21 Mind Blowing Iced Coffee Recipes (from Around the World)

Though several countries lay claim to the invention of the first iced coffee, it is now clearly a global phenomenon. Nearly every nation boasts their own version of the beverage, distinguished by unique additions like ice cream, lemonade, condensed milk, or yogurt.

But they all share the common traits of being a delicious and refreshing dose of coffee. Read on to take a round-the-world journey in the form of inspiring and creative iced coffee recipes.

The Birth Of Iced Coffee

The history of iced coffee boasts several origin stories.

One begins in Algeria in 1840 and the advent of the mazagran, often referred to as “the original iced coffee”. French soldiers stationed in North Africa made a simple beverage of coffee syrup, cold water and ice. Another legend suggests that credit is due to 17th century Viennese who got creative with bags of coffee beans left behind by Turkish invaders.

Some even claim that the Greeks deserve true iced coffee fame for their invention of the frappe in the 1950s.

Iced Coffee vs. Cold Brew

Though the exact origin of iced coffee may be up for debate, one thing is clear: it is not cold brew. If you were thinking you were getting a guide to cold brew coffee, visit this page instead. Or you can watch Steve from Home Grounds compare all the ways of making cold coffee in this video:

Cold brew coffee is made without any heat at all. Most often, ground beans are simply steeped in cold filtered water for a long period of time in order to extract their flavor. Iced coffee on the other hand, is made from regular brewed coffee that has been cooled and poured over ice.

Many of the acids and solubles responsible for light and floral notes in coffee are only extracted above certain temperatures, so iced coffees tend to have much brighter and more pronounced flavors than cold brew, especially when you make one using one of these iced coffee makers.

Check this more detailed comparison between iced coffee and cold brew coffee if you wish to know more.

Here are 21 delightfully chilly ways to experience coffee around the world. And you can watch Steven from HomeGrounds make 8 of them in this fun video:

1. The Mazagran (Portugal via Algeria)

Though deriving from Algeria, the Mazagran is now largely considered to be a Portuguese concoction.

The drink’s name originated from (1) an Algerian fortress named Mazagran which housed French troops in the early 19th century.

At the time, the beverage was made simply of coffee syrup and cold water. Many consider it to be “the original iced coffee”.

In its travels to Portugal, the drink took on a much more diverse series of ingredients and is now a refreshing mixture (2) of espresso, lemon, mint and/or rum, poured over ice.

It is typically served in a tall, narrow glass.

You can think of it as a sort of coffee lemonade, which tastes less odd than it sounds. A quick version is sometimes made of sweetened espresso poured over ice and a slice of lemon.

How To Make It

1. Add the sugar to the espresso so that it dissolves, then pour it in a bowl and let it cool.
2. To the cooled espresso, add the water, lemon juice and rum.
3. Pile the ice in a tall glass and pour the espresso mixture over it. Pile the ice in a tall glass and pour the espresso mixture over it.
4. Tuck the mint leaves into the glass.

2. Es Alpukat Kopi (Indonesia)

“Alpukat” is the Indonesian word for avocado. Yes, this is avocado coffee (3).

It is typically made of a mixture of avocado, vanilla, coffee and condensed milk and is served over ice for a creamy and refreshing treat perfectly suited to its tropical homeland.

The addition of avocado makes it quite filling for a drink, so it is often taken as an afternoon snack or a light breakfast to start off the day.

It rides the tasty line between coffee and smoothie with some vendors choosing to blend the mixture to give it true smoothie consistency.

Though the idea of a sweetened avocado drink may sound unusual, in Southeast Asia, avocados are treated much more like the fruits they really are.

How To Make It

1. Place everything except the ice into a blender and puree the mixture. You can add the ice too, if you’d prefer a smoothie to a drink.
2. Divide the ice cubes between two chilled glasses.
3. Pour half the pureed mixture into each of the glasses.

3. Frappe (Greece)

The traditional Greek frappe isn’t the same as the popular Starbucks drink. Though the term Frappe has been widely co-opted by Starbucks and other coffee chains as a short name for frappuccino, in Greece it refers to a very particular drink.

Related: Frappe vs frappuccino: What’s the Difference?

Not to be mistaken with a traditional hot Greek coffee or the Freddo espresso; the traditional Greek frappe is among the most popular drinks in Greece and Cyprus and consists of just instant coffee, water, sugar, and ice. Legend has it that the Frappe was invented accidentally (4) in 1957 at the International Trade Fair in Thessaloniki.

A Nestlé representative couldn’t find any hot water to make his instant coffee, so he instead shook it up with cold water and ice.

Though instant coffee is not every coffee fan’s first choice, it is mandatory for this preparation.

Spray-dried coffee forms a more stable suspension than brewed coffee because it has no oil. This promotes the formation of the characteristic thick frothy layer atop the frappe.

How To Make It

1. Place the sugar, coffee powder and 1 Tbs cold water into the cocktail shaker and shake vigorously until everything is dissolved and you have a very foamy mixture. This should take about 30 seconds to a minute.
2. Pour the foam into a chilled glass and top it off with the extra cup of cold water or, less traditionally, a cup of cold milk.

4. Yogurt Coffee (Vietnam)

Vietnamese love their coffee, but their country grows primarily robusta beans which are often bitter and astringent.

As a result, many Vietnamese coffee drinks feature additives to cut through any acrid tastes. Though sweetened condensed milk is a favorite, yogurt is another popular addition.

In Vietnam, the drink is known as “ca phe sua chua” and has a distinct sweet and sour flavor reminiscent of a coffee smoothie.

Naturally, yogurt coffee is an iced beverage, often served in the morning as a healthy breakfast which combines the nutritional benefits of yogurt, like improved digestion, with the caffeine boost of coffee.

In many cases, the less healthy ingredient milo or chocolate syrup is also added.

*A phin is a small metal Vietnamese drip filter and it is crucial to the brewing of authentic Vietnamese coffee. They are readily available online or in many Asian grocery markets.

How To Make It

1. Make the coffee. Place the grounds in the phin and add 80 mL boiling water to soften them. Wait a minute, then fill the rest of the phin with the remaining water and allow it to drip through.
2. Spoon the yogurt and ice cubes into a tall, chilled glass.
3. Pour the coffee over the yogurt and ice.
4. Drizzle the condensed milk on top.

5. Iced Coffee with Brandy (Sri Lanka)

Though well-known for its Ceylon tea, coffee culture has been growing in Sri Lanka in recent years.

Today, coffee rivals tea as Sri Lanka’s biggest export, and the nation has become one of the world’s leading producers of fine coffees.

Sri Lankan iced coffee is sweet, spicy, and rich thanks to the addition of spices like cardamom and cloves as well as a dash of brandy.

It has been described as Sri Lankan egg nog, but without the eggs. Like eggnog, it is a popular beverage to serve at parties with the inclusion of brandy lending it a particularly festive twist.

If alcohol is not your thing, the brandy can easily be omitted.

How To Make It

1. Bring the cup of water to a boil and add the coffee, cardamom and cloves. Let the mixture simmer for 10 minutes then take it off the heat and allow to cool.
2. Pour the condensed milk into the jug and add the coffee mixture through the cloth or paper filter.
3. Mix in the cold water, brandy and vanilla. (If you’re a big fan of vanilla, here are some nice iced vanilla coffee recipes to try.) You can add some ice cubes too, if you’d like to cool it further.
4. Serve in chilled glasses.

6. Aisu Kōhī (Japan)

Iced coffee is found commonly in Japan, where it has been popular for even longer than it has in North America. It is served in every cafe, usually in a tall glass with a small pitcher of liquid sugar on the side.

Aisu kohi is not a recipe, but rather a brewing method that yields a drink which is clear and crisp, multi-layered and transparent, refreshing and complex.

The equipment used is designed to cool hot coffee instantly by brewing it straight onto ice, and incorporating the effects of melting and dilution directly into the recipe.

The result is a happy balance between the best traits of iced coffee and cold brew.

To recreate the effect at home, use a pour-over method but decrease the volume of hot water you typically use, relying instead on the ice below to perfectly dilute the beverage.

How To Make It

1. Put the ice cubes in a chilled glass and set the pour-over funnel with the paper filter inside atop the glass.
2. Add the coffee grounds to the filter.
3. Bring the ¾ cup of water to just below a boil and pour it over the grounds. Allow the coffee to drip through onto the ice.
4. Add syrup or dairy as per your preference and stir.

7. Oliang (Thailand)

As with all tropical countries with a coffee culture, iced coffee is incredibly popular in Thailand where is it known as Oliang (6).

In the Teochew dialect from which the name is derived, “o” means “black” and “liang” means “cold”. So Oliang references black iced coffee.

However, this is not fully descriptive of the traditional beverage in which the coffee beans are typically ground with additional ingredients like corn, soya, and sesame seeds.

As is common in the region, this Thai iced coffee drink (Oliang) is often topped with sweetened condensed milk. In this case is it known as Oliang Yok Lor which translates to pop-a-wheelie iced coffee.

While it may be possible to roast your own Oliang coffee mix, a better bet is to purchase a mix online or at your local Thai market.

*In Thailand a traditional filter, known as a tung tom kah fe and resembling a fabric sock with a metal wire loop at the top is used for brewing Oliang. If you can’t find one, a paper filter in a pour-over cone will also serve.

How To Make It

1. Brew the Oliang coffee mix using whatever method you have available and let it cool.
2. As it cools, add the sugar and stir until it dissolves.
3. Pour the cooled coffee over ice.
4. Top with sweetened condensed milk.

8. Mocha Cola, Brazil

Brazil is the world’s largest coffee producer, so it is unsurprising that it has a strong coffee culture with several unique drink formulations.

Coffee first arrived in Brazil in the 18th century and plantations now cover 27,000 square kilometers of land.

The mocha cola (7) is the richest variation of a traditional Brazilian iced coffee, bordering on dessert territory.

It is best described as a cross between a coffee drink and an ice cream float.

While not the healthiest option at the cafe, it is undeniably delicious, pairing the sweetness of chocolate and cola with the jolt and bitterness of coffee.

How To Make It

1. Brew your coffee twice as strong as is recommended and allow it to cool while you assemble the rest of the ingredients.
2. Mix together the coffee, chocolate milk and cola.
3. Divide the mixture between the four glasses and top each with ice cream or whipped cream as desired. A drizzle of chocolate syrup would also not be unwelcome.

Note: If you want to make a regular cold mocha, here’s our iced mocha coffee recipe.

9. Eiskaffee (Germany)

Eiskaffee is the German word for iced coffee, but this delectable concoction is far more than just coffee and ice.

Eiskaffee (8) is more like Germany’s answer to Italy’s famed affogato.

The predominant flavors are nearly always coffee and vanilla, but the additions to this half-beverage half-dessert can render it truly decadent.

If you’re making your own, don’t miss the opportunity to go all out — chocolate shavings, chocolate syrup and whipped cream are all popular.

Sticking a German wafer cookie in the top provides welcome textural contrast and pushes this “drink” fully into snack territory.

This coffee is also popular in Germany’s neighbor Austria where it is called “Wiener Eiskaffee (9)”, translating to Viennese Iced Coffee.

How To Make It

1. Add the scoop of ice cream to a tall, chilled glass.
2. Pour over the cooled coffee until the glass is ¾ full.
3. Cover the drink with a plentiful mound of whipped cream.
4. Drizzle on the chocolate syrup and/or sprinkle on the chocolate shavings.
5. Prop the wafer cookie into the whipped cream and serve.

10. Cuban Iced Cafe con Leche

Cafe con leche means simply “coffee with milk” in Spanish, but the key to making the milky coffee Cuban-style is the sugar (10).

For a Cubano, demerara sugar is first placed into the cup with some coffee, and vigorously mixed with a spoon to form a unique creamy foam called espuma.

The rest of the coffee is then added, along with steamed milk.

The heat from the coffee reacts with the sucrose in the sugar creating a sweeter and thicker result as compared with adding the sugar at the end.

For an iced version, cinnamon is frequently added and many advocate replacing the milk with coconut milk for a true taste of the tropics.

This also makes it an excellent option for those with an intolerance to dairy.

How To Make It

1. Place the sugar in a glass and add 2 Tbs of the brewed coffee. Stir vigorously to make a foamy paste. This is the espuma.
2. Add the rest of the coffee and the cinnamon, if desired, and allow the mixture to cool.
3. Once cool, pour the mixture over ice and add the milk of your choice.
4. You can sprinkle a touch more cinnamon over the top, if you’d like.

11. Granita al Caffe (Italy)

Granita is a popular semi-frozen Italian dessert made from sugar, water and different flavorings of which coffee is a popular option.

While similar to a sorbet or frozen ice, granita has a coarser texture which keeps it from falling under the guise of ice cream.

It can now be found across the country, but is most popular in its region of origin, Sicily.

In Sicily, it is commonly served for break​fast (11), like coffee, accompanied by brioche and topped with whipped cream. It can also be served as a light dessert, accompanied by a thin biscotti and topped with chocolate shavings.

Mmm I bet you are thinking about dessert now too, right? We have a complete list of coffee based desserts right here. Granita is a bit of a labour of love to make at home, but well worth the effort. Access to an ice cream maker vastly simplifies the process.

How To Make It

1. Dissolve the sugar into the warm espresso and let it cool.
2. Add the cold water, and let the mixture chill in the fridge for at least 2 hours.
3. Pour the chilled mixture into an ice cream maker and churn for 30 minutes or until a coarse sorbet-like texture is achieved.
4. Divide the mixture between four glasses and top each with a dollop of whipped cream.

12. Kaffelemonad (Sweden)

In Sweden, coffee is mixed with lemonade for the ultimate summer refresher.

Though it sounds strange, the addition of lemon to coffee is relatively common as it’s thought to bring out the inherent sweetness in the beans.

Kaffelemonad (13), which translates directly to “coffee lemonade”, is traditionally just a mixture of espresso or chilled coffee, ice, and lemonade, but it takes well to a number of additions.

Tonic water is popular with those looking for a little more fizz in their drink, or almond milk is a common addition for drinkers who like their coffee creamy.

Remember that real dairy will curdle when mixed with lemon juice!

If you want to get creative with other additions, consider flavoring your simple syrup with ginger for a spicy kick, or with a fresh herb like rosemary.

Though you could just buy commercial lemonade and mix it with coffee, store-bought lemonades can vary a lot in sweetness and quality. A better bet is to just use freshly squeezed lemon juice and a simple syrup.

How To Make It

This recipe couldn’t be easier…

1. Divide the ice cubes between two chilled glasses.
2. Combine all the ingredients and mix well, pour the coffee lemonade over ice and enjoy.

13. Ca Phe Sua Da (Vietnam)

Coffee was introduced into Vietnam in 1857 by a French Catholic priest in the form of a single tree, and it has since become one of the country’s most prominent crops (14).

Ca Phe Sua Da is Vietnamese iced coffee with milk and it is perhaps Vietnam’s most well-known coffee drink.

The chilled combination of bitter concentrated Vietnam robusta coffee, creamy and sweet condensed milk and ice cubes is an undeniably well-balanced and refreshing beverage.

Ca Phe Sua Da is so popular, it can now be found around the world, but it’s hard to beat enjoying the real thing on the streets of Hanoi.

To make the best version at home, try to source an authentic Vietnamese brewer, a metal filtration system called a phin.

How To Make It

1. Put the sweetened condensed milk into the ceramic mug. The coffee will be brewed directly into it.
2. Now brew the coffee. Put the grounds into the phin, screw it shut, and add enough boiling water to wet the grounds. After 30 seconds, add enough water to fill the phin and let it drip through for 3 to 5 minutes.
3. Mix the coffee and condensed milk thoroughly in the mug, this will also help it to cool.
4. Pour the mixture into the chilled glass over ice and enjoy.

14. Ais Kopi Cham (Malaysia)

Ais Kopi Cham is a combination of coffee and milk tea served chilled over ice. “Cham” is the Hokkien word for “mix” (16).

A similar beverage is popular in Hong Kong where it is known as Yuanyang.

The ratio between coffee and tea in the drink can vary, from 1:1 in many places to 3:7.

The most popular teas to use are the highly caffeinated Assam and Ceylon which, when paired with coffee, make for a drink with a serious jolt.

How To Make It

1. First, you need to make the milk tea. Put the water and tea leaves in the saucepan and bring to a gentle boil. Lower the heat and simmer for three minutes.
2. Remove from the heat, add the sweetened condensed milk, and return to the heat to simmer for an additional three minutes.
3. Strain out the tea leaves.
4. Combine one cup of the milk tea with the cup of coffee and mix thoroughly. You can experiment with the tea to coffee ratio if you wish. Once combined, leave the mixture to chill.
5. Divide the ice cubes between two glasses and pour over the chilled mixture.

15. Cold Coffee (India)

India is traditionally a tea-drinking nation, with Chai tea being perhaps the country’s most recognizable beverage.

Recently however, coffee is gaining more of a foothold.

Already widely grown within India for export, coffee is also increasingly being consumed domestically.

In India, iced coffee is known as cold coffee (17) and it is a popular summer beverage in the notoriously hot and steamy nation.

It is usually made with instant coffee powder, sugar, milk and is made in the blender for a frothy result similar to Greece’s frappe.

Ice cream is a common addition, and it need not be the traditional vanilla; chocolate, chocolate chip, and mocha flavors are also popular.

How To Make It

1. Put the water, coffee powder and sugar in the blender and pulse until the coffee and sugar are dissolved.
2. Add the milk and ice cream and blend for a minute or two until everything is well-combined and frothy.
3. Pour into a chilled glass. Top with whipped cream or chocolate sprinkles if you are so inclined.

16. The Affogato (Italy)

Italy’s famous Affogato is a traditional pairing of espresso and gelato.

”Affogato” is the Italian word for “drowned” and references the way the espresso is used to drown the gelato.

The word officially became a part of the English language in 1992, a sure sign of its growing global popularity.

Outside of Italy, variations abound (18) using brewed coffee, ice cream, liqueur, and all manner of creative toppings.

As a result, it can be difficult to decide whether to treat the Affogato as a beverage or a dessert.

There’s no reason not to have one with breakfast and one after dinner! Here’s a more detailed article that explains what an affogato is and its history.

What You’ll Need

• One scoop top-quality gelato, either vanilla or fior de latte flavor*
• One double-shot of espresso
• One chilled bowl
• Optional extras: whipped cream, crumbled biscotti, ripe berries, a shot of your favorite liqueur, crushed nuts.

*In a traditional Affogato, the simplicity is part of the appeal, but it also leaves no place for subpar ingredients to hide. Make sure to source the best gelato and espresso you can find.

How To Make It

1. Place a scoop of gelato in the bowl. Using a chilled bowl will help ensure that the gelato doesn’t immediately melt upon addition of the espresso.
2. Pour the espresso quickly over the gelato.
3. Add any extra toppings to suit your fancy.

There are plenty of iterations on the original with which you can experiment.

Try different flavors of gelato or ice cream, like chocolate or hazelnut. For a savory version, some connoisseurs swear by replacing the espresso with top notch olive oil!

17. Apple Iced Coffee

Are you in need of a unique drink to spruce up your morning meals? The Apple Iced Coffeebrings together breakfast’s best players into one cup of cold, sweet goodness, and shows off your barista and your bartending skills in the process.

If you’re looking for a radical way to spruce up your breakfast presentation, this is it.

How To Make It

1. Pull your espresso shot. Let the coffee cool.
2. While the coffee is cooling, take your glass and add the syrup to the bottom.
3. Next, add the crushed ice on top of the syrup.
4. Layer the apple juice into the mixture by pouring it slowly over the back of the spoon.
5. Add the ice cubes and coffee to the shaker and shake.
6. Remove the ice cubes from the shaken mixture.
7. Use the back of the spoon to layer the iced coffee into the drink.
8. Serve with a slice of apple as a garnish. (Optional)

EXTRA NOTES:

• Don’t stir this drink as you’ll mess up your layering!
• A great addition to the experience is to chill the glass beforehand in the freezer.

18. Coconut Iced Coffee

Looking for a culinary experience that will turn a boring, hot summer afternoon into a delicious adventure? Consider making a Coconut Iced Coffee!

Not only will you learn how to make some cool stuff at home (like coconut whipped cream and coconut sweetened condensed milk), but you’ll also end up with a tall, cool glass of amazing coffee.

How To Make It

1. Rim a glass with chocolate sauce. Dip the rim of the glass into toasted coconut.
2. Add syrup to the inside of the glass, and set the glass aside.
3. Combine the coconut milk, vanilla extract, and coconut sweetened condensed milk together in a separate glass. Stir until thoroughly mixed.
4. Add coffee cubes and coffee into this preparation.
5. Add the mix to the glass with chocolate syrup. Stir.

Or if you want a latte version, here’s our iced coconut milk latte recipe.

19. Lavender Espresso Tonic

This one is a very popular drink, especially on a hot summer’s day when an iced tonic water infused with something delicious seems like the perfect way to cool off.

It combines the strength of coffee with the delicate floral flavor of lavender, and that classic, fizzy effect of tonic water.

How To Make It

1. Brew the 2 shots of espresso
2. Take the glass and fill it all the way up with ice
3. Add in the lavender syrup, tonic water, and espresso. Give it a gentle stir
4. Optional: Add a straw and a sprig of fresh lavender on top

20. Lavender Iced Coffee

Lavender is a great way to spruce up a coffee and create a beverage that’s perfect for a “lighter” occasion, like a brunch or a mid-afternoon drink.

If you’re looking for a specialty drink that’s not necessarily intense and “dusky” but rather on the relaxing, refreshing side of things, this is the way to go.

How To Make It

1. Add plenty of ice or coffee cubes to the coffee
2. Add lavender syrup and half and half to preference

21. Mint Iced Coffee

The Fresh Mint Iced Coffeeis an elegant solution to a boiling morning, and a refreshing twist on that already delicious cold brew we all know and love.

How To Make It

1. Fill a glass with coffee cubes.
2. Drizzle the syrup over the cubes.
3. Pour the cold brew in over the syrup.
4. Add the cream and stir up the mixture.
5. Add a few fresh mint leaves.

Final Thoughts

If this collection of iced coffee recipes teaches us anything, it’s the remarkable versatility of the basic ingredients.

From humble origins, the simple combination of cooled coffee and ice has traveled around the world, picking up new and delightful formulations with each new culture.

Whether you’re looking for a refreshing lemonade or a decadent ice cream, there’s an iced coffee for you.

If you enjoyed this article, please share it with your friends, and let us know in the comments what you think!

Where did you have your best ever iced coffee?