Coffee Pod Central

Iced Vanilla Latte With a Keurig (5-Minute Recipe)

Strong coffee, cold milk and vanilla: the café favorite made with one K-Cup in about five minutes.

By The Coffee Pod Central team · Published · 2 min read

A good iced vanilla latte needs just three things: strong coffee, cold milk and vanilla. Your Keurig handles the hard part. The trick is to brew a small, concentrated cup so it doesn’t taste watery once it hits the ice.

Iced Vanilla Latte (Keurig)

Prep
3 min
Brew
2 min
Serves
1
Ready in five minutes, and it costs a fraction of the coffee-shop version.

Ingredients

  • 1 dark or espresso-roast K-Cup pod
  • 1 tbsp vanilla syrup (or 1 tsp sugar + 1/4 tsp vanilla extract)
  • 1 cup ice
  • 4–6 oz cold milk or oat milk
  • Optional: 1 tbsp cold foam or whipped cream
Shop the pods

Steps

  1. Fill a tall glass with ice.
  2. Brew the pod at the smallest cup size (4–6 oz), using the Strong or Iced setting if your brewer has one.
  3. Stir the vanilla syrup into the hot coffee right away so it dissolves.
  4. Pour the coffee over the ice.
  5. Top with cold milk, stir and taste; add more syrup if you like it sweeter.
  6. For a café finish, spoon cold foam over the top.

Tips for a better iced latte

  • Brew small and strong. A 4–6 oz brew is closest to an espresso shot. A 10 oz brew over ice ends up weak.
  • Pick a dark roast. Dark and espresso-style pods keep their flavor once they’re diluted with ice and milk. Light roasts can taste thin.
  • Sweeten while it’s hot. Syrup mixes in easily; sugar won’t dissolve in cold coffee.
  • Use coffee ice cubes. Freeze leftover coffee in an ice tray and your latte won’t water down as it melts.
Makes it café-style

Handheld milk frother

A cheap handheld frother turns cold milk into cold foam in about 20 seconds. Froth 2–3 oz of cold milk with a splash of vanilla syrup and spoon it over your latte.

What we like

  • Whips cold milk into foam in seconds
  • Inexpensive
  • Also works for matcha and hot chocolate

Keep in mind

  • Needs batteries or charging
  • Less dense foam than a frother pitcher

Variations

  • Caramel: swap vanilla syrup for caramel and drizzle more on top.
  • Brown sugar oat: use oat milk and 1 tbsp brown sugar syrup plus a pinch of cinnamon.
  • Mocha: stir 1 tbsp chocolate syrup into the hot coffee along with the vanilla.
  • Skinny: use sugar-free vanilla syrup and skim or unsweetened almond milk.

Frequently asked questions

Can you make iced coffee with a Keurig?

Yes. Brew a small, strong cup (4–6 oz) directly over a glass full of ice. Many newer Keurig brewers have a dedicated Iced setting that does this automatically.

What are the best K-Cups for iced coffee?

Dark roast and espresso-style pods hold their flavor best over ice. Several brands also make pods labeled specifically for iced coffee.

How do I keep my iced latte from getting watery?

Brew a smaller, stronger cup and use coffee ice cubes made from leftover coffee instead of regular ice.

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