Today I’m partnering with one of my favorites, Silk, to bring you this Japanese iced coffee tutorial. Silk asked me to share a recipe or method that shows how I make my morning coffee better, and truth be told, I’ve been wanting to share this new iced coffee recipe with you all for awhile now – so the timing was perfect! This method definitely makes my mornings better. Good iced coffee in (practically) an instant? That’s a win right there.
Now through May 6, Silk and So Delicious creamers are 15% off when you use the super-slick Cartwheel app from Target, and they couldn’t be more perfect for doctoring up your fancy new iced coffee in a healthier, dairy-free way. You can find creamers in flavors like vanilla, caramel (my fave in iced coffee), and hazelnut right in the Target coolers with the milk in the grocery section.
I’m not ashamed to admit that the center of my morning routine is, without a doubt, coffee. COFFEE, actually – all caps – bleary-eyed, arms outstretched, outta-my-way-I-need-a-latte level coffee.
These days, we are pretty married to our pour-over carafe. My guy is a routine man, and every weekday morning like clockwork he wakes up at 5:30 a.m., showers, heads downstairs, puts away any dishes that left out to dry overnight. And then he starts the process of making coffee. Grind the beans, warm the carafe, boil the water, add the grounds to the thick paper filter, patiently pour the water over to make a few perfect mugsful. The pour-over method isn’t as easy or as fast as many others, but it results in a seriously killer cup of coffee.
Come spring and summer, though, hot coffee doesn’t sound quite as good to me. My guy, he never wavers from his steaming-hot cup, but I like a tall, strong glass of iced coffee just as well – maybe even better – once the weather warms.
I’m a huge fan of cold-brewed iced coffee concentrate, but the half-day process requires some planning ahead, and truthfully, much of the time I’m not so great at that.
Enter a newish-to-me, practically instant method that results in an incredible glass of iced coffee: Japanese-Style Iced Coffee!
I started making Japanese-style iced coffee last year, and I pretty much became an instant fanatic.
So what’s the difference, you ask, between cold brew and Japanese style, other than the fact that one takes 12 hours and one takes 12 minutes (if that)?
Well, with Japanese-style, you only get one serving at a time – as opposed to cold brew, where you can fix up a whole big batch at a time. So keep that in mind, depending on how much caffeine you’re looking to consume.
Flavor-wise, cold brew is famous for producing a mellow yet potent elixir that’s rich, relatively free of acid, and tastes almost chocolatey. Japanese-style, on the other hand, is known for retaining more of the nuances of flavor that you lose when coffee doesn’t ever meet hot water. You get a bit more acid, yes, but still a full-flavored cuppa. Or jarra, as the case may be, because I brew my Japanese-method cold brew right into a mason jar. High class, baby. Add some creamer, plop in a straw, and hallelujah: delicious caffeine.
You can also make it in a glass pour-over carafe, but to be honest, with its thin glass and my propensity toward breaking things, it makes me kind of nervous plonking ice cubes into one. Which is why I started using a mason jar and a simple ceramic coffee dripper instead. Why not?!
There are a few resources out there for how to make Japanese-style iced coffee, and they are very thorough. But coffee, like wine, can be a little highfalutin and even controversial. I can usually recognize and adore a great cup of coffee, but a coffee snob I am not. So let’s maybe just call this one How to Make Japanese-Style Iced Coffee for the Average Joe. I’m keeping it simple and straightforward to give you somewhere to start. I mean, does it get any easier than brewing directly into your drinking vessel?
Many instructions call for the use of a scale, and if you have it, I do second that suggestion (because it makes things so easy!) But it’s definitely not required. You can also brew your iced coffee this way with a few simple measurements.
Take these instructions and run with ’em, my friend. Adjust the amount of coffee grounds until your Japanese-style iced coffee is just how you like it. Make it your own! Add a bit of brown sugar, some vanilla, maybe a cardamom pod or two to the grounds, and perhaps finish with your favorite Silk or So Delicious creamer.
How to Make Japanese-Style Iced Coffee
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup/1 oz./30 g. ground coffee beans (I like a darker roast)
- 1 cup/8 oz./230 g. ice cubes (plus more for serving)
- 1 cup/8 oz./230 g. water
Equipment:
- Measuring cups or a kitchen scale*
- A pour-over cone (aka a drip brewer or carafe)
- A coffee filter that fits the pour-over cone or carafe
- A 16-ounce or larger mason jar (if not using a carafe)
- Tea kettle - preferably a goose-neck shape made for pour-over brewing
Instructions
- Fill the mason jar or carafe with the 2 cups/8 oz./230 g. ice.
- Set a filter in the brewer, set it over the mason jar (if using) for brewing, and add the coffee grounds.
- Bring the water to a boil. Slowly pour just a bit of the water over the grounds - just enough to cause the coffee to expand (also known as "blooming"). Once all of that water has dripped through, slowly pour about half of the remaining water over the top. When that has finished dripping through, slowly pour the remaining water over the top. Let drain completely.
- If using a mason jar, remove the drip brewer. If using a carafe, remove the filter and grounds then pour into a glass. Add ice, cream, and/or sugar if desired. Add additional ice, cream, and/or sugar if desired and stir. Serve immediately.
This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Silk and So Delicious Dairy Free Creamers. The opinions and text are all mine.
I’m so glad you’re here! I’m a vegetarian home cook, certified plant-based pro, and mom. I’m married to an enthusiastic carnivore, and my mission is to achieve peace in the kitchen – one tasty recipe at a time. These days, I also try not to ask to speak to the manager.
Love iced coffee!!! Great and tasty recipe. Definitely going to make it during the summer. Thank you so much for sharing:)
2 cups of water measures out to 16 oz, not 8 oz, as stated in recipe. Which is correct?
Thank you so much for asking; that was a typo. So sorry! It should be one cup.
Hi Kare,
Thanks a lot for the Coffee Recipe. Looking to enjoy my holidays with great coffee. You too Enjoy the Holidays !
A Very Happy New Year ! Cheers
What brand is your drip brewer/pour over cone? Thank you.
Hi Karen, this is the one I have: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0047VUNVE/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
My Japanese iced coffee story. IBM sent me to Tokyo to work with one of the banks for a month. Because we were very successful the bank manager and the IBM branch manager took me to lunch on my last day at a very fancy Japanese restaurant. When asked what I would like to drink I said iced coffee. And the waiter went “ssssss” drawing in his breath indicating disapproval. I asked was there a problem. He said ice coffee is not on the menu. I said, “OK, would you please bring me a glass of coffee and a glass of ice cubes. Again the breath intake. When I asked, “Don’t you ever have iced coffee?”, he replied, “Oh yes; it is on the summer menu. “I asked when the summer menu started. He replied, “Tomorrow”. The branch manager then suggested iced tea, which I ordered, and everyone was happy.
Ha! That is too funny. 🙂