Expensive Taste, Efficient Cost: Coffee Edition

If you are reading this article, I think we can agree that coffee is a daily essential, and quite an expensive one, especially for college students that cannot afford $5 drinks every day. Well, I spent all winter break recreating hot and iced coffee drinks so I could make them at home all semester long. So far, I have been able to save $50 by making coffee at home or at work, rather than purchasing it. I would have saved a lot more, but there were days I simply did not have time and bought my coffee on the go. So, without further due, these are the recipes I came up with. Do not be afraid to adjust them to best fit your taste! 

Important note before starting: as most of us have automatic coffee machines/Keurigs, we will never obtain the same taste as coffee shop coffee because they are using espresso machines. This means that the coffee is more concentrated and fresh at the time of consumption, rather than coffee that has been ground for days and possibly longer. 

Iced Coffee

This is the simplest recipe in the article. As per the name, for this recipe, you will need a cup of brewed coffee and ice to your preference. If you are like me and need milk and flavoring syrup  in your drink, place ingredients in the cup in the following order for best results:

1. 7-14 ml of chosen syrup

2. Ice

3. 30-60 ml of milk 

4. 30-60 ml of coffee (1-2 espresso shots)

Cold Brew Coffee    

Cold Brew coffee will yield basically the same recipe as iced coffee with the simple difference of there being no ice. This is because cold brew coffee is coffee that is brewed and left to chill in the fridge for an estimated 24 hours. Because the coffee will be cold, it takes away the necessity for ice and avoids your drink being watered down. 

Once you have your cold brew coffee, you can follow the same steps of the iced coffee above to create your drink.

Iced Caramel Macchiato

The ultra-famous iced caramel macchiato is another variation of iced coffee with varying measurements. This is what I believed was closest to coffee shop-bought caramel macchiatos:

1. 14 ml of caramel syrup

2. Fill half of the cup with ice

3. Drizzle caramel sauce around the inside of the cup

4. 180 ml of milk 

5. 60 ml of strong brewed coffee

Caramel Brulee Latte

This is my ultimate favorite drink. I have always wished it would be sold year-round and I made that dream come true! This drink does require a few more ingredients and patience, but I promise it is not that hard once you get the hang of it. 

    You will need: strongly brewed coffee, milk, caramel sauce and vanilla syrup, as follows:

1. Pour 30 ml of strongly brewed coffee and a cup of milk into a saucepan

2. Place the saucepan on high heat and whisk till froth is visible 

3. Remove pan from heat and stir in 2 tablespoons of caramel sauce + 1 tablespoon of vanilla syrup

4. Pour drink into mug and top with whipped cream and more caramel sauce if desired

Now that you have these easy to follow recipes, you will never miss your daily dose of coffee in an eco-friendly and cost-effective way!

—

Edited by Cheyenne Oakes 

• coffee
• college hack
• hot coffee
• iced coffee
• money saving tips