McDonald’s Iced Coffee Recipe

Millions of thirsty coffee lovers find their caffeine fix in one of the most popular McDonald’s coffee drinks, their iced coffee which was first introduced in 2009. Ever since then, customers choose to enjoy this refreshingly cool McDonald’s iced coffee recipe drink with one of the four flavored syrups available, hazelnut, caramel, French vanilla, and sugar-free French vanilla.

However, not everyone can go to McDonald’s at any time to order their favorite drink. That’s why coffee-lovers have found a way to enjoy this frosty concoction every day in the comforts of their own homes. They learned how to prepare it at home with a few ingredients.

The original recipe by McDonald’s includes 100% Arabica beans, sugar syrup, ice, and cream, flavored with hazelnut, French vanilla, caramel, or sugar-free French vanilla.

So, if you are one of the many people who love McDonald’s iced coffee, here’s how to make it.

How to Make McDonald’s Iced Coffee?

The secret to making the most delicious iced coffee is not to allow the ice to dilute the taste of the coffee. You’ll achieve that by making a very strong brew. After you chill it, the other ingredients are added over the ice.

The taste of your iced coffee will not only depend on the type of flavored syrup you choose, but also on the quality of your coffee. Therefore, make sure you brew high-quality stuff. The higher the quality of the coffee you start the recipe with, the tastier the coffee will be.

Here’s everything you need to make McDonald’s Iced Coffee and the four different flavored syrups.

McDonald’s Iced Coffee Recipe

4 from 471 votes

Recipe by Laura Ritterman Course: DrinksCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy

Servings

2

servings

Prep time

5

minutes

Cooking time

10

minutes

Calories

140

kcal

This McDonald’s iced coffee recipe is a copycat of the real thing! The restaurants iced coffee is one of those speciality drinks that can give you the boost you need in the morning.

Ingredients

• For the Iced Coffee:

• 2 ½ cups strong brewed coffee

• Ice

• 2/3 cup 2/3 half-and-half

• ½ cup flavored or simple syrup

• For the Simple Syrup

• 1 cup 1 granulated white sugar

• 1 cup 1 of water

Directions

• Make the Simple Syrup
• Once you pour the water in a small saucepan, add the sugar and bring to a simmer.
• Mix well to make sure the sugar is completely dissolved.
• The mixture should begin to thick after stirring for around ten minutes.
• Then, remove the saucepan from heat and let it chill.
• Once the syrup is chilled, transfer it into a glass bottle.
• Keep it in the fridge. It should last around 30 days.
• Make the Iced Coffee
• Use double the coffee grounds, preferably 100% Arabica beans, to brew a strong pot of coffee.
• Pour ice in a pitcher until it’s filled.
• Pour the brewed coffee into the ice-filled pitcher right after it’s brewed.
• Then, add the simple homemade syrup (or one of the four flavors presented below), and the cream, and stir everything in the pitcher.
• Take two 16-ounce or four 8-ounce glasses and fill them with ice. Pour the coffee mixture into each of them.
• Don’t forget to add a straw.

Notes

• For the best taste, brew your coffee the previous night

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Nutritional Information

McDonald’s iced coffee contains 140 calories, 24 grams of carbs out of which 22 grams are total sugar, 5 grams of total fat out of which 3.5 grams are saturated fat and 0 grams are trans fat, 20 mg cholesterol, 2 grams of protein, 50 mg of sodium, and traces of potassium and calcium.

Since McDonald’s iced coffee contains certain allergens, it’s best to make your own iced coffee that would be free of these ingredients.

How to Make the Flavored Syrups

Now that you know how to make the simple syrup and the iced coffee, it’s time to learn how to make the four flavored syrups that make this McDonald’s iced coffee so unique.

Vanilla Syrup

Ingredients

• 1 cup of sugar
• 1 cup of water
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• ½ vanilla bean, split in the middle

Preparation

• Add the water, sugar, and vanilla bean into a pan and bring the mixture to a simmer.
• Stir until the sugar is completely dissolved.
• Continue simmering until the mixture starts to thicken, which should take around ten minutes.
• Set aside to cool and remove the vanilla bean. Add the vanilla extract, and transfer the syrup into a glass bottle.
• Store it in the fridge for up to 30 days.

Sugar-Free Vanilla Syrup

Ingredients

• 1 cup of sucralose, or another substitute for sugar
• 1 cup of water
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• ½ vanilla bean, split in the middle

Preparation

The preparation of the sugar-free vanilla extract is the same as that of vanilla syrup, with the only difference that instead of sugar, you use a sugar substitute such as sucralose.

Caramel Syrup

Ingredients

• ¾ cup of water
• 1 cup of sugar
• Pinch of salt
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract

Preparation

• Pour only ¼ cup of water in a small pot, and add the sugar.
• Stir the sugar until it completely dissolves and bring to a boil.
• Once the mixture starts to boil, put the lid on, and cook for two minutes.
• Stir well until the mixture turns a light amber color.
• Once you notice the mixture gets this color, set aside from heat and pour the remainder of the water. While stirring, add the salt and the vanilla.
• Allow the mixture to chill before transferring it into a glass bottle.
• Keep it in the fridge and you can use it up to 30 days.

Hazelnut Syrup

Ingredients

• 1 cup granulated white sugar
• 1 cup of water
• 1 tsp. hazelnut extract

Preparation

• Pour the water and sugar in a small pan and bring the mixture to a simmer.
• Stir well so that the sugar is completely dissolved.
• After simmering for 10 minutes, the mixture will start to thicken. This is the right time to set it aside from heat.
• Add the hazelnut extract into the syrup and let it chill.
• Transfer the hazelnut syrup into a bottle and use it within 30 days.

Conclusion

You don’t have to go to McDonald’s to enjoy their popular iced coffee. With this recipe, you can make your own iced coffee with a vanilla, hazelnut, or caramel flavor. For those who want to cut back on sugar, we’ve also included a recipe for a sugar-free iced coffee that will allow you to enjoy the drink without worrying about consuming too much sugar.