10 Classic Coffee Drinks That Are To Die For
The first coffee drinks I want to share with you are staples of my daily coffee consumption. If you haven’t tried any of these yet, I suggest you do, because I think you’ll find some that are worth coming back to again and again.
Just Right Iced Coffee
Chances are you had iced coffee that was too sweet, creamy, or watery. As simple as it may sound, good iced coffee drinks can actually be difficult to make.
A big part of making good iced coffee drinks is using coffee ice cubes. It takes an extra brewing step, but doing so will ensure your coffee doesn’t turn into a watery wannabe. Another key to making a good iced coffee is to strain the coffee and then chill it in the refrigerator for at least two hours. If you use freshly brewed hot coffee, it will melt the ice cubes instantly.
makes a serving
Ingredients
1 cup of cold coffee (chilled for at least 2 hours)
1 cup of ice cubes
5 ounces sweetened condensed milk
Addresses
1. For cold coffee in a large cup.
2. Add coffee ice cubes and sweetened condensed milk. Sweeten to taste.
coffee cream
Fresh coffee and a little cream never fail to satisfy. I included this because the coffee to cream ratio is the key to getting it right.
makes a serving
Ingredients
4 ounces of freshly brewed coffee
1 tablespoon cream
Addresses
1. Mix and serve.
mocha coffee
This simple, sweet coffee is loved by coffee drinkers everywhere (who also tend to love chocolate). You can make these coffee drinks any chocolate flavor you want by adding more or less cocoa powder. You can also use a chocolate flavored cream if you want even more dessert flavor.
makes a serving
Ingredients
1 cup of freshly brewed coffee
1 tablespoon cocoa powder
1 tablespoon sugar (or other sweetener)
2 tablespoons milk (nonfat optional)
Addresses
1. For freshly brewed coffee in a serving cup.
2. Add the cocoa powder, sugar (or other sweetener), and milk.
Spiced mocha coffee
This is a lovely little variation on mocha drinks that involves mixing spices into the coffee grounds before brewing. Doing this gives you wonderful flavor notes without overpowering the cup.
makes a serving
Ingredients
1/4 cup ground coffee
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon of nutmeg
2 tablespoons brown sugar (or other sweetener)
2 ounces of chocolate syrup
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 3/4 cups filtered water
tablespoon of whipped cream (optional)
Addresses
1. Put the ground coffee, cinnamon and nutmeg in the pot and prepare the coffee as described in the previous chapter.
2. Once the coffee is brewed, remove the carafe from the hot plate and add the milk, sugar, vanilla extract, and chocolate syrup. Top with whipped cream (optional) and serve.
Coffee with milk
Café au Lait are simple coffee drinks consisting of equal parts fresh coffee and steamed milk. The key to a delicious au Lait, however, is to properly “double-brew” your coffee. What’s that? “Double brew coffee” is coffee brewed in such a way that it is significantly stronger than the regular brew.
One way to do this is to pour the brewed coffee back through the brewer with another batch of fresh ground coffee (using coffee brewed in the water tank). However, I don’t recommend this method because it produces strange-tasting coffee. When reheating coffee drinks, flavor is lost and the final product has a bitter aftertaste.
The double brewing method for coffee drinks that I recommend is achieved by simply using twice the normal amount of ground coffee for the water you are using (with normal brew time). That is, four tablespoons of ground for every six ounces of water. This creates a coffee with a strong and bold flavor, which is perfect for Café au Lait.
makes a serving
Ingredients
4 ounces of double brewed coffee
4 ounces milk, steamed (nonfat optional)
Addresses
1. Prepare the coffee and remove it from the warming plate.
2. If you don’t have a milk frother, heat a small saucepan over medium heat. For the milk in it. Heat the milk for 3-4 minutes, stirring constantly to avoid a milk crust.
3. Once the milk boils, remove it from the heat and pour the milk and coffee into a serving cup at the same time.
vanilla latte
A true latte is made with espresso, but this drink uses double-brewed coffee, which also makes for delicious coffee drinks.
makes a serving
Ingredients
4 ounces of fresh double brewed coffee
2 tablespoons sugar (or other sweetener)
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 ounces milk (nonfat optional)
Ground cinnamon or grated chocolate, to taste
Addresses
1. Stir sugar and vanilla extract into coffee.
2. Pour the milk into a medium jar with a lid and shake vigorously for 30 seconds. Remove the lid and microwave the milk for about 30 seconds, or until foam forms on top.
3. Pour the milk into the coffee and pour the foam over the drink. Top with ground cinnamon or grated chocolate.
frappuccino
If you love a Starbucks Frappuccino but don’t like the price, why not make it yourself? This recipe will have real flavor for a fraction of the cost.
makes a serving
Ingredients
6 ounces double brew cold brew coffee (chilled for at least 2 hours)
1 cup milk (nonfat optional)
3 tablespoons sugar (or other sweetener)
2 cups of ice cubes
Caramel sauce, to taste (optional)
Chocolate sauce, to taste (optional)
Whipped cream, to taste (optional)
Addresses
1. Put everything in a blender and blend on high speed until smooth.
frozen delight
These are smooth coffee drinks, a refreshing drink that is great on a hot summer day.
makes a serving
Ingredients
4 ounces double brew cold brew coffee (chilled for at least 2 hours)
2 ounces milk (nonfat optional)
1 tablespoon sweetened condensed milk
3/4 cup ice cubes
2-3 tablespoons of sugar (or other sweetener)
Addresses
1. Put everything in a blender and blend on high speed until smooth.
Spiced coffee with orange
This is a wonderfully flavorful coffee drink that can be served hot or cold (poured over ice).
makes a serving
Ingredients
2 tablespoons ground coffee
1 teaspoon grated orange peel
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon of nutmeg
5 whole cloves
1 tablespoon brown sugar (or other sweetener)
1 cup of filtered water
whipped cream (optional)
Addresses
1. Combine ground coffee, orange zest, cloves, and cinnamon in a small bowl, then use to brew your coffee.
2. Once coffee is brewed, stir and top with whipped cream if desired.
viennese coffee
This is one of my favorite “dessert in a cup” indulgences. Truly a drink to savor.
Ingredients
1 cup of freshly brewed coffee
1 tablespoon heavy whipping cream
1 ounce semi-sweet chocolate, finely chopped
pinch of cinnamon
whipped cream
Addresses
1. Prepare the coffee.
2. Heat cream and chocolate in a small saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly. Once the chocolate has melted, remove from the heat, pour in the coffee and stir well. Pour into a mug and decorate with whipped cream and cinnamon.