Iced latte vs iced coffee: learn the difference between these two popular drinks and how to make your favourite at home!
There’s nothing quite like an iced coffee on a hot day. But are you a coffee chick or a latte lady?
Iced Coffee vs Iced Latte
Firstly, let’s look at the differences between the two drinks.
Both are coffee-based drinks to give you your caffeine kick, both are made with ice, but an iced latte contains a large serving of cold milk.
The iced coffee is a bit more versatile because it can be served black, milky or with just a dash of milk.
So you can basically have your iced coffee served exactly as you drink your regular hot coffee.
In fact, these iced drinks will often be made with hot milk, which has been cooled and then poured over ice cubes and an espresso.
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Iced Coffee vs Iced Latte: Which one is better for me?
If you’re watching your waistline, you might want to look at Iced Latte vs Iced Coffee from a health perspective.
If we’re thinking about counting calories, we’re going to want to opt for an Iced Coffee because they contain less milk.
You can easily order your drink to be made with an alternative type of milk to lower the fat content. That way, you can treat yourself to a milkier beverage without worrying too much about the calories.
According to Starbucks, the best milk to opt for is almond milk. It has the least calories of any plant-based or dairy milk, at just 7.5 per ounce.
Iced Latte vs Iced Coffee: Which one is tastier?
Let’s get to the crux of the matter.
When we head out for a drink, we want it to hit the spot.
It’s got to give us all the happy feels, and when it comes to coffee, we’re looking for that little energy buzz too!
It’s really all down to personal taste: if you like a strong coffee flavour, you’ll probably want to opt for an Iced Coffee.
If you prefer mellow and creamy coffee drinks and love your regular latte, then an Iced Latte is more likely to float your boat.
There’s the same amount of caffeine in both drinks. It’s the ratio of milk used that affects the taste.
Can I sweeten them?
Lots of us just can’t take a coffee without a little dash of brown sugar – it’s our biggest vice!
So it’s essential when we have an iced coffee that it can be sweetened. It’s best to ask for your sugar or sweetener to be added directly over the ice before the milk goes in.
That way, it won’t taste grainy.
Of course, there are lots of ways to sweeten your Iced Coffee or Iced Latte without using standard sugar. Syrups are lots of peoples go-to for flavouring iced coffee drinks, and these days you can get anything from toffee to chocolate to spiced apple.
You might just have to do some serious research to find your favourite… enjoy that research!
Iced Latte vs Iced Coffee: Making your own at home
Lots of coffee outlets like Starbucks and Costa serve a huge range of iced drinks, but instead of getting in your car and heading to your nearest branch, have you ever thought about knocking up your favourite iced drink at home?
You could treat yourself to an espresso machine for home, which takes all the hard work out of knocking up your cold brew, or you could make your very own Iced Coffee or Iced Latte from scratch!
Recipe for Iced Coffee
- 30ml/1oz of espresso gives you a single shot.
- Brew your favourite coffee. A double espresso works great.
- If you want to sweeten your drink, now is the time. Add a dash of brown sugar and melt the granules into the coffee.
- Pour your espresso over half a glass of ice and add a dash of cold milk or just a dash of filtered water if you prefer your coffee black.
Recipe for Iced Latte
- Use 30ml/1oz of espresso for a single shot, or go wild and make yours a double!
- Brew your espresso either in a machine or on the stove.
- Fill a tall glass with ice cubes and pour over your espresso.
- Add a splash of the syrup of your choice.
- Top with the milk of your choice straight from the refrigerator.
Unlike your hot latte, there is no need to steam your milk in an iced latte as you do no need the thin layer of foam to finish.
Got my Iced drink. Now what?
The only thing left for you to do is to find a quiet corner, put your feet up and enjoy your cold brew. Tastes even better when you made it yourself, don’t you think?
Learn more about all our favourite brews and get help with deciphering coffee jargon over on the Coffee Connoisseurs section of our website – happy brewing mamas!