When you need to get thinking or need something refreshing, try our mint iced coffee made with fresh mint leaves.
Before taking an important exam in school, I remember some of my teachers would hand out mints. They said it’d help us concentrate.
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If you’ve ever had a teacher or parent also suggest the same, you know they may be on to something.
It could just have been a placebo to enhance concentration, but there are some interesting studies done to show the benefits of mint.
Mint is thought to promote brain health and increase alertness and decrease levels of anxiety. It’s also known to help remedy digestive issues. (Source: Healthline)
What I know for sure is that whether you like the taste of mint or are looking for a refreshing way to drink coffee, our mint iced coffee should be on your list of coffee drinks to try.
As with the majority of our coffee drink recipes, it’s very simple to make. It involves two parts – making mint simple syrup with fresh mint leaves and cold brew coffee concentrate (or another coffee brewing method.)
Here’s how:
Mint Iced Coffee Ingredients
For mint simple syrup:
- ½ cup sugar
- ½ cup water
- ½ cup fresh mint leaves (or use Torani Mint Syrup)
For mint iced coffee:
- ¼ cup cold brew coffee concentrate (I used Stone Cold Jo)
- ½ cup milk or milk alternative
- ½ tbsp mint simple syrup
- 8 ice cubes
Tips for Making Mint Iced Coffee
How to Make Mint Simple Syrup
To get the mint flavor in this mint iced coffee, we’re making mint simple syrup.
Simple syrup is so easy to make. It just involves sugar and water and whatever flavor you want, which in this case, is fresh mint.
If you don’t have fresh mint, you can also use a peppermint essential oil. I use Young Living Essential Oil’s Vitality oils. These essential oils are made for consuming.
You can just add a drop or two into water for peppermint flavored water and it also works just as well to make mint simple syrup. And alternatively, if you don’t want to make syrup, you can purchase Torani Mint Syrup.
I made ½ cup of mint simple syrup using ½ cup each of sugar, water and mint leaves. If you want to make less, or more for other mint flavored recipes, you can adjust the simple syrup recipe accordingly. Just make sure to use equal amounts of each ingredient.
And if you want to make other flavors, replace the fresh mint with the flavor you want. For example, to make cinnamon simple syrup, steep cinnamon sticks. Or for vanilla simple syrup, add vanilla extract or vanilla beans.
Here’s how to make mint simple syrup:
- Combine sugar, water and mint leaves in a pot.
- Heat over medium heat until sugar dissolves in the water.
- Leave the mint leaves in the syrup until the syrup cools completely. This allows the mint leaves to steep.
- When the syrup is cooled, remove mint leaves and pour mint simple syrup into a mason jar. Store in the refrigerator.
How to Make Cold Brew Coffee Concentrate
I used cold brew coffee concentrate made with Jo Coffee’s Stone Cold Jo whole beans.
You do not have to use cold brew coffee to make this mint iced coffee. You can brew coffee in whatever your preferred method is and set it aside to cool before putting together this recipe.
But if you want to use cold brew coffee concentrate, here’s how to make it. (The good thing is you can make a large batch and store it in the refrigerator. Use it whenever you want to make other coffee recipes or simply add water to the concentrate to consume.)
- Start by choosing a mason jar, or any empty jar, cold brew coffee maker or French press.
- Pick a coffee bean. I used Jo Coffee’s Stone Cold Jo. But you do not have to use a coffee bean that’s specifically labeled cold brew to make cold brew coffee. Any coffee bean will work.
- Grind your coffee beans coarsely. You can also use pre ground coffee, just make sure it has been ground coarsely.
- Add coarsely ground coffee to your chosen container.
- Pour room temperature water on top of the coffee grounds. If you’re using 1 cup of coffee ground, use 3 cups of water.
- Steep coffee grounds in water for 12-14 hours. Strain and store in a mason jar in the refrigerator.
You can also read our full cold brew coffee guide here: How to Make Cold Brew Coffee (3 Easy Ways!)
How to Make Mint Iced Coffee
- Make cold brew coffee concentrate. Or use another coffee brewing method. If using another coffee brewing method, set coffee aside to cool before making mint iced coffee.
- Make mint simple syrup. Combine sugar, water and fresh mint leaves in a pot. Heat over the stovetop until sugar dissolves into water.
- Turn off heat and leave the mint leaves in the syrup until completely cooled. When cooled, strain and store mint simple syrup in a mason jar.
- Add ice to a glass, pour cold brew coffee concentrate and milk. Stir in ½ tablespoon of mint simple syrup. Taste and add more mint simple syrup if desired.
- Optional: Garnish with fresh mint leaves.
In pictures…
Step 1
Make cold brew coffee concentrate. Steep coarsely ground coffee in a French press or jar for 12-14 hours.
Step 2
Make mint simple syrup. (Or you can use store bought Torani Mint Syrup.) Combine water, sugar and fresh mint leaves in a pot. Heat over medium heat until sugar dissolves.
Step 3
Steep mint leaves in syrup until the syrup cools completely. Strain and store in a mason jar.
Assemble the mint iced coffee. Add ice, cold brew coffee concentrate, milk and desired amount of mint simple syrup to a glass. Start with ½ tablespoon of mint simple syrup and add more if preferred.
Optional: Garnish with fresh mint leaves.
More Easy Iced Coffee Recipes
- How to Make Thai Iced Coffee
- Upgrade Your Iced Coffee: How to Make Coffee Ice Cubes
- Espresso Tonic: A Bubbly Iced Coffee to Make at Home
Mint Iced Coffee Recipe
Mint Iced Coffee
When you need to get thinking or need something refreshing, try our mint iced coffee made with fresh mint leaves.
Materials
- ¼ cup cold brew coffee concentrate (I used Stone Cold Jo)
- ½ tbsp mint simple syrup
- ½ cup milk or milk alternative
- 8 ice cubes
Mint Simple Syrup
- ½ cup sugar
- ½ cup water
- ½ cup fresh mint leaves
Instructions
1. Make cold brew coffee concentrate. Steep coarsely ground coffee in a French press or jar for 12-14 hours.
2. Make mint simple syrup. Combine water, sugar and fresh mint leaves in a pot. Heat over medium heat until sugar dissolves.
3. Steep mint leaves in syrup until the syrup cools completely. Strain and store in a mason jar. (Or just use Torani Mint Syrup.)
4. Assemble the mint iced coffee. Add ice, cold brew coffee concentrate, milk and desired amount of mint simple syrup to a glass. Start with ½ tablespoon of mint simple syrup and add more if preferred.
5. Optional: Garnish with fresh mint leaves.
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