Easy Cold Brew Coffee Recipe
Making cold brew coffee at home couldn’t be easier. Combine coarse coffee grounds with cold filtered water, let it brew overnight, then pour it over ice with your favorite creamer. It takes about 5 minutes to prep and makes enough for 4 servings.
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I wasn’t always a coffee drinker. Then Jordan, who used to work as a barista, introduced me to iced coffee and completely changed my mind.
Cold brew quickly became my favorite way to make it at home because the actual prep takes about five minutes. We combine coarse coffee grounds with cold filtered water at night, let everything brew for 8–12 hours, and wake up to coffee that’s ready to pour over ice.
Add your favorite creamer or sweetener, and you’ve got an easy homemade iced coffee without making a coffee shop run.
What You’ll Love About This Recipe:
Ingredients Needed
Don’t Have a French Press?
No problem. Instead, combine the coffee grounds and water in a large Mason jar or pitcher. After brewing, strain the coffee through cheesecloth or a fine-mesh coffee filter to remove the grounds.
The Perfectly Easy Recipe for Cold Brew Coffee
First things first. Let’s be honest, iced coffee is NOT hot coffee poured over ice. It’s not the hot coffee that you meant to drink this morning and then set in the fridge.
What’s the Difference Between Cold Brew and Iced Coffee?
Cold brew and iced coffee are both served cold, but they’re made differently.
Traditional iced coffee starts with brewed coffee that’s cooled and served over ice. Cold brew skips the hot water completely. Instead, coarse coffee grounds steep in cold filtered water for several hours.
For this recipe, we let the coffee brew for 8–12 hours, which makes it an easy recipe to start at night and finish the next morning.
Don’t have a French Press? Need to see cold brew coffee in action? This video tutorial on Cold Brew Coffee is super helpful!
Love making coffee at home? Make your own little DIY coffee bar! I’ll send you the must-haves to get it started 🙂
The Best Coffee for Cold Brew
You don’t need expensive coffee to make good cold brew. We’ve tried plenty of different brands over the years, and the biggest difference for us is using coarsely ground coffee.
If you grind your own beans, choose a coarse grind. If you buy whole beans from a coffee shop, ask them to grind the beans coarse for cold brew.
Love coffee at home? Grab a copy of my favorite DIY coffee bar checklist located at the bottom of this post! It only takes a few items to create your own little coffee shop 🙂
For even more delicious drink ideas, you will like these:
In a Bodum French Press 
, I fill the press with cold filtered water just to the bottom of the top metal band. This gives enough head space for the coffee. Pour the coffee grounds over the water.
Patiently wait 8-12 hours for the coffee to develop! Then it’s the best part. Not only do you get to enjoy the fruits of your patience, but you get to press down the French press. My husband usually beats me to it. It makes me sad for a small moment. 😉
I like to serve my coffee over a glass full of ice (it dilutes it perfectly) and some sweet creamer. Feel free to toss in your preferred sweetener or milk.
Tips & Tricks
- Can I make cold brew without a French press? Yes. Brew it in a Mason jar or pitcher and strain the grounds through cheesecloth or an appropriate fine filter.
- How long does cold brew need to brew? Your tested recipe uses 8–12 hours.
- Can I make cold brew overnight? Yes, and that’s probably the easiest way to make this recipe. Prep it before bed and strain it the next morning.
- What kind of coffee should I use for cold brew? Use coffee you enjoy, but grind it coarsely.
- How long does homemade cold brew last? Store in your refrigerator for up to three days.
Enjoy!
Easy Cold Brew Coffee Recipe
This easy homemade cold brew coffee takes just 5 minutes to prep. Combine coarse coffee grounds with cold filtered water, let it brew for 8–12 hours, then serve over ice with your favorite creamer or sweetener.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup coarse coffee grounds
- 32 ounces of cold filtered water
- Optional: Creamer or Sweetener
Instructions
- Fill the French Press with water to just below metal collar. Leave enough room for the coffee.
- Pour the coffee grounds over the water.
- Gently set the French Press Lid on top of the coffee mixture. Do not plunge.
- Let sit for 8-12 hours. Plunge the French Press.
- Pour the coffee over a glass of ice. Add creamer or sugar as desired.
- Store remaining coffee concentrate in the refrigerator.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 0Sodium: 10mgFiber: 5gProtein: 0g
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Hi, I’m Brittany, and I believe life at home should feel easier, not heavier.
I’m the creator of Our Home Made Easy, a space for busy women who want dinner on the table, their homes running smoothly, and a little breathing room at the end of the day.
You won’t find perfection here, just realistic recipes, smart shortcuts, and simple routines that work in real life. The kind that help you feed your family well, stay organized enough, and still have time to actually enjoy it.
If you’re juggling work, kids, schedules, and everything in between, you’re in the right place. I’m so glad you’re here.
I love Iced Coffee, this looks awesome! Thanks so much for sharing with us at Full Plate Thursday and have a great weekend!
Miz Helen
Do you let it sit out or in the fridge??
I loved this cold brew coffee recipe! It was super easy to follow, and the taste is incredible. Perfect for those hot days when you need a refreshing caffeine fix. Can’t wait to make it again!
This cold brew recipe looks fantastic! I love how easy it is to make at home. Can’t wait to try it with some flavored syrups for a little extra kick!
I tried this cold brew recipe, and it turned out fantastic! Such an easy way to make a refreshing drink at home. Thanks for the clear instructions and tips!