Brown Sugar Sweetened Cold Brew Coffee

By AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-05-23 · Updated 2026-05-23

Smooth and mellow cold brew coffee sweetened naturally with brown sugar to balance bitterness and enhance flavor. This recipe, ready in about 970 minutes, combines coarsely ground coffee beans, cold filtered water, brown sugar into a breakfast that fuels the morning without the midday crash — make-ahead-friendly and balanced enough to anchor the first meal of the day. Each serving lands at about 30 calories and feeds 4, so it sits comfortably in a weekly breakfast rotation alongside fruit, yogurt, or coffee. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Ingredients

• 1 cup coarsely ground coffee beans
• 4 cups cold filtered water
• 2 tbsp brown sugar
• as needed ice cubes
• 1/4 cup milk or cream (optional)

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Instructions

1. Step 1: In a large jar or pitcher, combine 1 cup coarsely ground coffee beans with 4 cups cold filtered water. Stir gently to ensure all grounds are saturated.
2. Step 2: Cover the jar tightly and steep the coffee mixture at room temperature for 12 to 16 hours to extract a smooth flavor.
3. Step 3: After steeping, strain the coffee through a fine mesh sieve lined with a coffee filter or cheesecloth into another container to remove grounds.
4. Step 4: Stir in 2 tablespoons brown sugar while the coffee is still cool, mixing until completely dissolved to cut the coffee's natural bitterness.
5. Step 5: Fill a glass with ice cubes and pour the sweetened cold brew over the ice. Add 1/4 cup milk or cream if desired for a richer taste.
6. Step 6: Serve immediately and enjoy a balanced, less bitter cold brew coffee.