
When the temperatures start increasing, it’s the sign to switch my coffee from hot to cold. There’s nothing better than having an iced coffee on a warm day, and it’s more than just a cup of joe — it’s a treat. It gives you an instant boost and helps you get through the day. Many people think that you have to order out to have a delicious iced coffee, but you can easily make a comparable or even better one at home with your Nespresso machine.
As someone with barista training and a food business, I use Nespresso machines to make iced coffee drinks most days — but you don’t need any professional skills to yield the perfect cup of coffee, no matter how you like it. Whether milky, not milky, sweet, unsweetened, with various flavors, or plain, you can recreate your favorite caffeinated (or not, if you use decaf) beverage in your own kitchen all through the year.
What’s great about having a Nespresso machine is that it does so much of the work for you, and it’s really easy to make a yummy, homemade iced coffee, saving you both money and time. It’s pretty hard to go wrong with it, but there are still some tips you’ll want to keep in mind so that you can make the most of your Nespresso machine and enjoy an incredible iced coffee.
Pick the right Nespresso pod for your desired flavor
One of the ways to ensure a good iced coffee is to pick the best Nespresso pod to pop into the machine. Naturally, a major component of iced coffee is the ice, and you’ll likely be adding quite a few ice cubes to get your coffee cold enough. This is where many people go wrong with making iced coffee.
Adding ice will, of course, dilute your coffee and cause it to lose its strong coffee flavor. So, it’s always a good idea to choose stronger and more intense coffee pods. These work better as, even though they might get a little diluted, their flavor will still shine through. In fact, making iced coffee is actually a great way to use up pods that you find to be a bit too bitter or strong for you when made hot. This way, they don’t go to waste, and you have a delicious iced coffee.
Of course, another option is to use the Nespresso pods that are designed specifically for iced coffee. You may have wondered before if there’s a difference between iced Nespresso pods and regular ones? There is. Iced Nespresso pods are made to taste stronger in order to withstand being diluted with ice or milk. Opt for the Ice Leggero or Ice Forte pods, respectively, for a light and fruity or dark and bold roast. If you prefer flavored coffees, you could also go for the Coconut Vanilla Flavor Over Ice or Pistachio Vanilla Flavor Over Ice pods.
Go for a Lungo Nespresso pod and setting, not an espresso
Everyone has a different preference for how they like their hot coffee, and so the same applies obviously for iced coffee. Some people love a sweet, milky iced coffee that’s on the paler side, while others want their iced coffee to be all about the coffee flavor. In my opinion, a perfect iced coffee should be a good balance between bitter coffee and sweetness, and still have a robust shade of beige to brown, given all the extra additions of ice and milk we might add. For this reason, I always prefer to make my iced coffee using Lungo Nespresso pods and the Lungo setting on my Nespresso machine.
Lungo coffees use more water than regular pods, making your coffee cup fuller with coffee than just milk. While it’s true that espresso has a more concentrated flavor, you need to add way more milk to make a full cup. I find that, although an espresso might taste a little stronger than a Lungo coffee without milk, it doesn’t quite taste as robust when your coffee cup is mostly milk. If you’re having a black iced coffee, an espresso is also just too little liquid to make sense. So, making a Lungo coffee works better either way.
Learn how to use the cold setting on your Nespresso frother
If you have a Nespresso machine, you most likely already have the milk frother accessory called the Aeroccino. Several Nespresso machines come with an Aeroccino, but if yours didn’t, it’s definitely worth buying it separately to make your favorite milky coffee drinks, whether hot or cold. Because the best thing about an Aeroccino is that you can froth your milk on either a hot or cold setting. This is something that isn’t as commonly known as it should be, and people tend to froth their milk warm, then pour that over ice when making their iced coffees. While you can do this, it does require more ice and more time to get cold, which ultimately waters down your coffee more than necessary. The only warm component necessary here is the coffee.
To use the cold setting on your Aeroccino, add the milk of your choice into it and press down on the button for a few seconds until the light turns blue. Voila, your milk will froth and become silky and thick, without heating up in the slightest.
Use the appropriate glassware for your iced coffee
When you’re making a homemade iced coffee, it’s also important to pay attention to the type of glassware or cup you serve it in. I’ve found that the cup adds a lot to the experience and can make your coffee feel more special. So, for a really satisfying iced coffee, I recommend using glassware for a number of reasons.
To start, the transparency of the glass allows you to see the layers — and you’ll want to see those clear white and brown layers at first. Even if you might not think this part is important, it’s all part of the iced coffee ritual that we love. On an aesthetic level, I’d say it’s almost just as important as the taste to see the white milk lines blend into the coffee, and then ultimately disappear into a beautiful beige brown. Additionally, on a more practical level, you’ll want to choose the right glass size for the amount of milk and coffee you wish to drink. If it’s in a funky shape or is comfortable to hold, these are also factors that can add to your enjoyment.
Lastly, glass is something you can chill in the fridge or freezer for a little bit before you make your iced coffee. Chilling your glass will help cool down your coffee even faster, making it drinkable before it gets too diluted by ice. This is especially handy in the height of summer. Try it, and you’ll find that it feels amazing to pour your coffee into a chilled glass before taking a sip.
Load up your cup with ice
When it comes to iced coffee drinks, coffee lovers often complain that the ice dilutes the coffee into a watery, lackluster drink, as previously mentioned. One way I like to combat this is to add a lot of ice. Now, this may seem counterintuitive, but loading your cup with ice makes your coffee cool down faster than having just a few blocks fighting for their life in hot liquid. The heat will quickly melt those few ice cubes you’ve used into your coffee; whereas, if you’ve got a lot of ice, your drink will cool down before the ice has a chance to melt too much.
I like to fill my coffee cup or glass to the max with ice. Then, once I’ve poured my coffee, I give everything a quick mix, and it’s usually cold almost immediately. Some people like to make ice cubes out of coffee so that they don’t water down their coffee in any way. However, I personally don’t like doing this, as it’s an extra-long step to take. That said, if you have the foresight to brew some coffee and freeze it in an ice mold for the next day, then it’s a great way to go.
For speed, set your cup of ice in your Nespresso machine as it pours
There’s some debate about whether pouring hot coffee on ice changes its taste, but in my experience, if you’re using the right type of coffee pods, there aren’t any issues. Some people will have you believe that you should wait until your coffee has cooled down before pouring it on your ice; however, I can’t imagine a scenario where I’d be willing to wait that long when I feel like having coffee. Unless you’re an impressive planner and think to make your coffee ahead of time, it’s quite unlikely that you’ll want to wait to let it cool down first. So, go ahead and pour your hot coffee on ice immediately, so that you can enjoy an iced coffee within a couple of minutes.
Better yet, set your cup of ice directly in your Nespresso machine as your coffee is brewing. This saves you a lot of time, and since the coffee comes out relatively slowly, it will cool as it hits the ice and will be ready to drink almost immediately.
Froth some heavy cream in your Aeroccino to make cold foam
If you think you have to go to the drive-thru to get an iced coffee with a thick, luscious cold foam, then you’re mistaken. You also don’t have to use the store-bought kind that doesn’t ever quite live up to what you had in mind. Cold foam can be easily made with your Nespresso Aeroccino.
This trick is as simple as can be: All you need to add to the coffee-making agenda is some heavy whipping cream. To my knowledge, this is the base ingredient of what so many cafes use to make cold foam, too. A mix of milk, whipping cream, and a flavor or syrup of your choice is going to make the most heavenly cold foam in a matter of seconds. For example, if you add a little vanilla syrup, you can make a Starbucks-inspired vanilla sweet cream cold foam right in your own kitchen.
Just make sure not to overfill your Aeroccino with these three ingredients. Then, press down on the button until the blue light comes on, and let it froth. I like to give it two rounds of frothing to get everything nice and thick. Finally, pour it over your coffee, and you’ve got your own homemade cold-foam-topped drink.
Drink your iced coffee immediately to avoid a watered-down drink
Iced coffees are one of the most refreshing drinks to have when you’re looking for a buzz, especially during the summertime. The ice is really what makes it what it is, of course, and the sounds of the ice cubes clinking together as your cup moves is aesthetically important to the overall experience. But sadly, as this ice ends up melting into water, your carefully brewed Nespresso coffee could become totally diluted and even bad, as mentioned. Sure, you could make a hot coffee and leave it to cool in the fridge, and simply not add ice. However, if you’re not the type of person to wait an hour or more for your coffee, ice is the way to go. So, how do you avoid the melted ice conundrum? Just drink your coffee immediately. It’s really that simple.
Don’t make an iced coffee before you’re ready to drink it. Instead, make it and drink it right there and then, straight from the Nespresso machine, into the cup, and to your lips. It will be fresh, deliciously iced, and apart from a little bit of ice melting, it won’t be super watered down by the time you finish it. Basically, the more you leave it to stand, the more watered down it will be, so make and drink your iced coffee with intention. It’s not the type of caffeinated drink you can lazily sip all afternoon.
If you’re making iced coffee for a group of people, don’t make it ahead of time. Or, make your coffee beforehand, but leave out the ice until it’s time to serve.
Don’t be afraid of using syrups in your iced coffee
If, like me, you’re impartial to some (or a lot of) sweetness, then don’t be afraid of adding in some syrup to your iced coffee. Coffee syrups are a big part of what makes us love an iced coffee ordered from a cafe. And when I first got some coffee syrup to use at home, I realized just how easy it was to recreate my favorite coffee shop drinks using my trusty Nespresso machine. Every type of iced latte, from pumpkin spice to vanilla, salted caramel, cinnamon, and more, were now at my fingertips.
Syrups are also a lot easier to use than just adding sugar to your coffee cup. Sugar doesn’t always dissolve fast enough when you’re making iced coffee, so syrups are always a good way to introduce sweetness without needing time for it to dissolve. You could also, of course, use maple syrup or even some honey, too. But with honey, you’ll need to add it to your pre-iced hot coffee so that it will thin out enough before you mix it in.
Baristas always tend to pour the syrup into the cup first, then add milk and coffee. But unless you stir it really well, most of the syrup will stay in the bottom. This will make your drink both not sweet enough, and then too sweet on the final sips. If you’re making iced coffee at home, however, you can follow your own rules. A good tip is to pour the syrup into your coffee first, or even with your milk as it froths in your Nespresso Aeroccino. This way, it will be well-blended when you make your final cup.
Make a dalgona coffee mousse with your Nespresso frother
The dalgona coffee craze seems to have died down in recent years, but that doesn’t mean we have to stop making it. Dalgona coffee, like other whipped coffees from around the world, is a sweet, indulgent way to have your coffee. A little dalgona mousse can be just the topping your iced coffee needs to take it to new heights. Thankfully, you can make it in no time in a Nespresso frother.
In true dalgona style, you could add instant coffee, sugar, and water to your Aeroccino, and let it froth. However, I’ve found that using an espresso works just as well — and since you’re using a Nespresso machine, you might as well ditch the instant coffee, right? Brew an espresso as you usually would, but then pour it, along with some sugar, straight into your Aeroccino. Turn on the frother, and let it froth a few times until it reaches the desired thickness you’re after. Pour this over some iced milk, and you’ve got yourself a tasty dalgona iced coffee.
Use a cocktail shaker to shake your iced coffee
If you have a cocktail shaker lying around, you actually may be able to circumvent a watered-down drink. Indeed, this bar cart staple can help you achieve perfectly shaken iced coffee. Instead of pouring your coffee over ice, you can simply throw it into a cocktail shaker with some ice cubes, give it all a shake, and then strain the coffee out — making your coffee cold while leaving the ice cubes behind. Of course, there will still be a bit of melting going on, but not as much as leaving the ice cubes in your iced coffee.
Anther way a cocktail shaker can be a great tool for iced coffee is that it can actually do the work of frothing the milk a little, too. The shaking movement helps to create air bubbles and make your milk a richer consistency. I like to pour my freshly brewed Nespresso coffee, along with syrup, milk, and ice, into a cocktail shaker and get to work. After a couple of intense shakes, you’ve got a velvety cup of iced coffee.
You can also use your favorite creamer in your Nespresso Aeroccino
For those who can’t have their coffee without their favorite creamer, I’ve got good news: You can add your creamer into the Nespresso Aeroccino frother, too. I’ve tried this with a few different creamers, including both dairy and non-dairy ones, with decent results all around. Creamer is a great addition to a homemade iced coffee, because it’s already quite a thick consistency. Plus, depending on the type of creamer, it can — in just one ingredient — substitute milk, sugar, and flavored syrups. Pour it straight into the Aeroccino and give it a couple rounds of frothing by pressing down the button until the light turns blue. Once it’s ready, pour it over your coffee or over your ice, with coffee to follow.
As a final tip, you should be washing your Nespresso Aeroccino after every use, regardless. But pay extra attention to do so thoroughly when you use creamer, so that you don’t leave any sticky residue behind.