How to make Starbucks iced coffee at home - the viral hack that fans swear is just like the real deal

If you are struggling in this heat and want a cooler caffeine boost, making iced coffee at home is the perfect solution - and there is a TikTok hack to help you out.

In the first lockdown, the internet went crazy with the 'dalgona coffee' which was also known as the 'whipped iced coffee'. But while this drink was tasty, fans realized that this coffee trend was a little bit time-consuming and not quite as delicious as their classic Starbucks order.

However, there have been a number of TikTokers who share a love of Starbucks and a keen interest in saving a bit of cash. One TikToker shared her favorite recipe and showed fans how she makes her favorite Starbucks order at home. The video showed Jessica drizzling caramel down the sides of glass, filling the cup with ice, and then pouring in a pre-made cold brew. She then topped up the cup with creamer, gave it a stir, and then added some sweet cream cold foam on the top made from heavy cream and vanilla syrup. 

@jessicafayyy

starbucks at homw

♬ original sound - jessica fay

This recipe looked fantastic, but the price to make this elaborate iced coffee is probably only just a bit cheaper than if you were to buy the drink in Starbucks. Other TikTokers have also shared their ideas on the social media app, and some are a little bit cheaper and can be made from ingredients that you probably already have at home. 

A TikToker named Nikki shared her helpful video where she added ice into a cup with a caramel sauce drizzled down the side of the cup. She then mixed instant coffee with sweetener (or sugar) in a separate cup with milk. This mixture was then added to the ice cup and topped up with milk. She added that she could have added whipped cream and more caramel drizzle to the top of the drink, but she didn't fancy it.

@nikkissecretxx

♬ original sound - NikkisSecretx

Making the iced coffee at home

I decided to give this hack a go and try and make this Starbucks iced coffee at home. Using the second recipe I only needed to buy some caramel drizzle and I was good to go. 

It was actually delicious and super affordable - not to mention very aesthetically pleasing - but there were definitely a few tweaks that I would make so that it's a bit less sweet and doesn't get so watery with all the ice.

My advice is to mix instant coffee with hot water instead of milk, as the granules didn't dissolve properly in just cold milk. I'd also say any sweetener or sugar in the coffee mix isn't necessary as you will get globs of caramel every now and then when you're drinking the coffee, which in my opinion, is sweet enough. 

In this heat, the ice cubes melted pretty quickly, so another hack for this coffee is to make coffee ice cubes. This just requires instant coffee mixed with a bit of boiled water until dissolved, then added to more water and fill up an ice cube tray.