Coffee drinks come in so many different variations that there is an option for every type of person. It is up to each coffee lover to discover what their favorite version is of these popular caffeine-infused drinks. Two of the biggest favorites are iced coffee and an iced latte, but what exactly is the difference between iced coffee and iced latte?
Both iced coffee and iced latte have the same base of brewed coffee, but the rest of the ingredients are different. Iced coffee is brewed coffee that is poured over ice and can contain a small amount of milk, and an iced latte is an espresso shot with steamed milk and foam so it contains a lot of milk.
The two drinks are fairly similar to each other but their flavors and style are completely different. It comes down to a matter of preference. To help you make the choice between iced coffee and iced latte we will take a look at a few more differences.
Difference between iced coffee and iced latte
Iced coffee and iced latte are both very highly adored drinks all around the world. They are similar to each other but also very different. The process of both starts with brewing high-quality coffee but then they get personalized with different ingredients and that is where the difference comes.
Related question is : What is the Difference Between Coffee and Latte everything you need to know about the differences are in that article, give it a click to learn more
The first key difference would be the amount of milk that is contained in each drink. The iced coffee comes without milk or with a small amount of milk whereas the iced latte comes with a small amount of espresso coffee and a lot of milk. This makes the iced coffee much more water-based and in contrast, the iced latte is much more milk-based. The milk base gives the iced latte a much creamier texture and a much richer and fuller taste.
The second big difference between iced coffee and iced latte is the preparation method. The two drinks have a completely different preparation method and this gives them their own unique personality.
The iced latte is made by brewing a very strong espresso shot first. Secondly, you stream and froth milk of choice and add it to a glass of ice. After that, you add the espresso shot and top the drink with some froth. On the other hand, iced coffee is made by brewing coffee with a bit more water and then pouring the brew over a glass of ice. There is no milk used in the preparation but milk can be added after.
Are Lattes Hot or Cold is a question that gets asked quite a bit, i answered it all in full, just click the link!
Iced latte vs iced coffee
There are some key things to note about the difference between iced coffee and iced latte. The following table will provide a summary of the two that is easy to understand.
| Iced Coffee | Iced Latte | |
| Ingredients | Water, coffee, ice, a bit of milk | Water, coffee, ice, a lot of milk |
| Method | Brewed coffee poured over ice and add milk | Frothed milk, add a shot of espresso and pour over ice |
| Caffeine content | Average caffeine content | High caffeine content |
| Calories | None to low in calories | High to very high in calories |
| Strength | Medium | Strong |
| Health | Healthy | Less healthy |
You may already now know the answer, but, Is there coffee in a latte is a common question that gets asked when talking about lattes – learn all you by clicking on the link.
Does iced coffee or latte have more caffeine
The amount of caffeine that is contained in each of the drinks will depend on the type of coffee that is used as well as the amount of coffee that is used. There are coffee beans that are very strong and high in caffeine and then there are beans that are lower in caffeine. There is even decaf coffee which has almost no caffeine content. Then you can also choose if you want a single or double-shot that will increase the caffeine content.
In general, though, an iced latte is made with a very strong shot of espresso because it gets a lot of milk in. This strong shot of espresso is high in caffeine. On the other hand, the iced coffee is brewed with quite a lot of water which makes it a bit watered down. This has then a reduced amount of caffeine.
So an iced latte has more caffeine than an iced coffee, but also it would depend on the specific way that it is made.
Iced latte vs iced coffee calories
Iced latte has a lot more calories compared to iced coffee and this is due to the high milk content of an iced latte. An iced latte is about 75% milk compared to iced coffee which can be 0% to 10% milk depending on the preference of the drinker.
Milk has between 100 and 150 calories per 1 cup depending on the type of milk. Low-fat milk has fewer calories and full cream or high-fat milk has more calories. Water on the other hand has no calories.
So even if you add a bit of milk to your iced coffee it will still have far fewer calories compared to an iced latte. It should come down to 0 to 20 calories in an iced coffee vs 100 to 150 calories in an iced latte.
Which is stronger iced coffee or iced latte
This question is similar to the caffeine content that we discussed above. It can depend of how the drinks are prepared and how much coffee is used in each drink, but if you just order a normal iced coffee from a coffee shop and compare it to the normal iced latte from the same shop, the results will be this. An iced latte will be stronger than an iced coffee because the espresso shot that is used is stronger than the water diluted brew of the iced coffee.
Is iced coffee or iced latte healthier
The conclusion is that iced latte has a much higher milk content compared to iced coffee. This gives it higher calories and also more fat and other properties of diary. The healthier option would be iced coffee which is only coffee and milk.
Of course, it can also depend on what you add to the drinks, for example, you could add sugar, cream, condensed milk etc. and all these things will make the drinks more unhealthy.
Wrap Up
What is the difference between Iced coffee and Iced latte, I hear you ask? The main difference is in the milk content, iced latte is considerably more milk than an Iced coffee. Some drinkings may not even add milk into their iced coffee while iced latte is made with plenty of milk.
