I'm an iced-coffee addict, but my clock and wallet don't always support the habit. Homemade cold-brew coffee [1] is great, but let's be real — no one has time for that, and buying one every day isn't the way to go either. So I set out to find the solution to my caffeine needs, and this iced-coffee hack is it. You can get strong, creamy iced coffee in less than two minutes thanks to one magical ingredient — instant coffee.

I used Colombian instant coffee from Trader Joe's because that's where I shop, but you can use any ground instant coffee you can find. The recipe is beyond easy. First, heat up a couple tablespoons of water (either in the microwave, stovetop, or electric kettle) until boiling. Pour into a glass cup, then mix in a heaping spoonful of the coffee granules.

Fill the cup halfway with your creamer of choice (I used unsweetened almond milk) and a little vanilla bean simple syrup [2] for sweetness (vanilla almond milk would work great, too). Be sure to leave enough room to top with a couple handfuls of ice.

And voilà — you're ready to walk out the door with your homemade iced coffee! This is quick and easy enough to do on busy weekday mornings or a great way to start off the weekend without having to leave your place.

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