Frozen coffee is essentially an iced coffee that has been blended to form a slushy, milkshake-like brew. It's sweet, creamy, indulgent, and perfect for summertime.
In this article, you'll learn how to make frozen coffee, the best type of coffee to use, and a few other types of iced coffee that are worth a try.
What You Need to Make Frozen Coffee
This simple frozen coffee recipe only requires four ingredients. However, you will need a few pieces of essential equipment.
Here's what you'll need to make frozen coffee:
Ingredients
- Coffee beans
- Whole milk (or dairy-free alternative)
- Water
- Ice
- Sugar (optional)
Equipment
- Coffee grinder (if using whole beans)
- Coffee maker (drip, French press, espresso machine, moka pot, or phin filter)
- Blender
- Tall glass
- Straw (optional)
Coffee Recommendations
The best coffee for frozen and milky iced coffee should be smooth, dark, and bold. The creaminess of whole milk can overpower the flavors of coffee, so a strong dark brew is important.
We recommend a dark roast arabica coffee if you prefer subtle flavors, a robusta and arabica blend if you want a smooth but bold coffee, or a 100% robusta if you prefer a bold, strong-tasting frozen beverage.
These beans work best with frozen coffee:
- 100% Arabica: DaLat Coffee
- Robusta & Arabica Blend: DaNang Coffee
- 100% Robusta: HaNoi Coffee
How to Make Frozen Coffee: Step-by-Step
Our frozen coffee recipe is simple and can be completed in just 5 easy steps (around 10 minutes).
Here's how to make frozen coffee:
1. Grind the Coffee
Grind a high-quality coffee to the consistency required for your brewing method. For drip, French press, or pour-over, a coarse grind is needed. For espresso and moka pot coffee, a fine grind is required.
2. Brew the Coffee
Brew a strong black coffee. Use less water and more coffee to create a concentrated brew. A single or double espresso shot works perfectly in frozen coffee. However, drip coffee, French press, moka pot, and concentrated cold brew will also work.
You will need 30 to 60 mL of concentrated coffee (depending on how strong the brew is) for one frozen coffee. Once the coffee is brewed, allow it to cool completely — one to two hours.
3. Prepare the Blender
In a blender, add the cooled coffee concentrate, one cup of whole milk (or dairy-free alternative), and one cup of ice. Add a tablespoon of sugar or syrup to sweeten (optional).
4. Blend the Ingredients
Secure the blender with the lid and blend the ingredients at a low speed, gradually increasing the speed as the ice is crushed. Blend for at least 30 seconds until a slushy consistency is achieved.
5. Pour the Frozen Coffee
Once blended, pour the coffee into a tall serving glass. Garnish with a few whole coffee beans (optional), serve, and enjoy while ice cold.
Variations of the Frozen Coffee
Looking for ways to spruce up your iced coffees?
These four variations on the frozen coffee recipe above are sure to please the palate in the morning:
1. Vanilla Frozen Coffee
Vanilla pairs wonderfully with the milk and coffee in frozen coffee. It's simple to make, but you'll need store-bought vanilla syrup or, better yet, homemade vanilla syrup.
Learn how to make vanilla syrup For coffee here.
To make vanilla frozen coffee, follow the recipe above, but add one to two tablespoons of vanilla syrup before blending. Stir in more after blending if it needs sweetening.
2. Caramel Frozen Coffee
Caramel frozen coffee is simple to make. The sweet notes of toffee and light saltiness pair wonderfully with cold, milky coffee.
To make a caramel frozen coffee, follow the recipe above and simply add a tablespoon or two of salted caramel sauce before blending.
Line the glass with a dash of caramel sauce before pouring the coffee and garnish with whipped cream and more caramel for a delightfully indulgent frozen coffee.
3. Frosted Coffee
Frosted coffee is similar to frozen coffee, but it uses vanilla ice cream and ice. This delicious cold coffee is thick, creamy, and milkshake-like. If you enjoy a sweet frozen coffee, you'll love this frozen coffee recipe.
Here's what you'll need:
- Dark roast arabica coffee
- Ice
- Vanilla ice cream
- Salted caramel sauce
Here's how to make it:
- Make a single or double espresso shot. Don't have an espresso machine? Try our Instant Vietnamese Espresso.
- Add five or six cubes of ice, one and a half cups of vanilla ice cream, two tablespoons of caramel sauce, and the espresso to a blender.
- Blend the ingredients, gradually building up speed until a thick, smooth, creamy frosted coffee forms.
- Squirt the inside of a glass with caramel sauce and gently pour in the frosted coffee.
- Garnish with whipped cream and an extra dash of caramel to garnish (optional). Serve, and enjoy.
4. Iced Mocha Coffee
If you like frozen coffee and enjoy a hot mocha, you'll love iced mocha coffee.
This beverage combines ice, coffee, cocoa, and milk. It's relatively simple to make but will take a little more time than a frozen coffee.
Here's what you'll need:
- Concentrated coffee
- Milk
- Ice
- Dark chocolate or cocoa powder
- Water
Here's how to make an iced mocha:
- Brew a strong, concentrated coffee using an espresso machine, moka pot, French press, or drip coffee maker.
- Add grated chocolate to a bowl and combine with a small amount of hot milk or water. Stir until a sauce has been created.
- Lightly froth cold, whole milk with a milk frother or whisk.
- Add the chocolate sauce to the milk and stir.
- In a glass, add ice and the concentrated coffee.
- Pour in the chocolate milk, stir, and enjoy.
FAQs: Frozen Coffee
Want to learn more about frozen coffee and other iced beverages?
Check out the answers to the frequently asked questions below…
1. Is Frozen Coffee the Same as Frosted Coffee?
No. Frozen coffee is made with ice, coffee, and milk. Frosted coffee is made with vanilla ice cream, ice, and coffee. Both are similar, but frosted coffee is much sweeter and more milkshake-like.
2. What’s the Difference Between Iced Coffee and Cold Brew?
Iced coffee and cold brew are both chilled, caffeinated beverages made from coffee. However, they differ in the way they're made. Cold brew is made by extracting coffee with cold water over several hours (18 to 24). It's less acidic than hot brewed coffee. Iced coffee is made with hot brewed coffee that has been chilled and combined with ice and milk or water.
3. Can You Make Frozen Coffee Without Sugar?
You can make frozen coffee without sugar. However, it will taste more bitter and much less sweet. If you want to sweeten the beverage without refined sugar, use honey or a sweeter such as stevia.
4. Can You Use Instant Coffee To Make Frozen Coffee?
Yes. You can use instant coffee to make frozen coffee although it won't taste as good as using freshly ground beans. Opt for a strong, high-quality coffee such as Cafely Instant Vietnamese Espresso.
5. Can You Use Espresso In Frozen Coffee?
Yes. Espresso works well in frozen coffee. It's caffeine-rich, bold, dark, and concentrated — all excellent qualities for frozen and iced coffee.
6. Can You Make Frozen Coffee With Dairy-Free Milk?
Yes. You can make vegan frozen coffee using a dairy-free milk alternative.
7. Can You Freeze Leftover Coffee to Use in Frozen Coffee?
Yes. Freezing strong, concentrated coffee in ice cube trays is a great way to keep coffee on hand for frozen coffee. When you want to make a frozen coffee, simply take a couple of ice cubes and add them to the blender instead of brewing fresh coffee.
8. Can You Make Frozen Coffee Without Ice?
No. You need ice to get the texture of frozen coffee right. However, if you have ice cream, you can make a frosted coffee similar to those you'll find at Chick-fil-A.
9. Can Frozen Coffee Be Made With Decaf Coffee?
Yes. You can make frozen coffee with decaffeinated instant or ground coffee for a sweet, cold beverage that can be enjoyed anytime.
10. Can You Use Cold Brew Coffee for Frozen Coffee?
Yes. You can use a strong cold brew to make frozen coffee. Ideally, the brew should be made stronger (more coffee and less water). It can be made with regular-strength cold brew, but the brew won't taste as creamy.
