That thick, frosty, blended coffee from the drive-thru is mostly ice, sugar, and powdered flavoring. The homemade version is better in every way: real coffee, real control over the sweetness, and a frostier texture, for about a dollar. Here is how to make a blended iced coffee that actually tastes like coffee.
The One Trick: Start Strong
Blending with ice waters everything down, so your coffee base needs to be strong. Use a double-strength brew, espresso, or, best of all, cold brew concentrate. For an extra-frosty cup that never tastes weak, freeze leftover coffee into ice cubes and blend with those instead of plain ice.
What You Need
- 4 to 6 ounces of strong cold coffee or cold brew concentrate
- About half a cup of milk (dairy or oat)
- 1 to 1.5 cups of ice (or coffee ice cubes)
- Sweetener to taste: maple syrup, honey, or simple syrup blend best
- Optional: a tablespoon of cocoa powder, a splash of vanilla, a pinch of salt
How to Make It
- Add the coffee, milk, sweetener, and any flavorings to a blender.
- Add the ice and blend on high until smooth and frosty, about 30 to 45 seconds.
- Pour into a tall glass and top with a little whipped cream if you are feeling celebratory.
Make It Your Drink
- Mocha frappe: add cocoa powder and use Resurrection Espresso, whose milk chocolate notes were made for this.
- Caramel: a drizzle of caramel and a pinch of salt, leaning on the caramel sweetness of Rise & Shine.
- Vanilla: a splash of vanilla extract and a little extra milk.
- Dairy-free: oat milk blends thick and creamy.
Want the treat without the calories? Try the lighter approach in our skinny iced latte and low-calorie swaps. Otherwise, blend, pour, and enjoy summer in a glass.
