more.
Yes, you freeze coffee to make ice cubes. Start with freshly brewed coffee, leftover coffee, cold brew, instant coffee, espresso, and more, then follow my simple instructions.
It will take least four hours for Coffee Ice Cubes to freeze, however I recommend freezing them overnight (or about eight hours) for the best results.
Yes, Coffee Ice Cubes have caffeine. They'll also add extra caffeine to your drink (compared to using regular ice cubes).
Coffee Ice Cubes
Ingredients
- 1 cup coffee
- sweetener, milk, and flavoring of choice (optional)
Equipment
- 1 ice cube tray
Instructions
- Brew 1 cup coffee, then stir in optional sweeteners, milk, or flavorings.
- Let coffee cool to room temperature or refrigerate until chilled.
- Fill ice cube tray with cooled coffee.
- Freeze coffee cubes for at least 4 hours or (preferably) overnight.
- Use coffee ice cubes to make iced coffee and other cold coffee drinks. Enjoy!
Notes
