✔ Updated · clearer method + vanilla, caramel and hazelnut syrups
This McDonald's iced coffee recipe is my copycat-style version of the drive-thru favorite: smooth coffee poured over ice, sweetened with syrup and finished with a splash of cream. It saves me so many summer trips to the McDonald's down the road.
At a glance
The one tip that matters: Brew the coffee twice as strong as usual. When it's poured over ice, the melting ice brings it back to normal strength, so your iced coffee never tastes watered down.
The trick to making it at home is brewing the coffee double-strength, so it stays bold instead of watery when the ice melts. A quick homemade syrup takes 5 minutes and keeps for a month, and the vanilla, caramel and hazelnut versions below let you match your usual order. It all comes together in about 15 minutes for two big glasses.
Why You'll Love This Iced Coffee
- Bold, not watery, thanks to double-strength coffee chilled straight over ice.
- Your flavor, your sweetness: plain, vanilla, caramel, hazelnut or sugar-free syrup.
- Ready in 15 minutes, and the syrup keeps in the fridge for a month of iced coffees.
How to Make McDonald's Iced Coffee at Home
The drive-thru version is simple: brewed coffee, ice, a sweet syrup and light cream. What makes a homemade copy taste right is the balance. Coffee brewed at normal strength turns thin and watery over ice, so this recipe brews it twice as strong and chills it straight over ice. A homemade syrup dissolves instantly in cold coffee, which plain sugar never does, and half-and-half gives the creamy, light-tan color.
Watch the short video below, then follow the step-by-step photos and the recipe card. For more drive-thru drinks and favorites, browse our McDonald's copycat recipes.
Step-by-Step Photos
Here's how it comes together. Exact amounts, times and temperatures are in the recipe card below.
Tips for Success
- Brew it double-strength. Use about twice your usual amount of ground coffee. Ice melts as it chills the coffee, and the extra strength keeps the finished drink bold. My first homemade versions tasted thin and sad until I started doing this.
- Pick a smooth, medium roast. A 100% Arabica medium roast gives the mellow, low-bitterness flavor of a drive-thru iced coffee. Very dark roasts can taste harsh when cold.
- Don't boil the syrup down. Simple syrup only needs the sugar fully dissolved. Simmering it for a long time makes it thick and can crystallize in the fridge.
- Make coffee ice cubes. Freeze leftover coffee in an ice cube tray and use the cubes for serving. I keep a tray going in the freezer all summer. Your iced coffee stays strong to the last sip.
- Make a batch ahead. Chilled coffee keeps in a covered jar in the fridge for up to 3 days, so you can pour an iced coffee in under a minute.
- Adjust the sweetness. Start with 2 tablespoons of syrup per 16-ounce glass and add more to taste. Use 1 tablespoon for a small 12-ounce drink.
McDonald’s Iced Coffee (Copycat)
2
16-oz drinks5
minutes10
minutes180
kcal15
minutesA copycat-style McDonald’s iced coffee: double-strength coffee flash-chilled over ice so it never tastes watery, sweetened with a quick homemade simple or vanilla syrup and finished with a pour of half-and-half. Makes two 16-ounce drinks in about 15 minutes.
Ingredients
- For the Simple Syrup (makes about 1 1/2 cups)
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup water
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional, for vanilla syrup)
- For the Iced Coffee
1/2 cup medium-roast ground coffee (double the usual amount for 2 cups)
2 cups hot water, for brewing
4 cups ice cubes, divided (for chilling and serving)
4 tablespoons simple or flavored syrup, to taste
1/2 cup half-and-half or light cream
Directions
- Make the Syrup
- Put the sugar and water in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir until the sugar dissolves completely and the syrup just comes to a simmer, 3 to 5 minutes. There’s no need to boil it down.
- Take the pan off the heat and let the syrup cool. Stir in the vanilla extract if you want vanilla syrup, then pour it into a clean glass bottle or jar. It keeps in the fridge for up to 1 month.
- Make the Iced Coffee
- Brew a double-strength pot of coffee: use about 1/2 cup ground medium-roast coffee for 2 cups of water, in a drip machine, pour-over or French press.
- Fill a heatproof pitcher with 2 cups of ice. Pour the hot coffee over it and stir for about 1 minute, until the coffee is cold and most of the ice has melted. The extra-strong brew balances the melted ice.
- Fill two 16-ounce glasses with fresh ice and add 2 tablespoons of syrup to each, or more or less to taste.
- Pour the chilled coffee over the ice, leaving about an inch of room at the top.
- Top each glass with 1/4 cup half-and-half, stir and serve right away with a straw.
Recipe Video
Notes
- For the best taste, brew your coffee the previous night
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Flavored Syrups: Vanilla, Caramel, Hazelnut and Sugar-Free
Each syrup makes about 1 1/2 cups, enough for around 12 iced coffees. Use 2 tablespoons per 16-ounce glass.
- Vanilla syrup: simmer 1 cup sugar and 1 cup water with half a split vanilla bean until the sugar dissolves. Cool, remove the bean and stir in 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Or skip the bean and use 2 teaspoons extract.
- Sugar-free vanilla syrup: make the vanilla syrup with 1 cup of a granulated sweetener that measures like sugar, such as allulose or a sucralose blend, in place of the sugar.
- Caramel syrup: in a heavy saucepan, heat 1 cup sugar with 1/4 cup water, without stirring, until it turns light amber, about 8 to 10 minutes. Take it off the heat and carefully pour in 1/2 cup hot water (it will bubble and spatter hard), then stir over low heat until smooth. Add a pinch of salt and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and let it cool.
- Hazelnut syrup: make plain simple syrup and stir 1 to 1 1/2 teaspoons hazelnut extract into the cooled syrup.
- Mocha: stir 2 tablespoons chocolate syrup into each glass with the coffee instead of the simple syrup.
Iced Coffee Variations
- Cold brew: stir 1 cup coarse-ground coffee into 4 cups cold water, refrigerate for 12 to 18 hours and strain. Mix it half and half with water and use it in place of the brewed coffee.
- Iced latte style: use 1/2 cup cold milk per glass instead of half-and-half for a lighter, milkier drink.
- Dairy-free: swap the half-and-half for oat milk or a coconut creamer.
- Blended: for a frozen coffee drink, see our McDonald's caramel frappe.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is in McDonald's iced coffee?
A McDonald's-style iced coffee is brewed coffee served over ice with a sweet syrup and light cream. This copycat-style version uses double-strength brewed coffee, a homemade simple or flavored syrup and half-and-half.
How do you make McDonald's vanilla iced coffee at home?
Make simple syrup with equal parts sugar and water, let it cool and stir in 1 teaspoon vanilla extract per cup of sugar. Add 2 tablespoons to a 16-ounce glass of ice, pour in chilled double-strength coffee and top with 1/4 cup half-and-half.
What kind of coffee should I use for iced coffee?
A smooth medium-roast, 100% Arabica coffee works best. Brew it double-strength so it doesn't taste watery once it's poured over ice. Cold brew concentrate also works if you prefer a smoother, less acidic drink.
Can I use hot coffee for iced coffee?
Yes, as long as it's brewed double-strength. Pour the hot coffee over a pitcher of ice and stir until it's cold, then pour it over fresh ice to serve. For the least dilution, I chill the brewed coffee in the fridge for an hour first.
Can I make it sugar-free?
Yes. Make the syrup with a granulated sweetener that measures cup for cup like sugar, such as allulose or a sucralose blend, and add vanilla extract. It may stay thinner than sugar syrup but sweetens the same way. Use unsweetened almond milk or a little heavy cream instead of half-and-half to keep carbs lower.
How long does homemade coffee syrup last?
Store simple, vanilla and hazelnut syrups in a clean, sealed glass bottle in the fridge for up to 1 month. Caramel syrup keeps for about 2 weeks. Throw it out if it turns cloudy or smells off.
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