Summer Trends in Iced Coffee 2025 | Greenwell Farms Blog

Summer Trends In Iced Coffee - 2025

Summer iced coffee is back.

Every summer for about 6 years now, I have scoured the internet looking for the latest trends in Iced Coffee, hoping to share with you the best of the best to make your summer just a little better. If you are looking for that magical formula that cools the core and awakens the mind, welcome to the land of cold coffee drinks.

In 2025, the iced coffee scene is buzzing with a mix of classic favorites and innovative new drinks. Popular trends include flavored cold brews, functional cold brews with added health benefits, and creative combinations like pistachio and chocolate or lavender and honey.
Complexity of taste, excitement from the visual color of the drink, and elegant drink names that elicit a deep desire to consume it are all a part of the modern lineup. So, let’s jump right in!

Flavored Cold Brews

Cold brews are here to stay, and for the younger generation, they are required at social gatherings. Where mom used to break out the lemonade as the teens lounged around the pool, now they are offering flavored cold brews for their sophisticated teenagers.
If you have a teen who likes to make things, cold brews are fairly easy to set up and something they can make in advance and share with their friends.

Basic Cold Brew Recipe:

a) 1 Cup of coarse-ground Coffee (We like our perfect iced coffee for this)
b) 4 Cups of Cold water
c) Place both in a pitcher (lightly stir so that everything is mixed) and then put in the refrigerator overnight, covered.
d) The next morning, pour cold brew through a rinsed paper filter into a large Mason Jar
and it is ready to use.

Note: This recipe is considered a cold brew extract, meaning that you’ll want to dilute it.

Drink #1 – The Cinnamon Brown Sugar Cold Brew Latte

To make this drink, add one Tablespoon of brown sugar to the pitcher of water and dissolve it into the water by stirring vigorously. Then add a whole cinnamon stick and the coffee.

When you strain the coffee on the next day, remove and rinse the cinnamon stick, but add it back to the mason jar.

Put one cup (6 ounces) of cold milk in a large mug, and using a milk-frother, froth until 50% is foam.

Pour the liquid milk (at the bottom) into a glass mug, and add a half cup of the cold brew.

Then spoon the foam onto the top and sprinkle with a dash of cinnamon.

This is served cold with no ice.

This is Nutty

Nutty flavors are all the rage now, and almond, toasted walnuts, and hazelnut-inspired drinks are everywhere. Although it is a lot of work, the best one I came across has a gorgeous pale green color, some really subtle complexity, and is surprisingly refreshing. We call it:

Drink #2 – The Iced Pistachio Chocolate Latte

You will need Pistachio Cream (I like Peppertux Turkish Pistachio Cream but any will work)

Brew a double shot of espresso and set aside. (We love GFI dark roast for this.)

Mix 2 large tablespoons of pistachio cream with 6 ounces of milk and whip together until well blended.

In a separate mug, froth 2 tablespoons of milk and a squirt of chocolate syrup. You are looking for light brown foam.

In a glass mug, put the drink together by pouring the pistachio milk over ice, gently add the espresso, top with chocolate foam, dust with cacao powder, and if you have some, top with a tiny bit of finely crushed pistachio nuts.

Tropical is Topical

Anything you can do during the summer months to salute the tropics is always a well-received nod to the warmer latitudes and changes in attitude. Mango, coconut, lychee, banana, dragon fruit, guava, and passion fruit are all flavors that sing of summer paradise and turquoise waters.

Enter the drink that says it all:

Drink #3 – The Iced Vanilla Coconut Cold Brew with Ube Crumbles

Using the basic cold brew recipe above, pour 6 ounces of cold brew over ice. Add a teaspoon of vanilla extract and stir well. On top, add ¼ cup of coconut cream (frothed or not).

Using Ube crinkle cookies, finely dust the top of the coconut cream with cookie crumbles.

Classic Makes a Comeback

Many in the cult of coffee talk about classic flavors that are seeing a resurgence. If it is new to you, it is new and youngsters all over the world are discovering taste combinations that have been around but may have been pushed to the back for a while. This one is throwback to a 1970s French chocolatier and it is really good, and we call it:

Drink # 4 – The Iced Salted Butter Caramel Mocha

You will need Ghirardelli Milk Chocolate Sea Salt Caramel Squares. (With the gooey centers)

Brew a shot of espresso and, while hot, put it in a glass with two squares of Ghirardelli Milk Chocolate Sea Salt Caramel and a teaspoon of salted butter.

I recommend you soften the butter and chocolate in the microwave for 20 seconds before adding the espresso.

Mix well until mostly dissolved.

And another pinch of course sea salt, and mix again.

Fill a clear glass with ice and add milk to three-quarters full. Gently pour the espresso mix on top. Stir well and enjoy!

Culture is the Ticket

Summer, for many, means travel, seeing new things, trying new experiences, and for those who can’t get away, a vicarious journey of the mind through a tantalizing iced coffee drink may be the ticket to refreshment of the body, heart, and soul.

To dream sometimes is the only way to go places you can’t get to any other way.
-Larry John McNally

From Dalgonas (so pandemic days) to Vietnamese Egg coffee (Tik Tok Phenom) to Churro Lattes (Last summer) there are endless ways to journey in the mug, but today we will share with you a coffee twist on bubble tea.

Drink # 5 – The Iced Maple Tapioca Cold Brew

You’ll need about 30 grams of tapioca pearls (Boiled and chilled)
Make Cold brew from the recipe above.

Fill a clear glass with ice, add ¾ of the glass with cold brew and 2 tablespoons of real maple syrup. Stir.

Add tapioca pearls to the top and pour milk on top (Choose your favorite milk type)

As a variation, some people like to mix one tablespoon of maple with the coffee and drizzle the other over the pearls.

There you have it, a summer’s worth of kitchen adventures in iced coffee that will keep you refreshed, well chilled and at the top of your game. Enjoy!