How to Make Iced Coffee with Hot Coffee: Simple Steps

Since summer is just around the corner, knowing how to make an iced coffee can be extremely valuable knowledge – especially after a long day spent outside when the only thing you can think of is a cold dose of caffeine that will bring you back to life and restore the energy the beaming sun took from you.

But how can you transform a glass of steaming black coffee into a refreshing and delicious iced coffee? Let us tell you all about it in this article.

Making Iced Coffee from Hot Coffee

If your search history is full of questions like “How to make iced coffee with hot coffee,” “Can you make iced coffee with hot coffee,” or “How to make iced coffee at home with hot coffee,” then you are not alone. Let’s be honest: who does not want to learn how to make iced coffee with hot coffee and be an expert in it? So let’s not wait any further and learn to make iced coffee with hot coffee at home:

Step 1: Brew Hot Coffee

In order to transform hot coffee into cold coffee, you need to first make it, which is why the first step in making a perfect iced coffee is preparing hot brewed coffee.

Since you probably know best how you like your hot coffee, we will let this step up to you. The brewing method, as well as the strength of the hot coffee, are entirely up to you. Just make sure that when you’re brewing coffee, you make the coffee extra strong or at least stronger than you usually would, as the ice and other things you will put in it will make the taste less intense.

So, the first step of making iced coffee is brewing the hot coffee.

Step 2: Prepare the Ice Cubes

Iced coffee wouldn’t be called that way if it didn’t have ice in it, which is why the next step is preparing the ice.

Depending on how cold you want your coffee, you should prepare between one and two cups of ice. Place it in either a thick glass or a stainless steel mixing container—a glass measuring cup or a milk frothing pitcher will work perfectly.

This is also the step where you prepare anything else that you would like to pour into it later – be that whole milk, sweetened condensed milk, plant-based milk, sugar, syrup, or whatever else you like to add.

Step 3: Pour the Coffee and Stir

Once you have made your hot coffee and prepared the ice for the iced coffee, you can start the transformation. Simply pour the liquid into the mixing vessel you have put your ice cubes into. If the ice starts to melt and water down the coffee, don’t worry—that’s completely fine, and it’s also the reason why we told you to make your coffee stronger.

Once you have poured it, it’s time to stir. The melting ice will cool down the coffee, so you need to stir so that the water and the coffee become one. When stirring, check the outside of the container—once it is quite chill, a little bit colder than lukewarm, you can stop stirring and move to the next step.

Step 4: Pour the Coffee Into a Drinking Cup

When the coffee has cooled significantly, you can transfer it into the cup you want to drink it from. Many people like to put their iced coffee into a mason jar, as it looks nicer to them.

Put some more ice cubes into the drinking cup and add the mixture you have prepared—this also includes the ice that didn’t melt when you were stirring.

Step 5: Add the Rest of the Ingredients

When your iced coffee is ready, and you have transferred it into the drinking cup, you can finish off your creation by adding everything else you want to drink it with.

Some of the things you can add to your iced coffee include:

Syrup – you can buy a pre-made one, or you can make simple syrup on your own; popular flavors include vanilla, caramel, chocolate, or more seasonal options like Pumpkin spice sauce – just like a syrup, a sauce will add whatever flavor you wish to your coffee; some of the most commonly used ones include caramel, chocolate or butterscotch. Since the consistency is thicker than syrups, it might take more time to dissolve. However, you can also try iced coffee with a sauce that isn’t stirred.

Alcohol – if it’s been a rough day, you can make it a bit more bearable by adding some alcohol to your iced coffee. A common addition is whiskey, but you can probably get away with adding any alcohol you like.

Ice cream—Adding ice cream to your coffee can make it even better than it is on its own. Vanilla is a clear favorite, but truthfully, you could add any ice cream flavor that you fancy, and it would most likely still be the best iced coffee you’ve ever tasted. This type of iced coffee is also known as Australian iced coffee.

Whipped cream—If you want to sweeten your coffee a bit so it won’t taste bitter, adding whipped cream is the perfect solution. What’s more, you can put something on top of it—for example, you can drizzle a sauce, sprinkle some cinnamon or cocoa or add some fruit.

Avoid These Common Mistakes

What is worse than not having a nice iced coffee to sip on is having a bad iced coffee. Nothing can make a coffee lover worse than having a tall glass of their favorite iced coffee that tastes nothing like their favorite coffee. If you do not want to have this revolting experience, here are a few tips to ensure that your iced coffee always tastes like heaven:

The first thing to avoid while making iced coffee from hot coffee is pouring hot coffee directly over ice. While ice is an essential element of iced coffee (obviously), it is to be introduced relatively late in the process. 

First, the hot coffee needs to cool down. Pouring hot coffee directly on the ice dilutes the coffee and reduces its flavor. So, if you have been wondering, “Can you put hot coffee in the fridge?” then yes, and this is the perfect time to do so.

If you keep wondering how to make hot coffee cold fast, you might have tried to use too much ice to chill it down. However, this will do no good to your coffee. Instead, it will drain all the taste and flavor of the coffee, leaving behind a brownish-black concoction. Needless to say, too much ice is not the answer; patience is.

However, this does not mean you do not chill your coffee enough and end up with a lukewarm drink that is neither hot nor cold. To make an amazing iced coffee, you need to let your coffee cool down enough without diluting it. Again, patience is the key.

Lastly, you will not get a nice iced coffee from a hot coffee if you do not brew strong enough coffee for the iced version. Irrespective of how hard you try to prevent your iced coffee from diluting, pouring ice will result in some dilution, even if minor and slower. The perfect way to deal with this issue is to brew a strong pot of iced coffee from the get-go.

With these tips, you’ll master how to make iced coffee at home with hot coffee and enjoy a delicious, perfectly balanced iced coffee every time.

FAQs

Can I make iced coffee with any brewing method?

You can make iced coffee with various brewing methods, including pour-over, French press, and cold brew.

What happens if I pour hot coffee over ice?

Pouring hot coffee over ice causes rapid dilution as the ice melts, resulting in a weaker flavor and a less concentrated beverage.

Does pouring hot coffee over ice make it bitter?

No, pouring hot coffee over ice will not make it bitter. In fact, it will take away from the bitter taste of coffee and make it taste bland.

Why shouldn’t you pour espresso over ice?

You should not pour espresso over ice because as you do this, the ice will melt, diluting your drink instead of cooling it down. Due to dilution, the drink will lose its flavor and taste watery.

 Can you pour a hot latte over ice?

It is never a good idea to pour hot coffee directly on ice. Hot coffee will make the ice dilute instantly instead of making the drink iced.

Can you put hot coffee in the fridge?

If you have brewed some hot coffee to make some iced coffee, you can put it in the fridge to cool down. However, let it cool to room temperature before putting it in the fridge. This will help the brew retain its taste and flavor.