10 Summer Coffee Drinks to Beat the Heat in Style

1. Classic Cold Brew Concentrate

If you only learn one summer coffee skill, make it cold brew. The slow steep pulls out chocolatey, mellow notes without any of the bitterness you get from hot brewing, and once you have a jar of concentrate in the fridge, iced coffee is suddenly a 30-second affair.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup coarsely ground coffee (medium or dark roast)
• 4 cups cold, filtered water
• Ice, for serving
• Milk, cream, or sweetener, to taste (optional)

Instructions:

1. Combine the coffee grounds and water in a large jar or pitcher. Stir gently to make sure all the grounds are wet.
2. Cover and let steep at room temperature for 12 to 16 hours, or in the fridge for up to 24 hours.
3. Strain the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve lined with a coffee filter or a couple of layers of cheesecloth. Discard the grounds.
4. To serve, fill a glass with ice, pour in concentrate, and dilute 1:1 with water, milk, or your favorite plant-based milk.
5. Sweeten if you like and stir well.

Store the concentrate in a sealed jar in the fridge for up to two weeks. For an extra-smooth cup, use a paper filter when straining—it catches the finest particles and gives you that crystal-clear finish.

2. Vietnamese-Style Iced Coffee

This is the drink I make when I want something that feels like a treat without breaking out the blender. Sweetened condensed milk turns strong, dark coffee into something rich, almost caramelly, and absolutely impossible to drink slowly. Traditionally made with a phin filter, but a strong French press or moka pot works beautifully too.

Ingredients:

• 2 to 3 tablespoons sweetened condensed milk
• 3/4 cup very strong brewed coffee, hot
• 1 1/2 cups ice cubes
• Pinch of cinnamon (optional)

Instructions:

1. Spoon the sweetened condensed milk into the bottom of a tall, heatproof glass.
2. Pour the hot coffee directly over the condensed milk and stir vigorously until completely dissolved.
3. Let the mixture sit for 1 to 2 minutes to cool slightly.
4. Fill the glass with ice, stir again, and sprinkle with cinnamon if using.
5. Serve immediately with a long spoon or straw.

The ratio of condensed milk to coffee is personal—start with two tablespoons and adjust. For an even bolder version, swap in dark French roast or add a shot of espresso.

3. Brown Sugar Oat Milk Shaken Espresso

You’ve seen this one on every coffee shop menu, and there’s a reason: brown sugar gives espresso this deep, almost molasses-like sweetness that plays gorgeously with creamy oat milk. The shaking part isn’t just for show, either—it aerates the espresso and gives you that beautiful foamy top.

Ingredients:

• 2 shots espresso (about 1/4 cup), freshly brewed
• 1 1/2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 cup ice
• 1/3 cup oat milk

Instructions:

1. Brew the espresso and immediately pour it into a cocktail shaker.
2. Add the brown sugar and cinnamon, then stir until the sugar dissolves.
3. Add the ice, secure the lid, and shake vigorously for 20 to 30 seconds, until the shaker feels frosty.
4. Pour the entire contents (ice and all) into a tall glass.
5. Top with oat milk and give it a gentle stir before drinking.

No espresso machine? Use 1/3 cup of very strong moka pot coffee or cold brew concentrate. Just skip the dissolving step if you’re using cold concentrate and use a simple brown sugar syrup instead.

4. Coconut Cold Brew Float

This one walks the line between coffee and dessert, and honestly, that’s exactly where I want to be on a hot Sunday afternoon. Cold brew gets topped with creamy coconut milk and a scoop of vanilla ice cream that slowly melts into the drink. It’s affogato’s beach-loving cousin.

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup cold brew concentrate, chilled
• 1/4 cup full-fat coconut milk
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup (optional)
• 1 large scoop vanilla ice cream
• Toasted coconut flakes, for garnish

Instructions:

1. Stir together the cold brew, coconut milk, and maple syrup (if using) in a tall glass.
2. Add a few ice cubes if you want it extra cold.
3. Carefully place a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top.
4. Sprinkle with toasted coconut flakes.
5. Serve right away with a spoon and a straw.

Want to make it dairy-free? Coconut milk ice cream is the obvious upgrade and doubles down on that tropical flavor. A drizzle of chocolate syrup wouldn’t hurt either.

5. Frozen Mocha Blender Drink

Here’s where the blender earns its keep. This frozen mocha is what you make when iced coffee feels like too much of a commitment and you want something closer to a coffee milkshake. Chocolate, coffee, ice—blend it all into a frosty cup of pure summer joy.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup strong brewed coffee, cooled
• 1/2 cup whole milk
• 2 tablespoons chocolate syrup, plus more for drizzling
• 1 tablespoon sugar (or to taste)
• 2 cups ice
• Whipped cream, for topping

Instructions:

1. Add the coffee, milk, chocolate syrup, sugar, and ice to a blender.
2. Blend on high for 30 to 45 seconds, until completely smooth and slushy.
3. Drizzle the inside of a tall glass with chocolate syrup.
4. Pour the blended mocha into the glass.
5. Top generously with whipped cream and an extra drizzle of chocolate.

Freeze leftover coffee in an ice cube tray and use those instead of regular ice—you’ll get a stronger flavor without any watered-down sadness at the bottom of the glass.

6. Honey Lavender Iced Latte

If you’ve never tried lavender in your coffee, this is the drink that’s going to win you over. The floral notes are subtle (we’re not making potpourri here), and combined with honey, it tastes like the most elegant version of an iced latte you’ve ever had. Perfect for slow porch mornings.

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup honey
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 tablespoon dried culinary lavender
• 2 shots espresso or 1/2 cup strong cold brew
• 3/4 cup cold milk of choice
• Ice

Instructions:

1. In a small saucepan, combine the honey, water, and lavender. Bring to a gentle simmer, then turn off the heat.
2. Let the mixture steep for 15 minutes, then strain out the lavender. Cool completely.
3. Fill a tall glass with ice.
4. Add 1 to 2 tablespoons of the lavender honey syrup to the glass.
5. Pour in the espresso or cold brew, then top with milk and stir well.

The lavender syrup keeps in the fridge for two weeks and is also incredible drizzled into lemonade, sparkling water, or even over yogurt. Just make sure you’re using culinary lavender, not the kind from the craft store.

7. Espresso Tonic With Citrus

I’ll admit, the first time someone told me to put tonic water in my coffee, I made a face. Then I tried it. Now I’m a believer. The bitter sparkle of tonic plus a shot of espresso plus a curl of citrus peel creates something that tastes almost like a non-alcoholic cocktail—bright, fizzy, and unexpectedly sophisticated.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup ice cubes
• 3/4 cup good-quality tonic water, chilled
• 2 shots espresso or 1/4 cup strong cold brew concentrate
• 1 strip orange or lemon peel
• Fresh rosemary sprig (optional)

Instructions:

1. Fill a tall, clear glass with ice cubes—the more, the better.
2. Pour in the chilled tonic water.
3. Slowly pour the espresso over the back of a spoon so it layers on top of the tonic.
4. Twist the citrus peel over the glass to release its oils, then drop it in.
5. Garnish with rosemary if using, and stir gently just before drinking.

Use a quality tonic water for this one—Fever Tree, Q, or something similar. The cheap stuff tastes too sweet and overwhelms the coffee. A grapefruit peel is also surprisingly amazing here.

8. Salted Caramel Cold Foam Iced Coffee

That salted caramel cold foam everyone fights over at the coffee shop? Turns out it takes about two minutes to make at home, and it’s somehow better. Pillowy, sweet, salty, and floating on top of strong iced coffee like a little cloud—this is the drink that makes me forget all about pumpkin spice.

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 2 tablespoons caramel sauce, plus more for drizzling
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Pinch of flaky sea salt
• 1 cup cold brew or strong iced coffee
• Ice

Instructions:

1. In a small bowl or measuring cup, combine the cream, milk, 1 tablespoon caramel sauce, and vanilla.
2. Using a milk frother or small whisk, froth the mixture for about 30 seconds until it’s thick, fluffy, and doubled in volume.
3. Drizzle caramel sauce around the inside of a tall glass.
4. Fill the glass with ice and pour in the cold brew.
5. Slowly spoon the cold foam over the top and finish with a pinch of flaky sea salt.

No frother? Pour the cream mixture into a mason jar, screw the lid on tight, and shake hard for about a minute. Works like a charm. Store leftover cold foam in the fridge for a day or two—just give it a quick re-froth before using.

9. Mint Mojito Iced Coffee

This is the drink that converted my mojito-loving sister to cold brew. Muddled fresh mint, a little lime, plenty of strong coffee, and just enough sweetness to round things out—it tastes wildly refreshing on a humid afternoon and gives you the same vacation vibes as the cocktail without the rum (unless you want to add rum, in which case, I’m not going to stop you).

Ingredients:

• 8 to 10 fresh mint leaves, plus more for garnish
• 1 tablespoon simple syrup or sugar
• 1 teaspoon fresh lime juice
• 1 cup cold brew or strong chilled coffee
• 1/4 cup milk or cream
• Ice

Instructions:

1. In the bottom of a tall glass, combine the mint leaves, simple syrup, and lime juice.
2. Muddle gently with the back of a spoon or a muddler—just enough to bruise the mint and release the oils.
3. Fill the glass with ice.
4. Pour in the cold brew, then top with milk.
5. Stir well and garnish with a fresh sprig of mint.

The lime is the secret weapon here—don’t skip it. It brightens the coffee in a way that’s hard to describe but impossible to forget once you’ve tried it. For a chocolatey twist, add a teaspoon of chocolate syrup.

10. Affogato With Toasted Almond Espresso

The simplest drink on this list, and arguably the most luxurious. Affogato literally means “drowned” in Italian, and that’s exactly what’s happening: a perfect scoop of vanilla gelato gets drowned in hot espresso, creating instant creamy, melty magic. We’re adding toasted almonds and a tiny splash of amaretto syrup for extra summer celebration energy.

Ingredients:

• 1 generous scoop high-quality vanilla gelato or ice cream
• 1 to 2 shots freshly brewed espresso (about 2 to 3 tablespoons)
• 1 teaspoon amaretto syrup or 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• 2 tablespoons sliced almonds, toasted
• Cocoa powder, for dusting (optional)

Instructions:

1. Place the scoop of gelato in a small chilled glass or coffee cup.
2. Brew the espresso fresh and stir in the amaretto syrup or almond extract.
3. Immediately pour the hot espresso over the gelato.
4. Sprinkle generously with toasted almonds.
5. Dust with a little cocoa powder if you want to be fancy, and serve right away with a spoon.

The trick to a great affogato is contrast—the espresso needs to be hot and the gelato needs to be very cold. Pre-chill your glass in the freezer for 10 minutes and pull your gelato out at the very last second. Pistachio gelato is another stunning variation.

Your Summer Coffee Routine, Sorted

Whether you’re making cold brew in big batches for the work week, shaking up a brown sugar espresso for a quick afternoon pick-me-up, or going full dessert mode with an affogato for guests, summer is officially the best time to get creative with your coffee. The beauty of all of these drinks is that they’re forgiving—swap in plant milks, adjust the sweetness, play with syrups and spices until you land on your perfect version.

My honest advice? Start with the classic cold brew so you’ve always got a base on hand, then work your way through the list one weekend at a time. By August, you’ll have a whole arsenal of summer favorites and absolutely no reason to be standing in line at the coffee shop. Cheers to slow mornings, tall glasses, and coffee that tastes like it’s on vacation.