A strong claim, I know. But it's really good and pretty easy!
This recipe has multiple steps that you can start days in advance. I always have 2 items on hand:
-Coffee Ice Cubes (Not necessary but makes it less watery)
-and Vanilla simple syrup. (Similar to the syrup they use at Starbucks!).
I always make extra coffee on Sunday mornings and pour the excess into ice cube trays.
The recipe for the vanilla simple syrup is below.
I usually anticipate that I am going to drink iced coffee several hours to a day ahead of time. That way, I have time to make a normal cup of coffee, and either sit it on the counter to cool or put in the fridge overnight:)
Once I am ready for the coffee, I start by putting several ice cubes in a cup, followed by about 1-2 tablespoons of the simple syrup.
Sometimes, I will add a squirt of this delicious caramel sauce. It is the closest I have ever found to the kind they use at Starbucks. I found this in Walmart in the coffee aisle. It just adds a tiny bit more sweetness!
After the optional caramel sauce, I pour in the coffee (not pictured). Now comes the good stuff.
What I love about iced coffee is you can drink it fast! Which means you can wake up even faster:)
A great outdoor space always helps too!
The Best Vanilla Iced Coffee
-Few cups of brewed coffee, chilled (however many cups you'd like)
-Several coffee ice cubes
-1-2 tbs Vanilla Simple Syrup (recipe below)
-Splash of Milk, creamer, or half & half
-Caramel sauce, optional
1.) Start with a cup mostly full of ice cubes. Pour in 1-2 tbs of simple syrup. Can increase/decrease depending on desired sweetness.
2.) Pour in chilled coffee, leaving room for creamer.
3.) Add creamer. Enjoy!
Vanilla Simple Syrup
-Water
-Sugar
-Vanilla Extract
1.) Add one cup of water and one cup of sugar to a saucepan. Bring to a light boil over medium-high heat.
2.) Once boiling, reduce heat to low and allow to simmer for 5 minutes.
3.) Remove from heat. Once mixture has cooled, add 1 teaspoon of vanilla. Stir well.
4.) Store in refrigerator until ready for use.
