How to Make French Press Iced Coffee

Here’s how to make French press iced coffee! It’s a quick and easy way to make an iced version of your favorite brew.

Got a French press? Let’s make French press iced coffee! This small pitcher with a plunger is a genius tool for making various types of coffee.

You might generally think of it for hot coffee, but the French press is great for cold coffee, too. I often use it for cold brew, but it works for iced coffee, or brewed coffee that’s served over ice and often diluted with milk.

Use your French press 2 ways

The French press is a small pitcher with a plunger that’s used to brew coffee. Despite the name, the French press was first patented by Italians in the 1920s. (A simpler version existed in France before then, just without official patents.)

It’s most often used for hot coffee, but the French press also makes tea, cold brew, espresso, and more.

There are two main methods you can use for French press iced coffee: cold brew or brewed coffee. Many coffee shops use cold brew for serving an iced coffee, though traditionally, an iced coffee is made with hot brewed coffee.

Here are the pros and cons of each method:

• Cold brew iced coffee: Make French press cold brew, and it makes a big pitcher of 5 servings, so you can sip on it all week. The flavor is great and even smoother than with hot coffee. The con? You have to wait 24 hours.
• Brewed iced coffee: You can make French press iced coffee with strong coffee, then pour it over ice. It also has great flavor and only takes 10 minutes to make. The con? It makes only 2 servings at once, so you’ll need to make it to order.

Choosing your coffee

The best coffee for an iced coffee is dark roast coffee. I love light and medium roast pour-over coffee, but find the bitter flavor of a dark roast is what I expect in an iced coffee. Starbucks and Intelligentsia have nice dark roast options available.

Tools you’ll need

It starts with a French press! Here’s what you may need to make this iced coffee, as most of these are entirely optional:

• French press coffee maker: I use a Bodum 34-ounce (1 liter) French Press. The Bodum brand has been making this coffee tool since the 1940s.
• Coffee grinder (optional): You can use any type of coffee grinder, and it’s optional if you have pre-ground coffee. An electric burr grinder is most consistent for a medium grind.
• Filtered water (optional): Filtered water has the best flavor for coffee!
• Food scale (optional): You can use a digital food scale to weigh out the coffee and water, or just use the ratio of 1 cup grounds to 4 cups water.
• Electric kettle (optional): To easily measure the temperature of water, you can use an electric kettle.

How to make French press iced coffee

Ready to get started? If you want to use cold brew as the basis of your French press iced coffee, see my recipe for French press cold brew. Otherwise, here’s how to do this quick and easy method. The key? You’ll make double-strength French press coffee, then pour it over ice, which dilutes it. This method uses half the water as the normal method.

Here are the easy steps:

1. Grind the coffee. Grind 75 grams of coffee beans to a medium grind using a coffee grinder. That’s about 1 cup.
2. Heat the water. Heat 2 cups of water to hot but not boiling (200 to 205 degrees Fahrenheit) using an electric kettle. Or, bring it to a boil on the stovetop and then let it sit for a minute to cool in temperature.
3. Add coffee grounds. Add the coffee grounds to the bottom of the pot.
4. Let coffee bloom for 1 minute. Add hot water to the height of the coffee and stir with a spoon. Set a timer and wait for 1 minute.
5. Add water and brew 4 minutes. Fill the French press to the top (just below the spout) and stir again. Set a timer and wait for 4 minutes.
6. Plunge. Place the lid on the French press and slowly press the plunger all the way down.
7. Serve. Fill two tall glasses with ice. Pour the hot coffee over the ice. (About half the ice should melt.) Add additional ice if necessary.

How to serve iced coffee

If you like, you can serve iced coffee with a splash of milk and sweetener! Here are my top choices for this drink:

• 2% milk: A splash of milk adds just the right richness.
• Oat milk: Oat milk is a great dairy-free option with good creaminess and flavor. You can also try almond milk or cashew milk, but oat milk is my top choice for coffee drinks.
• Maple syrup: Maple syrup adds just the right hint of sweetness.
• Vanilla syrup: Use homemade vanilla syrup to make vanilla iced coffee.
• Other sweeteners: You can use other sweeteners like honey, agave nectar, or simple syrup.

More French press coffee drinks

The French press is so versatile. It’s one of my top coffee-making methods! Here are my top drinks to make in the French press:

• Brewed coffee: Make a pot of French press coffee.
• Espresso: French press espresso is great for a strong shot or espresso drinks.
• Cold brew: It’s easy to make French press cold brew.
• Tea: Who needs a teapot? Try French press tea.

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French Press Coffee

02

French Press Espresso (No Machine Needed!)

03

French Press Cold Brew

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