Skip to main content
Kitchen & Cooking

Here's how to keep your iced coffee from watering down

Ice, ice, baby.

Here's how to keep your iced coffee from watering down Credit: Getty / Arx0nt

Recommendations are independently chosen by Reviewed's editors. Purchases made through the links below may earn us and our publishing partners a commission. Prices were accurate at the time this article was published but may change over time.

Although I am notoriously not into coffee, I would be lying if I said I truly never drink it. From time to time, when a little caffeine anxiety isn’t going to ruin my day, I’ve been known to fill a glass to the brim with ice and pour in some cold brew or regular iced coffee, along with a generous amount of milk and sugar. I live in Boston, after all, and ignoring iced coffee is basically punishable by law.

But here’s the thing—drinking your coffee over ice means that there is much less room for coffee in your cup. Don’t drink it fast enough, and you’ll have a thin, brown liquid left where your refreshing beverage should be. This is the plight of an iced coffee drinker.

While I don’t mind letting the ice cut down on the caffeine I’m consuming, normal people disagree. If you want your iced coffee to stay flavorful, caffeinated, and chilly all at the same time, there’s only one solution: coffee ice cubes.

Iced coffee with coffee ice cubes
Credit: Getty / TARIK KIZILKAYA

Coffee ice cubes are the best way to keep your ice coffee from watering down.

This might seem obvious, but making your own ice cubes with cold brew or chilled regular coffee means you get twice the iced coffee in your cup with none of the watery sludge.

All you need is a good set of ice cubes trays, some freshly brewed coffee, and a freezer. Want the specifics? Here’s how to make coffee ice cubes at home.

Recipe: Coffee Ice Cubes (2 trays)

Pouring milk into iced coffee
Credit: Getty / burakkarademir

Follow this simple recipe for coffee ice cubes—and feel free to add milk and syrups.

**What You Need:** - Any coffee maker - coffee maker of your choosing - Milk, coffee syrups, or cream (optional) - 2 coffee maker - A freezer
**Time Needed** 25 minutes **Difficulty** Easy
## Step-by-Step: ###1. Brew the coffee Brew at least two to three cups of fresh coffee. We recommend coffee maker for maximum potency and the smoothest flavor. ###2. Chill the coffee Chill until cool enough to pour into trays without steaming. ###3. Fill trays Pour chilled coffee and any milk or flavorings of your choosing into ice cube trays and place in freezer overnight, or for a minimum of 5 hours. ###4. Enjoy flavorful iced coffee! Once frozen solid, use in place of iced cubes in your favorite iced coffee beverages. Want to know how to make the best coffee, period? Check out our roundups of the coffee maker, coffee maker, coffee maker and coffee maker.

Related content