Iced Coffee
Ingredients
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- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup water
- 4 tbsp ground coffee – medium grind
- 12 ounces water
- 2 cups ice
- milk – to taste (for serving)
Instructions
1. Make simple syrup: Combine the granulated sugar and 0.25 cup water in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves and the syrup is clear, 2–3 minutes. Set aside to cool while you brew.
2. Put the ice into a heatproof pitcher.
3. Brew strong coffee using 4 tbsp medium‑ground coffee and 12 ounces just‑off‑boil water (200°F) with a pour‑over, drip machine, or French press. Aim for a total brew time of 3–5 minutes; it’s done when dripping stops or a French press has steeped 4 minutes.
4. Immediately pour the hot coffee over the ice in the pitcher and stir until chilled and about half the ice has melted, 30–60 seconds.
5. Divide the iced coffee between two glasses. Sweeten to taste with the simple syrup and add milk if desired. Serve immediately.
Iced coffee is freshly brewed coffee that’s quickly chilled and served cold, yielding a bright, aromatic cup with refreshing snap. Brewing hot preserves the coffee’s volatile aromas, while the ice provides rapid cooling and a clean, crisp finish without the heavy body of cold brew. It’s endlessly customizable at the table, welcoming a touch of sweetness or a splash of milk while still letting the coffee’s character lead.
Though coffee over ice feels modern, chilled coffee has deep roots. A 19th‑century Algerian drink called mazagran—cold, sweetened coffee—helped popularize the idea in Europe. Over the 20th century it spread widely, from Japan’s brew‑over‑ice method to American diners and cafes, with local spins like Greece’s frappé and Vietnam’s condensed‑milk version. Today, iced coffee stands apart from cold brew as the hot‑brewed, fast‑chilled style prized for clarity and aromatics.