How To Make Iced Coffee In A Keurig?

Coffee is a drink we love to have in both summers and winters. However, when the scorching sun hits and you need your caffeine boost, how can you drink hot coffee? Well, the answer to that is simple: you make iced coffee! Iced coffee is a refreshing drink that instantly lifts your mood. All you need to make delicious iced coffee are K-cup pods, ice, and water. You can make it several ways, but we will tell you a few of our favorites.

You can make iced coffee in a Keurig by adding some ice cubes to a glass and pouring hot brew over them. Some Keurig models also offer a “brew over-ice” feature so you can use that for a more balanced blend. You can also freeze a hot-brewed coffee into coffee ice cubes and use these to make iced coffee.

Method 1 – Making Iced Coffee Using Keurig Models Without Iced Coffee Feature

For this recipe, we are using the Keurig Mini. The Keurig Mini is an affordable coffee machine, and you can get some refreshing iced coffee using it. The method below requires a little waiting time as you will be waiting for ice cubes to freeze, but we assure you, that the result will be worth it.

Remember to choose a strong and bold K-cup for this recipe. Some of the strongest K-cup pods for iced coffee are Turbo Caffeine K-cup, DeathWish coffee K-cups, Green mountain black diamond extra bold K-cups, etc. These will give you a flavourful blend when frozen.

Ingredients

• One strong K-cup pod (dark roast)
• One light K-cup pod
• 2 cups of water
• 1-2 Tablespoons milk or creamer (optional)

Instructions

Step 1 – Keep a carafe or cup under the dispenser. Insert the K-cup pod into your Keurig and start the brewing process. After the machine has poured the brew, let it cool for a few minutes.

Step 2 – Pour the cooled brew into an ice cube tray and put it in the freezer for 4-5 hours or until the brew has frozen.

Step 3 – Once your coffee ice cubes are ready, put the light K-cup pod into the machine and wait for the coffee to come out. Then wait for the newly made coffee to cool. Add the ice cubes once it has cooled, and enjoy the drink! You can even pour the coffee ice cubes into plain water or cold milk for a lighter iced coffee.

If you are looking for an Iced-coffee maker which has a brew-over-ice feature, you can check the best ones here – Best Coffee Maker for Iced Coffee.

Method 2 – How To Make Iced Coffee – The Easy Way

If you want to prepare some tasty Iced coffee with a Keurig but don’t have sufficient time, you can use the following method. You do not have to make brewed iced coffee first and freeze it. Instead, you can use normal ice cubes.

Keep in mind that the resultant drink will be slightly unbalanced but still enjoyable. Again, use bold and strong coffee and K-cup pods for this recipe, as the ice cubes can dilute the flavor of the coffee.

Ingredients

• 1 Bold/Strong K-cup pod
• 2 cups of water
• Two tablespoons of milk or creamer of your choice (optional)

Instructions

Step 1 – Put lots of ice cubes in a glass and place it under the dispenser. Insert the coffee grounds or K-cup into the machine and press start.

Step 2 – The hot coffee will pour over the ice cubes. Mix for a bit. Then add the milk/creamer (optional) and enjoy your cold coffee! For an even icier drink, wait for the hot brew to cool down a little before pouring it over the ice cubes.

Method 3 – Making Iced Coffee With The Keurig K-Elite

The Keurig K-Elite allows you to brew flavorful iced coffee in minutes because it comes with a specific option for iced coffee. In the previous recipe, we had to handpick strong K-cup pods to get the optimal strength. However, sometimes there can be an imbalance even if you pick the boldest K-cup flavor.

With the K-cup Elite, an iced coffee option adjusts the strength and flavor of any K-cup pod or coffee grounds to match that of iced coffee. This is the best way to make iced coffee with Keurig because the brew will be super flavorful and will not have the watery taste that homemade iced coffee usually does. Let us see how this happens.

Ingredients

• Any K-cup coffee pod
• Ice cubes
• 2 cups of water

Instructions

Step 1 – Insert the K-cup or coffee grounds into the machine. Put some ice cubes in a glass and place them under the dispenser.

Step 2 – Press the ‘iced coffee’ button on your Keurig K-Elite. Hot coffee will be poured over the ice cubes. Enjoy your perfectly balanced iced coffee!

Can a Keurig Make Iced Coffee?

Yes! Regardless of what Keurig model you have, we assure you that you can prepare delicious iced coffee with it. You simply have to pour the hot brewed coffee over a glass of ice cubes. Some Keurig models like the K-Elite even have an iced coffee option that gives a more balanced brew to pour over the ice cubes.

The iced coffee made with the K-elite is better than DIY iced coffee Keurig drinks that we make with other Keurig models. The reason is that the iced-coffee features fix the strength and amount of coffee to make café-style cold coffee while the DIY method could lead to watery results.

What If I Do Not Have Any Strong Dark Roast K-Cups?

If you do not have any dark roast K-cups or coffee grounds at the moment but want iced coffee, then use your medium roast or light roast coffee but decrease the number of ice cubes you are using. You can decrease the ice cubes by 3. Instead of pouring the brew directly over the ice, wait for it to completely cool, and then pour it into the glass with the medium-light roast brew.

Which K-Cup Pods Should I Use For Making Iced Coffee?

You do not need any specific iced coffee K-cup pods to make iced coffee. You can use any K-cups or coffee grounds in your Keurig as long as they are bold and strong variants. However, if you want a drink as professional as possible, then you can use the Keurig’ Brew Over Ice K-cups that come in a variety of flavors. These K-cups have intensities well-adjusted to suit iced coffee.

If you do not have the specialized Brew Over Ice K-cups, then you can use Death Wish K-cups, Green mountain Dark Magic K-cups, or any other dark roasted K-cups.

Why Do I Need To Use Strong/Bold K-Cup For My Iced Coffee?

If you know how how to make iced coffee in Keurig but are still not getting the right flavor, it means you are using the wrong K-cups. We have recommended using K-cups that are dark-roasted and bold again and again because light roast coffee loses flavor when they are poured over ice cubes.

Since Ice cubes are made of water, pouring brewed coffee over them will dilute the flavor of your iced coffee. However, if the coffee is dark-roasted and strong, then the water will offset the bitterness and strength of the coffee to give you a delectable drink.

Does Cold Coffee Work The Same Way As Hot Coffee?

Like hot coffee, cold coffee also contains caffeine, so it is excellent at keeping you awake during all-nighters. Cold coffee is a more refreshing drink that can give you an instant caffeine boost.

Also, iced coffee is healthier! According to Healthline, cold brew coffee may lower your risk of heart disease, boost your metabolism, increase your productivity, may reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease, and is easier on the stomach.

Iced coffee has recently grown in popularity thanks to the refreshing sensation it gives. According to Vending Market Watch, Iced coffee is consumed by 20% of adult coffee drinkers in the United States.

According to a 2010 research by Mintel, the percentage of people who drink iced coffee rises to 38 percent among those aged 18 to 24. Mintel statistics also report that 77 percent of iced coffee consumers believe that consuming coffee makes them more efficient at work.

Tips For Making A More Balanced Cup Of Iced Coffee With A Keurig

Many coffee enthusiasts complain about not having the right consistency when it comes to iced coffee. Follow the few steps below to get the perfect iced coffee using any Keurig coffee machine.

Perfect Coffee-To-Ice-Cube Ratio According To Your Keurig Model

You need the right combination of coffee and water to make the perfect iced coffee with your Keurig. Generally, we recommend using 8-9 ice cubes for 6 ounces of coffee. This amount is for when you are pouring hot coffee over ice cubes. If your Keurig has a ‘Brew over Ice’ feature, then adding a few extra ice cubes will not dilute the coffee. However, you have to be careful in adding a lot of ice cubes if you are using your Keurig’s hot brew option to make the iced cubes.

If you wait for the brew to cool down before pouring it over the ice cubes, then 5-6 ice cubes would be enough. The combination depends on your preferences as well, but the above amount is for a perfect medium-strength iced coffee.

Experiment With K-Cups And Coffee Types

The majority of cold brew recipes call for a medium to dark roast. However, you can experiment with several roasts and K-cups to determine which one you prefer. Most Keurigs will be compatible with all K-cups. However, make sure you check the compatibility if you are using an older Keurig. While we recommend dark roasts again and again, for some of you, a lighter roast may be more likable. 

If you are a lover of light coffee with more milk and water, then do not shy away from making changes to the recipe. Keep note of the different roasts and K-cups you experiment with so you don’t forget which one was your favorite!

Conclusion

Iced coffee is an excellent drink for coffee lovers in the summers. Some may even prefer it in the winters! We are pretty sure you all know how to make cold coffee in Keurig by now and will soon perfect the art of iced coffee! Experiment with different coffees and drinks and enjoy the icy cold sensation!