How to Make Two Classic Iced Coffee Drinks

When the heat hits, many coffee drinkers reach for iced coffee—but not all iced coffee is the same. Whether you want something nostalgic like sweetened milk with coffee, a bold citrusy refresher, or an exotic spiced drink with creamy foam, there’s an iced coffee style that fits the mood. Here’s how to make three distinct versions, with exact steps and ingredients.

To make a basic Black & White Iced Coffee, fill a glass with ice, add syrup, pour in milk, stir gently, then float cold brew or espresso over the top. That’s the whole drink—customizable by adjusting the coffee-to-milk ratio.

Black & White Iced Coffee (Iced au lait blanc et noir)

This drink is visually striking and built around contrast. It’s a layered iced coffee where you control the balance of coffee and milk. The slight sweetness comes from sugar or syrup, and the result is a refreshing, bittersweet cold coffee reminiscent of childhood café drinks. For a dramatic presentation, serve it in a champagne flute.

How to make it:

• Fill a glass with ice cubes.
• Add sugar syrup (amount to taste).
• Pour in cold milk and stir gently.
• Slowly pour chilled black coffee (espresso or cold brew) over the back of a spoon to float it on top.
• (Optional) Chill your cup and drizzle a bit of condensed milk for extra nostalgia.

You can adjust the coffee and milk ratio until you find your preferred balance. For best results, use freshly brewed strong coffee or chilled espresso.

American-Style Mazagran Iced Coffee

This drink has historical roots—a tale says it was invented by an Arabian soldier during a siege in Algeria. The modern American version is bold, unsweetened, and deeply refreshing. It’s essentially iced black coffee with lemon and soda water, served over ice.

How to make it:

• Fill a glass with ice.
• Pour in about half a cup of strong dark roasted coffee (about 50–100ml).
• Add 10ml (about 1 tablespoon) of fresh lemon juice.
• Top with soda water.
• Garnish with a lemon slice if desired.

This drink is intentionally not sweet. Adjust with simple syrup if you prefer it sweeter. The lemon and bubbles cut through the intensity of the dark roast.

Thai Iced Coffee (Oliang Style)

Thai iced coffee is a sweet, creamy, spiced drink that feels like a mini vacation. It combines ultra-strong coffee with sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk, or cream, and is flavored with ground cardamom (specifically green cardamom, known as small cardamom or in Chinese). Served over ice, it’s creamy, spicy, and cooling—like a beachside espresso float.

How to make it:

• Brew an extra-strong coffee using a dark roasted coffee bean. Use about 1.5 to 2 times the amount of coffee you’d normally use.
• Grind the coffee and brew it through a filter along with 2–3 green cardamom pods (crushed slightly to release flavor).
• Let the coffee cool to room temperature.
• In a tall glass, dissolve 1–2 teaspoons of sugar in a small amount of the hot coffee.
• Add 5–6 ice cubes.
• Pour the cooled coffee into the glass, leaving about 2cm of space at the top.
• Using a spoon held upside down, slowly pour lightly whipped cream over the back of the spoon so it floats on the coffee.
• Insert a straw and optionally top with a colorful paper umbrella.

Variation: If you prefer no cream, layer condensed milk at the bottom, then coffee, then ice. Many street vendors in Thailand serve it this way, often still with a dollop of cream on top.

Pro tip: For an even stronger brew, some mix ground coffee with crushed cardamom and brew it directly in an espresso machine to create a concentrated shot.

Frequently Asked Questions

What’s the ideal coffee-to-milk ratio for Black & White Iced Coffee?

There’s no fixed ratio—it’s meant to be adjusted to taste. Start with equal parts cold coffee and milk, then tweak based on whether you prefer it stronger or creamier. The key is to pour the coffee over the back of a spoon to float it atop the milk.

Can I use any coffee for Mazagran Iced Coffee?

Yes, but a dark roasted coffee is traditional. It should be brewed strong and unsweetened. The bitterness is balanced by the lemon and bubbles, not sugar.

Do I have to use cardamom in Thai Iced Coffee?

No, but it’s a defining flavor. Green cardamom (small cardamom) is traditional and gives the drink its distinctive sweet-spicy aroma. Without it, it won’t taste authentically Thai.

Can I make Thai Iced Coffee without a coffee filter?

Yes, you can brew it using a Vietnamese-style metal filter (phin) or even a French press with added cardamom. The key is a very strong brew, roughly double strength.

Is there a non-dairy version of Thai Iced Coffee?

Yes. You can substitute coconut milk, almond milk, or oat milk for the dairy components. The drink will be creamier or nuttier, but still flavorful.

Recommended FrontStreet Beans for Iced Coffee

For these iced coffee recipes, try FrontStreet’s PWN Golden Mandheling for deep, low-acid richness with notes of spice and caramel—ideal for strong brewed iced coffee or Thai-style drinks. For a brighter, fruitier contrast in Mazagran-style drinks, use their medium-dark roasted Colombia Huila, which highlights black cherry and cocoa notes. If you prefer a chocolatey, balanced base for layered drinks, the Brazil Queen Manor offers nutty, caramelly depth with a smooth mouthfeel. All three are available as dark or medium-dark roasts and work beautifully in hot or cold brewing. Freshly roasted within 5 days · Orders placed before 17:00 ship the same day · Next-day delivery across most of Guangdong Province.