Most coffee drink recipes you’ll find are for frozen slushy type treats, but you can do so much more! I love a good frozen mocha as much as the next person, but don’t let yourself get into a smoothie rut. If you’ve got some extra coffee, you’re ready to make any of these drinks or smoothies at home. Bonus—did you know you could make your own Irish Cream? It’s one of my new favorite things and is now one of the most requested items from my family.
Makes 3–4 servings
I’ll admit it: I was late to the cold brew coffee/iced coffee trend. Until I had a glass of really well-made iced coffee, I thought it was gross. But if you start with good coffee, and brew it the right way, cold brew coffee will probably become one of your favorite drinks, too. Especially on a hot summer morning. I really like making a big batch of cold brew decaf to have as an afternoon treat on summer days.
⅔ cup coffee beans
3 cups filtered water
milk or cream, to taste
Grind the beans on a fairly coarse setting, similar to what you would use for a french press. If you grind them too fine, grinds may end up in your finished cup of coffee.
Pour the ground coffee into a 4-cup french press or pitcher (or Toddy cold brew system) and slowly add the water. Gently stir the water and coffee together to make sure there are no dry spots of beans.
Place in the refrigerator and let it sit at least 8 hours.
After 8 hours (or longer, if you’d like), drain the coffee out into a separate container either using your french press to separate the coffee grounds or pouring through a few layers of cheesecloth or coffee filters. Discard the grounds.
Serve chilled, on ice, with milk or cream to taste.
Makes 2 servings
Vanilla and coffee is always a good combination. I love how simple this smoothie is, and how easy it is to whip up in the mornings. For busy days or a quick afternoon snack, this vanilla bean smoothie is a great way to use up a little extra coffee.
5 ounces vanilla yogurt
½ cup brewed coffee, cooled
½ cup milk
½ teaspoon vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
1 cup ice
Add all ingredients to a blender and process until all the ice is broken up and the mixture is smooth. Serve immediately.
Makes 2 servings
As a self-professed chocoholic, I will almost always choose chocolate over vanilla. And this is no exception. Take the basic vanilla smoothie, add a little cocoa powder, and you’re set! No fancy syrups needed, and it definitely costs less than five dollars to make at home.
5 ounces yogurt (plain, vanilla, or chocolate)
½ cup brewed coffee, cooled
½ cup milk
½ teaspoon vanilla
1½ tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1 cup ice
Add all ingredients to a blender and process until the ice is broken up and the mixture is smooth. Serve immediately.
Makes 2 servings
Any time I make a smoothie, I try to find ways to add more fruits and/or vegetables to the mix. It’s a great way to sneak in some extra nutrition, and fruits and vegetables add fantastic flavor and texture to the smoothie, as well. I like using frozen strawberries, but fresh would also work well.
5 ounces vanilla yogurt
½ cup brewed coffee, cooled
½ cup milk
1 cup ice
½ teaspoon vanilla
1½ tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1 cup strawberries (fresh or frozen)
1 tablespoon chocolate chips
Add all ingredients to a blender and process until the ice and berries are broken up and the mixture is smooth. Serve immediately.
Makes 2 servings
Do you ever find yourself really wanting a milk shake but you don’t have any ice cream? This is one of my solutions when I find myself in a jam. It’s still pretty healthy—not too heavy—but it tastes like dessert. Of course, if you did have ice cream, this would also be delicious with a scoop of vanilla or chocolate added in . . . but you didn’t hear that from me.
½ cup yogurt
½ cup brewed coffee, cooled
½ cup milk
2 tablespoons smooth peanut butter
1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
½ teaspoon vanilla
1 cup ice
chocolate syrup, for glass or topping
Add all ingredients to a blender and process until the ice is broken up and the mixture is smooth. Serve immediately in a chocolate syrup–swirled glass (optional).
Makes 1 serving
If I could eat one combination for the rest of my life, it would be mint and chocolate. I have always loved anything mint chocolate and still do! It was only a matter of time before I added some mint to a mocha, and it was a great decision. This recipe is to make a hot mocha, but you could also mix up the mocha base and stir it into your cold brew for an iced mint mocha, or use it in hot chocolate, too.
1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tablespoon sugar
¼ teaspoon peppermint extract
1 tablespoon water
1 cup hot coffee, freshly brewed
½ cup milk, heated or steamed
chocolate syrup, for drizzling
In the bottom of a large glass or coffee mug, stir the cocoa powder, sugar, peppermint extract, and water together until the cocoa is dissolved.
Pour in the coffee, followed by the hot milk (and foam, if you have a steamer).
Top with chocolate syrup before serving.
Makes about 3 cups
Out of all the recipes in this cookbook, I’m fairly sure that this is in the top three. When I was working on this recipe, I didn’t know how much I would end up enjoying it, but it has become a staple in our house and I will never buy Irish cream again! That’s how good this is. I use heavy cream from a local dairy that is super thick and creamy, and I make sure to use a good quality whiskey that we drink on its own. The better quality you start out with, the better the end result!
1 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon instant espresso
1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
⅔ cup whiskey
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
In a medium bowl, mix 2 tablespoons of the cream with the instant espresso and cocoa powder until the mixture is smooth. Add in the rest of the cream.
Gently stir in the whiskey, vanilla extract, and sweetened condensed milk.
Pour into a large jar or other airtight container and chill until ready to serve.
Makes 1 bottle
I love finding ways to make typically store-bought items even better at home! This homemade Kahlua is ten times better than anything you can get at the store, especially when you start with your favorite coffee beans and good liquor. This, along with the Irish cream, make for great host/hostess or holiday gifts.
1 750-milliliter bottle vodka
1⅓ cups dark rum
1⅓ cups sugar
⅔ pound whole coffee beans
1 vanilla bean
Pour all the ingredients together in a large, airtight container or jar. Shake vigorously to mix everything together and help the sugar to dissolve.
Place a label on the container and let it sit in a dark, cool place for 3–4 weeks. Shake or stir the mixture a few times a week.
Strain the liqueur through a cheesecloth or coffee filters over a colander to remove the vanilla bean and coffee beans. Store in a clean airtight container. This will last months, or even years, as long as it is sealed when not being used.
