How to Make Starbucks Iced Coffee

I’ve been on a serious Iced Coffee kick lately, and often stop at Starbucks to grab one. Unlike McDonald’s, where you can only get half & half for cream, Starbucks will put Heavy Whipping Cream in your coffee – which is a carb free coffee creamer.

On my last trip through Nashville airport, where I stopped for an ice cold coffee with sugar free vanilla syrup, I decided to grab a bag of their Iced Coffee Blend coffee beans so I could try it out at home.

As much as I love coffee, July in Tennessee is just too HOT to enjoy it – even early in the morning. Which is why I got hooked on Iced Coffee this summer. 🙂

At home I usually brew Dunkin Donuts coffee. Hazelnut flavor to be exact. I learned that the key to Iced Coffee is to brew it twice as strong (half the water), then pour it over ice.

I tried that with my DD coffee, and it was okay. Then I ground the Starbucks Iced Coffee Blend beans I brought home, brewed those and made an Iced Coffee. WOW. Serious difference! My usual coffee was good over ice, but the Starbucks blend was definitely better.

I even brewed it hot this morning, since we’re having an unseasonably cool morning here in TN (less than 80 degrees with a light breeze -nice!). Definitely makes a nice cup of hot coffee too.

Beware the Starbucks Instant Iced Coffee Packets!

While standing at the Starbucks counter, waiting on my order and considering buying the Iced Coffee Blend, I noticed they also had packets for instant iced coffee (right).

I’m not sure how good that would be – maybe great, who knows. But what really surprised me was that it is already pre-sweetened. Had I not looked at the nutrition facts I would have totally missed that – and screwed up my carb count for the day. 😛

Yes, it says “lightly sweetened” right there on the front of the package as you can see in the image. But that did NOT stand out to me when I had the actual package in my hand. And it wouldn’t have occurred to me either.

The guy beside me was buying for a diabetic and was glad I pointed it out, as he was eyeballing them too.

Here’s a (not so great) snapshot of the nutrition facts on that package:

Anyway, the Starbucks Iced Coffee Blend – FABULOUS.

To keep it super low carb (zero) I use Heavy Whipping Cream and Torani Sugar Free Vanilla Coffee Syrup in both my hot and iced coffees.