Cold Coffee Recipe (Cafe Style)

Updated: August 20, 2023, By Swasthi

Cold Coffee just like your favorite coffee shop! You just need 3 to 4 basic ingredients & 5 mins to whip up this super delicious, creamy & frothy Iced coffee. This post shows you how to make Cold Coffee at home with easily available ingredients like instant coffee, milk and sugar. To make it richer you can also use ice cream or whipping cream but honestly you don’t really need them if you are using full fat milk.

cold coffee served in a mason jar

Recipe Comments

About Cold Coffee

Cold Coffee is a popular chilled beverage made with coffee, sugar and milk/water. It is made in so many different ways across the world with varying ingredients like whipping cream, ice cream, coffee syrup etc.

Since this recipe uses milk, I have used a blender to create a thick and frothy cold coffee. However you can also use a mason jar or a milk frother or a shaker bottle to froth it.

In a lot of cafes, Cold Coffee is served with a topping of ice cream & garnished with chocolate syrup. You can also design your serving glass with some melted chocolate and then pour the prepared drink to it. Lastly garnish with ice cream and some chocolate syrup.

Upscale restaurants make this with espresso but for a home version you can use any kind of coffee you prefer including cold brew, instant coffee or filter coffee made from ground coffee beans. So choosing a good coffee to suit your taste is very crucial here.

First coffee decoction/ instant coffee is made which is of higher strength than made for normal coffee since cold coffee is diluted with ice later. So depending on the kind of coffee used adjust the quantity to suit your taste.

Later, chilled milk is blended with the coffee mixture until it turns thick and frothy.

Cold Coffee without Blender

If you do not have a blender, then simply make this in a mason jar or shaker bottle. Make the coffee mixture in the jar and then pour the chilled milk. Secure it and shake it for 1 to 2 minutes. Take care not to over do as you may end up with butter separated on top.

The other way is to simply make the coffee in your serving cup and then pour the chilled milk. Use a milk frother and froth it until you see some froth on top, typically for 1 minute.

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Photo Guide

How to make Cafe Cold Coffee (Stepwise photos)

1. If you want to garnish your serving glasses with chocolate, melt chocolate chips or use chocolate syrup. Pour 1 tablespoon chocolate across the inner side of the serving glass. Keep them in the fridge for 5 mins.

2. Add 1½ to 2 tablespoon instant coffee granules or powder. You can even use ¼ cup strong cold brew or filter coffee decoction.

Add instant coffee powder

3. Add 4 tablespoons fine sugar or powdered sugar. Adjust to taste.

Add sugar to jar for cold coffee recipe

4. Add 4 tablespoons warm water to the blender jar. Skip water if using cold brew or filter coffee.

Add warm water to make cold coffee

5. Run the blender until the coffee becomes frothy meaning sugar and coffee has dissolved completely.

blending cold coffee

6. It turns frothy as shown in the picture.

frothy coffee

7. Add 1½ cup chilled milk.

Adding chilled milk

7. Add 4 to 6 ice cubes & 2 scoops vanilla ice cream (optional). I do not like diluted cold coffee so I prefer to use milk cubes instead of ice cubes. This will give you a thicker drink and richer like the one with ice cream.

Add milk ice cubes

8. Blend until frothy. Do not over do else you will end up with butter on top.

Blend

Then pour it to the garnished glass. If you want you can top with ice cream and drizzle some chocolate syrup.

garnish

Serve cold coffee immediately.

cold coffee

Pro Tips

  • The strength of the coffee decoction or instant coffee mixture must be higher than it is made for normal coffee since the drink is diluted with ice later. So it becomes flavorless unless you add a good amount of coffee to suit your taste.
  • Use full fat chilled milk as this helps to create a thick froth over your drink. If you are not using pasteurized milk, then heat the milk, cool it and chill in the refrigerator. Then use it in the recipe.
  • Here I have used milk ice instead of regular ice cubes. It kind of gives you a extra rich iced coffee similar to adding ice cream. You can also use regular ice cubes but I feel the taste dilutes as the ice cubes melt. It’s a personal choice and feel free to use what you like.

Faqs

Is cold coffee the same as Iced coffee?

Yes both are same. It is just coffee that is served cold with ice. However there are numerous variations to make it & actually means different in every country. Some versions have milk while others don’t. Indian cold coffee is similar to a coffee shake.

Is iced coffee same as cold brew coffee?

No! A lot of times Iced coffee is simply made with instant coffee & uses hot or warm water, while cold brew uses coffee grounds & is steeped in cold water. Iced coffee can be made with cold brew coffee.

Can you make cold coffee with cold brew or coffee grounds?

Yes you can make it with any kind of coffee. You just prepare the coffee first and then blend together with other ingredients for a refreshing café style drink.

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Recipe Card

cold coffee

Cold Coffee Recipe (Cafe Style)

4.98 from 49 votes
Cold coffee, cafe style thick, creamy and frothy beverage made at home with pantry staples.
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For best results follow the step-by-step photos above the recipe card

Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time1 minute
Total Time6 minutes
Servings2
AuthorSwasthi

Ingredients (US cup = 240ml )

  • 1½ to 2 tablespoons instant coffee (or ¼ cup strong cold brew or filter coffee decoction)
  • 4 tablespoons fine sugar or powdered sugar (adjust to taste)
  • cup full fat milk chilled
  • 4 to 6 ice cubes or milk cubes
  • 4 tablespoons luke warm water
  • 2 to 4 scoops vanilla ice cream (optional, 2 for blending, 2 for garnish)
  • 2 tablespoons chocolate syrup or choco chips or chocolate (optional)

Equipment

  • Blender with a jar capacity of over 500 ml


Instructions

  • Pour a tablespoon of melted chocolate or chocolate syrup across the inner side of the serving glasses. Pop it in the fridge for 5 minutes.

How to Make Cold Coffee

  • Add coffee, sugar and warm water to a blender jar. Run the machine till the mixture turns frothy to ensure sugar and coffee are dissolved completely.
  • Pour chilled milk, ice cubes and ice cream (2 scoops, optional)
  • Blend again for 2 minutes until the cold coffee turns frothy, thick and creamy.
  • Pour cold coffee to the garnished glass. Scoop the ice cream and gently top the drink and garnish with little chocolate syrup.


Video

Watch Cold Coffee Video

NUTRITION INFO (estimation only)

Nutrition Facts
Cold Coffee Recipe (Cafe Style)
Amount Per Serving
Calories 414 Calories from Fat 126
% Daily Value*
Fat 14g22%
Saturated Fat 8g50%
Cholesterol 48mg16%
Sodium 150mg7%
Potassium 557mg16%
Carbohydrates 65g22%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 58g64%
Protein 9g18%
Vitamin A 579IU12%
Vitamin C 1mg1%
Calcium 304mg30%
Iron 1mg6%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Tried this recipe?Mention @SwasthisRecipes or tag #swasthisrecipes!

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About Swasthi

I’m Swasthi Shreekanth, the recipe developer, food photographer & food writer behind Swasthi’s Recipes. My aim is to help you cook great Indian food with my time-tested recipes. After 2 decades of experience in practical Indian cooking I started this blog to help people cook better & more often at home. Whether you are a novice or an experienced cook I am sure Swasthi’s Recipes will assist you to enhance your cooking skills. More about me

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5 stars
I prepare cold coffee as per your instructions. My kids loved it. Thanks for sharing perfect recipe.

5 stars
It’s helpful for me. Thanks a lot

5 stars
Best cold coffee ever I have made and tried

5 stars
Amazing cold coffee! Tried it for the second time and it tastes fantastic. I only had to use a little more coffee.

5 stars
Very good test but one question what is the shelf life in refrigerator

5 stars
This was very helpful and I learnt how to make cold coffee myself. Thank you for the yummy recipes.

5 stars
Delicious cold coffee! Trusted this recipe and used frozen milk ice, surprisingly it tasted fantastic! So good thick, frothy and creamy. My new favorite ?

5 stars
Yummy.. Cold coffee came out awesome

Can we use chocolate essence in place of chocolate syrup

5 stars
Love this cold filter coffee recipe. Cant wait to try it out

how much time to shake coffee to mak it frothy mine went too bad with buttery above

Maam I did not used blender i used bottle can u tell about bottle shaking method

5 stars
A week ago i made cold coffee but after shaking i saw buttery type thing above
suggest me the exact time to shake the mixture

5 stars
Can’t believe milk ice can make such a good cold coffee. This turned out very good like in cafes.

4 stars
Very nice

5 stars
Hi Swasthi,

I am new to your site , My husband is on a strict diet ( weight reduction process ) Can you introduce a section for people like me who wants to make healthy & tasty but fat free food ( breakfast, lunch, snacks , dinner ) as am not too sure what kind of food I should make for him which should serve his purpose as well as mine ( For him it should be in his healthy diet and for me it should be tasty 🙂 )

5 stars
Made today it turn out really good. Thank you mam