How To Make Iced Coffee At Home (Without A Coffee Maker!)

I have no idea why the idea of making iced coffee at home always intimidated me. I have made hot coffee at home for years to save money, but for some reason- I thought iced coffee was beyond me, or that Starbucks had some wizard barista knowledge to make theirs taste so darn good.

I would like to give Starbucks their credit for making yummy iced coffee, but if you’d like to make it at home yourself, I assure you, it’s easier than you think and you don’t need anything special to make it…not even a coffee maker!

You’ll need coffee grounds, a jar & a strainer. That’s it.

I love to grind up my fair trade coffee beans fresh, but if you can use plain ol’ coffee grounds. Measure out about 6 ounces of coarsely ground beans with about 6 cups of cool or cold water. You can use a large pitcher, canister, or in this case, a giant mason jar.

(Honestly, I just eyeball a bunch of grounds to the first line of the big ol’ jar…scientific I know.)

You’ll add water to the coffee grounds, filling it, and sealing it. Shake the mixture to ensure the grounds don’t lump together. You’ll simply then leave your coffee mixture out for a few hours- usually overnight, and it will cold brew on your countertop. Cold brewing (without the hot water, not necessarily icy cold water) simply means that your coffee takes longer, but it won’t have the acidic taste that a hot brew creates. Without rushing the brewing process with hot water, you’ll end up with really smooth coffee.

Leave the mixture out overnight, shaking it a few times to ensure it mixes properly. Cold brew coffee can sit out for up to two days without getting bitter- so if you forget it, no worries!

We have a strainer in our house that’s “mug sized” and one that’s larger to sit over a secondary mason jar for bigger batches. Before we had strainers though, I’ve used coffee filters and a regular coffee pot (without turning it on!) to strain the mixture. Yes, I’ve even tried to strain with a paper towel (desperate for a fix much??!) but honestly, I wouldn’t recommend it…get a strainer, it helps.

Add some ice, sugar (we use simple syrup which I should make a tutorial on how to make, it’s stupid easy!), and some cream. It tastes just as good as Starbucks and is so refreshing on a hot day. Store any unused portions in the fridge.

Honestly, I wish I’d started making it sooner- it’s so easy. A large batch in a big mason jar will last us through the work week (about 6 servings.)