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Learn how to make cold brew coffee at home without any fancy equipment. It’s not only easy but will save you money, and you can quickly make a large enough batch to last you two whole weeks. With the correct cold brew coffee ratios, you’ll have the best homemade cold brew coffee!
save this recipe!Cold brew coffee is the cooler, older sibling of iced coffee. It’s made chilled, never heated, and with a higher coffee-to-water ratio than regular drip coffee. Cold brew coffee is made by creating a concentrate, which is then mixed with fresh water (and optional flavorings) when it’s time to serve.
You don’t need any fancy equipment. No French press. No coffee pot. And with only two ingredients, there’s really no reason not to give cold brew coffee a try this summer!
Why you need cold brew coffee in your future
A cup of cold brew coffee isn’t just your standard cup of coffee. In fact, there is a long list of benefits to choosing it over the latter.
- Slightly less caffeine: For someone that wants to stick with coffee but is trying to cut back on caffeine, cold brew is a great choice because it has slightly less caffeine than drip coffee. (Per 16 oz there are 200 mg of caffeine in cold brew vs 260-360 mg in hot.)
- Smoother taste: Cold brew has a smoother taste because it isn’t heated. You may not even need to add cream or sugar (health win!).
- Easy to make: Cold brewing is an electricity-free method that doesn’t require a machine and can be done by naturally steeping coffee grounds.
the correct coffee-to-water ratio
Since we’re making cold brew coffee concentrate, we’ll be using 1 cup of ground coffee to 3 cups of cold water. Creating concentrate will make it possible to store cold brew in the fridge, which can then be added to fresh water when you’re ready to drink it. In total, you’ll be able to get 5 to 6 cups of finished, delicious cold brew from 1 cup of ground coffee.
How to make the best cold brew coffee
- Steep the coffee: In a large pitcher or jar, combine ground coffee and water. Let it sit in the fridge for 12 to 24 hours.
- Strain the concentrate: Next, strain the coffee concentrate through a towel-lined mesh sieve (or use a French press).
- Add flavoring and serve: Fill a glass partially with coffee, and then top it off with water. I like to use ¾ coffee and ¼ water, but the ratio (which will determine how strong it tastes) is up to your preference. Top with cream, milk, or simple syrup to taste.
cloth vs. French press vs. cold brew machine
There are three methods to making cold brew, so choose whichever works best for you! The pour through cloth is my personal favorite.
Pour Through Cloth
For the straining process, I prefer to use a pour through cloth because it’s simple and doesn’t require any special gear. Simply place the cloth over a cup or bowl, and slowly pour the coffee concentrate through. Let it sit and strain through, refraining from making the cloth overflow. Additionally, don’t squeeze the coffee grounds through – let them slowly strain.
French Press
If you do have a French press, they are great to use for making cold brew coffee. Measure out your coffee grounds and water, then add them to the press. Stick the lid on top and let the coffee steep for about 12 to 24 hours in the fridge. Press the plunger down, decant the coffee, and serve!
the best beans for cold brew
Go with your flavor preference when choosing your cold brew coffee beans. If you prefer a mild, less bitter taste, go with a blonder or lighter roast. Choose a darker roast if you prefer a stronger coffee flavor.
Note: For cold brew, darker roasts do tend to work better as far as flavor is concerned, as lighter roasts can sometimes get lost or muted.
Love cold brew? Try my brown sugar oat milk shaken espresso (a Starbucks copycat recipe) next!
How To Make Cold Brew Coffee (So Easy!)
Ingredients
- 1 cup coarsely ground coffee, 100 g
- 3 cups cold water, 700 mL
Instructions
- Steep: In a large pitcher or jar, combine ground coffee and water. Cover and let sit in fridge for 12 to 24 hours.
- Strain: Strain the coffee concentrate through a towel-lined mesh sieve (or a French press).
- Serve: Fill glass partially with coffee, then top it off with water (I like ¾ coffee and ¼ water, but the strength is to your preference). Top with cream, milk, or simple syrup, to taste.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information calculated by Sarah Bond, degreed nutritionist.
did you make this?Leave a comment below and tag @liveeatlearn on social media! I love seeing what you’ve made!
Thanks so much for a great recipe. My question is, I drink most of my coffee at room temperature anyway – do I really need to refrigerate this at all, or can I skip that step and just leave it out overnight?
You should be able to leave it out! 😀
I cold brew for 12-15 hours or so at room temp, 1.5 cups ground coffee (1 cup regular, 1/2 cup decaf) to 8 cups water. This winds up being a weaker concentration than what most recipes call for but still decently strong IMO at its final brew, without further dilution needed. It makes about 50-54 ounces of brew that I decant into three bottles, milkify and sweetify to taste, and put in the fridge. It’s definitely iced coffee weather!
Most of the recipes for cold brew I have seen say to use coarse ground, I presume that is not the same as most coffee grounds for the standard coffee maker? It is something special (or must be done by the end user)?
It is roughly the same! Coarse ground are just coffee grounds that aren’t finely ground. You’ll find them in the same aisle (or can grind them yourself at the coffee grinding machine in most grocery stores).
What if I want to use the cold brew coffee to make a cup of hot coffee?
I suppose you could just microwave it!
I don’t make coffee often and got compliments on such good tasting coffee. It so easy, even I couldn’t mess it up.
I really love this cold brew recipe. I thought making cold brew would be difficult. However, this recipe was easy to make and tastes delicious. Cold brew will be my new go to drink from now on. Thanks so much.
So happy to hear it, Sue! Enjoy! 😀
Sarah, what a great idea to put my cold brew in my French press! I just started my first batch, and I look forward to having it ready for me in the morning! And not having to strain the coffee through cheesecloth or something else is great! I may need to use the tea strainer before I drink it, but that will be easy! I’ll see how it looks tomorrow!
Thanks for this great recipe and great idea! I have used and saved many of your other recipes, and I enjoy getting your emails with new ones!
I’m so happy this was helpful, Holly! Enjoy! 😀