Give your day a little extra kick in the pants with this strong Cold Brew Coffee Recipe! No special equipment required, and I’ll share the secret for the perfect ratio! Brewing your own cold brew at home means you can be sipping on rich, smooth, and totally irresistible cold brewed coffee any time you want!
I am always looking for fun new ways to enjoy my favorite beverage in the whole world. Yes ~ I’m talking about coffee!!
Oh I admit my love for coffee is a little extraordinary. How could it not be, though? It’s a full on love affair! 😉
Growing up in Seattle coffee culture, and then working an internship at the Starbucks headquarters kind of set me up for a full blown coffee obsession.
And now that I’m living in sunny Arizona, I’m all about iced coffee.
Cold brew coffee that is!
K.D. writes: “I had never made cold brew coffee before, wanted to so badly but was nervous to. This looked easy enough. I tried it and LOVED it! It’s a weekly staple in my house now!”
With this super easy cold brew coffee recipe, I’ll show you how to strain your grounds and masterfully make cold brew coffee with grounds.
All without a hitch!
What you’ll end up with is a strong, refreshing cold brew that provides the perfect kick of caffeine.
Plus, no fancy equipment is required. The only cold brew coffee device you’ll need is your pitcher and a colander… and you’re set!
Seriously, who needs Starbucks cold brew when you can make your own perfectly rich, strong cafe drink at home?
Besides, making your own copycat Iced Coffee Recipes is SO much cheaper and often tastier, too! This refreshing Frozen Coffee, chocolatey Coffee Milkshake, and invigorating Blended Ice Mocha all prove my point deliciously!
So let’s get this groovy java started, shall we?
The sooner you brew some the sooner you can say goodbye to that afternoon slump…
Do You Need A Machine For Cold Brew Coffee?
Thanks to my simple brewing hack for preparing cold brew coffee with grounds, you won’t need any machine for cold brew coffee.
You’ll just need an air tight pitcher, a coffee filter… and a small colander for this cold brew coffee recipe.
Ingredients
When it comes to Summer Drinks, it doesn’t get much simpler than this simple two ingredient cold brew coffee recipe!
- Ground Coffee – Use your favorite blend. If grinding your own beans, opt for a medium to coarse grind level to achieve the best cold brew coffee grounds.
- Cold Water – Use filtered water for the best flavor.
Pin this now to find it later
Pin ItThe Perfect Cold Brew Coffee Ratio
Now there’s a LOT of talk about what is the perfect cold brew coffee ratio.
After a lot of trial and error, I’ve found the perfect ratio to be: 1:4. As in… 1 cup Ground Coffee to 4 cups of Water. This will make the BEST, STRONG cold brew cup of coffee you’ve ever had!
This is of course easily scaleable, so if you’d like to make more… increase it, and if you’d like to make less, just cut it in half.
And when all is said and done… I honestly wouldn’t get too hung up on the ratio. Yes, this is coming from a girl who worked at the Starbucks headquarters. Because guess what… it truly is up to you!
This is the perfect ratio for a STRONG cold brew, but if you like it less strong, just add more water. It really is that simple to tailor it to your preferences! In the end… it’s about creating a cup of coffee you love!
How to Make Cold Brew Coffee Stronger
Here’s a pro tip for you! Want to make your cold brew coffee even stronger?
Make up a second batch and freeze it in ice cube trays!
You see, when you sip on your coffee slowly… regular ice cubes can water it down. No thanks. We’re all here for the strong coffee, am I right?
That’s where these cold brew iced coffee cubes come into play!
1. Simply pour your brewed cold brew coffee into an empty ice cube tray.
2. Then pop the tray in the freezer to freeze up those little coffee cubes!
3. When you’re ready to enjoy your cold brew later, pop some coffee cubes in your glass, then fill with your cold brew. Problem solved!
How to Brew Cold Brew Coffee at Home
So are you ready to whip up some deliciously strong cold brew? It’s so much easier than you think!
Here’s how to make cold brew coffee with grounds…
1. Start by soaking your coffee/water mixture in the refrigerator as specified.
2. Next, place a coffee filter in your colander. Then have your colander rest inside the pitcher for extra stability.
3. Finally, use my tips in the cold brew coffee recipe card below for how to strain your coffee grounds.
The process of straining your grounds can take several minutes, so give yourself plenty of time.
Once done, your cold brewed coffee is ready to serve & enjoy!
Just pour some into your favorite glass or mason jar. Then add a little Homemade Coffee Creamer and/or some Homemade Coffee Syrup, and sip away!
Scroll down for the printable cold brew coffee recipe card with detailed, step-by-step instructions.
Storage Tips
For this cold brew coffee recipe, you’ll want to store your coffee in an airtight glass container (like a large mason jar with lid) to avoid exposure to oxygen. This will help protect the intense flavors from diluting.
For freshest flavor, use within 5 – 7 days. As with all coffee, the sooner you use it, the better the flavor!
Or you can freeze your cold brew in ice cube trays, transfer the cubes to an airtight container or freezer bag, then store in the freezer to prep ahead and enjoy later.
Reviews
Here’s what your frugal friends are saying about this easy cold brew coffee recipe…
One reader writes: “Followed all the directions and it worked great. Coffee was sooo good”
One reader writes: “Cold brew has less acid and tastes better. This is so easy!”
Sherri writes: “Awesome way to make cold brew at home!”
Mo writes: “I will never make cold brew coffee any other way. Thank you!”
Dawn writes: “So much better (and cheaper) making it at home, and so much better than store-bought!!”
Shirley writes: “I So love this. It is so good.”
Liz writes: “I love this method!! So easy! So easy! I highly recommend using a strainer and a coffee filter!”
Rebecca writes: “Such an easy hack! I absolutely love this! Love the lower acidity of cold brew.”
K.D. writes: “I had never made cold brew coffee before, wanted to so badly but was nervous to – that I would waste the coffee. This looked easy enough. I tried it and LOVED it! It’s a weekly staple in my house now (while it’s still warm outside)!”
Rosie writes: “We used to make cold brew using special filters, but then found a pitcher with the filter inside for making cold brew. The best part is how easy it is to double brew and make some really strong espresso concentrate, instead of just drip coffee! If you love cold brew, it’s a game changer!”
Sarah writes: “I use a stainless steel metal or glass French press. If the filter isn’t fine enough, I’ll use a drip coffee filter over the plunger to get rid of the finer coffee grounds. I also use loose tea in this way.”
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Did You Enjoy This Recipe? ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Leave a comment & review below!
Cold Brew Coffee Recipe
Doubling Recipe Tip
If doubling or tripling recipe with buttons below, ingredient notes found after comma will not adjust. Increase ingredients as needed.
Ingredients
- 1 cup Ground Coffee, (if grinding your own beans, opt for a medium to coarse grind)
- 4 cups Cold Water, (use filtered water for best flavor)
Instructions
- Gather your cold brew coffee recipe ingredients and supplies.
- Add coffee grounds and water to an airtight pitcher, stir, and place in the refrigerator overnight to steep. For the smoothest flavor, you'll want to steep around 18 – 20 hours.
- After your coffee has finished steeping, pour Coffee slowly through Coffee Filter before serving. This process will take several minutes… but I promise it’s worth it!!
- For stability, I placed my Coffee Filter in a small colander. You could also use a metal strainer instead of a coffee filter.
- Once the coffee has dripped through, you’re ready to enjoy!
- To serve, just pour into your favorite glass or Mason Jar, add a little cream, and sip away!
- Storage Tips: Store your cold brew coffee in an airtight glass container (like a large mason jar with lid) to avoid exposure to oxygen. This will help protect the intense flavors from diluting. For freshest flavor, use within 5 – 7 days. As with all coffee, the sooner you use it, the better the flavor!
- Prep Ahead Tips: You can also freeze your cold brew in ice cube trays, transfer the cubes to an airtight container or freezer bag, then store in the freezer to prep ahead and enjoy later.
Notes
- To avoid watered down coffee with regular ice, make up a second batch and freeze it in ice cube trays!
- When ready to enjoy, just pop some cold brew ice cubes in your glass, fill with cold brew coffee, and enjoy your STRONG coffee as the ice melts!
Like this recipe? Rate & comment below!
I’m so glad you didn’t just pour coffee over ice and call it “cold brew.” Haha! (Yes, I’ve seen that more than once…) We were just talking this morning about how we could go for a nice cold brew since it’s so hot right now. This looks like the perfect ratio to me!!
There can definitely be some confusion about what the term ‘cold brew’ actually means. Real cold brew using the correct ratio is so delicious… and it’s definitely a BIG upgrade over brewed coffee that is simply poured over ice!
This cold brew is perfect for my husband! He is a cold brew lover and this makes it so delicious and easy!
I know your husband will love it Melissa. Cold brew is the only way to go with it so hot outside right now!