You don't need a blender full of ingredients or a café visit for a good cold coffee. Instant coffee dissolves quickly, which makes it ideal for this five-minute recipe — creamy, balanced and not watery.
Ingredients (1 large glass)
- 2 level teaspoons instant coffee
- 2 tablespoons hot water
- 1–2 teaspoons sugar (or to taste)
- 200 ml cold milk
- 5–6 ice cubes
- Optional: a scoop of vanilla ice cream, chocolate syrup, a pinch of cinnamon
Method
- Make the coffee concentrate. Stir the coffee and sugar into the hot water until fully dissolved and smooth. This is the step that stops gritty, uneven cold coffee.
- Cool it slightly. Let it sit for a minute so it doesn't melt the ice instantly.
- Blend or shake. Add the concentrate, cold milk and a few ice cubes to a blender and run for 20–30 seconds, or shake hard in a sealed jar.
- Serve. Pour over fresh ice. Finish with ice cream, syrup or cinnamon if you like.
Make it your way
- Stronger: use 3 teaspoons of coffee and keep the milk the same.
- Lighter: add 50–100 ml more milk or a splash of water.
- Dairy-free: swap in oat or almond milk; reduce the sugar slightly as many are pre-sweetened.
- Frothy "dalgona" style: whisk 2 teaspoons coffee, 2 teaspoons sugar and 2 tablespoons hot water until thick and pale, then spoon over cold milk and ice.
Troubleshooting
- Watery? Use more ice in the blender and less in the glass, or freeze some milk into cubes.
- Gritty? The coffee wasn't fully dissolved in step 1 — always dissolve in hot water first.
- Too bitter? Use a little less coffee or a smoother 100% Arabica coffee, such as Roasté Instant Coffee.
Want more ideas? Explore our coffee guides or the instant coffee collection.
Frequently asked questions
Can I make cold coffee with instant coffee and cold water only?
Standard instant coffee dissolves best in a little hot water first. If you only have cold water, stir for longer or shake in a closed bottle.
How long does the coffee concentrate keep?
Keep it covered in the fridge and use it within a day for the best flavour.