Vanilla Iced Coffee with Coconut Milk
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This creamy Vanilla Iced Coffee with Coconut Milk is light, refreshing, and easy to make at home!
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You guys had to see this one coming, right? I couldn’t post a Vanilla Syrup recipe and then NOT give you a recipe for dreamy creamy vanilla iced coffee, right?
And let me assure you this is the dreamiest, creamiest iced coffee recipe around.
I’ve never been a Starbucks fanatic, but having children has given me a deep appreciation for any place with a drive through AND caffeinated beverages. Last summer, they debuted a Vanilla Iced Coffee with Coconut Milk, and on one particularly hot afternoon, I gave it a try.
Wowza. It was delightful.
It was lightly sweet, flavored with vanilla beans, and fantastically creamy. The coconut milk gave it a light and refreshing flavor that was ever so subtly tropical. Needless to say, I had discovered my signature summer beverage.
Unfortunately, my little afternoon pick-me-up was starting to put quite a dent in the budget, so I had to find a way to make vanilla iced coffee at home. Luckily, this drink is easy to recreate and tastes absolutely amazing!
Iced Coffee at Home: 3 Ways
There are a couple ways you can make this iced coffee recipe.
- The first is to brew a standard pot of coffee, allow it to cool, and then refrigerate it until you’re ready to make the drink. If you go this route, I recommend increasing the amount of ground beans you use because you’ll want a stronger brew that can stand up to the addition of both ice and coconut milk.
- The next option is to start with cold brew coffee. I personally haven’t tried this method, but you can check out this tutorial on how to make cold brew coffee if you’d like to go that route. The advantage of this method is, of course, that the coffee is already chilled, and it makes a decent sized batch so you’ll have enough for several coffees.
- The final option is to use an espresso machine or something like the Ninja Coffee Bar for a true iced latte. We don’t own an espresso machine, but I have been really happy with the Ninja’s specialty brew option, which delivers a very strong, concentrated, 4 oz brew that is similar to espresso. They also have an iced coffee option, but I prefer to make the specialty brew and then chill it.
Whichever way you choose, you’ll want 4 ounces of strong brewed coffee, preferably chilled.
How to Make Vanilla Iced Coffee with Coconut Milk
- Once your coffee is prepared (and preferably cold), fill a tall glass with ice.
- Add 1-2 Tablespoons of vanilla syrup, depending on how sweet you like your coffee.
- Pour the coffee over top of the ice then slowly pour in the coconut milk.
- Marvel at the pretty swirls. Pat yourself on the back. Mix it all together and enjoy!
Tips for Making Iced Coffee at Home
- A great way to prevent a watered down coffee is to use coffee ice cubes. Next time you have a little coffee left in the carafe, pour it into an ice cube tray and freeze.
- Use simple syrup! Simple syrup is easy to stir into cold drinks, and won’t leave you with a grainy texture. I obviously love using vanilla syrup, but you can use an unflavored simple syrup or experiment with your own favorites.
- Adjust the sweetness and cream to your liking. I recommend starting with a lower amount of sweetener, and increasing it until you find just the right amount. For reference, you can use any dairy milk, creamer, or non dairy milk for iced coffee, but for this vanilla iced coffee, I like the refreshing and light taste of coconut milk.
- Make extra coffee when you have the chance so you can just pop some in the fridge and have it ready to go whenever the craving hits!
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Vanilla Iced Coffee Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 ounces espresso or strong brewed coffee (chilled)
- 1 - 2 Tablespoons vanilla syrup
- Ice
- 1/2 cup unsweetened coconut milk
Instructions
- Fill a tall (16 ounce) glass with ice. Pour the syrup on top, followed by the coffee.
- Add the coconut milk, then use a spoon or straw to stir everything together. Enjoy!
Notes
- If you aren't dairy-free, you can use cream or half and half in place of the coconut milk.
