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Learn how to make cold brew coffee with almond and brown sugar syrup to flavor and sweeten it to your liking. This coffee is smooth, boldly flavored, and will become a warm weather (or year round) staple.

A ceramic milk carton hovering above a mason jar of coffee swirled with milk after pouring some in.

Today is a good day because we're talking about one of my very favorite things on the planet - coffee. Hot, cold, blended, dark roast, light roast...you name it, I've sipped it and enjoyed it.

Every year once the weather starts to heat up I begin to look at my afternoon cup of hot coffee a little sideways. I fully appreciate (and usually require) an afternoon energy boost, but when warm sunbeams are coming through the window? Not feeling a hot beverage as much.

So what solved my problem? Cold brew coffee did, in a big way. I've been using Folgers® Coffeehouse Blend to make my cold brew, which is a Medium-Dark roast with a smooth start and a taste that's bold and distinct at the finish.

I've had a thing for Folgers® 100% Colombian for years which is also a Medium-Dark roast, so I jumped when I saw the Coffeehouse Blend new at my Publix. I love it! Its great coffee taste stands out perfectly even when adding your favorite coffee mix-ins - creamers, sweeteners, etc.

A plastic carton of Folgers Coffeehouse Blend ground coffee on a board in front of a jar of cold brew coffee.

When I first heard about cold brew, I totally admit that I didn't think it was such a big deal. I mean, sticking hot coffee in the fridge and then pouring over ice seemed to accomplish the same thing without any extra time or steps, right?

Wr-oooong.

Its taste is so much more complex and balanced, and is not bitter at all (which is one of my traditionally-made iced coffee complaints). And while it isn't instantly gratifying, it's an incredibly easy process and well worth the effort.

A side by side image collage of ground coffee in a large glass jar (left) and the jar with the water poured in to the top (right).

Cold Brew Basics

As there's no heat involved at all in this process you'll need time for the coffee to brew. The jar will sit out at room temperature for at the very least 12 hours, but I recommend somewhere in the 18-22 hour range.

You'll want to make sure you have a good straining set-up for when the brew time is up to filter out the grounds. I use a sieve and then line it with four layers of cheesecloth for good measure before pouring the cold brew through. No issues with grounds getting through at all.

Once all is said and done, you'll find yourself with about three cups of cold brew concentrate, meaning once chilled it's ready to be diluted with cold water, ice, your preferred milk or creamer, etc.

Wet coffee grounds in a cheesecloth-lined strainer set over a large glass measuring cup after the coffee has filtered through.

It took about two sips of my first glass of Folgers® Coffeehouse Blend cold brew to know that it was absolutely now a part of my afternoon routine. The Coffeehouse blend, which is perfect for French Press, Cold Brew, and Brew over Ice, has such a robust flavor that I've even enjoyed it stirred with just a splash of cold water - no ice, creamer, sweeteners - nada!

And that's from someone who only drinks black coffee when we've run out of every last drop of milk/creamer and I can't possibly muster the energy to head to the store without coffee in the first place. The flavor of this blend is incredible.

Most days though I like something fancier, like ice, milk, and/or a tiny bit of sweetness. This almond brown sugar syrup totally hits the spot and pairs with the flavor of the Coffeehouse Blend beautifully.

Granulated sweeteners have a tendency to not fully dissolve when added to cold drinks, meaning there's a less-than-ideal grittiness going on. The sugar is fully dissolved in the making of a simple syrup, so a spoonful or two (or three...) added to your cold brew stirs right in.

A glass mason jar filled with cold brew coffee, ice cubes, and a swirl of milk.

This syrup features equal parts brown sugar and water, with a little bit of almond extract stirred in once it cools. Add as much or as little to your coffee to provide your preferred amount of flavor and sweetness, all the while knowing the boldness of the Coffeehouse Blend will still shine through.

Recipe Notes

This recipe yields approximately 3 cups of cold brew concentrate, and can be diluted with cold water or your preferred milk or creamer when ready to serve.