With the warmer weather comes the urge to sit outside and sip on a nice hot beverage. Wait, what? Jonesing for your caffeine fix, but don’t fancy the idea of taking in yet more heat? We’ve got you covered. Here’s a handy list full of every iteration of Iced coffee, frappe and cold summer coffee drink idea that we could think of.
Summer coffee iced drink ideas: the classics
Don’t worry, these summer drink and iced coffee ideas won’t require fancy equipment or complicated barista skills - they're just variations of adding coffee to ice and a mixture of different cold mixers. Alcohol optional.
TIP: most of the drinks require espresso, but work just as well with a strong, short brew from a Moka pot, Aeropress, filter coffee, or even a cold brew.
Cold brew coffee
Cold brew is probably the easiest and most refreshing of all the recipes out there. It can be made as a drink on its own, or served as the coffee base for the majority of drinks below. We’ve already got a handy article that goes into detail about everything cold brew, starting with how to make it yourself, and going on to explore what you can do with it.
Affogato
If you're feeling fancy, or like combining your coffee with your dessert, the affogato could be just what you are looking for. Yet another coffee creation to come out of Italy, this drink can be found in many cafes or restaurants for an after-dinner treat.
The classic recipe calls for 1 or 2 shots of espresso, poured over vanilla ice cream (or chocolate ice cream, if you want a mocha variation). For a more luxurious drink, you can add whipped cream and caramel sauce to the top. If you don’t have access to an espresso machine, use a strong, short brew or filter coffee base instead.
Iced latte or frappe
Want a simple iced latte or iced coffee recipe, but not sure how the baristas do it? Look no further: we’ve got a whole post on how to make the perfect iced latte. Whether it's plain, caramel, or alternative milks, we’ve covered all the bases - and you can find a good iced mocha recipe over there too.
Coconut iced latte
While most coffee-based summer drinks can be made vegan by changing the type of milk used, this coconut iced latte recipe is one of our favourites, and is enjoyed by everyone - even lovers of dairy!
You will need:
- Ice
- Coconut milk
- Vanilla essence or syrup
- 1-2 espresso shots (or equivalent)
- Optional: brown sugar or toasted coconut shavings
- Fill a glass half full with ice, then pour in coconut milk to an inch below the rim.
- Pour in a shot of vanilla syrup or ½ teaspoon vanilla essence and stir.
- Finally, add the espresso.
- If you want to be fancy, you can add some frothed coconut milk (place ice and the milk in a bottle and shake till foamy) as a topping, and sprinkle on some brown sugar or coconut shavings.
Espresso and tonic
This drink is perfect for those who aren't fans of heavily milk-based drinks, but want a step up from the usual iced americano.
Tonic water started as a prophylactic against malaria, before being adopted as the perfect accompaniment to gin and other spirits. If you don’t know what it is, it’s a sparkling water drink with quinine dissolved into it, and is delicious when served with coffee. It’s also a good non-alcoholic cocktail option.
This one is pretty straightforward:
- Fill a glass with ice and tonic water.
- Pour over two shots of espresso (or equivalent).
- Optional: garnish with lime or frozen raspberries.
Coffee breakfast smoothie
If you're looking for something more substantial (and dare we say it, healthy), look no further than the breakfast coffee smoothie. It may not be a natural pairing, but as this smoothie isn’t citrus based, it works well with the strong coffee flavour.
While the exact ingredients are up to you, the best mix we have found includes:
- Greek plain yoghurt or milk - yoghurt for a thicker drink, milk for a wetter one.
- 2 shots of espresso (or equivalent).
- Oats.
- Banana (frozen for an extra refreshing drink).
How: cut the banana into pieces, place it into a blender, pour over the other ingredients and blend to the preferred consistency. Voila.
We’ve also seen people add peanut or almond butter, ice cream instead of milk, or vanilla essence/syrup if you want it a bit sweeter. Just don’t add citrus fruit if you are adding dairy too, as the acid can cause it to curdle.
Iced dirty chai latte
While the chai latte is considered more of an autumn/winter drink, we dare you to try an iced chai latte and not crave it all summer.
Dirty chai is simply a chai latte with coffee added to it, as by itself it does not usually contain caffeine. The exception is when it's made with real tea leaves - but 99% of coffee shop chai uses a powder or syrup mix instead.
You will need:
- Chai powder or syrup.
- Espresso (or equivalent).
- Milk.
- Ice.
- Optional: cinnamon powder.
- Mix the chai powder with the milk of your choice. As most powders aren’t easily soluble in cold milk you may need to blend it, or put it in a jar and shake it for a minute or so, until it is fully mixed.
- Pour over a glass with ice.
- Add the espresso shot (or equivalent) - one shot is better with chai, so as not to distract too much from the flavour.
- Mix to combine the flavours.
- Top with cinnamon, if you prefer.
Summer coffee drink ideas from our holidays
We’ve all had drinks on holiday which perfectly suited the warm sunny climate, and wished we could recreate at home. Now you can! Here’s a collection of coffee-based cold drinks from around the globe to recapture the holiday mood:
Swedish kaffelemonad (iced coffee lemonade)
Warning: this may become your new addiction. KaffeLemonad launched in 2013, and has become a staple drink in Swedish cafes ever since. Here’s how to make it:
- Add freshly brewed coffee, lemon juice, simple syrup or sugar water to ice in a shaker.
- Shake like your life depends on it.
- Pour into a glass of ice, or add to tonic or sparkling water. Enjoy.
Not sure what type of coffee to use? Espresso will add a powerful full-bodied kick to the drink, while cold brew or drip filtered coffee will create a delicate, slightly sweet drink that’s super refreshing on a hot day.
One last tip: this works well packed away into a bottle and taken to work for lunchtime too. You’re welcome.
Greek freddo espresso (iced espresso or frappe espresso)
The Greeks know good coffee, and they can get quite passionate about their recipes. After the Athens-based 2004 Olympics introduced us to frappes, we all jumped on the bandwagon and haven’t looked back since. The frappes were made from a 1950’s recipe, with instant coffee and three degrees of sweetness, but Greece has since moved on to the freddo, which can be made as a freddo espresso or freddo cappuccino. Naturally, we're going to show you how to make both.
To make a Greek Freddo Espresso, you will need:
- Ice.
- Coffee: Espresso or equivalent.
- Sugar.
- Cocktail shaker or something to shake the mixture in.
- Pour 1 or 2 shots of hot, fresh espresso into a canister or shaker. Add a handful of ice and sugar to taste (none, 1 teaspoon or 2 teaspoons are what is usually offered).
- Shake until the desired consistency has been achieved. You can also use a blender, but the consistency would be more akin to a frappe, and you need to keep an eye on the timing, so that it doesn't blend too thin.
- Serve immediately, as the froth will settle quickly.
Pro tip: don’t use cold coffee for this, as it is the meeting of hot coffee with ice that creates the foam.
Freddo cappuccino (iced cappuccino)
Hot on the heels of dalgona coffee, the freddo cappuccino is the latest iced coffee drink to be taking over social media. Yet it's not really a new drink at all, having been served in Greek cafes for some time. Nothing to do with the chocolate frog, a freddo cappuccino is similar to an iced latte, except the milk is frothed - allowing you to experience the smooth texture of a hot cappuccino in a cold drink.
You will need:
- Espresso.
- Ice.
- Sugar (one teaspoon or to taste).
- 100ml evaporated milk or skimmed milk.
To froth the milk, you will need either a handheld milk frother or a shaker of some kind (a tightly sealed jam jar works wonders too).
- Pour the shots of coffee into a glass and stir in half of the sugar.
- Fill the glass with ice to cool the coffee.
- Place the milk and a few ice cubes into a shaker and shake vigorously until soft peaks have formed, OR froth the milk with a handheld milk whisk until it reaches the correct consistency.
- Spoon the frothed milk onto the coffee, and garnish with cinnamon or chocolate powder, if preferred.
Japanese iced coffee
Similar in construction to a cold brew, this particular beverage has been getting a lot of attention lately because of its use of ‘flash chilling’: a concept that has been around for ages in Japan, and which is quickly gaining a following over here. But what exactly is Japanese iced coffee?
As opposed to cold brew - which takes hours to prepare - this doesn't need to be prepped far in advance of when you wish to drink it. On top of this, the taste has been described by converts as both fuller and less watery tasting.
What you’ll need:
- Ice in a cup/glass.
- Your chosen variation of pour-over or filter coffee brewer. V60 or Chemex works best.
- Hot water (just under boiling is best, so as not to burn the coffee).
- Coffee.
The process is not complicated at all: you are essentially making a filter/pouring over coffee directly into a cup that is full to the brim with ice.
- Don’t forget that the first pour of water should simply wet the grounds to start the ‘bloom’ process, and left for about 30 seconds.
- Pour the rest of the water slowly and in a circular motion, ensuring that all of the coffee grounds get covered. You may need to do this in two or three goes, to allow all the water to filter through.
- By the time it is all filtered through (should be three minutes tops) most of the ice will have melted, and it is ready to drink. Give it a stir and add a splash of milk if required. Yum.
Spanish iced latte
This drink is a little sweeter than the other summer coffee drink ideas, but not as sweet as one flavoured with sugar syrup, making it a nice treat on a hot day. Also known as an iced caffe con leche, this drink resembles an iced latte, but uses condensed milk added to the milk, for a fuller, sweeter taste.
The recipe is really simple, and can be a nice twist on your usual cold summer drink. You will need:
- Ice.
- 1-2 shots of espresso or equivalent.
- Milk (full-fat works best).
- 1 tbsp of condensed or evaporated milk.
- Mix the two types of milk in a separate glass, until combined well.
- Fill a glass with ice and pour the espresso over it.
- Once the coffee has settled, pour over the milk combination.
- Stir and serve.
- Optional extra: froth a little evaporated milk and place on top for a thicker head to the drink.
Mazagran
Okay so this one may seem a little quirky at first glance, but trust us: it’s delicious. Mazagran is a hugely popular coffee-based drink hailing from Algeria, but is also a favoured drink in Portugal.
Originally, the lemon juice was added to hide the taste of sub-par coffee beans, but don’t let that put you off - your best coffee beans can sing in this drink. It is essentially espresso (or equivalent) with lemon juice, sugar and ice, topped up with water:
- Brew your coffee, add in your sweetener of choice (honey, white sugar or vanilla extract works best) and stir.
- Fill a glass with ice and pour the sweetened coffee over it.
- Squeeze in half a lemon (about 1 tablespoon) or to taste, and stir.
Alcoholic summer iced coffee drink ideas
Once the working day is done, why not turn your caffeine hit into an alcoholic marvel with some of these refreshing ideas:
Cold fashioned
A coffee-based spin on the classic old fashioned cocktail, this works perfectly with our Serious Coffee Liqueur.
The only other ingredients you will need are a good rye whiskey, some ice to keep things cool, and a twist of orange peel if you want to get fancy.
- Measure out 45ml of the whiskey, then 45ml of the coffee liqueur.
- Pour over ice and stir for 20-30 secs.
- Add the garnish and enjoy.
Espresso martinis
Far and away the most popular coffee-based cocktail, it’s easy to recreate yourself, to enjoy in the garden at home.
You will need:
- 1 shot of simple syrup.
- 4 shots of vodka.
- 2 shots of espresso.
- 2 shots of coffee liqueur.
- Ice.
- Optional coffee beans to garnish.
- Fill a cocktail shaker with ice, and pour in all of the ingredients, minus the coffee beans. You don’t need to wait for the espresso to cool, as it is the combination of warmth with ice that will create the foam.
- Shake until the desired consistency has been achieved, and the shaker feels ice cold.
- Serve through a strainer into two glasses.
- Garnish with two coffee beans.
Pro tip: put the glasses you will be using in the fridge to cool while you prepare the drinks.
Baileys whipped coffee
A grown-up version of the dalgona, this one is sure to cool you down.
You will need:
- Sugar or simple syrup, to taste.
- 1-2 shots of espresso.
- 1-2 shots of baileys.
- Ice.
- Milk.
- Optional: chocolate shavings or dust to garnish.
- Put the sugar, espresso and Baileys into a mixing bowl and whisk (by hand or electric whisk) until the mixture forms peaks. It should be glossy once it has reached the correct consistency.
- Pour milk into a glass with ice, leaving 2-3 inches at the top.
- Spoon on the Baileys and coffee mix.
- Top with chocolate shavings and serve.
However you decide to serve your summer iced coffee drink, they all benefit from starting with the very best coffee beans - and the Coffee Bean Shop will always be here to provide them. Whether you prefer whole beans ready for grinding or pre-ground to your chosen consistency, use our drop-down menus to select your chosen brewing method, and enjoy the taste of summer for that bit longer, no sunshine required.