One of the things we love about summer is ice-cold espresso drinks. Having an espresso machine at home unlocks a nearly endless menu of drinks you can make just by adding a little bit of ice and creativity. We put together a short list of 3 easy-to-make iced espresso drinks that are the perfect companion to a hot summer day.

Iced Latte

Espresso with milk in a glass on a cork coaster, displayed on a wooden table in a modern living room setting

This incredibly simple & delicious drink is a staple, and is easy to whip up on the fly—bonus points for variations like adding vanilla syrup or chocolate (iced mocha). For this iced latte, we used Counter Culture’s Hologram Blend at a 1:2 brew ratio (18g in: 36g out) on a programmed GS3 AV.

The Recipe: 

1. Pour 3-4 oz. of your preferred milk into a cup (be sure to leave enough room for espresso and ice)

Pouring espresso into a glass on a reflective surface

2. Pull a shot of espresso directly over the milk

Pouring espresso into a glass of milk for an iced latte with a La Marzocco espresso machine

3. Give it a quick stir

Home barista stirring an iced latte with a metal straw

4. Add Ice

Hand stirring an iced latte with a copper spoon and cinnamon stick on a dark surface

Quick note: you’ll want to be sure to add enough ice to cool everything down, so be sure to leave enough room in your glass for a substantial amount of ice—otherwise you’ll spill like we did here. 

Caramel Shakerato

Person holding a cappuccino at an outdoor patio table with fresh flowers and a red chair in the background

The Caramel Shakerato is a variation on the Iced Latte, but packs a delicious caramelized punch. For this recipe, we used a homemade caramel sauce, milk, espresso, ice, and a Cobbler Shaker. Using a shaker adds a nice light & airy texture to the drink.

The Recipe

1. Dose 40g caramel into a cup

Pouring espresso into white cup on La Marzocco espresso machine

2. Pull a shot of espresso over the caramel

Pulling a shot of espresso on a La Marzocco espresso machine, close-up view of portafilter and group head

3. Mix caramel and espresso

Person pouring milk into a white cup with a stainless steel milk pitcher for espresso

4. Pour mixture into Shaker, add milk & ice

Person pouring milk into a copper milk pitcher for espresso preparation

5. Shake your heart out

Person holding a copper-colored La Marzocco cocktail shaker in a home kitchen setting

6. Pour over ice

Person pouring espresso into a glass over ice from a copper-colored pitcher

7. Enjoy!

For a non-dairy alternative, use Almond Milk and this Almondmilk Caramel Sauce Recipe.

Affogato

Affogato with espresso and ice cream in a glass on a cork coaster

Italian for “drowned,” the affogato traditionally combines espresso with gelato to create a sweet & creamy dessert that’s easy to make. For this iteration, we used Salt & Straw’s Toasted White Chocolate ice cream, which we’ve been featuring at La Marzocco Cafe throughout the month of August.

The Recipe:

1. Scoop 1-2 scoops of your preferred ice cream or gelato into a small rocks-sized glass (about 4 oz.).

Espresso shot pouring into a glass of vanilla gelato for affogato

2. Pull a shot of espresso directly over the ice cream.

Espresso pouring into a glass of vanilla gelato for affogato preparation

3. Serve & Enjoy

Espresso affogato with vanilla gelato in a glass on a wooden surface

Quick Note: You’ll probably find yourself playing around with the espresso to ice cream ratio a bit. There’s no wrong way to do it—kind of like how a root beer float tastes good no matter what.

☕️

To learn more about brew ratios and home espresso, be sure to check out our free online class series with Chefsteps.