If there is one fact true for all children in the world, it’s that parents need a lot of vitality to keep up with them. And that’s not even considering all the other obligations.
I know it’s hard for me to keep up with my twins (who have just entered the terrible two stage: YAY!), while also juggling a part-time job, household chores and my sanity. When it comes to my boys, double-trouble is the right adjective to both describe what they get into and what I’m in.
This means that I’m running low on energy most of the time.
My extra jump of it usually comes in the form of coffee, but there are days where my usual coffee choices don’t cut it. I do love making a latte at home though. That’s where homemade iced coffee comes in. In my honest opinion, the only thing better than coffee is iced coffee. The richness of the coffee flavor is balanced out with coolness, providing energy and freshness.
And I can’t even begin to tell you the number of times it’s prevented me from joining nap time – also known as the only time I have for myself and catching up with errands.
Since homemade iced coffee has saved my life so many times, I’ve decided to share my hard-earned wisdom by sharing some of my best-loved recipes with other moms in hopes of giving them an extra advantage for succeeding at parenting.
Here’s my list of seven affordable and easy homemade iced coffee recipes.
1. Instant Homemade Iced Coffee
If your schedule is similar to mine, you don’t have much time to cold brew your coffee – instant is the way to go. You can use any ground instant coffee to make this recipe work.
• Boil a few tablespoons of water
• Pour the water into a cup and add a spoonful of coffee
• Add creamer (up to about the half of the cup)
• Add some syrup for sweetness
• Add a couple of ice cubes
Simple, easy and delicious!
2. Sweet & Cold Coffee
If you’re not a fan of instant coffee, you can invest in some higher quality beans and do a little prep for the perfect homemade iced coffee. For this recipe, you will need to make your own syrup:
• Add sugar and a cup of water into a pan
• Heat at medium temperature until it dissolves
• Let cool
• Add half a teaspoon of vanilla extract
Brew your coffee the night before so that it’s at room temperature in the morning. Add the syrup and ice-cubes and voila! Perfection for the taste buds.
3. Milky Coffee
You can make this recipe with both milk and chocolate milk, depending on your mood.
• Mix a tablespoon of coffee with one of hot water and two teaspoons of sugar
• Then add a cup of cold milk and stir
• Add ice
This is one recipe I swear by. I usually go for the chocolate milk, so the kids can also have the kick of “drinking coffee with mommy.”
4. Jar Coffee
You’ll need a sealable jar for this recipe, and all that extra foam will make it worthwhile. You will need
• two teaspoons of instant coffee
• a teaspoon of sugar
• three tablespoons of warm water
• six ounces of cold milk
Put everything but the milk in the jar and shake until it becomes foamy. Then pour it into a glass filled with ice and add the milk. Yummy!
5. DIY Caramel Macchiato
To feel like you’re writing your next novel at Starbucks, you’ll need these ingredients:
• a teaspoon of instant coffee
• a tablespoon of hot water
• 1/3 of a chocolate milk cup
• Two tablespoons of caramel topping
• A tablespoon of sugar
• ½ teaspoon of vanilla extract
• Ice cubes
• Whipped cream
First you need to dissolve the coffee in hot water. Then add everything but the whipped cream into the blender and blend until it gets a ‘slushy’ consistency.
Add whipped cream and more caramel topping, kick back and relax.
6. Cinnamon Iced Coffee
To get into the spirit of Christmas, you’ll need:
• A can of evaporated, chilled milk
• Two tablespoons of instant coffee
• A third of a cup of sugar
• Ice cubes
• Whipped cream
• ½ teaspoon of vanilla extract
• 1/8 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
Add everything (but the whipped cream) to the blender and blend until dissolved. Make it look good with some whipped cream and enjoy.
7. Maple Syrup Coffee
If you ever wake up feeling a bit Canadian, do homage to this delicious drink. You’ll need:
• A cup of room temperature black coffee
• 50 ml of cold milk
• Ice cubes
• Maple syrup
Add all of it to the blender and blend until foamy and smooth. Serve over ice and add some more maple syrup – you’re a mom, you deserve it.
Have you ever tried homemade iced coffee? What’s your favourite way to drink coffee?
Samantha Rosario is a blogger, mother, and resident of the greatest city in the world, NYC. When not working at a Manhattan publishing house, she’s spending time with her family or putting pen to paper for her own personal pursuits. She is also an avid runner and swimmer and aims to complete an Ironman in 2018.
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