How to Make Iced Coffee: German Eiskaffee – Delicious and Easy

by: Gerhild Fulson  / Oma Gerhild shares easy, authentic German recipes you can trust, rooted in family tradition and featured in her cookbooks.

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Iced Coffee, German-style! Made with coffee AND ice cream! Can you taste the deliciousness already?

Learn how to make iced coffee, aka Eiskaffee, the kind that they serve in Germany. It's not just iced coffee, meaning coffee served over ice cubes, like is served in other countries, such as in the United States. 

It's one of the best quick easy dessert recipes that's very traditional in Germany. Why is this one of the best? Because it combines both coffee and ice cream. And, it's so very simple to make. Yummy! 

Yes, this is really a dessert. It's not just a cold drink. It's coffee, the best coffee you can get, served with ice cream, the best ice cream you can get, and whipped cream, that freshly whipped kind, the best. All together. In one drink. In one scoop-able drink. The BEST!

Best too, because it's so easy to make. Easy because you just brew some extra coffee in the morning. Put it in the fridge and finish it off just before you need it in the evening.

This works best with a really good, strong coffee. If you can find a German brand of coffee, that would be ideal!

German Iced Coffee variations

For something a bit different and unique, brew up some flavored coffee. Hazelnut Cream, Amaretto, Chocolate Mint, and Double Vanilla Cinnamon would make a scrumptious dessert.

For something a bit different and unique you can change the ice cream as well. Instead of vanilla, try chocolate.

Even changing from a regular vanilla to a "double vanilla" will make a difference in the final drink. Do use the best ice cream you can find. 

Your iced coffee can also be served "all dressed up". Instead of just finishing it with whipped cream, add something on top of the whipped cream to match the ingredients.

• Put a chocolate wafer if there's chocolate in the coffee or ice cream.
• If you used Hazelnut Cream coffee, add a hazelnut or a hazelnut chocolate on top.
• If you used Chocolate Mint coffee, add some mint leaves on top of the whipped cream.

Be adventuresome. Get creative!

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Eiskaffee (German Iced Coffee) versus Affogato (Italian Iced Espresso)

Italy has a very similar drink to Eiskaffee, only it's a hot version. Instead of cold coffee, Italians use hot espresso and pour it over vanilla gelato. Called "Affogato Al Caffe", since Affogato means drowned or poached, this describes the gelato (or ice cream) that is drowned in the hot espresso (or very strong coffee), creating a thick foamy top as the gelato melts. Only a shot of hot espresso is needed so that one doesn't melt everything at once, creating a 'coffee soup'!

The German Eiskaffee uses cold strong coffee over the ice cream. Very similar, yet so different from the Italian version. The German one is perfect for those hot summer days. With the whipped cream on top, this is so decadent and SO German.

Eiskaffee mit schuss

Simply translated as "Coffee with a Shot", Eiskaffee mit Schuss is usually made by adding 1 to 2 tablespoons of cognac to the coffee in each cup. I suppose one could call it a "Spiked Coffee" :)

Eiskaffee in Germany

You can imagine my surprise when I had my very first Eiskaffee in Germany on my first trip back to Germany after immigrating to Canada 50 years earlier. 

I was expecting that just cold coffee over ice cubes that I had when I visited the states. Really nothing exciting. So, when my hostess suggested that Eiskaffee would be a treat on that hot summer day, I wasn't really sure.

I'm glad I took her suggestion, though!

A glass of iced coffee with whipped cream, vanilla ice cream, and coffee, German-style

I certainly didn't expect the above! With that whipped cream (there's just something about whipped cream in Germany), it was such a delightfully satisfying drink. One I've had many times since then.

I'm glad that it's so easy to make at home. It always brings back such lovely memories of our times in Germany.

Oma's tip:

You can also use instant coffee to make this, if that's all you have. 

But ... really ...  fresh-brewed is best!

Ready to make some Iced Coffee

Print Recipe

How to Make Iced Coffee: German Eiskaffee – Delicious and Easy

Eiskaffee, the kind of iced coffee that they serve in Germany, is not just iced coffee, meaning coffee served over ice cubes.

This is dessert because it combines both coffee, ice cream, and whipped cream. Try different flavors of coffee and ice cream. You can even add some cognac!

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time none

Total Time 5 minutes

Servings:

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients:

• 1 cup (240 milliliters) heavy cream
• 1 teaspoon (4 grams) granulated sugar
• 8 small scoops vanilla ice cream
• 3–4 cups (720–960 milliliters) cold strong coffee
• chocolate shavings or sprinkles, to garnish
• 4 rolled waffle cookies, to garnish (optional)

Instructions:

1. Whip the heavy cream with the sugar until stiff.
2. Into 4 tall glasses, put 2 small scoops of ice cream each.
3. Pour the cold coffee over the ice cream.
4. Top each glass with whipped cream. Garnish with chocolate shavings and a rolled waffle cookie, if using.
5. Serve immediately with a long-stemmed teaspoon and a straw.

Hints/Tips:

• To make this extra quick, brew some extra coffee in the morning and put it in the fridge until you’re ready to put it all together.
• This works best with a really good, strong coffee. If you can find a German brand of coffee, that would be ideal.
• Use the best quality ice cream you can get.
• Top with a cherry and/or fresh mint leaves.
• Chocolate ice cream would make a yummy mocha eiskaffee. Use coffee ice cream for an extra special dessert.
• Adding some amaretto, cognac, or BAILEYS is a yummy addition.
• Sprinkle with slivered almonds or shredded coconut.

*  *  *  *  *

Unless otherwise noted recipe, images and content © Just like Oma | www.quick-german-recipes.com

05.13.2023 revision update

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Hi, I'm Oma Gerhild! As a food writer and cookbook author, I'm always looking to find ways to pass on my German heritage using local ingredients. Quick and easy. That's my goal. Wunderbar food. That's the result.