Sweetened Cold Brew Recipe with Simple Syrup

Sweetened cold brew is coffee steeped slowly in cold water, strained into a smooth concentrate, then poured over ice with simple syrup and water or milk. The long, chilled brew makes a mellow coffee base, while syrup dissolves evenly into the cold drink and lets you adjust the sweetness glass by glass.

Ingredients

1½ cups (128 g) coarsely ground coffee
6 cups (1.42 L) cold, filtered water, for brewing
½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
½ cup (120 ml) water, for the simple syrup
Up to ½ cup (120 ml) cold water or milk, for diluting each drink as needed; plan on about 4 cups (950 ml) total for 8 drinks
8 cups (about 1.1 kg) ice, or enough to fill serving glasses

Instructions

Combine the coffee and brewing water. Add the coarsely ground coffee to a clean 2-quart (1.9 L) jar or other large covered container. Pour in the 6 cups (1.42 L) cold water, stirring gently so all the grounds are wet. If you do not have a jar large enough, divide the coffee and water evenly between two containers. Cover the container.
Steep in the refrigerator. Refrigerate the coffee mixture for 16 hours. This produces a concentrated brew with a rounded coffee flavor. A few hours less may make a lighter concentrate, while much longer steeping can bring out a harsher, more bitter taste. Keep the container chilled throughout rather than leaving it on the counter.
Make the simple syrup while the coffee steeps. Combine the sugar and ½ cup (120 ml) water in a small saucepan. Warm over medium heat, stirring, just until the liquid is clear and the sugar has dissolved, about 3 to 5 minutes. It does not need to boil. Remove the pan from the heat and let the syrup cool for about 15 minutes. Transfer it to a clean, covered container and refrigerate until needed.
Strain the cold brew. Set a fine-mesh strainer over a clean pitcher and line it with a coffee filter or a double layer of damp cheesecloth. Pour in the steeped coffee in batches, allowing it to drip through without pressing or squeezing the grounds. Straining usually takes several minutes. Pressing the grounds can push fine particles into the concentrate and make the finished drink cloudy or gritty.
Assemble each drink. Fill a glass with ice. Add ½ cup (120 ml) strained cold brew concentrate, ½ cup (120 ml) cold water or milk, and 1 tablespoon (15 ml) simple syrup. Stir well and taste. Add another teaspoon of syrup if you prefer it sweeter, or adjust the coffee-to-dilution ratio to suit your taste. Repeat for the remaining servings.

Tips

Use a coarse grind. Coffee ground about as coarsely as breadcrumbs is easy to filter and tends to give a cleaner cup. Very fine grounds can pass through the filter and make the concentrate muddy. If buying coffee already ground, choose a coarse grind intended for French press rather than espresso or drip coffee.
Measure by weight when possible. Ground coffee varies in volume depending on the grind and how tightly it is packed. The stated 1½ cups is an accessible measure, but 128 g gives you a more repeatable result from batch to batch. Keep the same coffee-to-water ratio if you scale the recipe up or down.
Sweeten after dilution. Concentrate is stronger than the drink you will serve, so taste it only after adding water or milk. One tablespoon of syrup per glass is a starting point, not a rule. For a less sweet batch, begin with 2 teaspoons; for a sweeter café-style glass, add syrup a teaspoon at a time.
Filter patiently and keep the equipment clean. Let gravity do most of the work rather than stirring the grounds through the filter. Wash the jar, strainer, and storage pitcher with hot soapy water before brewing. If your first filter clogs, let the grounds settle briefly and pour more slowly, or use a fresh coffee filter.

Serving Suggestions

Serve the drink freshly assembled in a tall glass over plenty of ice. Cold water makes a clear, straightforward iced coffee; milk or an unsweetened plant-based drink gives it a softer, creamier finish. Dairy milk, oat drink, almond drink, and soy drink all work, though their different sweetness and thickness can change how much syrup you want. Add the syrup before the final stir so it blends through the whole glass rather than collecting at the bottom.

For a batch of drinks, keep the concentrate, syrup, and dilution separate until serving. That way, guests can choose milk or water and set their own sweetness. You can also pour the concentrate into a small carafe and set it beside a pitcher of cold water, the syrup, and a bowl of ice. For a less diluted drink, use ¾ cup (180 ml) concentrate and ¼ cup (60 ml) water or milk, then adjust the syrup to taste. A little grated chocolate or a light dusting of cinnamon is an optional finishing touch, but the drink is also good without toppings.

Variations

Brown sugar syrup: Replace the granulated sugar with ½ cup (about 105 g) packed light or dark brown sugar. Make the syrup in the same way. Brown sugar adds a gentle caramel-like note that pairs well with milk; dark brown sugar gives a deeper flavor. The syrup may look darker, but it should still dissolve fully.

Vanilla syrup: Stir ½ teaspoon (2.5 ml) vanilla extract into the cooled simple syrup. Adding it after heating preserves its aroma. Start with the same tablespoon per drink and adjust from there. For a warm spice note, add a small pinch of ground cinnamon to the glass rather than to the whole concentrate, since spices can settle during storage.

Less sweet or unsweetened: Leave out the syrup or start with just 1 teaspoon (5 ml) per glass. The coffee concentrate itself contains no added sugar, so everyone can sweeten their own serving. If you want to use honey or maple syrup instead, loosen ½ cup (120 ml) of the sweetener with 2 to 3 tablespoons (30 to 45 ml) warm water, cool it, and add it gradually. Both have distinct flavors, and honey can be slow to mix when very cold.

Make a smaller batch: Use ¾ cup (64 g) coarsely ground coffee with 3 cups (710 ml) cold water, keeping the same 16-hour steep. Scale the syrup down to ¼ cup (50 g) sugar and ¼ cup (60 ml) water. Because the yield and filter losses vary slightly, dilute each glass to taste rather than relying on a fixed final volume.

Storage and Reheating

Strain the concentrate into a clean, covered container and refrigerate it promptly, within 2 hours of preparation. Keep it at 40°F (4°C) or colder and use it within 4 days for the best flavor. It may remain drinkable beyond that point, but the taste can become dull or stale; discard it if it develops an unusual smell, appearance, or flavor. Store the simple syrup separately in a clean, sealed container in the refrigerator and use it within 2 weeks. Do not leave either mixture sitting at room temperature for extended periods.

It is better to store the concentrate undiluted and add milk or water when serving. Once a drink has been mixed with milk and poured over ice, enjoy it right away; ice will melt and weaken the flavor, and a milk-based drink is not a good make-ahead choice. Avoid returning leftover drinks from individual glasses to the storage pitcher.

Cold brew is usually served chilled, but you can warm a portion if you prefer hot coffee. Dilute the concentrate first, then heat only the amount you plan to drink in a microwave-safe mug or small saucepan until hot. Avoid boiling it, which can flatten the flavor. Do not warm the entire storage container repeatedly; pour out a single serving and keep the rest refrigerated.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use regular or finely ground coffee?
Yes, but coarse-ground coffee is easiest to strain and usually gives the clearest result. Regular medium-ground coffee can work if you use a paper filter and pour slowly. Fine espresso-style grounds are more likely to slip through the strainer or clog it, and they can make the concentrate gritty, so use them only if you have a reliable fine filter and do not mind a cloudier cup.

Does cold brew need to steep for exactly 16 hours?
No. Sixteen hours is a practical target for this coffee-to-water ratio, but a range of about 14 to 18 hours can work. A shorter steep generally produces a lighter concentrate, while extending the steep can make it more intense or bitter. Keep the batch refrigerated as it steeps, and change the time by an hour or two on your next batch rather than making several adjustments at once.

Why does my cold brew taste weak?
First check whether you used the concentrate undiluted or added more water or milk than the recipe suggests. Also check the grind and steep time: a very coarse grind or short steep can make a lighter brew. For your next batch, measure the coffee by weight, keep the 1½-cup (128 g) coffee to 6-cup (1.42 L) water ratio, and steep the full 16 hours. You can also use a little more concentrate in each glass.

Can I make the coffee concentrate without simple syrup?
Yes. The concentrate can be made and stored without any sweetener, and each person can add syrup, sugar, or another sweetener to their glass. Granulated sugar does not dissolve as readily in a cold drink, which is why syrup is convenient. If you do use plain sugar, stir it thoroughly into a small splash of warm water first, then add that mixture to the cold coffee.

Can I freeze cold brew?
You can freeze concentrate in a freezer-safe container, leaving room at the top for expansion, or freeze it in an ice-cube tray for measured portions. For best flavor, use frozen portions within about 2 months and thaw them in the refrigerator. Coffee cubes can also chill a glass without watering it down as quickly as plain ice. Do not freeze glass jars unless they are specifically made for freezer use.

How do I make the drink less bitter?
Use fresh coffee, avoid a very fine grind, and do not steep substantially longer than the suggested time. Filter without squeezing the grounds, since extra fines can make the drink harsher. If the concentrate is already brewed, dilute it with a little more cold water or milk and add syrup gradually. A small pinch of salt is sometimes used to soften perceived bitterness, but it is optional and easy to overdo.

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