Listen. If you know anything about Brandon Robinson--if you’ve heard anything about Brandon Robinson up until this point--you know this: He. Loves. Coffee. And I am He.
I can drink it in the morning, afternoon, or night with no questions or concerns (in moderation of course). And if you are an avid coffee consumer like me, then you know that it is a deeply personal affair. Rarely—actually, never—do I deviate from my daily coffee order. I’m a Starbucks guy. Yes, it’s my kryptonite and choice of poison. But I delight in the art and science of coffee so much, that I decided to share my favorite combo with you all!
I go to Starbucks every day, and I prefer iced coffee over hot coffee. (I realized this randomly after graduating college that my body metabolizes iced coffee better than hot coffee for concentration). And yes, that information would have been more helpful during my college years than after (as you can imagine). But you live and learn.
Anyways, on the off chance that the local Starbucks has a random closure or such, this is how I safeguard my caffeinated peace of mind at home.
Brandon’s Iced Coffee Blend
Ingredients
Iced Coffee:
-1 cup of Iced Coffee
-1/2 cup of Ice
-1/4 cup of Whole Milk
-1/4 cup of Vanilla Simple Syrup (recipe below) or 2 Tablespoons store-bought vanilla sweetener (I like Torani’s Vanilla Sweetener)
Vanilla Simple Syrup:
-1 cup of Water
-1/2 cup of Sugar
-1/2 Tablespoon of Vanilla Extract
Directions
Simple Syrup
- Pour in 1 cup of water and ½ cup of sugar into a medium saucepan over medium heat and stir until completely dissolved. Takes about 5-7 minutes.
- Once completely dissolved, immediately put in the ½ Tablespoon of Vanilla Extract, and stir the mixture.
- Let the simple syrup mixture sit for 5 minutes to infuse the flavors together. Let it sit for a bit longer to completely cool if you are making an iced coffee. The simple syrup is now ready for use.
Iced Coffee
- Pour ¼ cup of the cooled simple syrup or 2 Tablespoons store-bought sweetener into a 16oz mason jar or cup.
- Next, add in the ½ cup of ice.
- Pour in the 1 cup of iced coffee (store-bought or home-brewed is fine. Your brand of choice. Just make sure it is chilled).
- Pour in ¼ cup of whole milk. (I like using whole milk because you can get the creaminess of standard cream but with the added protein of milk. Great for mornings!)
- Stick in a straw to be fancy (optional, of course). And enjoy!
So yes. This recipe combo has gotten me through the 2020 pandemic, the 2022 Statesboro Starbucks renovations, and so much more. I’ll never forsake my dear local Starbucks coffeehouse (because they know my name and order by heart now). But it’s always good to know how to make your favorite coffee order in a pinch!
