Lexi Wharem is a mother and photographer based in Lake Wales, Florida. She can be found on instagram sharing pieces of her life and work as she chases her dreams of being an visual storyteller.

Ever since schools closed and we have been staying home I have been missing my regular morning iced coffee.

It was my treat each morning as I worked through my daily checklist before it was time to pick up my girls. And now that we are homeschooling and there are no set boundaries between mom and work duties, I am needing my cold beverage more than ever! Since I doubt that I am alone in this, I decided to mix up a batch of my own cold brew and share just how simple (and worth it) it really is.

To make 1 gallon of cold brew coffee you’ll need:

1.5 cups of fresh coffee

1 gallon pitcher or container

cheesecloth

fine mesh strainer

1 gallon dispenser or pitcher

Step One: SOAK YOUR COFFEE GRINDS

Measure out 1.5 cups of coffee (about half the bag) and pour it into a gallon pitcher or container, then pour 1 gallon of water over your coffee grinds.

Gently stir the water and the coffee together and admire the pretty swirls teasing you of the goodness to come. Then carefully put a lid on your pitcher and let it sit for at least 12 hours. I left mine on my kitchen counter and didn’t touch it again until the next morning.

Step Two: STRAIN YOUR COFFEE

After letting my coffee grinds soak overnight, I eagerly uncovered them the next morning and strained my coffee using a fine mesh strainer and cheesecloth. If you don’t have cheesecloth, coffee filters or paper towels would also work, but you’ll definitely want to use something more than just the mesh strainer, otherwise count on some grounds sneaking through.

I strained my coffee into a gallon glass dispenser I found at Walmart, but you could store it in a pitcher or any container you have on hand.

Once you’re done you’ll be left with your liquid gold cold brew coffee (on the left) and your coffee grounds (on the right).

Step Three: PREPARE YOUR ICED COFFEE

I like to fill my glass up to the top with ice, then I fill it up about 3/4 with my cold brew coffee.

Next I like to top my coffee off with half and half or heavy cream, about 1-2 tbsp., but I don’t really measure. You could also use a sweetened creamer, or add a dash or sugar if you prefer it a little sweet, but I prefer mine plain just like this.

This gallon of cold brew will last me about 1-2 weeks, depending on how much I share with my husband. It’s so delicious and convenient to have on hand each morning, not to mention WAY more budget-friendly. I’m considering this one a must-have in our mama’s survival kit during quarantine!

PRO TIP: You can also add 1/2 c. of your cold brew to a chocolate protein smoothie, or to a batch of brownies for richer flavor.

* I adapted this recipe from The Pioneer Woman’s Perfect Iced Coffee, my go-to recipe since 2011!