Sometimes hot coffee just doesn’t feel right on a hot summer day.
The answer is iced coffee!
If you follow this article, you’ll get a phenomenal iced coffee out of your Nespresso machine.
I’ll explain exactly how to make iced coffee with Nespresso.
And I’ll even throw in some variations you can try.
Let’s get to it.
How to Make an Iced Coffee With Nespresso?
Making iced coffee with your Nespresso machine is actually quite simple.
Here is my favorite Nespresso iced coffee recipe.
Let’s start with the ingredients.
Ingredients
You actually only need three ingredients to make iced coffee with a Nespresso coffee machine:
- One Nespresso coffee pod
- 3-6 ice cubes
- 4 oz cold water
I realize that technically ice and water are the same ingredient. However, you need both ice and cold water to do this recipe well.
As for the pod itself, you can choose whichever coffee is your favorite. Nespresso has a few pods they claim are best for iced coffee, but any Nespresso pod works really well in this recipe.
Step-by-step Instructions
Let’s dive into the recipe:
- Add 2-4 ice cubes into a glass and place the glass under your Nespresso
- Choose and load your Nespresso pod into your machine
- Extract an espresso straight into the glass (choose the smallest espresso possible on your machine)
- Remove the glass and add 2-3 more ice cubes
- Top off with 4 oz of cold water
The best setting for your Nespresso iced coffee is the smallest espresso. Every Nespresso machine pulls a 1.35 oz espresso, but a handful of machines pull ristretto shots. I’ll discuss how to use ristretto for iced coffee in a later section.
Adding more ice cubes after extracting your shot is important.
Don’t skip this step!
That’s because the espresso will start to melt the original cubes.
PRO TIP
In order to keep your coffee from getting too watered down too quickly, adding 2-3 more ice cubes before cold water is important.
Serving
Your iced coffee is ready to drink right after you finish this recipe. But you can always play around with how you serve it!
You can throw in a splash of milk or cream to give your drink a little more flavor. If you do this, try using less water to keep a stronger coffee flavor.
You can also add syrups to your iced coffees. Vanilla is always a classic in a lot of coffee recipes. Add 2-3 teaspoons of vanilla syrup after extracting your shot, then use a spoon to mix the syrup in with the espresso before adding water.
My personal favorite is muddling in a leaf or two of mint with the espresso. Add your mint before adding water and use a spoon to mix well. This makes a phenomenal summer morning iced coffee.
Variations
A handful of Nespresso machines actually have a ristretto option. These machines can make a shorter shot and give you another option for how big your iced coffee can be.
You can also try using a larger shot with your Nespresso and less water. Doing this will give you a stronger coffee flavor. It also goes better with a little cream.
Iced coffee isn’t the only cold drink you can make with your Nespresso, however.
Iced lattes are surprisingly easy. All you need to do is skip the original ice cubes. Pull a shot of espresso into a large glass, add in 6-8 oz of cold milk, then pour over ice and enjoy!
Making an Iced Americano with Nespresso is even easier. Pull a shot of espresso into a cup with cold water (2:1 water to espresso ratio). Then, add some iced cubes, and your drink is ready.
The last variation I want to mention is the iced cappuccino. This is a great iced drink that adds a bit of foam.
You’ll need a milk frother that can do cold foam. Simply pull an espresso into a glass. Froth cold milk until you get a nice layer of foam. Add the milk to the espresso, pour over ice, and serve.
Note: While it is possible to pull a full 8 oz mug of coffee over ice cubes and call it a day, I have found that doesn’t produce the best cup. My preferred method is pulling a shot of espresso and adding cold water.
The Best Nespresso Pods for Iced Coffee
Nespresso makes four dedicated iced coffee pods. Each one is a little different and offers unique flavor profiles for your iced drinks.
The Tropical Coconut Over Ice gives you a refreshing coconut flavor. Add a splash of coconut cream for a fully tropical iced latte.
The Exotic Liminha Over Ice gives you lime and mint-flavored iced coffee. I wouldn’t recommend adding milk to this one because of the lime flavor. It works really well on its own.
The Ice Leggero gives you a nice and smooth iced coffee that goes well with any milk. This is my go-to for Nespresso iced coffees.
The Ice Forte is a bit stronger than the Ice Leggero. It’s perfect for someone who wants a little more coffee punch to their iced drinks.
FAQ
There are a few more questions I want to cover about Nespresso iced drinks.
Can you brew cold coffee with Nespresso?
Unfortunately not. Nespresso machines only make hot coffee. But that shouldn’t stop you from pouring your coffee over ice!
How do you make Nespresso cold foam?
The Nespresso Aeroccino3 actually has a cold setting. Hold down the frothing button for two seconds until the light goes blue. Your cold milk froth will be ready in about one minute. You can also use other ways to make cold foam if you don’t have Aeroccino3.
Can I put heavy whipping cream in my Nespresso frother?
Yes. Nespresso frothers can handle heavy whipping cream.
Final Thoughts
That’s everything you need to know about making delicious iced coffee with Nespresso.
It’s actually really easy. Just pull a shot of espresso over some ice cubes, add cold water and a few more cubes, and enjoy.
Try playing around with different flavors and additions. Personally, I like my iced coffees with a splash of milk and vanilla.
Happy sipping!
Wondering how cold brew coffee and iced coffee are different?
Check out our article on cold brew vs iced coffee!
