Forget Milk And Make Your Next Iced Coffee With Orange Juice

Rich, dessert-like caffeinated drinks are ideal when temperatures are chilly. But in the spring and summer months, we tend to lean toward more refreshing beverages — and there's no better way to lighten up your cup than to incorporate a fruity element. We've already seen the beginnings of fruit-laced coffee drinks, including the Blueberry Donut Iced Coffee on Dunkin's 2024 summer menu. But if you want to branch out even more in this arena, try mixing your morning cup of Joe (even if it's a cheap one) with orange juice.

This combination may sound a little wild at first, but there are a few solid reasons to make it. For starters, you're basically just mixing two classic breakfast beverages into one. Plus, orange juice has plenty of vitamin C, vitamin A, and calcium, so you're getting some quality nutrients first thing in the morning. But beyond the technical benefits, these two drinks make a delicious combo. The bitterness of the java balances out the bright acidity and sugar in the juice, giving you a light, refreshing beverage overall. And while rare in U.S. coffee shops, this mixture isn't unheard of — if you've ever seen a bumble coffee or espresso sunrise on a menu, it was likely a mashup of java and orange juice.

The basic (but not boring) version of this drink is as simple as it sounds: coffee and orange juice poured together in a glass. You'll want to get pulp-free OJ (possibly from one of our favorite brands) for the smoothest beverage and pour it over ice before you go in with your java. Feel free to use either brewed coffee or espresso, but for best results, let it cool down before pouring it in your glass and stirring. Start off with either half java and half juice or an almost-full glass of OJ and two shots of espresso. Once you taste test, you can adjust the ratio to your liking. While you can use any type of coffee here, the citrus notes in a blonde roast will pair beautifully with the orange flavor.

If you want to amp up your drink even more, there are a few tasty customizations to try. This concoction is at its most refreshing as-is, but if you love a richer drink, you can add a little cold milk or cream into the mix. Turn your glass into a summer spritz by buying (or making) an orange syrup and incorporating it along with some club soda or ginger beer. For the smaller version of this drink, simply combine a little ice, juice, and seltzer water in a short glass, then top it off with two shots of espresso.