How To Make Iced Coffee With Keurig - HomeGrounds

HOW TO MAKE ICED COFFEE WITH A KEURIG: PERFECT ICED COFFEE FAST!

If you have a Keurig machine at home, you’re only a few minutes away from a refreshing summer treat!

Nothing hits the spot like an iced coffee on a hot summer’s day. It’s one of my favorite things to order at the local coffee shop, but it’s also one of the easiest coffee drinks to make at home – especially if you have a Keurig machine.

With this handy guide, which includes a few cheeky expert tips I’ve learned over the years, you’ll be enjoying a delicious iced coffee at home in no time. It’s faster, easier, and cheaper than a trip to the cafe.

How To Brew Iced Coffee With A Keurig At Home

Making Keurig iced coffee is about as simple as it gets, but in my experience, a few tips and tricks can take your cup of coffee from good to great. So let’s get started!

Keurig Iced Coffee Ingredients

• Keurig coffee maker
• K-Cup coffee pod (or refillable pod with coffee grounds)
• 1 cup of ice cubes
• 12-ounce chilled mug or glass

AT A GLANCE

Time

5 minutes

Yield

One 12-ounce serving

The Step-By-Step Keurig Iced Coffee Recipe

It’s noon on a summer’s day. The sun is high in the sky, beating down relentlessly. You need something cold and caffeinated, and you need it stat. It’s time to use your Keurig to make delicious iced coffee!

Step 1: The Set-Up

Turn on your Keurig machine. Pop a K-Cup or refillable filter with ground coffee into the brew group and ensure there is water in the reservoir.

Add ice cubes to your favorite heatproof mug or glass and set the glass filled with ice below the coffee spout.

If your preferred glass is too tall, set a smaller cup below the spout and brew into that. Then pour the coffee over the ice in the glass after brewing.

Pro tip: Keep your favorite iced coffee mugs in the freezer when not in use. A chilled glass will help the hot coffee to cool quickly, which keeps the ice from melting too quickly and diluting the flavor.

Step 2: Brew Coffee Over The Ice

This step will vary slightly depending on your Keurig model and the strength of your perfect cup of iced coffee.

If your Keurig has an Over-Ice setting, use it. It adjusts the water temperature during brewing so that it’s cooler at the end to avoid ice melt.

If you don’t have an Over-Ice option, I’d suggest using one of the smaller drink sizes – with or without the Strong Brew mode.

I usually go for a 6-ounce brew with the Strong Brew mode engaged. But you can try 4 ounces for a bolder coffee flavor or 8 ounces for a milder cup.

Pro tip: Want an even stronger coffee flavor? Brew two K-cups in a row using the smallest cup size available on your machine. If you have the K-Cafe, you can even use the espresso shot option to make something resembling an iced Americano.

Step 3: Add Milk And/Or Sugar (Optional)

Your iced coffee is already done! But if you prefer not to drink it black, now is the time to add milk or cream, a non-dairy alternative, or a coffee syrup or sweetener to your taste.

Pro tip: Solid sweeteners like granulated sugar don’t dissolve well in cold coffee, so I’d suggest making a simple syrup. Combine equal parts sugar and water in a saucepan over medium heat, stir until dissolved, then cool.

A Few More Things To Consider

You can make Keurig iced coffee with any Keurig model and any coffee. But some make life a little easier (and more delicious) than others.

Which K-Cup machine is best for iced coffee?

You can make an iced beverage using any Keurig coffee machine or other single-serve coffee brewer, but it’s helpful to have one with a Brew Over Ice setting. These include the Keurig K-Elite, K-Supreme, K-Iced, and K-Duo. Barring that, I like to use models with a Strong brew setting and a relatively small cup size option, like 4 or 6 ounces.

What K-Cups are best for iced coffee?

You don’t need special coffee to make iced coffee with Keurig. However, some K-Cups are explicitly designed for use with the Over Ice setting, and in my experience, they make more flavorful drinks.

If you don’t have a dedicated Iced Coffee K Cup, I’d recommend a boldly flavored medium or dark roast. Interestingly, our perception of taste is reduced when enjoying cold food versus hot, so a more intense coffee is better (1). Not to mention, Keurigs are notorious for brewing relatively weak regular coffee.

Of course, the best option – and the one I always advocate – is to buy a refillable K-Cup filter and make coffee using freshly ground beans. Not only is it more environmentally friendly, but you’re guaranteed to enjoy a more flavorful cup (2).

Fun Flavor Variations To Try!

Now that you know how easy it is to make iced coffee with your Keurig, it’s time to start experimenting. Here are just a few ideas to get you started:

• To make Vietnamese iced coffee, brew using the strongest dark roast K-cup you can find and add plenty of sweetened condensed milk to balance the bitterness.
• For an iced caramel macchiato, add caramel sauce to your coffee and top with cold foamed milk and an extra drizzle of caramel.
• Use coffee ice cubes instead of regular ice cubes for a full-flavored iced coffee that doesn’t dilute as you sip. Making frozen coffee cubes is as simple as freezing brewed coffee in an ice cube tray.

Final Thoughts

This Keurig iced coffee recipe is a great way to get a little more out of your home Keurig machine. After all, who doesn’t love a multi-tasking kitchen appliance?

This basic formula to make iced coffee using a Keurig is the perfect jumping-off point for all sorts of chilly summer treats. I hope you take it and run with it. Iced mocha? Iced vanilla latte? Let me know in the comments what sort of fun drinks you’ve concocted!

FAQs

Can you make cold brew in a regular Keurig?

No, you can’t make cold brew coffee with a Keurig machine. In fact, you don’t even need a coffee maker to make cold brew. All you need to do is steep coarsely ground coffee beans in cold water overnight.

Can you make iced coffee with hot coffee?

Yes, iced coffee always starts with hot coffee. Brewing it hot ensures all its flavor compounds are properly extracted. It’s then poured over ice to chill.

What’s the difference between iced coffee and cold brew?

The difference between iced coffee and cold brew is the brewing method. Iced coffee is made by brewing hot coffee and pouring it over ice. Cold brew is made without heat; coarsely ground coffee beans are steeped for up to 24 hours in cold water. Even though both drinks are served cold, the two methods yield very different flavor profiles (3).

References

1. Heller, L. (2005, December 19). Food temperature affects taste, reveal scientists. Retrieved from https://www.beveragedaily.com/Article/2005/12/19/Food-temperature-affects-taste-reveal-scientists
2. Simon, J. (2023, January 21). Yeah, actually, your plastic coffee pod may not be great for the climate. Retrieved from https://www.npr.org/2023/01/21/1150530714/yeah-actually-your-plastic-coffee-pod-may-not-be-great-for-the-planet
3. Rao, N., & Fuller, M. (2018, October 30). Acidity and Antioxidant Activity of Cold Brew Coffee. Retrieved from https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-018-34392-w