An iced latte is espresso combined with cold milk and poured over ice, essentially a chilled version of a regular latte. The big difference from the hot version is that the milk is cold and unfoamed, so the drink is smooth and refreshing rather than warm and silky. It is one of the easiest cafe-style coffees to make at home, and you do not strictly need an espresso machine to do it.
Below we explain exactly what goes into an iced latte, how it differs from iced coffee and cold brew, and then walk through a simple recipe you can make today, with or without a machine.
What is an iced latte, exactly?
An iced latte has three core parts: a shot (or two) of espresso, cold milk, and ice. The espresso provides concentrated coffee flavour, the cold milk softens and sweetens it, and the ice keeps everything cold and dilutes it just enough. A typical build is heavy on milk, so the result tastes creamy and mellow rather than sharply bitter.
The key contrast with a hot latte is the milk. A hot latte uses steamed milk with a layer of microfoam, which gives it that velvety mouthfeel and a foam cap. An iced latte skips steaming entirely. You pour cold milk straight in, so there is no foam and the texture is liquid and clean. That is also why an iced latte is faster to make than a hot one. You can read more about the warm original in our guide to what a latte is.
Iced latte vs iced coffee vs cold brew
These three drinks get mixed up constantly, but they start from different bases. Here is a quick comparison so you can pick the right one.
| Drink | Coffee base | Milk | Taste |
|---|---|---|---|
| Iced latte | Espresso (or espresso-style shot) | Lots of cold milk | Creamy, mellow, milk-forward |
| Iced coffee | Brewed coffee, then chilled | Optional, usually a splash | Bolder, more like cold drip coffee |
| Cold brew | Coarse grounds steeped cold for 12 to 24 hours | Optional | Smooth, low acidity, often strong |
In short, an iced latte is the milky, espresso-based one. Iced coffee is just brewed coffee served cold, with milk entirely optional. Cold brew is a separate slow-steeped concentrate that tends to be smoother and stronger. If you want to try the slow method, see our guide on how to make cold brew coffee. To understand the shot at the heart of a latte, our explainer on espresso as the base of every coffee is a good starting point.
How to make an iced latte at home
The recipe is forgiving. The only rule worth respecting is to keep the coffee strong and concentrated, because weak coffee plus melting ice plus milk equals a watery drink. Here is the standard version.
Ingredients
- 1 to 2 shots of espresso (about 30 to 60 ml), or a strong espresso-style brew
- About 150 to 200 ml cold milk (dairy or non-dairy)
- A generous handful of ice
- Optional: sweetener or flavour syrup to taste
Steps
- Pull your espresso, or brew a strong concentrated coffee. Let it cool slightly so it does not instantly melt the ice.
- Fill a tall glass with ice, right to the top.
- Pour the cold milk over the ice, filling most of the glass.
- Pour the espresso over the milk and ice. Pouring it last gives you those pretty layers before you stir.
- Stir, taste, and adjust. Add sweetener now if you want it.
A good starting ratio is roughly one part strong coffee to two or three parts milk, then adjust to your taste. More coffee makes it stronger and more bitter; more milk makes it creamier and lighter. If you prefer it sweeter and colder, lean toward more milk and more ice; if you want a bigger caffeine hit, add a second shot rather than cutting the milk.
No espresso machine? No problem
You can make a great iced latte without any machine at all. A stovetop moka pot brews a strong, concentrated coffee that stands in for espresso beautifully. Brew a small batch, let it cool, and use it exactly as above. Our walkthrough on how to use a moka pot covers the technique. In a pinch, a heaped spoon of good instant coffee dissolved in a small splash of hot water also works, just keep the water amount tiny so the coffee stays concentrated. A French press brewed strong and then cooled is another easy stand-in.
Sweetening, flavour and milk choices
This is where an iced latte becomes your own. Because cold liquids mute sweetness, syrups and liquid sweeteners blend in better than granulated sugar, which can sit at the bottom of the glass. A few popular directions:
- Iced vanilla latte: add a little vanilla syrup or a drop of vanilla extract with a touch of sugar. It is the most-ordered flavour for a reason. For a full recipe, see our iced vanilla coffee recipe.
- Caramel: a swirl of caramel sauce makes a rich, dessert-leaning iced caffe latte.
- Cold foam: if you do want some froth on an iced latte, briefly froth a little cold milk and spoon it on top.
On milk, whole dairy milk is the creamiest. Among non-dairy options, oat milk is the favourite because it is naturally a bit sweet and has a full body that holds up over ice. Almond and soy work too, though they taste lighter, and barista-style versions are formulated to resist curdling against acidic coffee. Use whatever you actually enjoy drinking.
A few tips for a better iced latte
- Cool the coffee first. Hot espresso melts ice fast and dilutes the drink. A short rest, or pouring over extra ice, fixes this.
- Use plenty of ice. It keeps the drink cold and slows dilution, counterintuitively giving you a less watery result.
- Try coffee ice cubes. Freeze leftover coffee into cubes so that as they melt, they add coffee rather than water.
- Stir before drinking. The layers look great, but the flavour is balanced once everything is mixed.
An iced latte is one of the most satisfying drinks to master because it rewards good ingredients without demanding expensive gear. Once you have the ratio dialled in, it becomes a five-minute habit. From here, you might branch into a layered iced vanilla coffee, experiment with cold brew for a smoother base, or go back to basics with the warm original in our guide to the classic latte. Keep exploring and find the cold cup that is yours.