5 simple recipes for delicious cold coffee specialties

From iced coffee to iced latte to caffé freddo, we have tested the cold coffee trends for you and show you how you can easily prepare these coffee drinks at home.  

As soon as the outside thermometer has cracked the 20 degree mark, it's time for the first iced coffee of the year. Cold coffee tastes fantastic when prepared correctly and gives you a good caffeine kick. All you have to do is decide on a cold coffee specialty . But what is the difference between iced coffee and iced latte, what is a caffé freddo and is an affogato a fancy kind of monkey, is espresso or cold coffee used? In this article, we explain the different preparation methods and provide the best 5 recipes on top.

There is now an almost endless selection of different types of iced coffee and the hype surrounding refreshing, cold coffee drinks is unabated. Understandably so. Especially in hot temperatures, the desire for hot drinks often wanes, but not for good coffee. And while grandparents still cry out that cold coffee doesn't taste good, the enormous variety of cold coffee drinks proves the absolute opposite.

Of course, most recipes are very similar, varying here and there in the proportions of coffee and milk, no milk at all, ice cream or the sugar content. For example, the classic iced coffee is served with vanilla ice cream, cold coffee and topped with whipped cream. You can find a simple and great recipe for a classic iced coffee in our coffee magazine. Iced coffee, on the other hand, is prepared with cold coffee on ice cubes and optionally a dash of milk. The difference between iced coffee and iced latte is a little less obvious. The iced latte is the ice-cold summer version of the latte macchiato and comes with a fresh espresso on cold milk with ice cubes. In general, there are many different uses for cold coffee and there are countless other cold coffee recipes. And the great thing about cold coffee specialties is that you can also conjure up a vegan iced coffee variant with every recipe. And figure-conscious people also get their money's worth with cold coffee recipes, as most recipes have few calories or the ingredients are interchangeable.

The equipment and preparations

Depending on thetype of iced coffee, there are different ways of preparing a cold coffee specialty: either the coffee or espresso is brewed cold, brewed hot and chilled or prepared fresh and used while still hot. Of course, you have to decide for yourself which method is best for you.

Brew cold or let the coffee cool?

Clearly, the option of leaving hot coffee to cool is the simplest, quickest and can be made in any kitchen. But if you don't have the time or the equipment, don't shy away from the effort and brew the coffee cold. The result is definitely better than hot-brewed coffee and you will be surprised at how many flavors your coffee actually has. In addition, this variant is a very gentle way of brewing that releases far fewer bitter substances and acids, making it more suitable for people with sensitive stomachs. As with classic hot coffee preparation, there are also various methods for cold brewing. The best known are cold brew, cold drip and ice brew:

However, if you don't have that much time or the necessary equipment at home, you can use the very simple preparation of cold coffee and brew the amount of coffee you need as usual and leave it to cool.

Our tip: Cold coffee keeps for around 3-4 days in sealed containers.

5 recipes for your perfect iced coffee

We were only too happy to make the most of the first sunny days of the year to test a few cold coffee recipes for you. In the end, we were able to agree on 5 recipes that are absolutely suitable for everyday use and provide you with a full load of caffeine. In fact, one important criterion prevailed for us: the quality of the coffee must also be right in cold coffee drinks. It is a misconception that cold coffee always tastes the same. Cold coffee tastes wonderful if you pay attention to the quality of the coffee beans and careful preparation. For the cold coffee test, we used our Malabar Arabica for the cold coffee test, which proved fantastic in all variations.

1. iced coffee

Those who order an iced coffee like it minimalist with an absolutely convincing coffee taste without a lot of chichi. The milk is usually only poured in for decorative purposes, if at all. Here, the coffee taste should and must be convincing.

2. iced latte recipe

The iced latte is the ice-cold counterpart to the latte macchiato. The classic, hot espresso should not be missing from the preparation. If you like it strong, simply take a double espresso, the Espresso Doppio.

3rd coffee recipe for a delicious affogato al caffé

With this coffee specialty, you no longer have to choose between a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a hot espresso. An affogato al caffé simply combines both and is rightly an extremely popular summer drink.
Compare the affogato al caffé with Dalgona coffee.

4. prepare caffé freddo

This specialty coffee comes across quite cheekily as the little brother of iced coffee. Only it is much sweeter. It is actually just an espresso with lots of sugar on ice cubes. If that's too strong for you, you can add milk or, as in Greece, water. The latter variant is more or less the same as a hot café Americano.

5. ginger brew coffee recipe

Our first thoughts about this cold coffee specialty: That's crazy. Ginger beer and cold coffee - that's not possible. You bet it is. A tingling caffeine pleasure with a slightly sharp, lemony taste cools you down perfectly on hot summer days.

Our tip: If it has to be done really quickly and no cold brew or cold coffee is available, a hot espresso also works sometimes

The quick coffee refreshment for those in a hurry:

Coffee ice cubes

Coffee ice cubes have become increasingly popular in recent years and there are always new ways of using them to refine various recipes and coffee preparations. They are super quick to use as they are simply added to cold milk. The only preparation time you have is when the ice cubes are being prepared. This variant is therefore extremely suitable when the ice-cold coffee craving strikes you spontaneously. Our unbridled curiosity for coffee trends and the anticipation of a wonderful summer led us to try these cool coffee cubes. That was our contribution to 5 simple recipes for delicious cold coffee specialties, we hope you enjoyed our little excursion into the cold world?

Coffee ice cube recipe