Mint Chocolate Cold Brew: Easy 10-Minute Iced Coffee

It was two in the afternoon on a Tuesday, I was staring blankly at my laptop screen, and my brain had officially logged off for the day. Caffeine and a brownie both sounded necessary at the same time, which felt like a dangerous crossroads for a weekday afternoon. Instead of driving to a drive-thru and paying seven dollars for a cup of ice, I raided my fridge to make this mint chocolate cold brew.

The first attempt spilled across my counter after I shook the jar without a tight lid, but the second attempt turned out to be absolute heaven. This drink delivers a real coffee kick with a dessert vibe, saving money and the shame of ordering something with fourteen adjectives in the name. Here is exactly how I do it.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Zero barista skills required. Stirring liquids in a glass fully qualifies anyone to make this drink.
• Saves you money. This drink delivers the fancy coffee shop experience without the fancy coffee shop price tag.
• Ready in minutes. This recipe takes less time to make than finding your car keys.
• Totally customizable. Controlling the sweetness, the milk, and the amount of chocolate lets you adjust the drink to your mood.

Tools You’ll Need

Nothing fancy, I promise.

• Small pitcher or mixing glass. An old mason jar or an oversized mug substitutes fine if a dedicated pitcher is not on hand.
• measuring spoons . To keep you from accidentally pouring half a bottle of mint syrup into your cup.
• Clear serving glass. A clear glass shows off the layered chocolate, coffee, and milk for a more polished presentation.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup cold brew coffee, chilled – You can use store-bought or make your own cold brew coffee at home.
• 1/4 cup milk or half-and-half, chilled – Use whatever milk you have in the fridge; oat milk is surprisingly great here.
• 1 tablespoon chocolate syrup – The regular stuff you put on ice cream is exactly what you need.
• 1/2 tablespoon mint simple syrup – Do not confuse this with pure peppermint extract unless you want your coffee to taste like mouthwash.
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract – Rounds out the flavors so it tastes like a real dessert.
• 1/2 cup ice cubes – Crucial for keeping everything freezing cold.
• 1 tablespoon whipped cream – Because we are adults and we can have whipped cream on a Tuesday.
• 1/2 tablespoon shaved chocolate – Makes it look fancy, hides any weird bubbles on top.
• 1 fresh mint leaf – Purely for aesthetics, skip it if your herb garden is currently dead.

Instructions

Do not overthink this, we are just mixing delicious liquids together in a cup.

1. Mix the coffee base: Add the chilled cold brew coffee and chocolate syrup to a small pitcher. Stir vigorously until the chocolate syrup is fully blended into the coffee – if you skip the stirring, you will just suck up a giant clump of chocolate syrup through your straw later, which honestly isn’t the worst fate, but let’s aim for a smooth drink.
2. Add the mint flavor: Pour the mint simple syrup and vanilla extract into the chocolate cold brew mixture. Stir until smooth. A slightly imperfect mix is totally fine, it will all blend eventually.
3. Fill the glass with ice: Add the ice cubes to a clear serving glass. Do not skimp on the ice, room temperature coffee is a tragedy.
4. Pour in the cold brew mixture: Pour the mint chocolate cold brew mixture over the ice cubes.
5. Add the milk: Slowly pour the chilled milk or half-and-half into the glass. Leave it layered if you want to take a photo for the internet, or gently stir it if you actually want to drink it.
6. Finish and serve: Top the drink with whipped cream, shaved chocolate, and a fresh mint leaf. Serve immediately before the whipped cream decides to melt and abandon ship.

Make it yours

• Cookie crumble topping. You crush a few chocolate cookies over the whipped cream for extra crunch and a stronger cookies-and-cream flavor.
• Espresso boost. You swap half the cold brew for a shot of chilled espresso for a stronger caffeine kick underneath the mint chocolate flavor.
• Coconut milk swap. You use chilled coconut milk in place of dairy milk for a dairy-free version with a slightly tropical edge.

Perfect Pairings

This mint chocolate cold brew suits two specific pairings particularly well.

• A warm chocolate chip cookie echoes the same chocolate flavor already running through the coffee.
• A slice of banana bread makes a heartier pairing for anyone treating this drink as a makeshift breakfast.

Mint Chocolate Cold Brew

This mint chocolate cold brew proves that a genuinely dessert-style summer recipe requires nothing beyond chocolate syrup, mint simple syrup, and a strong batch of coffee underneath. You follow the full stir before ice, the light hand with mint flavoring, and the last-minute whipped cream topping, and this drink rivals anything sold at a seven-dollar coffee counter. Whether you drink it plain or dress it up with crushed cookies on top, this recipe turns a slow Tuesday afternoon into an excuse for a proper coffee treat.

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Total Time 10 minutes mins

Servings: 1

Course: Drinks

Cuisine: American

Calories: 150

Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• 1/2 cup cold brew coffee chilled
• 1/4 cup milk or half-and-half chilled
• 1 tablespoon chocolate syrup
• 1/2 tablespoon mint simple syrup
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup ice cubes
• 1 tablespoon whipped cream
• 1/2 tablespoon shaved chocolate
• 1 fresh mint leaf

Equipment

• Small pitcher or mixing glass
• Measuring spoons
• Clear serving glass

Method

 

1. Mix the coffee base

   You add the chilled cold brew coffee and chocolate syrup to a small pitcher and stir vigorously until the syrup fully blends into the coffee.
2. Add the mint flavor

   You pour the mint simple syrup and vanilla extract into the chocolate coffee mixture and stir until smooth.
3. Fill the glass with ice

   You add the ice cubes to a clear serving glass, filling it generously to keep the drink cold.
4. Pour in the cold brew mixture

   You pour the mint chocolate coffee mixture over the ice cubes.
5. Add the milk

   You pour the chilled milk or half-and-half slowly into the glass, leaving it layered for a photo or stirring it gently to drink right away.
6. Finish and serve

   You top the drink with whipped cream, shaved chocolate, and a fresh mint leaf, serving it immediately before the whipped cream melts.

Recipe Notes

• Coffee: I use chilled cold brew, store-bought or homemade.
• Syrup: I use mint simple syrup, never straight peppermint extract, to avoid an overwhelming flavor.
• Chocolate: I stir the syrup in fully before adding ice to avoid clumping.
• Milk: I use whatever milk is on hand, including oat milk.
• Toppings: I add whipped cream only right before drinking.