Description
A refreshing and flavorful iced coffee featuring cold brew, unsweetened vanilla almond milk, and a homemade mint-infused maple simple syrup, blended with Medjool date and real vanilla bean seeds for a touch of natural sweetness and decadence.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Mint Maple Simple Syrup (Makes Extra):
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/2 cup pure maple syrup
- 7–8 fresh mint leaves
For the Iced Coffee (Makes 3 servings):
- 3 cups cold brew coffee (store-bought or homemade, chilled)
- 1 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk (or other milk)
- 2 tablespoons Mint Maple Simple Syrup (from recipe above, or to taste)
- 1/8 – 1/4 teaspoon pure mint extract (adjust to preference)
- 1 Medjool date, pitted
- Seeds scraped from 1 vanilla bean (or 1 tsp vanilla bean paste/extract)
- Ice cubes
Optional Garnish:
- Fresh mint sprigs
Instructions
1. Make the Mint Maple Simple Syrup:
- In a small saucepan, combine the water, maple syrup, and fresh mint leaves.
- Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat, stirring until the maple syrup is well combined with the water.
- Boil for 30 seconds.
- Remove the saucepan from the heat and let the syrup cool completely with the mint leaves in it to infuse (at least 20-30 minutes).
- (Optional: For a clear syrup, strain through a fine-mesh sieve to remove the mint leaves. Otherwise, you can leave them in or remove just before using). Store leftover syrup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1-2 weeks.
2. Make the Iced Coffee:
- In a high-speed blender, combine the chilled cold brew coffee, unsweetened vanilla almond milk, 2 tablespoons of the cooled Mint Maple Simple Syrup, mint extract, pitted Medjool date, and vanilla bean seeds (or paste/extract).
- Secure the lid and blend on high speed for 1-2 minutes, or until completely smooth and creamy, and no date pieces remain.
3. Serve:
- Fill serving glasses with ice cubes.
- Pour the blended coffee mixture over the ice.
- Taste and add more Mint Maple Simple Syrup if desired for additional sweetness or mint flavor.
- Garnish with a fresh mint sprig, if desired. Enjoy immediately!
Notes
- Simple Syrup: Ensure the syrup is completely cool before using in the iced coffee. Adjust the amount based on your desired sweetness and mint intensity.
- Cold Brew: Use your favorite store-bought cold brew or homemade concentrate (dilute if it’s a strong concentrate). Strong chilled brewed coffee can be substituted.
- Milk: Unsweetened vanilla almond milk complements the flavors, but any dairy or non-dairy milk can be used.
- Date: A Medjool date adds natural sweetness and creaminess. Ensure it’s pitted. If using drier dates, soak them in hot water for 5-10 minutes, then drain before blending.
- Vanilla Bean: Using seeds from a vanilla bean provides the best flavor. Vanilla bean paste or pure vanilla extract can be substituted.
- Mint Extract: Start with 1/8 teaspoon, as mint extract can be very potent. Add more to taste if you like a stronger mint flavor.
- Storage: This iced coffee is best enjoyed immediately. Leftover simple syrup can be stored as noted above.