Learning how to make cold brew coffee at home is beyond easy, and also more affordable than going to a coffee shop! Simply steep ground coffee in water for several hours, strain, and enjoy. I developed this recipe for the ideal steeping time that produces a rich but well-balanced and smooth cold brew.
You can customize my basic recipe in so many ways— I share how to make it stronger or lighter with your favorite coffee beans, the best ways to sweeten it, easy tricks to flavor the coffee, and more! No matter how you like your cold brew, whether strong and concentrated or tempered with a splash of milk and syrup, I share all the information to make the perfect cup of cold brew coffee for you.
A reader, Dave, says: “This recipe has changed my coffee routine! I never realized how easy it was to make cold brew at home, and it turns out smooth and rich.” ★★★★★
Table of Contents
Cold Brew vs. Iced Coffee: What’s The Difference?
These two types of coffee are often confused as being the same, but the difference between them is how they’re made. Cold-brew coffee is steeped in cold or room temperature water over several hours. It is typically served cold over ice, but it can also be heated after brewing. Iced coffee, on the other hand, is hot coffee (brewed in hot water), then chilled and served over ice. Flavor-wise, cold brew tends to be bolder and smoother than iced coffee because of the ratio of ground coffee to water.
You Only Need 2 Ingredients
These are the only two ingredients you need to make cold brew coffee at home. You can find the full list of ingredients and measurements in the recipe card below.
Coffee — I recommend using fresh, whole beans and grinding them just before making your cold brew. Medium to dark roasts are better than light roasts for richer flavor, since there isn’t added heat to help extract the flavor and oils from the grounds. Grinding the beans fresh is ideal, but you can use pre-ground coffee for cold brew if needed. Just use it relatively soon after it’s grounded. The longer it sits, the more flavor it loses.
Water — if you have filtered water, use it for your cold brew instead of tap water. Tap water can be treated with different minerals and/or chemicals, which can affect the flavor of your cold brew coffee. Cold filtered water will give the end result a much cleaner, smoother taste.
Grinding Coffee For Cold Brew
For the best cold brew, you want the coffee grounds to be coarse instead of finely ground—this allows for a slower extraction and smoother taste! I use my coffee grinder at home, set to the “coarse” setting, or what is ideal for a French press, to freshly grind my beans just before making a batch of cold brew. (Use 80g of whole beans in the grinder.) A burr coffee grinder is ideal for the best flavor, but any coffee grinder you have will work fine! Or, ask the store you purchase it at for a coarse grind when you buy the bag if you don’t have a grinder at home.
Cold Brew Coffee Ratio
You can easily adjust the ratio of coffee to water in my cold brewing recipe depending on how strong you like your coffee or how you plan to serve the cold brew. Here are three main ratios, but feel free to adjust as you wish:
- Concentrate (1:4 ratio of coffee to water): I use this cold brew concentrate ratio because I enjoy cold brew with a bit of cream and served over ice. The ice will melt and dilute the coffee a bit, so a stronger cold brew is ideal for a balanced flavor.
- Bold (1:8 ratio of coffee to water): This option is ideal if you do not plan to drink it over ice and like a strong coffee, or if you want it diluted more if you do serve it over ice.
- Ready to drink (1:12 ratio of coffee to water): Use this ratio if you prefer a lighter or less strong coffee, do not plan to drink it over ice, or enjoy it black without added milk or creamer.
Pro Tips For The Best Cold Brew Coffee
Weigh your coffee for the most consistent results. Using a kitchen scale to weigh the coffee is the best way to ensure your cold brew coffee turns out perfect every time. You need 80 grams of whole coffee beans or ground coffee to make the cold brew concentrate in this recipe.
Use glass or metal containers for your cold brew. Plastic can hold onto other flavors and odors, which can affect the quality of your cold brew. Glass or stainless steel are ideal for brewing and storing since they are easy to clean thoroughly.
How long you steep the coffee changes the strength and flavor. I give a range of 12 to 24 hours. At 12 hours, the cold brew will be flavorful enough to enjoy, but will be less deeply flavored and can taste more watery. 24 hours was the perfect spot for a cold brew that is rich in flavor but still smooth and not bitter.
How To Cold Brew Coffee
Below, I’ve highlighted portions of the recipe in step-by-step process images along with instructions for making cold-brewed coffee. You can find the full set of instructions in the recipe card below.
1. Stir together: Add the ground coffee and cold water to a glass or metal pitcher.
2. Steep the coffee: Stir well to ensure all the grounds are moistened. Cover the mixture and let it sit at room temperature for 12-24 hours. The longer the brew time, the stronger your cold brew will be.
3. Strain the cold brew: Once the coffee has steeped to your desired strength, set a fine mesh strainer over a large measuring cup or bowl. Line it with cheesecloth or a coffee filter.
4. Slowly pour the coffee mixture into the filter. This will strain out the grounds and give you a smooth, never gritty, cold brew. Because the cheese cloth or coffee filter will drain the coffee slowly, you may need to filter the coffee mixture in stages. Once the cold brew has been separated from the coffee grounds, store it in a jar or an airtight container in the refrigerator. See just below for ideas for how to serve and customize cold brew coffee.
Cold Brew Coffee Recipe
Equipment
- Large liquid measuring cup
- Fine mesh strainer
- Cheesecloth or coffee filter
Ingredients
- 1 cup coarsely ground coffee (80g)
- 4 cups cold filtered water (900mL)
Instructions
- In a medium glass or metal pitcher, combine the ground coffee and the water. Stir well to moisten all of the coffee grounds.
- Cover and let the mixture sit at room temperature for 12 to 24 hours. (A longer brew time will result in stronger coffee.)
- Set a fine mesh strainer over a large measuring cup or bowl, and line it with cheesecloth or a coffee filter. Slowly pour the coffee mixture into the filter to strain out the grounds. (You may need to do this in stages, allowing time for the brewed coffee to drip through the filter before adding more.)
- Store the cold brew in a jar or airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week. Serve it over ice and add the sweetener or creamer of your choice, if desired.
Notes
- Use cheesecloth with a fine weave. Some types are loose or openly woven. A tighter weave will make sure to catch all of the grounds and sediment from the coffee beans.
- You don’t need to brew the coffee in the fridge, but if you’d prefer to brew more slowly and for longer, you can place the water and coffee grounds in the fridge to brew for up to 36 hours.
Nutrition
How to Serve and Customize Cold Brew
There are so many fun ways to customize this cold brew coffee recipe to your liking! Here are a few ideas:
- Chilled over ice: Just pour cold brew over ice and dilute it with the milk or creamer of your choice.
- Sweetened: Use a liquid sweetener like simple syrup, maple syrup, honey, or a flavored syrup so it mixes well into the coffee. Granulated sugar doesn’t dissolve easily in cold liquids.
- Flavored: Add a cinnamon stick, a few dashes of ground cinnamon, strips of orange zest, or a splash of vanilla extract to the coffee mixture at the start of steeping. The whole or ground spices will be filtered out with the coffee grounds, but will infuse the cold brew with flavor.
- Make coffee ice cubes: Freeze the cold brew in ice cube trays to serve with your cold brew without diluting it or to add coffee flavor to other beverages.
Storing Cold Brew
Store homemade cold brew in a jar or an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. You can also freeze it to make coffee ice cubes (see the section directly above for more info).
More Drink Recipes To Try
If you’re a coffee lover, try one of these boozy coffee-forward drinks next!
Irish coffee is a super simple after-dinner drink made with black coffee, whiskey, and whipped cream.
Try my classic espresso martini for a cocktail that’s strong, sweet, and delicious! It’s like having a drink and dessert all in one.
A black Russian is a velvety blend of vodka and coffee liqueur. I love adding a maraschino cherry or orange twist garnish for a pop of color and flavor.
Rich and creamy, the Colorado bulldog is easy to make with 4 simple ingredients. It has a splash of cola for a sweet, fizzy surprise.
A white Russian is similar to a black Russian, but it also contains cream. This makes it wonderfully creamy and richer than a black Russian.
If you’ve tried this “how to make cold brew coffee” recipe, then don’t forget to rate it and let me know how you got on in the comments below. I love hearing from you!
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