McDonald’s Iced Coffee

Save yourself a trip to the drive-thru with this McDonald’s iced coffee copycat recipe!

It’s easy to make and oh-so-delicious. Sweet, creamy, smooth, and refreshing, this iced coffee is the perfect pick-me-up.

McDonald’s Iced Coffee

McDonald’s iced coffee is well-known for its sweet vanilla flavor and smooth coffee finish. It gives you a caffeine boost and tastes delectable too. 

But coffee this good has to be hard to make, right? No! It couldn’t be easier.

Just brew, mix, and chill. All you need is a standard coffee maker and four simple ingredients. 

I like to keep a pitcher in the fridge. When those caffeine emergencies strike, all I have to do is pour. 

So forget waiting in line. Get out your grounds and let’s get brewing!

Ingredients

The ingredients for McDonald’s iced coffee couldn’t be simpler. You may not even need to write this recipe down! 

It’s a good thing, too. Once you taste this iced coffee recipe, you‘ll be making it a lot!

• Water: Bottled, filtered, or straight from the tap, humble water plays a significant role in your iced coffee creation.

• Coffee Grounds: It would be hard to make coffee without coffee grounds! Use your favorite brand and roast. Decaf? Hazelnut? Dark? All types of ground coffee are appropriate for this recipe.

• Sweetened Condensed Milk: The secret sauce! Sweetened condensed milk is what takes this coffee beverage from bland to bold.

• Ice Cubes: It wouldn’t be iced coffee without it! Serve McDonald’s iced coffee in glasses with a few ice cubes to keep that cool temperature.

Tips for the Iced Coffee

Achieving the perfect iced coffee drink without watering it down can take some practice. But don’t worry, these tips can help:

• Brew the night before. Want to start your day with a cup of this iced coffee? Brew the coffee the night before so it has plenty of time to chill.

• Let it cool. You want to let the coffee cool first. Then you can store it in the refrigerator until you’re ready to use it.

• Use any shape of ice cubes. Crushed ice has more surface area, so it cools your coffee quicker. Medium ice cubes are standard and work well. Large ice cubes don’t melt as quick and will not water down your drink. 

• Make it a cold brew. Instead of brewing your coffee in a traditional coffee maker, make cold brew coffee! It’s a lengthy process, but it yields a less acidic, more aromatic flavor.

Can I Use Espresso?

If you have access to espresso at home, you can use it in this recipe! Espresso is so concentrated, you’ll get a lot of coffee flavor in a little bit of liquid.

As a result, espresso chills much faster than regular coffee. If you’re in a rush, this is a quick way to get your iced coffee!

Pour your espresso shots over the ice cubes and let the cubes work their magic.

The espresso melts the ice cubes, and that ice water cools the espresso to “iced coffee” temperatures.

And if you’re wondering what is espresso, check out my post for more info!

What Can I Add to McDonald’s Iced Coffee?

Dress this iced coffee up just like your favorite craft coffee order. From flavored syrups to whipped creams, the possibilities are limitless.

• Try flavored syrups. Are iced caramel macchiatos or mochas your jam? Make either one by adding caramel or chocolate syrup to to your drink.

• Add a splash of flavored extract. Try vanilla for a classic taste, or mint extract for a refreshing flavor. Do you like Girl Scout thin mints? Combine the mint extract with the chocolate syrup!

• Use non-dairy milk. Plant-based milk is a great substitution for the sweetened condensed milk. Just add some simple syrup if you like your iced coffee a bit sweeter!

• Turn it into dessert. For a decadent treat, serve McDonald’s iced coffee over vanilla ice cream! This turns your caffeine boost into an ice cream float.