Cold Brew Floats Are The Icy, Refreshing Pick-Me-Up We All Deserve

It's hard not to appreciate a good cold brew. You're getting more caffeine than a regular iced coffee, after all, and the smoother taste of cold brew is super refreshing, especially on a hot day. But perhaps you deserve more than just your average afternoon-pick-me-up, hm? Maybe, just maybe, you deserve your coffee served ... with a little bit of a treat. Put that canned cold brew down right this instant, my friend — we're getting cold brew floats, instead.

Cold brew floats are just like root beer floats, but instead of soda, you use — you guessed it — coffee. They're beyond simple to make: All you have to do is pour your cold brew into a glass of ice, and add a scoop of vanilla ice cream (or non-dairy-based options for our lactose-intolerant comrades) on top. The ice cream will melt into the coffee and act as the "milk," of course, but you could always add a bit of milk in there, as well, for an even creamier experience. Behold your afternoon coffee now: It's both functional (gives you energy) and more fun (there's ice cream in there now). Think of it as the chiller version of an affogato, the classic Italian dessert of ice cream and espresso.

Not sold on a plain cold brew float? There are plenty of ways to jazz it up. For starters, you could always trade the standard scoop of vanilla for another complementary flavor like chocolate or even hazelnut gelato. Adding some simple syrup to the cold brew before scooping in your ice cream will make the experience even sweeter — you could go for the classic neutral sweetener or choose something a bit more flavorful (like vanilla or caramel). You could also get creative with your garnishes by, say, adding a chocolate drizzle or cocoa powder on top, or even channeling a classic malt shop with a crown of whipped cream and a maraschino cherry.

If you're looking for a bit of a cocktail situation, adding bourbon to your cold brew float will turn it into a boozy, creamy dream. Not a bourbon person? No worries. Other spirits that work well in coffee drinks include Baileys Irish Cream, rum, and even vodka. There are also liqueurs that taste amazing in coffee drinks, particularly the almond-flavored Amaretto or coffee-infused Kahlúa. But really, the versatility of this drinkable dessert is pretty much guaranteed to satisfy, no matter which kind of cold brew float floats your boat.