Two ingredients, one jar, and a café quality result in your fridge by morning.
This cold brew coffee recipe is the one to start with. It uses just coffee and water, takes about ten minutes of actual work, and makes a smooth, rich concentrate that keeps in the fridge for days. No fancy gear required, and no guessing about ratios.
Mix it before bed, strain it in the morning, and you will have enough for several glasses. If you want the full story behind the method, including troubleshooting and different brewing styles, check out our complete guide on how to make cold brew coffee at home.
🛒 Ingredients
- 85 grams of coffee, roughly a cup, ground rough
- 950 ml of cold water (4 cups), filtered if possible
- Ice, for serving
- Milk, cream, or a plant milk, optional
- Simple syrup, honey, or maple syrup, optional
Roast level is up to you. Medium and dark roasts lean toward cocoa and nutty flavors, while lighter roasts taste brighter and fruitier. Whichever you choose, ask for a rough grind, or run whole beans through your grinder on one of its chunkiest settings.
🧰 Equipment
- A container that holds at least a quart, such as a jar or pitcher
- A long spoon
- A sieve
- Paper coffee filters or a clean cotton cloth
- A sealed bottle or jar for storage
👩🍳 Instructions
Add the coffee
Weigh out 85 grams of coffee, or scoop about a cup, and tip it into your container.
Pour in the water
Add the water gradually, moving in a circle as you pour so the coffee gets saturated all the way through.
Stir
Use a long spoon to fold the mixture over itself until there are no dry clumps. If anything floats back up a few minutes later, push it under with another quick stir.
Steep
Put a lid on the jar and leave it for 12 to 18 hours. Out on the counter you get a quicker, slightly bolder batch. In the refrigerator it is gentler and may need a few extra hours.
Strain
Pour the coffee through a sieve into a clean container to remove the bulk of the grounds. Then filter it again through a paper filter or clean cotton cloth to catch the silt. Let it drip on its own and skip the squeezing, which pushes bitterness into the cup.
Dilute and serve
Fill a glass with ice. Pour in half a glass of concentrate, then top with cold water or milk. Taste it, and adjust to your liking. Sweeten if you want.
🎯 Tips for the Best Results
- Use a scale. Sticking to the same weights each time means every batch tastes like the last one.
- Use filtered water, since any taste in your tap water carries through to the coffee.
- Do not over steep. Past 20 hours or so, many batches start to taste harsh.
- Filter in two passes for the smoothest texture.
- Use fresh beans. Cold brew is gentle, so stale coffee has nowhere to hide.
🍦 Easy Variations
Vanilla cold brew
Stir a small splash of vanilla extract or vanilla syrup into your glass, then top with milk.
Mocha cold brew
Whisk a spoonful of cocoa powder and a little sweetener into a splash of warm milk, then add the cold brew and ice.
Cinnamon cold brew
Add a cinnamon stick to the jar while it steeps, or sprinkle a pinch on top when you serve.
📦 Storage
Store the concentrate in a bottle with a tight lid in the refrigerator, where it tastes best for roughly a week to ten days. Once it is mixed with water or milk, finish it within a day or two. If you want to make it last, freeze some into ice cube trays to chill future glasses without watering them down.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use medium ground coffee?
You can, but the result often turns out bitter and cloudy. A rougher grind gives a cleaner, smoother cup.
Why is my cold brew weak?
It is usually too little coffee or too short a steep. Try adding more grounds next time, or leave it for a few extra hours.
Why does my cold brew taste bitter?
Usually it is powdery grounds or a soak that ran too long. Coarsen the grind or shorten the time.
Can I double or triple the recipe?
Yes. Hold the proportions steady, 85 grams of coffee for every 950 ml of water, and move to a bigger container.
Do I drink it straight or dilute it?
This recipe makes a concentrate, so most people dilute it with equal parts water or milk. Taste it first and adjust to your preference.
🏁 Final Thoughts
That is the whole recipe: coffee, water, and a little patience. Once you have made it a couple of times, you can tweak the ratio, the steep time, and the flavors until it is exactly yours.
Want more detail on grind size, brewing methods, or fixing a batch that did not turn out right? Our step by step guide has you covered.
Want to go deeper on cold brew?
How to Make Cold Brew Coffee: The Complete Guide