Last Updated on July 19, 2024 by Karen
Learn how to make the best overnight cold brew coffee at home – easy, inexpensive, and no special equipment needed! The end result is delicious smooth coffee with less acidity than regular coffee.
I don’t know about you, but my mornings often start off a bit hectic while trying to get ready for work. So I like to plan ahead and am always brainstorming for ways to have simplify my morning routine. But first…coffee! Am I right?
Most of the time, I just want a cup of smooth, strong coffee in the morning without much fuss. Did you know that it’s easy to make cold brew coffee just like your favorite coffee shop without any fancy equipment?
Just two ingredients and two kitchen tools needed: coffee beans and water + strainer and a pitcher are all you need!
Once you make this cold brew, you can use it to make all kinds of Starbucks copycat cold brew specialty drinks, including the new Chocolate Cream Cold Brew. See my copycat recipe here.
What is cold brew coffee?
Cold brew coffee is a coffee concentrate made with coffee grounds steeped in cold or room temperature water. Cold brew coffees have become popular in recent years for good reason. Using cold or room temperature water to “brew” coffee eliminates the bitter taste that can accompany coffee brewed with hot water. As a result, cold brew coffee tastes smoother, less acidic, and less bitter than a regular cup of brewed coffee,
Is cold brew coffee healthy?
Many people believe that drinking cold brew coffee with less acidity makes it easier on the stomach and aggravates the lining of the gut much less, which is better for those with acid reflux.
To make Cold Brew Coffee, let’s break this down into few simple steps!
Step 1: Pour 1 cup of ground coffee into a pitcher. You can use French roast, breakfast blend, decaf, or whatever your favorite blend is. A coarse coffee grind (as coarse as raw sugar) is best for this. You can buy coarsely ground beans or grind your own on the coarse setting using your own grinder.
Step 2: Pour 4 cups of cold or room temperature water over the grounds. I prefer room temperature water, but you can experiment with different water temperature to see what you like.
Step 3: Give it a good stir and cover with plastic wrap. Let it steep at room temperature for at least 12 hours.
Step 4: Pour the mixture through a fine-mesh strainer into another pitcher or container, and keep in the fridge until you’re ready to use. If your strainer is not fine enough, you can line it with a coffee filter before pouring the mixture through.
How do you serve this cold brew coffee?
Here are some ways to serve cold brew coffee:
– Serve hot or cold with milk of choice, creamer, or half and half as desired.
– Use it to make Starbucks Copycat Chocolate Cream Cold Brew!
– Add spices, such as cinnamon, nutmeg, or pumpkin pie spice to make your own flavored cold brew.
– Black over ice.
– Mix with a few pumps of flavored syrups like vanilla or caramel.
How do you use this cold brew coffee for iced coffee?
If using this overnight cold brew coffee for iced coffee, I recommend making the cold brew using a darker roast of coffee beans (like the Starbucks Sumatra Dark Roast), and between 1.5 to 2 cups of coffee ground. That way, the cold brew will have a more concentrated flavor, which won’t get watered down when you add ice. The ratio of concentrate to water depends on how strong you like your coffee. I usually like 1:1 so 1/2 cup cold brew concentrate with 1/2 cup water.
How long does this cold brew concentrate last?
This cold brew concentrate will keep for up to two weeks covered and chilled in the fridge.
Can you freeze this cold brew concentrate?
Yes! You can pour this cold brew concentrate into ice cube trays to use throughout the week.
If you love cold brew coffee, you should definitely give this a try. No need to wait on long lines at a fancy coffee shop for a cup of coffee!
Easiest Overnight Cold Brew Coffee
Ingredients
- 1 cup ground coffee coarsely ground
- 4 cups cold water
Instructions
- Pour ground coffee into a pitcher, and pour cold water over the grounds.
- Stir well and cover the pitcher with plastic wrap. Let it steep at room temperature for at least 12 hours, up to 24 hours, depending on how strong you want the cold brew.
- Pour the mixture through a fine-mesh strainer into another pitcher or container, and keep in the fridge until you're ready to use.
- To serve, add cold brew concentrate and cold water into a glass with ice. The ratio of concentrate to water depends on how strong you like your coffee. I usually like 1:1 so 1/2 cup cold brew concentrate with 1/2 cup water.
Do you enjoy cold brew coffee? What is your preferred method for making it?
Here are some perfect bites to pair with cold brew coffee:
- Churros Mini Muffin Bites
- Classic Hummingbird Cupcakes
- Raspberry Oat Crumb Bars
- Banana Bread Streusel Muffins
Looks so good :) can I use instant coffee grounds?
Thanks! Instant coffee isn’t meant for steeping so it might not work using this method.
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Correct me here, but an entire pound of coffee beans makes only 4 cups of concentrate, 8 cups of finished product?
If you look at the recipe card at the bottom, it’s actually 1 cup (not pound) of ground coffee for 4 cups of concentrate. Hope that helps!