Tulo

Drive-Thru Style Iced Coffee Recipe

Drive-thru coffee stands use concentrated cold brew instead of drip coffee, so the flavor holds up even after the ice melts, and pouring a shaken milk-and-syrup mixture over the back of a spoon keeps it floating on top instead of muddying into the coffee right away.

Prep
10 min
Cook
0 min
Total
10 min
Servings
2

Ingredients

Servings2
  • 1 cup cold brew coffee concentrate
  • 1/2 cup whole milk
  • 1/4 cup heavy cream
  • 3 tbsp vanilla syrup
  • 3 cups ice cubes

Nutrition per serving

Calories
202
Protein
3g
Carbs
19g
Fat
13g

Based on the recipe as written, one serving. Recalculates if you swap an ingredient above. An estimate only, exact values depend on the specific ingredients used.

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Instructions

  1. 1Measure out the cold brew coffee concentrate, either homemade or store-bought, and keep it refrigerated until ready to use.
  2. 2Fill two 16-ounce glasses with ice cubes right up to the rim.
  3. 3In a small jar or shaker, combine the whole milk, heavy cream, and vanilla syrup. Seal and shake vigorously for 20-30 seconds, until the mixture looks pale, slightly frothy, and has thickened just a bit.
  4. 4Pour the cold brew concentrate over the ice in each glass, filling each about two-thirds full.
  5. 5Hold a spoon upside down just above the surface of the coffee and slowly pour the vanilla sweet cream mixture over the back of it into each glass, dividing it evenly between the two.
  6. 6Serve immediately with a straw, and stir before the first sip to blend the layers to taste.
How to Make Cold Brew Concentrate

Tips & variations

  • Swap the vanilla syrup for caramel, hazelnut, or brown sugar syrup to match a specific drive-thru order.
  • For a stronger coffee flavor, use a 1:1 water-to-coffee cold brew concentrate instead of a more diluted one.
  • Make it dairy-free by swapping the milk and cream for full-fat oat milk and oat-based creamer; oat milk froths and layers almost as well as dairy.
  • Batch the vanilla sweet cream mixture in a jar for the week so mornings only take pouring over ice and coffee.

Storage & reheating

Cold brew concentrate keeps refrigerated in a sealed jar for up to 2 weeks. The shaken sweet cream mixture keeps refrigerated for up to 4 days, shake again before using since it will separate. Assemble the iced coffee itself fresh; it doesn't hold well once poured over ice.

Tips from the Tulo kitchen

  • A wide-mouth mason jar with a tight lid works better than a whisk for the sweet cream step, since a sealed shake incorporates more air in less time.
  • If the drink tastes watery by the time you finish it, the concentrate was likely too diluted going in; drive-thru stands brew theirs noticeably stronger than home drip coffee.

FAQ

Why does drive-thru coffee taste stronger than coffee made at home?

Most coffee stands use a concentrated cold brew or espresso base rather than drip coffee, so the flavor stays intact even as ice melts into the glass over time.

Can I use hot brewed coffee instead of cold brew concentrate?

Yes, but brew it double-strength first and let it cool before pouring over ice, otherwise it will melt the ice quickly and taste diluted.

What's the best milk-to-cream ratio for the sweet cream topping?

A 2:1 ratio of whole milk to heavy cream gives a topping rich enough to float and layer without becoming as heavy as straight cream.

How do I get the layered look instead of a mixed drink?

Pour the sweet cream mixture slowly over the back of a spoon held just above the surface of the coffee rather than pouring it directly in.

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