If you love bold flavor but want something cold and refreshing for hot Summer days, an iced Americano is the way to go. It’s super easy to make at home, and I’ll walk you through exactly how to do it.
So, what exactly is an iced Americano? It’s basically a chilled version of the classic coffee drink, Caffè Americano, which is just espresso mixed with water. For the iced version, you pull a couple of espresso shots, top them off with cold water, and pour it all over ice. You can keep it simple or add a splash of milk if that’s more your style.
The end result is a smooth, rich coffee that’s full of flavor but way more refreshing than a hot cup. It’s one of the most popular coffee shop orders for a reason—you get all that espresso goodness without the heat.
Ingredient Notes
Only three simple ingredients are needed for this easy recipe - espresso, ice and cold water.
- Espresso - This iced coffee drink is usually made with two shots of espresso,
but you can use more or less to suit your taste. I suggest using an
espresso roast of coffee, but you can also your favorite coffee (dark
roast, medium roast, or blonde), even decaf.
See recipe card below for full ingredient list with measurements.
Optional Additions
The flavor of this espresso-based drink may be too strong or bitter for your taste. You can sweeten the Americano coffee with simple syrup, flavored syrups, sugar, or honey, or add a touch of sweet cream or milk (or a milk alternative).
If you are going to sweeten your coffee with sugar, be sure to add the sugar to your coffee before cooling it down with cold water and ice. Otherwise, the sugar granules may not dissolve as well.
How to make a Perfect Iced Americano
The traditional way of making an Iced Americano is by adding espresso shots to cold water, then adding ice. Unlike Starbucks who makes theirs backwards by adding cold water to espresso shots instead!
An Americano is an easy iced coffee drink to make at home. All you will need is an espresso maker and a serving glass.
STEP 1: Fill a tall glass with ice.
STEP 2: Brew a double shot of espresso. Pour the hot espresso over the ice cubes.
STEP 3: Add the same amount of cold water as coffee and stir well to combine. (For example, two shots of espresso are roughly 60 ml. Therefore, make sure to add another 60 ml of cold water to your drink.). Give the drink a good stir.
I like to transfer my finished drink to a fresh glass of ice to keep the ice from melting too quickly.
Expert Tips
- Use high-quality coffee beans: For the best iced Americano, use freshly roasted, high-quality coffee beans. Look for beans with a strong flavor profile and a balanced acidity.
- Brew the espresso strong: Espresso is the base of an iced americano, so it's important to brew it strong to ensure it stands up to the dilution from the added water. Aim for a 1:2 ratio of espresso to water.
- Chill the ingredients: Before making the iced americano, chill the espresso shots, water, and cup. This will help ensure that the finished drink is as cold as possible.
- Use cold water: When making an iced americano, use cold water to dilute the espresso. This will help prevent the drink from becoming watered down as it melts.
- Stir well: After you add the water to the espresso, stir the iced americano well to ensure that it is well mixed.
- Add ice: Fill a glass with ice and pour the iced americano over the ice. Stir briefly to ensure that the drink is cold, then enjoy!
- Experiment with flavors: If desired, you can add a splash of flavored syrup or a sprinkle of cinnamon to the iced americano to add a touch of sweetness or spice.
How To Make the Espresso
The espresso is what makes this a wonderfully rich cup of coffee. So it is key to prepare it well and use good quality espresso.
- Espresso Machine - The most common method for making espresso is using an espresso machine. This machine uses high pressure to force hot water through finely-ground coffee beans to produce a shot of espresso.
- Moka Pot - A Moka pot is a stovetop espresso maker that works by heating water in the base and forcing it through the coffee grounds in a filter basket. The brewed coffee then rises into the serving chamber, producing a strong and flavorful shot of espresso.
- Aeropress - The Aeropress is a hand-held, manual espresso maker that uses a combination of pressure and vacuum to produce a shot of espresso. It works by steeping the coffee grounds in hot water for several seconds, then using a plunger to press the brewed coffee through a fine mesh filter.
- French Press - Although not traditionally used for espresso, you can use a French press to produce a strong, full-bodied coffee that resembles espresso. To do this, add a coarse grind of coffee to the press, pour in hot water, and let steep for several minutes before pressing the plunger to separate the grounds from the liquid.
FAQs
Caffeine content does not change when diluting coffee with water or ice. Therefore, an Iced Americano has a total average of 136 mg of caffeine from the two shots of espresso that it is made from. (Each shot of espresso coffee contains 68 mg of caffeine.)
The main difference between iced coffee and iced Americano is the kind of coffee used to make each different type of cold coffee drink.
An iced coffee uses cold brew and an iced americano uses shots of espresso. Both iced coffee drinks are enjoyed cold and served with ice.
The caffeine content also differs between iced coffee and an iced Caffè americano - the latter has an average of 136mg of caffeine and an iced coffee contains on average 200mg of caffeine for 1 cup (240ml), which is 64mg of caffeine stronger.
More Starbucks Copycat Drinks to Try:
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Recipe
Iced Americano (Starbucks Copycat)
Ingredients
- 1 Cup Ice Cubes
- 2 Shots Espresso
- ¼ Cup Cold Water
- Milk optional
- Sweetener optional
Instructions
- Brew two shots of espresso with a coffee brewer of your choice.
- Fill a serving glass with ice cubes.1 Cup Ice Cubes
- Pour the hot espressos into the glass over the ice cubes.2 Shots Espresso
- Then add the same amount of cold water as coffee and stir well to combine. (For example, two shots of espresso are roughly 60 ml. Therefore, make sure to add another 60 ml of cold water to your drink.)¼ Cup Cold Water
- Enjoy as is, or and milk and stir in a sweetener of your choice.
Notes
- Use high-quality coffee beans: For the best iced Americano, use freshly roasted, high-quality coffee beans. Look for beans with a strong flavor profile and a balanced acidity.
- Brew the espresso strong: Espresso is the base of an iced americano, so it's important to brew it strong to ensure it stands up to the dilution from the added water. Aim for a 1:2 ratio of espresso to water.
- Chill the ingredients: Before making the iced americano, chill the espresso shots, water, and cup. This will help ensure that the finished drink is as cold as possible.
- Use cold water: When making an iced americano, use cold water to dilute the espresso. This will help prevent the drink from becoming watered down as it melts.
- Stir well: After adding the water to the espresso, stir the iced americano well to ensure that it is well mixed.
- Add ice: Fill a glass with ice and pour the iced americano over the ice. Stir briefly to ensure that the drink is well chilled, then enjoy!
- Experiment with flavors: If desired, you can add a splash of flavored syrup or a sprinkle of cinnamon to the iced americano to add a touch of sweetness or spice.
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