Frozen Coffee: Recipe and Tutorial

Have you noticed that frozen coffee is having a moment? It’s all over TikTok, where people of all ages celebrate the wonders of this amazing coffee drink.

You can banish any FOMO, friends, because you‘re about to get the lowdown on this delicious trend.

Frozen Coffee: A Short History

Nailing down the origins of when coffee was first served cold is rather tricky. However, investigating the topic will present three obvious themes.

Two prime examples can be found in Algeria and Vietnam.

Algeria

Coffee most likely came to Algeria by way of Ethiopia in the 1400s.

However, the locals in the area around Fort Mazagran first served French colonial troops with coffee syrup, sugar and cold water around 1840.

On returning to France, the veterans requested that coffee shops recreate the beverage in a tall glass and dubbed it café mazagran.

Vietnam

Coffee was first introduced to Vietnam in 1857 by a French Catholic priest. Since that time, Vietnam has become one of the largest producers of coffee in the world.

While cà phê nóng (hot coffee) is popular in Vietnam, cà phê đá (iced coffee) also enjoys great popularity. Available as cà phê đen đá (black iced coffee) and cà phê sữa đá (iced coffee with sweetened condensed milk), this coffee aims to please.

Frozen Coffee in Italy

The Italians appear to have arrived late to the cold coffee scene. People believe their granita al caffè — a kind of coffee slushie — first came about in the 19th century.

The 20th century saw the introduction of Leccese coffee, which is basically created when hot coffee is poured over finely chopped ice. Sometimes almond milk is added to sweeten this version.

You can also get shaken coffee, which is prepared in a shaker, much like a mixed alcoholic drink.

Frozen Coffee in the United States

It’s a bit of a no-brainer that frozen coffee has its roots in places where the weather is hot and something cool is bound to be a hit. But what’s with the uptick in popularity in the U.S. where frozen-blended drinks are now far more than just a summer treat?

The reasons vary depending on who you ask, but the bottom line is that frozen coffee is just plain good!

There’s also the fact that you can whip up an impressive frozen coffee drink at home with little more than some basic coffee equipment and a blender.

Plus, it’ll cost you a fraction of what you pay at coffee shops or chains such as Dunkin Donuts and Starbucks.

What Is Frozen Coffee?

If you’re a little fuzzy on what frozen coffee is, you’re not alone. With the frappés, frappuccinos, iced lattes and cold brew on menus, there’s a lot of freestyling going on in the chilled coffee drinks arena.

Basically, frozen coffee is what the name says — ice and coffee blended together. To help you navigate the options, here’s a quick ABC of popular frozen coffee drink names that are rather similar to one another:

Frozen Coffee Drinks

Despite their different histories, a frappe and Frappuccino are pretty much one and the same in the States. It’s just that only Starbucks is allowed to name their frozen coffee drink a Frappuccino.

The household use of the term frappuccino is much like the colloquial use of Coke. Just like Coke is often used to describe any soft drink, even if not made by Coca Cola … frappuccino gets used to describe lots of frozen coffee drinks.

How Do You Make Frozen Coffee?

Now that I’ve got you craving a delicious and refreshing frozen coffee, let’s dig into how to make one.

For something with so much wow factor, frozen coffee comes together pretty fast. Dump ingredients in the blender, blend them and serve.

However, there are a number of tips that will take your beverage from pale imitation to party worthy.

Strong Coffee

First and foremost, for coffee lovers, is a strong brew. That’s not only because cold blunts our ability to taste flavors, but all the added ice, dairy and syrups can tone down the coffee flavor if you’re not careful.

Considering that subtle notes are likely to get lost, it’s not really advisable to use your most expensive beans.

Cold Coffee

With the exception of cold brew, which is made by steeping coarsely ground beans in cold water for between 12 and 24 hours, you usually need to cool the coffee after making it.

This is the one barrier to instant gratification with frozen coffee. But it’s easily overcome with a bit of planning.

Simply make your coffee in advance and once it’s room temperature, transfer it to a sealed Mason jar in the fridge — ready to go at a moment’s notice.

Remember, getting a good seal on the lid is important to prevent oxidation.

You can also use any number of iced coffee makers or cold brew coffee makers to prepare the coffee for your frozen coffee.

Ice Cubes

As an alternative, pour hot coffee or cold brew into ice cube trays and stick them in the freezer. That way, you can replace regular ice cubes with coffee ice and prevent your frozen coffee from getting watered down.

You can also do the same with frozen milk and creamer. Just keep in mind that other aromas in your freezer might affect the taste of your frozen coffee or milk.

Blenders

Your blender will need some liquid to effectively crush ice. So, if you’re using frozen coffee and frozen milk or creamer together, be sure to add a little of one or the other in liquid form to help your blending operation along.

Frozen Coffee Recipe

Think of this frozen coffee recipe as giving you the basic building blocks for a simple, delicious, coffee drink. Then, it’s up to you to get creative and add the frills, if you’re feeling fancy.

This recipe makes a single serving.

Equipment

You will need at least a 600 or 700 watt blender to crush ice. Appliances with a higher wattage will do a better job.

If using frozen coffee ice cubes, you’ll need a couple of ice cube trays as well.

Frozen Coffee Ingredients

Optional Extras

Frozen Coffee Instructions

Frozen Coffee Tips

Pretty straightforward, wouldn’t ya say?

Without any advanced kitchen skills, you can whip up an impressive dessert for after dinner or an amazing breakfast treat.

Now that you know how simple it is, I hope you feel confident to tweak our frozen coffee recipe to get your taste buds doing the happy dance you so desire.

Getting the Right Texture

Texture is a big part of a delicious frozen coffee. Obviously, you want silky smooth rather than gritty.

So, you’ll want to dissolve sugar crystals in hot coffee, use a pre-made syrup or create simple syrup yourself. To make simple syrup simply add hot water to sugar and stir.

Choosing Milk

Aside from ensuring your blender has the muscle to do the job, bear in mind that going for higher fat creamer, half-and-half or adding the whipped cream will get you closer to smoothie or milkshake territory. Some people even add ice cream!

Oat milk, soy milk, almond milk and other plant based alternatives tend to be thinner. Because of this, they will produce more of an icy snow cone mouthfeel than the creamy texture you are used to from coffee shops.

Chocolate

If you’re craving mocha flavor, chocolate syrup isn’t the only solution. Using chocolate milk or creamer, adding a teaspoon or two of hot chocolate powder or even cacao will deliver the fix you’re looking for.

Feel free to make this frozen coffee recipe your own with pumpkin spice or even with a splash or Baileys, Kahlúa, Amaretto or the like.

Do note that the presence of caffeine doesn’t cancel out the alcohol if you happen to be driving.

How to Make Frozen Coffee Healthier

Whether you’re watching your weight or just trying to eat cleaner, the good news is that plain black coffee contains very few calories. It’s the added fats and sugars that inspire that serious stare from your doctor.

That doesn’t mean you’re stuck with a bitter black brew. Adding a bit of almond or dairy milk isn’t going to send the count soaring.

If your definition of healthy is a bit more complex than calories alone — and hopefully it is — then hop over to my article that answers the question, “Is coffee good for you?”

With a few tips and tweaks to the basic recipe, there’s no reason you can’t have your iced coffee and drink it too.

Milk Choices

In case you haven’t guessed it already, your choice of milk has a strong influence on the type and amount of fat you’re taking in.

But don’t think that you’re necessarily doing yourself a favor by switching from whole milk to skim milk or from dairy milk to a plant based alternative.

The fat from milk will make you feel more full, so you’ll be less likely to go back for a second helping.

Moreover, unless you decide to use unsweetened plant based alternatives, you are likely adding a lot of sugar without paying attention.

Sugar and Sugar Alternatives

On average, adult Americans consume about 17 teaspoons (70 grams) of added sugar a day. That’s compared to the 6 teaspoons (24 grams) for women and 9 teaspoons (36 grams) for men that the American Heart Association recommends.

I’m not going to lecture you about the impact of sugar on your health. One thing I recommend though is taking a break from sugars for one week to reset your palate. You’ll be amazed how much less sugar you’ll need when you add it back in.

There are also lots of sugar alternatives you can add to your frozen coffee that many people enjoy.

Monk Fruit and stevia are natural, zero calorie options you can consider adding to your frozen coffee. I don’t recommend anything with aspartame because research has established links between aspartame and many negative health conditions.

You can even buy a “skinny” chocolate or caramel syrup made with these alternatives to complement your drink’s coffee flavor.

Size Matters — Trick Yourself With Smaller Treats

When it comes to food and beverage portions, the size of your cup matters. Having a smaller serving is definitely one way to reduce the amount of calories, sugar and fat in your cup of frozen coffee without altering any ingredients.

Frequency — Going Back for Seconds and Thirds

By the same token, even teensy frozen coffees will add up if you’re having four a day, five times a week.

Bottom line? We wouldn’t dream of cutting you off from your favorite coffee drink.

With so many options for substituting ingredients, controlling your serving size or how often you indulge, there’s sure to be a way to enjoy this refreshing brew while living a healthy lifestyle.