• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • All Recipes
  • About Me

Brew Buzz Blend

  • A southside cocktail served in a coupe glass and garnished with fresh mint leaves.
    Southside Cocktail
  • A bee's knees cocktail served in a coupe glass sitting on a counter.
    Bee's Knees Cocktail
  • A tall glass of honey almond milk cold brew sitting on a small plate.
    Honey Almond Milk Cold Brew (Starbucks Copycat)
  • A glass of Shaft cocktail sitting on a metal tray.
    Shaft Drink
  • A glass of whiskey and orange juice sitting on a marble counter.
    Whiskey and Orange Juice
  • A layered strawberry mango smoothie garnished with fresh strawberries.
    Mango Strawberry Smoothie
  • Decaf cold brew coffee being poured into a tall glass with milk and ice.
    Decaf Cold Brew (Starbucks Copycat)
  • Two glasses of iced matcha lemonade sitting on a countertop.
    Iced Matcha Lemonade (Starbucks Copycat)
  • A vodka sour served in a rocks glass topped with a slice of dried lemon.
    Vodka Sour
  • A mezcal sour cocktail served in a coupe glass sitting on a marble tray.
    Mezcal Sour
  • A Collins glass filled with an aqua velva cocktail garnished with a slice of lemon.
    Aqua Velva Drink
  • Collage for four green cocktails made with Midori liqueur.
    15 Must-Try Midori Cocktails
Home » Coffee & Tea

Published: Apr 25, 2025 by Tiffany · This post may contain affiliate links · Leave a Comment

Iced Americano (Starbucks Copycat)

Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

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.

Three tall glasses filled with iced Americano.
Jump to:
  • Ingredient Notes
  • Optional Additions
  • How to make a Perfect Iced Americano
  • Expert Tips
  • How To Make the Espresso
  • FAQs
  • More Starbucks Copycat Drinks to Try:
  • Recipe

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.

Milk being poured into a tall glass of iced Americano.

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.

Serving glasses with ice cubes

STEP 1: Fill a tall glass with ice.

Coffee pouring into glasses.

STEP 2: Brew a double shot of espresso.  Pour the hot espresso over the ice cubes.

iced americano with pink background

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

How much caffeine does an Iced Americano contain?

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.)

Is an Iced American stronger than an iced coffee?

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:

  • Two coffee mugs filled with oat milk lattes topped with ground cinnamon.
    Easy Oat Milk Latte
  • Two glasses of iced peach green tea lemonade sitting on a wooden tray with some lemon slices.
    Iced Peach Green Tea Lemonade (Starbucks Copycat)
  • A mocha smoothie being poured from a jug into a tall glass.
    Creamy Mocha Smoothie
  • An iced vanilla matcha latte served in a mason jar.
    Iced Vanilla Matcha Latte (Starbucks Copycat)

If you have tried this recipe, we would love it if you leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating and comment below!

Recipe

iced americano with pink background
Print Pin
4.88 from 8 votes

Iced Americano (Starbucks Copycat)

This is an easy recipe for a homemade Iced Americano that is bold and refreshing! Only three ingredients are needed to make this cold, tasty beverage.
Prep Time 5 minutes minutes
Additional Time 2 minutes minutes
Total Time 7 minutes minutes
Servings 1 Americano
Author Tiffany

Ingredients

  • 1 Cup Ice Cubes
  • 2 Shots Espresso
  • ¼ Cup Cold Water
  • Milk optional
  • Sweetener optional
US Customary - Metric

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.

Nutrition

Calories: 5kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 0.1g | Fat: 0.1g | Saturated Fat: 0.1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.1g | Sodium: 24mg | Potassium: 69mg | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 11mg | Iron: 0.1mg

Reader Interactions

4.88 from 8 votes (8 ratings without comment)

Leave a Comment Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Primary Sidebar

Portrait of Tiffany Welsh.

Hi, I'm Tiffany!

I love cooking, baking and trying new recipes. This space is all about sharing ideas for cocktails, mocktails, coffee, juice and smoothies. Anything that will quench your thirst!

Learn More About Me

Most Recent

  • A southside cocktail served in a coupe glass and garnished with fresh mint leaves.
    Southside Cocktail
  • A bee's knees cocktail served in a coupe glass sitting on a counter.
    Bee's Knees Cocktail
  • A tall glass of honey almond milk cold brew sitting on a small plate.
    Honey Almond Milk Cold Brew (Starbucks Copycat)
  • A glass of Shaft cocktail sitting on a metal tray.
    Shaft Drink
  • A glass of whiskey and orange juice sitting on a marble counter.
    Whiskey and Orange Juice
  • iced americano with pink background
    Iced Americano (Starbucks Copycat)

Footer

↑ back to top

Privacy Policy

Accessibility Policy



About

Copyright ©2025 BrewBuzzBlend

Pin for iced americano recipe.

Rate This Recipe

Your vote:




Let us know what you thought of this recipe:

This worked exactly as written, thanks!
My family loved this!
Thank you for sharing this recipe

Or write in your own words:

A rating is required
A name is required
An email is required

Recipe Ratings without Comment

Something went wrong. Please try again.