Name: Lebanese Iced Coffee Recipe
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 5 min
Total time: 10 min
Yield: 1
Cuisine: Lebanese
Ingredients: Note: Feel free to add as much ice, milk, and sweetener as you’d like! Below is a good start if you are unsure :); 1 cup of ice; 140 ml water (slightly under 2/3 cup); ⅓ cup cold milk of choice (e.g. oat milk); 5 g (2.5 tsp) finely ground Lebanese coffee (optional but recommended: made with cardamom); 1 tsp sweetener of choice (e.g. maple syrup)

If you’re looking for a refreshing pick-me-up that’s as flavorful as it is energizing, this Lebanese iced coffee is a must-try. Infused with aromatic cardamom and poured over ice with milk and a touch of sweetness, it’s creamy, cooling, and absolutely delicious—like a Lebs summer in a glass.

One thing that knocked my socks off when I first had Lebanese coffee is that it can be flavored with cardamom. It. Is. SO. GOOD. It makes the coffee so flavorful, unique, and delicious.

I don’t have air conditioning in my house so in the hot Ontario summers I’m not super tempted to have a hot drink. I used to chug Tim Hortons iced coffees all the time but as I’ve become more health conscious I’ve noticed the boatloads of sugar in them and a vaguely chemically taste to the coffee concentrate (only sciencey language here folks 🔬).

pouring rakweh to make lebanese iced coffee

So I put together a unique iced coffee recipe using Lebanese cardamom infused coffee grounds. It’s now in my regular rotation of iced drinks in the summer.

Just like ‘normal’ Lebanese coffee, it is still flavorful, delicious, and packs a punch of energy with its fine grounds -only now it is accompanied by the cooling and creamy effects of ice and milk. 🙂

In this Lebs-inspired iced coffee recipe, a little maple syrup can go a long way, especially when the cardamom spice is there to compliment the strong coffee taste.

And let me tell you about the super fine coffee grounds. I am in love with having the grounds suspended in the drink. It adds a rich bodiness to the whole drink (I know it sounds coo-coo but hear me out below).

What is Lebanese Iced Coffee?

Lebanese Iced Coffee is traditional Lebanese coffee served in a non traditional way – over ice, with a sweetener and milk.

Traditionally, the finely ground coffee is mixed with water and boiled in a rakweh coffee pot. This mix is then served immediately in small espresso sized cups and sipped slowly to not only savor, but to keep the grounds settled to the bottom of the cup.

Once the coffee is sipped away, the grounds at the bottom of the cup can be read to tell your future 🔮 … according to my Lebanese mother-in-law and hubby.

The iced version still carries the coffee’s strong richness and (literally) its fine grounds. What differs is:

It makes a nice cooling drink during hot weather,
It is a lot easier to drink faster, the combination of milk and fine grounds creates a beautiful delicious texture,
When you add all the coffee grounds over ice, the caffeine buzz is bananas (if that’s something you’re into like me… once in a blue moon or a day wherever I need all the energy I can get)

Ingredients

Water
Finely ground Lebanese Coffee: 100% Brazilian Arabica with or without Cardamom spice
Sweetener of choice, such as maple syrup (syrup will dissolve easier in cold liquid than granulated sugar)
Milk of choice, such as milk or oat milk
Ice

You’ll also need a small cooking pot (unless you have rakweh handy!).

Type of coffee to use

The Lebanese coffee I have come across where I live are finely ground 100% Brazilian Arabica coffee beans.

There are generally 2 varieties it comes in: plain or cardamom-spiced.

I recommend using the cardamom infusion, as it adds a beautifully tasty depth and body to the coffee. It is one of the things that makes Lebanese coffee, well, Lebanese.

If you’re not able to get Lebanese coffee easily, you can use any medium or dark blend of coffee you’d like. Add a pinch of ground cardamom per cup to get a little bit closer to the real thing.

Ensure that the coffee is finely ground. You want it as smooth as possible so it is easy to drink.

How to Make Lebanese Iced Coffee

Mix water & coffee over medium heat in small cooking pot, stir constantly.
Once boiling, remove from heat. Allow grounds to settle and cool to room temperature.
Assemble drink with ice, sweetener, coffee, and milk.
Enjoy!

Tips for Delicious Lebs Iced Coffee

For a super strong taste and highly caffeinated moment, stir the coffee grounds so they ‘re-suspend’ in the liquid prior to pouring into your drinking cup. Like I said before, it may sound coo-coo, but the additional texture and taste is so deliciously unique and satisfying.
To consume immediately after brewing, use a thermal shock-resistant cup such as a stainless steel rambler, ceramic mug or borosilicate glass mug. Make sure to also have cold milk ready to go and it add it right after the coffee is poured over ice.
Use a rakweh if possible. Traditional Lebanese coffee utilizes a small cooking pot with a long handle and pour spout called a rakweh. It makes pouring less messy and easier to eyeball how much coffee to make. But you can also use any small cooking pot to make Lebanese coffee.