Perfect Cold Brew Coffee Recipe

This cold brew coffee is absolutely perfect for making so many delicious drinks and treats, like iced coffee, frappucinos, mixing frozen treats and adding to your baked goods. Learn how to make the perfect cold brew coffee with two easy methods! 

When the weather warms up during spring, summer and even on into early fall, I can’t get enough of cold drinks. Iced tea, lemonade, fruit water, water, and especially iced coffee drinks.

So, with that in mind, I like to keep my cold brew coffee on hand. I’ve made it various ways and of course have found my favorites through constant testing. Ha! I’m certainly not complaining though, the result is definitely worth it!

There are a few ways that you can easily make cold brew coffee at home for making iced coffee, frappucinos, and to use in other recipes. I think you are going to love them. They couldn’t get much simpler!

French Press Cold Brew Coffee

You’ll add coarse ground coffee, in the amount to your personal preference, to the bottom of your French press. My recipe is based on a 32-ounce French press. Then, fill to the appropriate level with cold water. Place the top of your French press back on top, but do not press your coffee. Allow to sit at room temperature (steep) for 12 hours or more, depending on how strong you like your coffee concentrate.

Once your coffee grounds and water have cold brewed, then gently press the plunger of your French press down to press the coffee grounds to the bottom of the beaker. Then, pour off the coffee concentrate into individual cups or into a pitcher to place in your refrigerator until used.

Strainer Cold Brew Coffee Method

Add coarse ground coffee to the bottom of your container. Note that the size of the container you use will give you that amount of cold-brewed coffee or fairly close to it. You can use a Mason jar or a gallon pitcher, depending on how much coffee concentrate you need. Fill the container the rest of the way with cold water and allow it to steep for 12 or more hours, depending on how strongly you enjoy your coffee.

Once the coffee has steeped, use another container of equal size, a fine mesh strainer with two coffee filters placed inside the strainer. Slowly pour the coffee through the coffee filters in the strainer into the second container. Discard the filters. Refrigerate your coffee concentrate.

My recipe is for a one-liter container.

This coffee concentrate will be strong, so you may choose to dilute it with a bit of water or your favorite creamer. Or, you could be like me and just pour it right over ice and gulp it down!

If you have a French press, I personally prefer to use that method as I think it by far the easiest way to make cold brew coffee. Otherwise, the strainer method works just fine, you just have to take care not to get grounds in your container!

Here’s how I make my perfect cold brew coffee recipe. I think you’ll love it!

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The Easiest Cold Brew Coffee Recipe

Robyn Stone

4.80 from 5 votes

Cold brew coffee is perfect for making so many delicious drinks and treats, like iced coffee and coffee drinks, and more.

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Prep Time: 12 hours hours

Total Time: 12 hours hours

Servings: 4

Ingredients

• ▢ 1 1/4 cups coarse ground coffee
• ▢ 1 3/4 cups cold water

Instructions 

French Press Method

• Add coffee grounds to the bottom of French press beaker. Fill with cold water. Place top of French press on without depressing the plunger. Allow to steep for 12 hours or more depending on how strong you prefer your coffee concentrate.
• After coffee has steeped, depress plunger and pour off cold brew coffee as coffee concentrate.
• To serve, serve cold or dilute with ice, cream, or a little bit of additional water to taste. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Strainer Method

• Add coffee grounds to the bottom of container and allow to steep for 12 hours or more depending on how strong you prefer your coffee concentrate.
• After coffee has steeped, using another pitcher of equal size, a fine mesh strainer, and two large coffee filters, pour steeped coffee through coffee filters in the strainer and into the clean pitcher. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Notes

Makes 32 ounces. 

Nutrition

Serving Size: 8ounce

Calories: 3kcal

Protein: 0.3g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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Enjoy!
Robyn xo

Originally published May 2014.