Lavender iced coffee with vanilla and almond milk
Floral lavender, smooth vanilla, and creamy almond milk meet crisp iced coffee for a café moment at home. It is refreshing, elegant, and easy to customize to be sugar free.
Servings: 1
Ingredients
- 1 cup brewed coffee cold or iced
- 1 to 2 tablespoons sugar free lavender syrup adjust to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk or any milk you like
- Ice cubes
Optional toppings
- Whipped cream coconut or regular
- Pinch of dried culinary lavender for garnish
Instructions
- Brew the coffee. Make it in a French press or use any brewed coffee you have on hand.
- Chill the coffee. Set a metal bowl in an ice bath, pour in the hot coffee, stir 1 to 2 minutes, then refrigerate. Faster chilling means less watery drinks.
Build the drink
- Fill a tall glass all the way with ice.
- Add 1 tablespoon lavender syrup and the vanilla, then pour in the cold coffee. Stir 10 to 15 times so the syrup does not sit at the bottom.
- Taste and tune, add syrup by the teaspoon until it is just right. A tiny pinch of salt (a few grains) softens bitterness if needed.
- Pour in the almond milk for a creamy finish. Barista style almond or oat milk gives the fullest texture.
- For a layered look, add milk first, then pour coffee down the back of a spoon. Or pour coffee first and float the milk for an ombré effect.
Finish and serve
- Top with whipped cream if you like.
- For garnish, lightly crush 6 to 8 culinary lavender buds between your fingers, then sprinkle through a small sieve so woody bits stay out. Less is more here.
- Slide in a reusable straw, give a final stir after a couple minutes as the ice relaxes.
Notes
Quick sugar free lavender syrup
Perfect if you do not have a bottle on hand.
- Heat 1 cup water with 1 cup allulose or erythritol, stir until dissolved.
- Remove from heat. Stir in 1 to 1.5 teaspoons culinary lavender buds. Steep 10 to 15 minutes.
- Strain very well. Stir in 1 teaspoon lemon juice to brighten. Chill. Keeps 2 weeks in the fridge.
- Brew up to 3 days ahead. Store in a sealed jar in the fridge.
- Lavender syrup keeps 2 weeks chilled. You can also freeze extra syrup in an ice cube tray for easy portions.
- For a coffee bar, set out iced coffee, milk choices, syrup in a small bottle, a pinch bowl of lavender, and a note to start with 1 tablespoon syrup.
- Too bitter? Grind coffee beans coarser, steep a touch shorter, use slightly cooler water, and always decant right after pressing.
- Too weak or watery? Brew stronger coffee, fill the glass fully with ice before pouring, and add a few coffee ice cubes.
- Too floral? Reduce the syrup amount, skip the dried bud garnish, or add 1 to 2 teaspoons more vanilla and a splash of milk.
- Separates quickly? Stir longer at the start or top with cold foam which blends slowly.