Love Chick-fil-A's frosted coffee, but don't want to run out to the restaurant to get one? All you need is two simple ingredients and a couple minutes, and you'll be enjoying this delicious drink at home. In fact, this copycat recipe tastes even better than the original!
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Questions
What coffee does Chick-fil-A use?
This popular fast food restaurant uses Thrive Farmers coffee, which is 100% arabica beans from Central America. You can order Thrive Farmers beans from their online shop. Any medium roast will work well in this drink, like Starbucks' Pike Place roast, which is what we chose to use for this photo shoot.
Can you get the frosted coffee all day?
Yes, it is available all day and not just for breakfast. The drink has always been available throughout the day. Originally, the drink was introduced as a seasonal one for the spring of 2016, but since it was so popular, CFA decided to keep it on the menu permanently.
How many calories are in this drink?
A large drink (20 ounces) contains 300 calories. Our recipe contains 396 calories for 10 ounces, but ours is creamier and more indulgent because it's made with premium vanilla ice cream instead of CFA's Icedream. We're going for taste here, not calories!
What's the price for this at Chick-fil-A?
A small is $3.25, and a large is $3.85. You can make multiple frosted coffees at home for less than that if you make your own cold brew and pick up a carton or two of ice cream. (Blue Bunny Vanilla Bean sells for under $4.00 at Walmart. Whole bean Starbucks Pike Place medium roast coffee sells for under $12.00.)
When did this drink debut at CFA?
This special drink debuted on March 14, 2016. It was originally supposed to only be at restaurants for 3 months, but it was such a good seller that the drink was kept on permanently.
Why should I make this at home?
It's cheaper to make this in bulk at home, plus you can customize the flavors and size. You can make it more indulgent by piping on some whipped cream and drizzling on some chocolate sauce for a special end of the week treat. Use lower calorie frozen yogurt when you are sticky to your diet, or use rich and creamy premium ice cream to celebrate your week's accomplishments. Plus, you can use the exact type of cold brew coffee that you like the best, especially for those who take their coffee very seriously.
Why does cold brew taste so good?
Cold brew has less acidity than traditional hot brewed coffee, which gives it more caffeine and a smoother taste. It's the perfect type of caffeinated beverage to enjoy in the summer months, especially in this frosted coffee!
How to Make
Let's start by making some cold brew coffee. You'll need 6 cups of cold water and 6 ounces (168g) medium roast coffee beans. Pictured below is Starbucks Pike Place.
Coarsely grind the coffee beans to the consistency in the photo below.
Dump the ground coffee into a large pitcher or cold brew maker, like this Bodum (affiliate). Pour the cold filtered water on top.
Stir the grounds and water together until they're blended, then cover and refrigerate for 12-24 hours. Starbucks does their cold brew for 20 hours, and that's what I like.
Once the brewing process is complete, pour the coffee through a paper towel-lined sieve. Don't press on the grounds with a spoon, as that will release bitterness into the coffee.
Now, let's make the frosted coffee! You'll need good quality vanilla bean ice cream (I've used Breyers and Blue Bunny vanilla bean with great results), and the cold brew that we made in the above photos.
Scoop about 2 cups of ice cream into a blender; that's roughly 4 scoops.
Pour in ¼ cup of the cold brew.
Put the lid on the blender and blend until the drink is smooth.
You can enjoy the frosted coffee right away, or re-freeze it for at least 30 minutes for an icier texture.
Variations
- Mocha: add 2-3 tablespoons of chocolate syrup.
- Caramel: add 2-3 tablespoons of homemade caramel sauce.
- Espresso: use ¼ cup chilled espresso instead of cold brew.
- Low Calorie: use lowfat frozen yogurt instead of the premium ice cream.
Pro Tips
- Use homemade cold brew concentrate in this recipe for the best flavor.
- Be sure to use high quality vanilla bean ice cream for the creamiest texture.
- Freeze the drink after you blend it for an extra thick and icy texture.
Craving more copycat Chick-fil-A drinks? You're in the right place!
Get your caffeine fix with these popular coffee drinks.
- Pumpkin Spice Latte
- Non-Alcoholic Irish Coffee
- Salted Caramel Mocha
- Peppermint Mocha
- How to Make French Press Coffee
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Recipe
Copycat Chick-fil-A Frosted Coffee
Ingredients
- 2 cups good quality vanilla bean ice cream, about 4 scoops
- ¼ cup cold brew coffee, undiluted
Instructions
- Scoop the ice cream into a blender and pour the cold brew coffee on top. Blend until smooth, pour into a glass, and enjoy right away.
- For a thicker, more frozen coffee, pour the frosted coffee into a freezer-friendly container and freeze until solid, about 1-2 hours. Let the drink stand at room temperature for about 20-30 minutes until it softens enough for you to mash it with a fork. Enjoy immediately.
Notes
- Make your own cold brew by coarsely grinding 6 ounces (168g) of medium roast coffee beans. Stir the grounds with 6 cups (1.4 liters) of cold water in a pitcher or cold brew maker, cover, and refrigerate for 12-24 hours. (I like a 20-hour brew, which is what Starbucks does.) Pour it through a sieve lined with paper towels, then refrigerate for up to 2 weeks. You'll end up with 4 ⅓ cups of cold brew concentrate.
- Chick-fil-A uses medium roast Thrive coffee, but I found that Starbucks' Pike Place tastes just as good. Any medium roast will work well here.
- The nutrition facts for this recipe are made with Blue Bunny premium vanilla bean ice cream. If you're trying to lower your calories, use a lowfat frozen yogurt instead of the premium ice cream.
Alex
The cool creaminess of the ice cream blends well with the coffee. This drink is sweet, flavorful, and so good! Yum!
Emma
Thanks for your kind review, Alex.
Beth
This cold, creamy delight is divine! The lovely vanilla taste complements the coffee. This is my favorite coffee drink--I just love the creaminess. It's insanely awesome!
Emma
I'm glad you enjoyed this so much, Beth!