15 Boozy Additions To Spike Your Iced Coffee

How about a coffee-based upgrade to one of the most riffed-on cocktails of all time? The old-fashioned has been made in a stunning number of variations, especially since making a comeback in recent years. So it only seems natural that a cold coffee version would make an appearance sooner or later. Your favorite bourbon and a touch of citrus will make that icy coffee sing.

For this cocktail, we highly recommend one particular bar cart staple that's key here. You might not think that a cocktail shaker can make that much of a difference, but for this cocktail and many others on this list, nothing beats a little aeration. Not only that, it will help to dissolve any added sugar while properly chilling all your ingredients. Speaking of which, try a touch of crème de cacao mixed with the espresso, bourbon, and orange bitters in your old-fashioned for a little extra sweetness and flavor.

This one might be obvious, but it's still worth a mention. This sweet hazelnut liqueur is incredibly good with coffee because, while the primary flavor is nutty, it has some undertones of chocolate and vanilla as well. Sounds like perfection, doesn't it? We have an even better idea for you, courtesy of Giada De Laurentiis' Instagram. The perky chef's take on the Italian iced coffee called the shakerato combined iced coffee and melted chocolate that then gets shaken until frothy. But wait ... there's more. Frangelico itself commented on her post, offering up the suggestion to add a splash of the sweet nutty booze to Laurentiis' icy shaken treat.

You can take this idea one step further and add a little vodka, as well. If you find the idea of all that nutty liqueur to be a little too cloying, cut it with a smooth vodka. You can even go for a vanilla vodka (that contains no added sugar) for a fancy hybrid with less sweetness.

This is the coffee-lovers iced coffee — an ultra coffee, if you will. Kahlùa is a rum-based liqueur from Mexico that will definitely quell any caffeine cravings that might strike on a sunny summer afternoon. And yes, it does actually contain caffeine, just not very much. According to the website, an ounce and a half only contains about 5 mg, compared to about 200 mg in a standard cup of coffee.

The truth of Kahlùa is that it also works incredibly well when added to anything creamy, like a White Russian, so use that as a starting point for a really superb boozy iced coffee. It also pairs well with vanilla or chocolate; even a little citrus wouldn't go amiss here. Want to go all out? Try adding a scoop of ice cream for a cold-coffee version of an affogato, the celebrated Italian dessert that combines creamy vanilla ice cream with a pour-over of rich espresso.

In the middle of the summer, the combination of icy java and peppermint is like a miracle cure on a sweltering afternoon. Like a lot of the liqueurs on this list, you have a few options when it comes to this minty boozy addition and not all of them are dyed neon green.

Crème de menthe is a popular one, especially if you're adding a little dairy to your cold coffee cocktail. While this liqueur isn't made with dairy, it's commonly mixed with milk, heavy cream, or ice cream because they just work so well together. You can also go with peppermint schnapps, which have more alcohol and less sugar. Schnapps is also quite a bit mintier, whereas crème de menthe tends to have a softer, less intense taste. You may have to adjust the other ingredients in your beverage depending on which minty liqueur you go with, especially any sweetener, as you may find crème de menthe adds enough sweetness on its own.

Rum appears on this list often, and for a good reason — coffee and rum are pretty much a match made in flavor heaven. In this case, the tangy iced coffee treat is a Mazagran, a caffeinated lemony mixture (essentially coffee lemonade) named for a small town in Algeria. The citric acidity works especially well with a rich and bold espresso, but it gets even better when you add a splash of rum.

There are so many ways you can make this zippy little treat, too. Instant coffee will work if that's all you've got, as long as you make it strong enough to stand up to the icy dilution and tart lemon. Add honey or a bit of brown sugar if you want sweetness. Depending on the brand of rum you go with, you can play up some of the flavors with a sprinkle of cinnamon. In Portugal, where it has become incredibly popular, it's mostly served with a garnish of mint, along with rum and lemon, for extra refreshment.

Probably one of the best-known alcohol-based coffee companions is Bailey's, the sweet and creamy whiskey liqueur that has been a mainstay in mixed drinks and fancy shots for years. With the massive list of flavors, you know that salted caramel is going to be one of them. But if you're looking for something different, there are lots of other companies producing that flavor, too.

If you want to stick with something creamy, quite a few are on the market, and even the Great One, Wayne Gretzky, has gotten in on the action. If you're not a fan of creamy coffee, there are loads of options out there for you as well, with base liquor ranging from rye to vodka. Another option, if you're particularly gifted in the kitchen, is to make your own salted caramel sauce and combine it with your favorite liquor and cold coffee. Some of us prefer this option because it gives us control over the taste of the caramel syrup.

Vanilla is another natural partner for the richness of a decent cup of coffee. The soft aromatics temper any bitterness in your brew and add just enough floral notes to bring out a little extra sweetness. But like a lot of other additions on this list, you'll have to pay attention to which product you choose. 

Vanilla is such a popular flavor that you'll have no problem coming up with something to blend into your summer sipper. But that ubiquity can also present you with an overwhelming number of choices, from cheap and artificial to overpriced and cloying. Vanilla vodka might be the way to go if you're looking for something that just adds flavor and scent, without any sugar, leaving you to add sweetness on your own. For something sweeter, try anything from Galliano or Licor 43 to newer additions from all the big producers, including tons of creamy variations.

One last bevvie that we think you'll enjoy is the Prairie Buzz, a rich coffee cocktail developed by Kansas City Whiskey. Much like an Irish coffee, this little number combines whiskey, coffee, and cream but also adds a touch of amaretto liqueur and cinnamon for a little boost. Creamy and nutty, this combination is smooth and just sweet enough.

While you can make this drink with your whiskey of choice, part of the reason this one works so well with the amaretto, in particular, is the infusion of 15-year-old Oloroso sherry into the aging process. Sherry used to be added to lesser-quality whiskies to make them more palatable and was left out as producers got better at manufacturing decent libations. However, the addition here is an homage to the classics and adds a distinct taste that takes this boozy iced coffee over the top. If you're not a hardcore whiskey aficionado, you likely won't be unsettled at the thought of substituting your favorite dram here, however, so use whatever you have on hand.