Tips and Variations:

• Coffee: To make this recipe super simple, I use refrigerated iced coffee. Normally, I’ll grab an unsweetened blonde or light roast. If you’d prefer to use a cold brew or to brew your own coffee and let it chill, either of those will work. I do recommend a light roast instead of medium, dark, or espresso. Light roast pairs best with the caramel flavor without being too strong.
• Caramel: I’ve tried caramel syrup (listed in the recipe card and linked above in maroon) and caramel sauce similar to what you’d use on an ice cream sundae. My preference is the caramel syrup. It’s lighter, thinner, and mixes well with the other ingredients. There’s even a sugar-free caramel syrup and salted caramel syrup, and both taste great! The caramel sauce is ok, but I’ve found that the flavor and consistency is too heavy. It tends to sink to the bottom of the glass and clog up straws.
• Coffee Creamer: I’ve tried this caramel iced coffee with heavy cream, milk, almond milk, coconut milk, and coffee creamer. The coffee creamer was my favorite, hands down. It provided the best taste, texture, and sweetness. Both vanilla and caramel varieties taste great; choose your favorite. Milk and milk alternatives tend to water down this drink, so I avoid using those. Heavy cream is a little too much.
• Coffee Cubes: Instead of using ice cubes, try freezing some of the coffee ahead of time. You’ll have coffee cubes to put into the caramel iced coffee instead of ice cubes, and the drink won’t get watered down when the ice melts.