Coffee Ice Cubes Are The Solution To Watery Iced Lattes

Few things are as invigorating as drinking an iced latte on a hot, sunny day. Whether you consider yourself a master barista or are just getting to know the many types of cold coffee, making iced lattes at home will not only give you an energy boost, but will save you from spending too much money at coffee shops. However, under warm temperatures or if left out for long enough, the ice cubes in your coffee can turn it into a weak, watery mess. A solution to this problem is easy to make and use: homemade coffee ice cubes.

Rather than using regular ice cubes, which will inevitably melt into water and dilute your latte, freeze some brewed coffee in an ice tray and use the resulting cubes to keep your latte chilled. As the cubes melt, they will infuse more coffee into your beverage, resulting in a drink that remains cold yet flavorful over time.

When using coffee ice cubes to keep your latte cool, keep in mind that the cubes could change the ratio of milk to coffee . If you don't want your latte to turn into a drink that's more coffee than milk, keep the amount of coffee cubes to a minimum. Use just one or two to keep your drink at a nice level of chill.

Most coffee lovers are guilty of brewing a little too much joe in the morning. Throwing away perfectly good java after it's sat out for too long can feel like a tragedy, but it can be avoided with ease. Once your hot, leftover brew has cooled, you can pour it into an ice cube tray and place it in the freezer for later use. A batch of coffee ice cubes should last you approximately two weeks, provided that you move them to a sealable container to keep them from picking up other aromas in your freezer.

Coffee does begin to lose its complex flavors shortly after brewing, so start making ice cubes as soon as your leftover brew has finished cooling. The exact time frame after which black coffee goes "off" remains dubious at best — especially since most of us can admit to drinking stale, hours-old coffee without any issues — but if you want to completely avoid the risk of foodborne illness, err on the side of caution and follow the U.S. Department of Agriculture's two-hour rule with coffee. Try to put it in the fridge or freezer before two hours is up, especially if you mixed your leftover brew with perishable ingredients such as milk.

Coffee ice cubes can instantly improve your homemade iced latte, but there are also many other ways to get that coffeehouse-like flavor in your daily cup. Improve your summer caffeine game by experimenting with different sweeteners and flavors. Sugar or honey provide a nice, neutral sweetness, while popular flavorings such as vanilla extract or cocoa powder can make you feel as if a trained barista made your drink. 

What's more, you can even opt to flavor your coffee ice cubes. Either flavor your latte and your ice cubes with the same ingredients, so that the taste remains nice and strong throughout your morning, or only flavor the ice cubes, so your latte is slowly infused with hints of flavor as the ice melts. This creates a gradually transformative drinking experience that feels more exciting.

Depending on your mood and the season, you should also venture beyond the standard vanilla, chocolate, or caramel latte fixings. Pumpkin spice, peppermint, or cinnamon can change a boring latte into a delectable drink with a festive trips. If major coffee chains and shops across the U.S. can do it, so can you.