Name: French Vanilla Iced Coffee
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 5 min
Total time: 12 h 20 min
Yield: about 8 iced coffees (with extra concentrate)
Ingredients: 6 oz (170 g) coarsely ground coffee; 12 cups (2.8 liters) cold water; 2 cups (480 ml) half-and-half; 1/4 cup (60 ml) pure maple syrup; 1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise and seeds scraped (or 1 tablespoon vanilla extract); Ice; 3/4 cup (180 ml) cold brew concentrate; 1/4 cup (60 ml) French vanilla creamer

This KitchenSimplicity archive drink has two parts that both live in the fridge: a big jug of cold brew coffee concentrate and a small jar of homemade French vanilla creamer sweetened with maple syrup. Once they are made, an iced coffee is just a glass of ice and a quick pour.

The concentrate steeps overnight with no special equipment, and the creamer takes a few minutes on the stove plus a short steep. Make both on a Sunday and you have coffee ready for hot afternoons, or warm it up instead on cooler mornings.

Tips

Keep the concentrate covered in the fridge for up to 2 weeks and the creamer for up to 1 week.
For a hot cup, skip the ice and warm the concentrate and creamer together on the stove or in the microwave.
Whole milk, oat milk or almond milk can stand in for the half-and-half; the creamer will be thinner.
Have a big container? Double the batch: 1 pound coffee to 8 quarts water uses the same ratio.

French Vanilla Iced Coffee

Prep

15 min

Cook

5 min

Total

12 hr 20 min

Yield

about 8 iced coffees (with extra concentrate)

Ingredients

For the cold brew concentrate:
6 oz (170 g) coarsely ground coffee
12 cups (2.8 liters) cold water
For the French vanilla creamer:
2 cups (480 ml) half-and-half
1/4 cup (60 ml) pure maple syrup
1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise and seeds scraped (or 1 tablespoon vanilla extract)
For each iced coffee:
Ice
3/4 cup (180 ml) cold brew concentrate
1/4 cup (60 ml) French vanilla creamer

Steps

Stir the ground coffee and cold water together in a large pitcher or container until all the grounds are wet. Cover and leave at room temperature for 12 to 24 hours.
Line a fine-mesh sieve with cheesecloth, a coffee filter or a paper towel and strain the coffee into a clean container. Discard the grounds. Refrigerate the concentrate.
For the creamer, put the half-and-half, maple syrup, vanilla seeds and pod in a small saucepan over medium heat. Heat just until it starts to steam; do not let it boil.
Take the pan off the heat, cover and let the vanilla steep for 30 minutes. (If using vanilla extract, stir it in after heating and skip the steeping.)
Strain out the vanilla pod, let the creamer cool, then refrigerate it in a covered jar.
To make a drink, fill a glass half to three-quarters full of ice. Pour in 3/4 cup concentrate and 1/4 cup creamer, stir and serve. For other sizes, keep a ratio of 3 parts concentrate to 1 part creamer.