15 Summer Coffee Drinks (Ideas & Recipes For Home)

1. Cold Brew 

If you can’t get enough caffeine even on hot sweltering days, a simple cold brew coffee is the best drink for you. As its name implies, cold brew coffee is made without using hot water. This means that you can easily enjoy the iced coffee without waiting for the coffee to cool down. 

At the same time, it’s so easy to make cold brew coffee at home, and you can even get a cold brew concentrate which you just add water to. You can also easily order it in your local coffee shop or Starbucks and they even have different variations of this drink available, making it one of the most versatile summer coffee recipes around.  

In addition, it's easy to customize homemade cold brew coffee using different summer coffee recipes. First, you have to add cold water to the coffee grounds and let it brew for at least 12 to 24 hours. Once the brewing is finished, you can just add ice to the cold brew coffee and enjoy. You can also add your choice of milk (coconut milk works well) and syrup to the cold brew coffee if you find the taste too intense.  

2. Iced Matcha Latte 

Another drink that’s perfect for summer is an iced matcha latte. This iced latte is ideal for people who find coffee bitter but still need caffeine in their system. Matcha is a popular Japanese green tea with a much sweeter taste than your regular green tea. Unfortunately, during summer, hot matcha tea can make you feel uncomfortable. But if you make it an iced coffee, it can magically transform into a refreshing and cooling summer drink.  

Additionally, Starbucks and many coffee shops offer iced matcha tea latte on their menu. The best part? They even allow you to choose what milk (coconut milk is richest) you want to add to the iced latte. So, if you’re lactose-intolerant or vegan, you can request a non-dairy option, like coconut milk or almond milk. Furthermore, you can also make this at home. This is one of the simplest coffee recipes, and all you need is matcha, milk, ice, and some sugar if you want it sweeter.  

3. Espresso Smoothie 

Do you want a summer iced coffee that’s strong enough to keep you awake the whole day? If so, then this Espresso Smoothie is for you. From its name, you already know the main ingredient of this summer drink--espresso. But what makes this smoothie different from your regular cold espresso-based beverages like a Frappuccino? Well, it depends on how you make it at home, but one of the best summer coffee recipes you can try is using frozen bananas and Greek yogurt.  

Ideally, you want something that goes well with the flavor of the coffee. You can experiment with using peanut butter as the main ingredient and using your choice of milk instead of yogurt. Coconut milk is rich and a lower calorie alternative to regular whole milk.

You can also try including flavored whey protein into the coffee recipes to make it healthier. But, if you can't make it at home, you can order a Frappuccino from Starbucks instead. Not so much of a smoothie, but it will do.  

4. Iced Strawberry Latte 

If you want to make your iced coffee drink more summery, you’ll never go wrong with strawberries. This drink includes a shot of espresso, your choice of milk (whole or coconut milk are richest), and homemade strawberry syrup. But how do you make homemade strawberry syrup? It is easier than it sounds. All you need is a pot with water, strawberries, and sugar. Put the pot on low to medium heat and let it do the magic.  

Once your syrup is ready, just pour it into a tall glass, add milk and ice, and top it with a shot of espresso, and voila! Your sweet latte is finished. This drink is also perfect for people who don't like coffee, just ditch the espresso shot, and you're all good.  

5. Affogato 

Most people try to beat the heat of summer days with vanilla ice cream. Fortunately, you can also use ice cream to create a summer iced coffee drink that will keep you refreshed and energized. The best thing about this drink? Anyone can make it at home, and you can easily order it in your favorite coffee shop.  

If you want to have an affogato at home, all you need is a scoop of vanilla ice cream with an espresso shot on it; if you don’t have an espresso machine, no problem! You can experiment with regular coffee, instant coffee, leftover coffee, or even cold brew concentrate to make it a cold brew float. You just have to be careful when pouring the coffee into the ice cream so you can achieve your desired intensity or sweetness.  

You can even add a coffee liqueur to this which combines well with the sweet syrup and ice cream to make it the perfect boozy dessert. 

6. Coffee Jelly 

If you’re a fan of desserts, you might have heard of coffee jelly already. Originating from Japan, it’s basically a mixture of coffee and gelatin. While the coffee jelly isn’t a summer beverage, you can use it to spice up many of your coffee beverages. For example, you can add it as a topping to your affogato or mix it with your iced matcha latte.  

If you want to keep it simple, you can just add it to your favorite milk with ice. The jelly texture makes any boring drink interesting. To create a coffee jelly at home, you need to mix gelatin powder, water, coffee, and sugar. You can pour it into any container you like, but it’s best to use ice cube trays to have the perfect cut. But if you don’t have one, you can just use a knife to cut the jelly. After pouring it into a container, refrigerate it, and enjoy! 

7. Homemade Boba Latte 

Are you a fan of boba or bubble tea? Do you know that you can also use these tasty pearls on your latte? It may sound like a weird concoction but believe us, boba and coffee can go perfectly together. If you still don’t believe us, go ahead and give it a try. All you need is an espresso shot, your choice of milk, boba pearls, and any sweetener you like.  

First, draw a shot of espresso and let it cool. Next, cook the boba according to the instructions on the packaging. Once done, prepare your drink by adding the cooled-down espresso shot, milk, ice, cooked boba, and sweetener if you like it sweet and your drink is ready. The boba takes your regular latte to a whole new level.  

8. Vietnamese Iced Coffee 

If you want a sweet summer coffee drink, Vietnamese iced coffee should be your drink. However, it may not be best for those who are trying to lose weight as this iced coffee packed with sugar and calories from the sweetened condensed milk. But if you want to treat yourself anyway, go ahead and have this your way.  

Vietnamese iced coffee is a mixture of sweetened condensed milk, coffee, and ice. It’s typically made on a Vietnamese phin, but a drip coffee maker will do if you don’t own one. To create a Vietnamese iced coffee, you need to brew your coffee and add sweetened condensed milk and ice. If you’re lucky, your neighborhood coffee shop may have this on its menu. 

9. Iced Coffee Orange Juice 

You’re probably wondering why on earth would you mix coffee and orange juice, but you’ll be surprised how these two beverages make mean summer coffees. This drink is pretty easy to make and doesn’t require any fancy device. All you need to do is mix half a cup of brewed coffee or two espresso shots with half a cup of orange juice. 

If you’re worried about acidity, this wouldn’t be a problem with this coffee. While both orange juice and coffee can be acidic, mixing them both won't make them more acidic than they already are. However, if you get stomach aches with coffee or orange juice, you will feel the same with this drink. It's better to choose a less acidic drink than this. 

10. Java Chip Frappuccino 

Who doesn’t like Java Chip Frappuccino, right? That chocolatey, creamy, with a hint of bitter flavor all in one sip. We mean, it’s pretty great, especially during hot summer days. What we love most about this summer coffee drink is that you can order it at Starbucks, which you can find almost everywhere.  

You can also try to recreate this drink at home. All you have to do is blend coffee, chocolate syrup, chocolate chips, whole or coconut milk, ice, and some sugar and you’re all set. You can even sprinkle some cocoa powder on top for extra indulgence.

However, be warned. While this is undoubtedly an excellent drink, it’s packed with a lot of calories. Furthermore, its chocolatey goodness can be addicting, so every sip can leave you wanting more. So be extra careful if you’re into chocolates like we are! 

12. Iced Oat Milk Latte 

If you’re vegan or lactose-intolerant, this summer drink is perfect for you. Just like your regular latte, this iced oat milk latte is essentially the same. However, it uses oat milk instead of regular milk. The sweetness of the oat blends perfectly with the bitter taste of coffee, making it a refreshing drink even on hot sweltering days. Since it doesn’t use dairy, this drink could be a healthy option for those trying to manage their weight.  

In addition, Starbucks is now offering oat milk as an alternative to regular milk, alongside almond milk and coconut milk. This means that you can order this drink in this coffee chain without any problem. If you’re feeling a little bit adventurous, you can add different syrup (maple syrup is yummy) to the drink to make it more interesting. We suggest adding hazelnut syrup, but any syrup will do! 

12. Coffee Lemonade 

Another odd summer coffee drink you should try is the coffee lemonade. This weird but tasty concoction may sound like an acidic disaster, but it’s actually a combination match made in heaven. This drink is popular in Sweden and known as Kaffelemonad. So, if it’s popular in Sweden, aren’t you curious about what makes this drink so famous?  

Unfortunately, we can’t just fly to Sweden to see what the fuss is about. But the good news is that you can easily recreate this drink at home. All you need is a mason jar or a cocktail shaker, and add lemon juice and honey or sugar to it. Shake it as much as you like. Then, prepare a glass, and add ice and tonic water. Pour the lemon mixture from the cocktail shaker and top it with some espresso shot or brewed coffee. Consume the coffee tonic mixture to see why it’s part of this list.

13. German Ice Cream Coffee  

If you’d like a taste of Germany, you should try this summer coffee drink. Also known as Eiskaffee, the German ice cream coffee resembles an affogato since they have the same main ingredients. However, the German version requires you to add whipped or whipping cream on top for an extra creamier finish.  

To recreate this at home, all you need to do is place a scoop of vanilla ice cream on a glass, pour chilled espresso or brewed coffee over it, and top it with whipped cream. You can even add chocolate syrup and chocolate sprinkles (or cocoa powder) on top if they are available. We're sure this drink will satisfy your sweet tooth and give you the caffeine fix you need on a hot summer day.  

14. Chemex Iced Coffee 

One downside of creating cold coffee drinks is the amount of time you need to wait for the brewed coffee to cool down (unless you’re doing a cold brew). Fortunately, there’s a way for you to speed up this process and get a cold caffeinated beverage in no time. However, you need to have a Chemex brewer lying around, or this won’t work.  

But if you do, then good news! You can get iced coffee without the waiting time. The trick is simple. You just need to put ice on the Chemex brewer and brew your coffee as you would typically do. Once the coffee is brewed, you can pour it into a cup right away and enjoy an iced coffee. Just make sure you have enough ice since the heat will melt a lot of them in the process.  

15. Coffee Ice Cubes 

Last but definitely not least on our list are coffee ice cubes. They are probably the easiest to make on this list. Basically, you just pour cooled-down brewed coffee into an ice cube tray and freeze it. Make sure you've removed all the coffee grounds from the coffee beans or it can end up a bit grainy.

You can then use them with any of the iced drinks on this list, and they're perfect with cold brew or in a cold brew float. Or, you can add them to your favorite milk. You can even just consume them as is, but they may be too bitter. 

These coffee ice cubes can change the way you make summer drinks, and you can keep them in your ice cube tray all summer. Your imagination really is the limit.