A Simple Iced Coffee Recipe

Who doesn't love a good iced coffee? After spending a lot of time trying to figure out the right iced coffee and cold brew system, I simply gave into the simplest solution: instant coffee granules. 

I know, I know...not the most interesting, but it does the job way better than anything else I have tried. Which has been:

1. Starbucks Medium Roast Unsweetened Coffee in the plastic jug, heavy whipping cream, and sugar-free hazelnut syrup.
2. Making my own cold brew concentrate and using heaving whipping cream along with sugar-free hazelnut syrup.
3. Weird coffee concentrate that didn't need to be refrigerated...and heaving whipping cream along with sugar-free hazelnut syrup (notice a trend yet?).
4. Making my own cold brew concentrate with a different system than before...and heaving whipping cream along with sugar-free hazelnut syrup.

However, when the big Dalgona Whipped Coffee trend took off, I realized I was doing everything wrong. Prior to trying the whipped coffee, I was basically trying to mask the coffee flavors with syrup and cream. However, I realized what I actually like is a strong coffee flavor with plain sugar and half-and-half (milk is just a little too thin, but I should start to replacing half-and-half with milk just so I have one less dairy product to buy and store in my tiny fridge). 

Grab your favorite drinking vessel and let's get to faux-brewing! In the above image, I used a 32oz Ball Jar, so you will need a fairly large glass:

1. Boil about a cup of water
2. Put 2-3 tablespoons of instant coffee (I use Nescafe Taster's Choice) in your glass 
3. Put 2-3 tablespoons of sugar in your glass alter your sweetness level as needed; I do realize this is a ton of sugar and I am working on cutting back, albeit slowly)
4. Pour your hot water into your glass
5. Stir to make sure the coffee and sugar have dissolved
6. Add as much ice as you want. I added about 16-20 cubes depending since a decent amount will melt initially
7. Add cold water to your coffee concentrate and leave enough room for cream, half-and-half, or milk. I put about 1/2 cup of half-and-half into mine
8. Drink and enjoy!

Could I make this healthier? Sure. Do I want to? No. Maybe one day I will, but for right now, this is perfect for what I want.  Honestly, if I want a healthier caffeine drink, I go for an Earl Grey with stevia and oat milk. Perfect combination.