Summer is right around the corner! If you want to experience some relaxing café vibes to cool you down while still staying at home, then these recipes are for you. Get your ice cubes ready, and beat the heat with these simple café-style drink ideas you can make at home.
For most of these recipes, I’ve used almond milk and soy milk since they’re what I have, but whole milk and non-fat milk will work as well. It’s all about choices!
All the drinks consist of ingredients that you can easily find at home, making them simple and less intimidating.
- Iced Café Latte
A true classic, the typical latte is commonly made with a shot (or two!) of espresso and some steamed milk. Don’t have all the fancy coffee equipment at home? No worries, here’s a good alternative for people who don’t have espresso machines nearby.
Ingredients:
- (1/4 cup) – Brewed Coffee
- (1/2 cup) – Almond Milk, chilled
- (1 pinch) – Cinnamon Powder
- (1/2 tsp) – Vanilla Extract
- (1 tbsp) – Sugar
- (5-7 cubes) – Ice
Procedure:
- Pour the brewed coffee on a glass while it’s still warm.
- Melt the sugar, cinnamon powder, and vanilla extract into the warm brewed coffee.
- Add half of the ice cubes and mix lightly.
- Pour in the cold almond milk (or other milk of choice) on the glass.
- Add the rest of the ice cubes, mix, and enjoy!
- Banana Cinnamon Smoothie
A fruit smoothie is ALWAYS a staple when summer drinks are involved. Nothing says summer more than the bright sunshine and the refreshing first sip of a fruity blended drink. I chose bananas for this one, but substituting them with apples might be good, too!
Ingredients:
- (3 pcs) – Banana, medium size
- (1 pinch) – Cinnamon Powder
- (1/4 tsp) – Vanilla Extract
- (3/4 cup) – Almond Milk, chilled
- (3 tbsp) – Sugar
- (10-15 cubes, adjust as needed) – Ice
Procedure:
- Slice the medium-sized bananas and leave out a few for decoration.
- Put the ice on the blender, and add a tiny bit of water.
- Add the sliced bananas, sugar, vanilla extract, and cinnamon powder.
- Pour in the almond milk, and start blending until thickened.
- Serve the drink in a glass, put three banana slices on top, and enjoy!
- Dark Mocha Frappuccino
For those of you with a sweet tooth, I suggest making this super easy Dark Mocha Frappuccino. The great thing about this recipe is that you can adjust it according to your preferences. What’s also cool is that most of these ingredients are ones you can easily find around your kitchen!
If you’d like the coffee to be a bit stronger, you can reduce the cocoa powder and sugar. If you prefer whole milk over almond milk, you can also swap it out! The possibilities are endless.
Ingredients:
- (1/4 cup) – Brewed Coffee, chilled
- (1 tbsp) – Cocoa Powder
- (1 tbsp) – All-Purpose Cream
- (1/4 cup) – Almond Milk, chilled
- (2 tbsp) – Sugar
- (1 pinch) – Salt
- (15 to 20 cubes, adjust as needed) – Ice
- (For decoration) – Chocolate Syrup
Procedure:
- Put the ice on the blender, and pour in the chilled brewed coffee and almond milk.
- Add the all-purpose cream, cocoa powder, sugar, and salt into the mix.
- Lightly blitz them in the blender until the texture has thickened.
- For decoration, slide some chocolate syrup around all sides of the glass (from the inside) before pouring the drink.
- As a final touch, add a little bit of chocolate syrup on top and sprinkle a small pinch of cocoa powder before enjoying!
There are tons of other ways to customize these recipes, especially if you prefer fruits with better availability in your location. There’s no better way to cool down on a scorching hot day than with a good beverage, especially during the summer. I do hope you’ll give these easy recipes a try and stay hydrated!
