Iced Coffee, Diner-Style with Cream
A classic American diner iced coffee: bold, smooth, and properly chilled so it stays strong instead of watery. This method uses a quick coffee concentrate and a simple cream finish for that familiar counter-service taste at home.
Diner iced coffee isn’t complicated, but it is intentional: strong brew, plenty of ice, and cream added just right. The key is brewing a concentrate so the drink stays flavorful as the ice melts. Once you nail the ratio, you can make it the same way every time—just like a good American classic should be.
Total Time
40 min
Prep Time
5 min
Cook Time
5 min
Servings
2
Ingredients
Coffee Concentrate
- •1/2 cup (about 45–55 g) medium-ground coffee (a classic American medium roast)
- •1 1/2 cups water
To Serve
- •2 cups ice cubes, plus more as needed
- •1–2 tablespoons granulated sugar, or to taste (optional)
- •1/4 cup half-and-half, or to taste
- •2 tablespoons heavy cream (optional, for extra diner richness)
- •1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Brew a strong concentrate: In a small saucepan, bring 1 1/2 cups water just to a simmer (tiny bubbles around the edges). Remove from heat, add the ground coffee, stir, and let steep 4 minutes.
- 2
Strain: Pour through a fine-mesh sieve lined with a coffee filter (or a paper towel in a pinch) into a heatproof container. You should have about 1 1/4 cups strong coffee concentrate.
- 3
Chill fast: Let the concentrate cool 5 minutes, then refrigerate until cold, about 20–30 minutes. (For quicker chilling, set the container in an ice bath and stir occasionally.)
- 4
Build the diner iced coffee: Fill 2 tall glasses with ice. Add 1–2 tablespoons sugar to each glass if using.
- 5
Pour and balance: Divide the chilled concentrate between the glasses (about 2/3 cup per glass). Top each with 2–4 tablespoons cold water if you want a less intense diner strength, then stir.
- 6
Add cream: Stir in half-and-half to taste (about 2 tablespoons per glass for classic diner color). Add a splash of heavy cream for extra richness, and vanilla if desired. Stir again and serve immediately with a straw.
Nutrition Facts
Per serving
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
Nutrition calculated automatically from ingredients.