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Two tall glasses of cold brew. One is black and one had cream being swirled in.
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3.78 from 50 votes

How to Make Cold Brew Coffee

Make delicious cold brew coffee at home with this easy recipe! The end result is tasty cold brewed coffee that's smooth, flavorful and less acidic than regular coffee.
Prep Time5 minutes
Steep12 hours
Total Time12 hours 5 minutes
Course: Drink
Cuisine: American
Keyword: cold brew coffee
Servings: 12

Ingredients

  • 1 cup coarsely ground coffee beans
  • 3 cups cold water
  • 32 oz large mason jar

Instructions

  • Pour 1 cup of coarsely ground coffee beans into a large 32 oz mason jar. Add 1 1/2 cups cold water. Gently stir to ensure all the grounds are wet and then add remaining 1 1/2 cups water. 
  • Put the lid on the jar and place in your refrigerator. Allow the coffee to steep for 12 to 24 hours, depending on how strong you want the cold brew. Be aware that the longer it steeps, the stronger your coffee will be.
  • After steeping, set your strainer over the large bowl and place a coffee filter, mesh cloth or thin dish towel (that you don’t mind staining) in the strainer. Pour the coffee mixture through the filter to catch the grounds. Rinse your jar out, and transfer the cold coffee back into the jar for storage.
  • To serve, add cold brew concentrate and water into a glass with ice. The ratio to use will depend on how strong you like your coffee, but I usually do 1:1 so 1/2 cup cold brew concentrate with 1/2 cup water. If you want your coffee a bit stronger I'd do 3/4 cup cold brew concentrate with 1/4 cup water. Add milk, cream and sugar to your liking and enjoy. I love serving my cold brew with a splash of creamy oat milk!

Notes

  • French press: You can also make cold brew using a french press. See my notes within the post for this method!
  • Cold brew coffee maker: If you are a cold brew lover and have space in your kitchen for another gadget, it might be nice to buy a cold brew system like the Toddy. We love ours!

Nutrition

Serving: 1cup of cold brew without milk | Calories: 33kcal | Carbohydrates: 6g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 1g | Sodium: 2mg