How To Make Caramel Iced Coffee At Home [+ Best Syrups]

Caramel iced coffee is a delicious pick for every coffee enthusiast but sometimes it’s quite costly stopping by the coffee shop frequently to grab it. You don’t have to break the bank to enjoy sweet, delicious, refreshing, and healthy caramel iced coffee.

The good news is that you can prepare it in your kitchen using simple steps and straightforward instructions. On top of this, homemade caramel iced coffee tastes great, costs less, and saves you time and money.

Making your coffee at home also gives you the freedom to customize it to your flavor preferences and likings. This way, you come up with what exactly you like and mix up the ingredients whatever way you wish until you achieve your desired result.

Last update on 2023-09-23 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

Below is a look at caramel iced coffee recipes you can use at home and the best syrups to consider while at it.

Why Make Caramel Iced Coffee At home?

If you’re not yet convinced that homemade caramel iced coffee is the best, here are some reasons why it’s worth a try.

• It’s customizable

When you make caramel iced coffee at home, you can rest assured that it’s perfect and according to your specifications.

The truth is that you’re able to whip it up until it’s exactly what you want it to be like. If you prefer it creamier or less creamy, or sweet versus slightly sweeter, it’s up to you to achieve this by limiting your ingredients to your liking.

Image courtesy Amazon 

You’re simply making the end result work for you, according to your preferences, by simply making it work out as per your expectations.

• It’s a healthy option

As much as a glass of iced caramel coffee from coffee shops looks delicious and healthy, you can never tell the exact ingredients used.

Fortunately, going for homemade caramel iced coffee means you have full control of what to add to the brew, and you can choose to go the healthy way.

As a result, you can limit the sugars, fats, and syrups to ensure you’re checking your health as you enjoy your drink. This way, your homemade coffee will be nothing but a healthy pick-me-up you’ve always wanted.

• Homemade caramel iced coffee is easy to make

By just following simple instructions, you’ll make a delicious caramel iced coffee at home.  You don’t have to use complicated machines or lengthy procedures that leave you confused to achieve this.

Simply get your ingredients ready and follow the steps to come up with a delicious iced caramel coffee drink.

• Making iced coffee at home is cost-effective

A glass of caramel iced coffee never costs a minimum of $5 at a coffee shop. So you can imagine the amount of money you’d spend if you’re an iced coffee addict.

If you want to save the amount you spend buying just a glass of iced coffee, try making some at home. For this, you’ll only need to buy coffee and cream, with a price that compares to about 3-4 iced coffees from a coffee shop.

Additionally, one coffee packet can make up to 4 iced coffees at home, making you save a chunk of money also.

• It saves time and is convenient

Surprisingly, you’ll save a lot of time when you choose to make your caramel iced coffee at home.

First, going out to get iced coffee means you get all dressed up and looking good and also waiting for your chance. Imagine saving the time you spend waiting in line to get served at a coffee shop by making yours in just 2 minutes.

At a coffee shop, you not only queue, but order and wait to be served and wait again to be served.

Doing so wastes much of your time compared to just getting into your kitchen and mixing things up. Thus, homemade iced coffee is way convenient and time-effective.

Caramel Iced Coffee Ingredients

Before you embark on preparing your homemade iced coffee, ensure you have the right caramel iced coffee ingredients. Note that some are optional so if you’d like to include them, just go ahead and get them ready too.

• 1½  Cold Milk- either almond milk- or half-and-half
• Instant coffee– 1½ strong brewed, chilled coffee. The amount of coffee you use depends on how strong you want your coffee to be.
• You could also preferably use 1-2 shots of espresso. Remember, already brewed coffee is the best option for making excellent iced coffee.
• ¼ cup Caramel for iced coffee (add extra to use when garnishing)
• Ice cubes
• 2-3 tablespoons of sugar (to taste)
• Coffee ice cubes or regular ones
• Whipped cream (for garnish) – optional
• Sea salt -optional (for salted caramel sauce)

How To Make Caramel Iced Coffee

Start by brewing your coffee and putting it in a freezer for 30 minutes or one hour till it’s cold.

If you want to use it later, you can just refrigerate it to enhance its chilling. More often than not, taking a portion of your morning coffee and refrigerating it is a good idea.

You’ll conveniently use this for preparing your iced caramel coffee without wasting time waiting for the coffee brew to chill.

Take a tall glass and fill it halfway with ice cubes.

Note that your ice cubes shouldn’t be crushed to avoid making watery coffee. Furthermore, you could use coffee ice cubes for a stronger drink.

Take your brewed coffee and your caramel syrup and pour it over the ice in the glass until its ¾ full.

If you’re using sea salt to balance the taste, go ahead and add it at this point. Also, add cold water if you’re using cold brew concentrate. Then stir using a long spoon or a chopstick until the caramel dissolves completely into the coffee.

It only takes the caramel sauce a few seconds to dissolve, but you have to make sure you stir thoroughly to avoid it settling at the bottom.

Go ahead and fill the remaining part with the milk of your choice. You can also add your preferred non-dairy creamer then stir once again.

Add your sweetener in the final step then drink your coffee.

If you wish, top your beverage with whipped cream and caramel for iced coffee to make a delicious finish.

Keep in mind that if you’re preparing  Frappuccino-style iced coffee, you’ll put all the ingredients in a blender. This way, you’ll end up with an iced coffee which you can garnish with caramel whipped cream.

Can I use Oat Milk or Almond Milk To Make Caramel Iced Coffee?

For Caramel Iced coffee, you can use your preferred dairy or non-dairy option. Ultimately, almond milk, oat milk, soy milk, rice milk, coconut milk, coconut milk, among other types of milk will just be delicious in this iced coffee.

If your goal is to make a non-dairy drink, you should consider skipping topping it with whipped cream or using a non-dairy alternative. A perfect example of a non-dairy version is the Reddi Wip, which is a non-dairy whipped cream.

On top of this, you can’t go wrong with vanilla-flavored almond milk. In this case, you have to leave out the whipped cream.

What’s The Difference Between Caramel Syrup and Caramel Sauce?

Whether you’re making your coffee at home or the coffee shop, you’ll never miss coffee syrups and coffee sauce.

So, what’s the difference between the two? Caramel syrup is simply the clear liquid you see fit with pumps on top. Ultimate, these pumps of flavor make up every flavored drink.

Usually, after making an order, the barista starts with serving the flavored pumps before anything else.

However, after the beverage is ready, a sauce is used as the final garnish (It’s usually poured over whipped cream)

So, for your caramel iced coffee, you can go ahead and garnish with caramel sauce on top. This way, you make a flavored and delicious homemade iced caramel coffee.

Remember, you can use homemade caramel sauce or get it from the store, whichever way you prefer.

For the sugar-free refined caramel sauce, you can prepare yours at home using coconut sugar, ghee, almond milk, and vanilla.

The Best Type of Coffee for Caramel Iced Coffee

For best results of caramel iced coffee, consider using cold brew coffee. You can either source it from a store or prepare yours from scratch.

Since pre-made cold brew is quite expensive, you can decide to go brew some using your most preferred method. For instance, you can use French press or pour-over, and then refrigerate some amount to use on iced coffee.

Is there a Difference Between An Iced Caramel Coffee and An Iced Latte?

Yes, an iced caramel coffee is quite different from an iced latte in terms of milk and coffee proportions used in each. An iced latte usually uses espresso, more milk, and must include some foam in it.

For anyone who wants their drink flavored, iced coffee is way much easier to flavor than an iced latte. Therefore, it’s more popular than an iced latte, considering it’s simple to make and customize to your liking.

Caramel Iced Coffee Brewing Tips Explained

Now that you’re aware of how to prepare homemade caramel iced coffee, you need to know the best practices while preparing it. Below are tips on the best ingredients and brewing hacks to consider.

Choose To Use Cold Coffee

Of course, you need to consider using ice-cold coffee to prevent the ice cubes from melting before you enjoy it. To achieve this, you have two options.

You can either put away some portion of your morning brew or go ahead and brew a cold concentrate right away. In case you go for the latter option and your coffee turns out extremely hot, allow it to cool on the counter, and then refrigerate it in a lidded container.

Keep in mind that cold brew takes a lot of time to be ready, around 16 hours, but the results are a mellow and sweet flavored iced coffee.

Also, remember your iced coffee will be as strong and flavored as you want it. But since the caramel and milk will be competing with the coffee for the taste, you need to ensure that your coffee is as flavorful as possible.

This way, you’ll rest assured you’re not just enjoying a milkshake but a true caramel for iced coffee.

Make Use Of Homemade Caramel Sauce

You can simply use homemade caramel sauce for your caramel iced coffee to improve the overall taste.

Do so by preparing a delicious caramel sauce using basic ingredients such as sugar, milk, and sea salt. By making your caramel sauce, you’re sure it’s gluten-free as no cream or butter is needed.

Ensure that you make it ahead of time to make it available any time you want to prepare your iced coffee.

Any Kind Of Milk Will Work Perfectly

For a delicious and richer caramel iced coffee, you can use any milk whether it’s nonfat or whole.

Also, note that this coffee tastes sweet even without milk or with non-dairy options such as soy, oat, coconut, and almond milk. Even without adding any milk to your iced coffee, you’ll still enjoy a sweet drink whatsoever.

Other Homemade Coffee Recipes You Can Try

Peppermint White Chocolate Mocha: Just because Starbucks serves this once per year doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy it any time. You can simply prepare your peppermint white mocha at home.

Creamy Triple Chocolate Mocha: This is a super delicious drink that uses three types of chocolate namely white, semisweet, and dark. It’s, therefore, the best choice for chocolate fans.

Boozy Blended Caramel Macchiato: This savory drink is simply Caramel Macchiato blended and added rum in it. Here you can also use homemade caramel for even better results. 

Other drinks to prepare at home:

Iced Vanilla Latte

Salted Caramel Hot Chocolate

Apple Cider Mimosas with a Caramel Rim

Pineapple Smoothie

Cinnamon Dolce Latte

Best Coffee Syrups Worth Trying

Instead of making plain and bland coffee at home, you can consider adding the best syrups to enhance the overall taste.

But how do you tell the best coffee syrups in the market with plenty of them at your disposal? Here are the top picks for the best coffee syrups you should consider today.

1.Torani Variety Pack Caramel, French Vanilla, Vanilla, and Hazelnut

Torani has received credits for flavoring the world’s first coffee latte, and the brand still shines to date. Originally, it only had 5 flavors, but that has expanded to well over 100 flavors, making you spoilt for choice.

Last update on 2023-09-26 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

The pack comes in four unique flavors, including, caramel, French vanilla, vanilla, and hazelnut.

Torani Variety pack delivers a delicious barista-style latte. You do this by simply putting some syrup into your mug then adding your best brew, and complementing it with a cream. You can also complete it with warmed or frothed milk to start your day on a good note.

2.DaVinci Gourmet Naturals Syrup Hawaiian Salted Caramel

Last update on 2023-09-26 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

Since 1989, this Seattle-based syrups brand has been offering food stores and gourmet coffee shops high-quality syrups.

DaVinci syrups are spread throughout the world and they’re all-natural without any preservatives or chemical additions. They are rather made using natural ingredients which are inclusive of real botanical extracts.

DaVinci Hawaiian salted caramel is in particular affordable and reliable in your beverages. It’s specially made from basic ingredients such as Hawaiian sea salt and pure natural cane sugar which gives the real caramel flavor.

So, anytime you want to enjoy a barista-style salted caramel drink, go ahead and make some from your kitchen.

3.Monin Pure and Sweet Cane Syrup

Last update on 2023-09-27 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

If you want premium quality syrups, then you can consider the Monin brand, which is a French company specializing in syrups and liqueurs. With this brand, you’re assured of organically flavored syrups which are all-natural and contain no artificial colors.

The Monin Pure Cane Syrup from Monin comes with a comprehensive flavor of the balanced sweetness of pure cane.

4.Ghirardelli Squeeze Bottles

Last update on 2023-09-27 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

Since its inception in the early 1800s, Ghirardelli has been a high-end brand producing fine, rich chocolate flavors.

It’s currently America’s continuous chocolate maker and has ice cream and chocolate shops across the country.

Ghirardelli’s value pack set contains 3 convenient squeeze bottles. They are one 16 oz bottle of chocolate sauce, one 17 oz bottle of caramel sauce, and one 17 oz bottle of white chocolate sauce.

You can conveniently use these sauces on all your espresso-based drinks as that’s what they are formulated for. Additionally, they taste heavenly in hot chocolate or on the top of your desserts.

5.Sugar-free English Toffee Jordan’s Skinny Syrups

Last update on 2023-09-27 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

If you’re keen on your diet and are avoiding sugar, fat, and calorie intake, this syrup brand got you covered. Jordan’s Skinny syrups come sugar-free and fully flavored.

However, it’s health-conscious and doesn’t give the syrupy, saccharin-after-burn that most people dislike.

With America’s Jordan Skinny syrups, you can rest assured of a range of syrups that are gluten-free and kosher.

Last update on 2023-09-27 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

They never ruin your health as they have no carbs, sugars, or calories, but that doesn’t mean these syrups taste delicious.

Frequently Asked Questions

How can I make caramel iced coffee at home?

Preparing homemade caramel iced coffee at home is easy once you have ready coffee. You can simply take a portion of your morning brew and put it in a pitcher, lid it, and refrigerate it.

Once you’re set, take a glass of ice cubes and add all your flavorings to make a delicious caramel iced coffee.

Is it right to say that iced coffee is just cold coffee?

No, it’s not right as there’s a difference between iced coffee and cold coffee. In a nutshell, iced coffee is generally made with a cold brew, milk, and a fair share of ice cubes to complement the refreshing feel.

On the other hand, cold coffee is just plain cold without any flavorings such as coffee syrups and whipped cream.

Is iced coffee good for you?

When we’re talking about health, cold brew is good for you as it reduces the risk of heart diseases, thanks to compounds such as caffeine, phenolic compounds, magnesium, trigonelline, quinides, and lignans. These compounds lower blood pressure, increase insulin sensitivity and stabilize blood sugar level.

What’s the difference between an iced latte and iced coffee?

Iced latte primarily involves the use of shots of espresso and a greater amount of milk compared to iced coffee.

On the contrary, iced coffee uses a cold brew and a splash of milk alongside other ingredients such as syrups and creams to garnish it.

How would I avoid making watery iced coffee?

Using hot coffee and broken ice cubes results in a mess of watery coffee for your iced coffee.

Ensure that you use a cold brew by refrigerating it before making your homemade iced coffee. Additionally, your ice cubes should be enough to keep the coffee beverage chilled while you enjoy it.

How can I enhance the taste of my iced coffee?

You can make your iced coffee extremely tasty by incorporating some flavored syrups into it.

They include Creamy Vanilla Iced Coffee + Homemade Vanilla Syrup, Cinnamon Dolce Iced Coffee, Pumpkin Spiced Iced Coffee & Healthier Homemade Pumpkin Spice Coffee Syrup, Maple Vanilla, and Fresh Mint Iced Coffee.

Is Caramel Iced Coffee Worth It?

Preparing caramel iced coffee at home doesn’t have to be difficult especially if you have the right tools and ingredients. Better still, you can always make it as good as you want it without compromising on your preferred flavors.

As you seek to sweeten your iced coffee, or even enhance its taste, consider adding the best syrups in the market.

Be sure to pick some from the list above for impressive caramel iced coffee in your kitchen. Now that you’ve learned the steps to follow for homemade iced coffee, go ahead and give it a shot.