Iced Cafe Au Lait

Cafe au lait literally means "coffee with milk," and the iced version is nothing more than cold brewed coffee blended with milk and crushed ice until frothy. Simple doesn’t mean boring when the ratio is right.

The near-equal split of 2 ¼ cups coffee to 2 cups milk gives this a creamy, balanced flavor that’s less intense than black iced coffee but stronger than a latte. Blending (rather than just stirring) incorporates air and creates a light, frothy top layer that makes it feel more like a cafe drink than something you poured from a pitcher.

Sugar is optional and added to taste during blending. The blender dissolves it completely so there’s no gritty sugar settling at the bottom of the glass.

Pour over crushed ice and serve right away.

Kitchen Tips

• Brew the coffee ahead of time and chill it completely. Hot coffee melts the ice instantly and dilutes the drink
• Use a bold, dark roast coffee. The milk softens the flavor, so a weak brew will taste watered down
• Crushed ice blends smoother than cubes and creates a colder, slushier drink
• If you skip the sugar, the coffee’s natural bitterness comes through more. A tablespoon of simple syrup dissolves faster than granulated sugar if you prefer

Variations

• Use oat milk or almond milk for a dairy-free version
• Add a splash of vanilla extract for a vanilla iced cafe au lait
• Blend in a scoop of chocolate ice cream for a frozen mocha treat