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    Home » Recipes » Drinks

    Iced Coffee with Instant Coffee

    Published Jul 26, 2021 · Modified: Aug 3, 2021 · by Jacqueline Piper · 2 Comments · This post may contain affiliate links

    246 shares
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    iced coffee in a glass with a straw
    iced coffee in a glass with a straw

    Easy Iced Coffee | Learn how to make iced coffee with instant coffee - and in less than five minutes. The quickest way of making iced coffee is to use instant coffee granules, because it dissolves instantly, so there is no waiting time for coffee to brew. With this little hack, you use less hot water, so there is literally no cooling time, just delicious, strong iced instant coffee.

    iced coffee in a glass with a straw

    So you want to make yourself and your besties some iced coffee to combat the hellfire temperatures this summer? Me too!

    What if you don't have an espresso machine or even a percolator? Instant coffee granules to the rescue! You'll have cafe-style cold drinks in no time (like seriously, five minutes!) and your guests will name you their new favorite barista, I'm sure of it.

    Cold coffee is usually made with shots of espresso, cold water, and then milk or cream. But you can switch out the espresso for a strong mix of instant coffee - no special tools are needed besides a kettle or microwave for heating the water. Easy peasy. Making iced coffee with instant coffee takes only a few minutes!

    Stay tuned to my website to find out how to make a Greek-style frappe with instant coffee - a beautiful whipped cold coffee that I've been drinking for years.

    Jump to:
    • Ingredients
    • Instructions
    • Substitutions
    • Variations
    • Equipment
    • Storage
    • Recipe Tips
    • Snacks to serve with Iced Coffee
    • Recipe
    • Recipes FAQs
    iced coffee in a glass with a straw
    Coffee and Coconut Milk Swirling Together

    Ingredients

    Here's an overview of the ingredients. See the recipe card below for exact amounts.

    • Instant coffee granules - use your favorite brand. You can also use decaf if that's your thing! I prefer Nescafe Instant Coffee.
    • Hot water - just a little bit of hot water to dissolve the instant coffee granules
    • Ice - a bunch of ice to make your iced coffee dreams come true
    • Sweetener (optional) - I don't sweeten my coffee but you can use whatever sweetneer you prefer like, brown sugar, white sugar, simple syrup, maple syrup, honey, or coconut sugar.
    • Milk + cream - again, use what you like. I prefer plant based milks and creams but you can definitly use cow's milk in the fat percentage you like. You can skip the cream if you like. For this recipe I like Almond Breeze Unsweetened Coconut Milk and Silk's Oat + Coconut Half and Half.

    Instructions

    To make iced coffee with instant coffee, boil a kettle of water and gather all of your ingredients as well as a tall glass or mason jar for serving.

    1. Add a tablespoon of instant coffee to your glass. Add about the same amount of hot water and stir.
    2. Add a splash of cold water. This cools everything down and helps ensure all of the ice doesn't melt immediately.
    3. Add the ice. I fill my glass to the top.
    4. Finish with milk and cream. Stir and enjoy!

    Tip: You can use more cold water and less milk if prefer less milky coffee. Taste test and adjust your drink to your liking.

    iced coffee in a glass with a straw

    Substitutions

    To enjoy the flavor of coffee without the jitters, use decaffeinated instant coffee granules.

    To make this iced coffee dairy-free, use plant milk.

    Variations

    To take this over the top for guests, serve cafe-style iced coffees with a pretty swirl of whipped cream on top.

    Low carb - this fits in a low carb/keto lifestyle if you skip the sweetener or use a keto-approved sweetener like erythritol or something similar.

    Try flavored creamer for different flavored iced coffee.

    Try my kid-friendly Peppermint Hot Chocolate for a caffeine-free cafe-style drink for children.

    Equipment

    You'll need a kettle, microwave, or a pot and stovetop to heat the water.

    Storage

    If you accidentally (or purposely) make too much coffee you can pour the extra coffee into an ice cube tray and freeze it. Add the coffee ice cubes to your next iced coffee. As the ice cubes melt they won't water down and dilute your drink - keeping all the great coffee flavor!

    Recipe Tips

    EXPERT TIP: Pour the plant milk on top of the coffee and then add a splash of milk. You'll get a really beautiful effect as the coffee and milk swirl together. If you're serving his drink for guests be sure to serve right away and with a straw for each person to stir their drink themselves.

    iced coffee in a glass with a straw

    Snacks to serve with Iced Coffee

    • Cinnamon Twists
    • Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Bread
    • Florentine Cookies

    Recipe

    iced coffee in a glass with a straw

    Iced Coffee with Instant Coffee

    Jacqueline Piper
    5 from 7 votes
    It only takes 5 minutes to make this delicious iced instant coffee. Use your favorite instant coffee brand and milk to make your perfect cold coffee at home.
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save Recipe Recipe Saved!
    Prep Time 5 mins
    Cook Time 0 mins
    Total Time 5 mins
    Servings 1

    Equipment

    • Kettle
    • Small Mason Jars

    Ingredients
      

    • 1 tablespoon Instant coffee granules (your favorite brand, I use Nescafe)
    • ¼ cup water, divided
    • 1-2 cups ice
    • â…“ cup milk of choice (approximately, I used coconut milk)
    • 1 tablespoon cream of choice (optional, I use oat + coconut cream)
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions
     

    • Boil water in a kettle.
    • Add instant coffee to the serving glass.
      1 tablespoon Instant coffee granules
    • Add 1-2 tablespooons hot water and stir.
    • Add 2-3 tablesppons cold water.
    • Add ice
    • Fill with milk of choice and splash of cream.
      â…“ cup milk of choice, 1 tablespoon cream of choice
    • Serve with a straw for stirring and drinking.

    Notes

    Notes - Use your preferred milk and cream products.  Make this drink a few times and you'll learn how much milk and sweetener you prefer.
    Substitutions - Use decaf coffee if you prefer.
    Storage - Freeze extra coffee as ice cubes.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 36kcalCarbohydrates: 1gFat: 3gFiber: 1gSugar: 1g

    Nutrition Disclaimer

    Nutritional information is an estimate. Values vary based on products used.

    Read our full Nutrition Disclaimer.
    Keyword iced coffee
    Have you tried a recipe? Tag @pipercooksblog or tag #pipercooksblog!

    Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning I get a commission if you decide to purchase through my link, at no extra cost to you.

    Recipes FAQs

    How much caffeine is in instant iced coffee?

    Nescafe states that there is between 50mg to 90mg of caffeine per serving (2g) of their instant coffee granules.

    Can you mix instant coffee with cold water?

    Yes, you can, it just takes a bit longer to dissolve.

    How do you make iced coffee without a coffee maker?

    Easy - use this recipe to make an iced coffee with instant coffee!

    What's the fastest way to cool coffee for iced coffee?

    The best way to cool hot coffee is by adding cold water or shaking your coffee with ice as you would a cocktail. Cooling coffee in the freezer takes longer. Or simply make your drink with instant coffee.

    Save this image to your summer drinks board on Pinterest.

    iced coffee in a glass with a straw

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    1. Amanda M

      November 03, 2021 at 10:08 pm

      I have been making my at home iced coffee this way since the 90s! It is the quickest and easiest way to make and enjoy my favorite beverage. I wouldn't make it any other way!

      Reply
      • Jacqueline Piper

        November 04, 2021 at 4:38 pm

        It's definitely easy, quick and so satisfying! Thanks for commenting 🙂

        Reply

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