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Home » Recipes » Drinks

How to Make Instant Iced Coffee

By Laura Fuentes Updated Jul 8, 2025

5 from 10 votes

Recipe

This post may contain affiliate links. Read our disclosure policy here.

For when you want coffee fast, this instant iced coffee recipe is the best! This instant coffee is going to change your life!

If you want a pick-me-up that tastes great in less than one minute, this instant iced coffee recipe is bomb. Yes, you heard me, you’ll get the caffeine in your sytem super fast. Watch this video to learn how easy instant iced coffee is to make.

Seems foolproof, right? It -almost- is. You’re going to need good instant coffee, however. Not all instant coffees taste the same, and, according to my husband, some have an “after-taste,” and that’s no bueno.

In case you’re wondering, I grew up with instant coffee in Spain. In our house, there were two types of cafecitos: one that came out of the cafetera (a Moka Pot) and the other dissolved instantly in a mug or glass.

And while I have a cup of Bulletproof Coffee in the morning, when it comes to my second cup or afternoon cafecito, I prefer it iced.

Instant iced coffee with a small pitcher of cream

The Best Instant Coffee Crystals

When I travel, I bring instant coffee crystals (in single-serve packs) in case I can’t find good coffee or my Airbnb doesn’t have a pot or filters. And of course, you probably already know that hotel room coffee pots are brewing grounds for bacteria. But I digress.

At home, my go-to instant coffee crystals are:

  • Cafe Bustelo Espresso Instant Coffee
  • Medalglia D’Oro Instant Espresso Coffee

When I travel, my go-to single-serve packs are:

  • Cafe Bustelo Espresso Instant Coffee Packs 
  • Starbucks Via Instant Coffee Veranda Blend Light Roast 

Now that you know what type of instant coffee crystals I like to keep on hand, we can move on to the process of making the best tasting, instant iced coffee.

iced coffee in a glass with cream being mixed in

How to Make Iced Coffee with Instant Coffee

  1. Measure out the instant coffee crystals
  2. Dissolve the coffee granules in water or milk
  3. Add any sweeteners you plan to use
  4. Pour over ice

It’s really that easy!

image: overhead view of iced coffee in a glass

How to Make Instant Coffee Without Hot Water

In the label of most instant coffees you’ll read: 1 teaspoon + 8oz of hot water. And that’s great IF you want hot coffee. But can you make instant coffee without hot water?

Yes, you can. Just mix cold water + instant coffee grounds + your creamer of choice (or drink it black), and you have instant iced coffee.

Like you saw in the video, I prefer to use milk + instant coffee grounds and then pour the dissolved mixture over ice.

Will Instant Coffee Dissolve in Iced Milk or Water?

You know it! Instant coffee crystals will dissolve in iced milk or water; you just have to stir for about a minute, and you’re good to go.

Did I not mention that making instant iced coffee will take about a minute? 😉

Iced Coffee Without Milk

The beauty of iced coffee is that you can make it black without milk. As a matter of fact, my aunt is a “cafe con hielo sin leche” aficionado. In other words, she takes her iced coffee without milk.

All you need to do is dissolve the coffee crystals in cold water, and once dissolved, pour over ice.

image: side view of glass filled with instant iced coffee and cream.

How much Instant Coffee per Cup of Water?

The recommended ratio is usually 1 teaspoon of instant coffee per 8 ounces of water.

However, if you need an extra jolt of caffeine or are using milk to dissolve your instant coffee, you might want to do 1 ½ to 2 teaspoons per cup of liquid.

In the end, the coffee to liquid ratio is a personal preference.

image: side view stirring cream into instant iced coffee with a straw

And if you’re wondering, is it really good to have coffee in ONE MINUTE available to me at all times? Then be sure to check out this post on the health benefits of coffee & how to drink it well.

Instant Iced Coffee Recipe

iced coffee in a glass with cream being mixed in
Servings: 1 Glass
Prep Time: 1 minute min
Total Time: 1 minute min
For when you want coffee fast, this instant iced coffee recipe is the best! This instant coffee is going to change your life!
5 from 10 votes
Print Pin

Watch how it’s made:

Ingredients

  • 1 to 2 teaspoons instant coffee granules
  • 8 ounces 1 cup cold water or milk
  • Sweetener of choice
  • Ice

Instructions

  • Dissolve instant coffee granules in liquid. Add your sweetener, if using, and pour over ice.

Notes

  • Nutritional information based on coffee + water. It will vary with the milk and sweetener used.

Equipment

Starbucks VIA
Café Bustelo Instant Coffee

Nutrition

Serving: 1glass | Calories: 4kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 0.1g | Sodium: 12mg | Potassium: 35mg | Calcium: 8mg | Iron: 0.04mg

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Comments

    5 from 10 votes (7 ratings without comment)

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    Recipe Rating




  1. NANCY says

    June 29, 2025 at 4:52 pm

    5 stars
    I love the iced coffee

    Reply
  2. Jessica Garcia says

    August 22, 2021 at 9:49 am

    5 stars
    So I have a question, I like to put my protein shakes in espresso to make a high protein iced coffee. How do I do that with instant coffee?

    Reply
    • Laura Fuentes says

      August 23, 2021 at 8:42 am

      You mix your instant espresso powder with the protein drink, shake, and pour over ice. I do this all the time! Enjoy.

      Reply
  3. CandyC says

    July 30, 2021 at 6:55 am

    5 stars
    Thanks Laura! I’m going to look for the Cafe Bustelo!

    Reply

Hi! I'm Laura.
Certified Integrative Nutrition Health Coach, mom of three, and the woman behind the world’s best pancakes—here to help you ditch the mealtime drama with recipes your family will actually eat.

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