As the creator of so many mouthwatering comfort meals, Pioneer Woman Ree Drummond seems to have a way to add a special touch to just about anything. Her arsenal includes everything from spicy lasagna to homemade peach ice cream, but she also enjoys a good morning boost. For caffeine enthusiasts of all ages, the perfect start to the day includes a cup of coffee, and Drummond’s java go-to is easily made with just a few ingredients.
As she relates on her website, Drummond is a fan of coffee in all its forms. But her favorite iced coffee brew is a combination of strong cold brew concentrate, sweetened condensed milk, and half and half that can save coffee enthusiasts one (or several) trips to their local coffee shop. As she notes, iced coffee isn’t simply just coffee poured over ice; there’s an art to it, and making it correctly results in cold, sugary coffee bliss.
Drummond’s homemade iced coffee starts with the cold brew concentrate, which is made by mixing your ground coffee blend of choice (Drummond recommends a rich roast) with water and letting it sit at room temperature for 12 to 24 hours. After that time, the liquid can be strained and put into the fridge to cool. As Drummond notes, having a supply of ready-made cold brew concentrate in the fridge makes it easy to make iced coffee on repeat.
The concentrate is key
As Drummond states on her site, iced coffee is her life and her preferred morning beverage over a hot cup of Joe. While she says iced coffee can be complicated, her go-to recipe only takes a few ingredients and can be adapted to a coffee drinker’s personal tastes.
Drummond notes that simply pouring hot coffee over ice can make some of the ice melt and create a lukewarm coffee with partially melted ice. The concentrate made the way Drummond does it, makes a smooth mixture with a rich flavor. When it’s time to store the concentrate, Drummond transfers it to a dispenser, making it easy to fill a cup. Starting with a glass of ice, coffee drinkers can fill their cups with coffee right from a dispenser and add their sweetness of choice. While Drummond prefers half and half and sweetened condensed milk, coffee drinkers can add what they please, including sugar, syrup, and creamer.
Prepared correctly, homemade iced coffee can be the perfect way to start a morning. With a few ingredients and a little bit of prep, coffee enthusiasts can make enough cold brew concentrate to last weeks and can tweak the flavor with something different each day while saving a lot of money.
