A Nerd Cooks

... and bakes and mixes the occasional cocktail!

Non-Alcoholic

Homemade Lemonade

by Leave a Comment

This homemade lemonade is the perfect Summertime sipper.

This Homemade Lemonade is sweet and tart, completely refreshing, and perfect for Summertime sipping. Know what’s even better? You only need THREE ingredients to make it!

FYI – this post contains affiliate links

What says sweet Summertime more than a glass of ice cold lemonade?

You’d be hard pressed to come up with a better answer.

It’s sweet, it’s sour, it’s cold and refreshing. You can keep it family friendly and drink it as is. Or… you could add a little vodka or bourbon. More on that next week.

Why make lemonade when you could just buy it?

Okay so, yeah. You could do that. There are even some pretty tasty bottled lemonades in stores. But hear me out.

  1. It is SO EASY to make.
  2. It’s crazy delicious.
  3. You can make it as sweet or tart as you’d like!

Just do it. You will not regret it.

Need more lemony recipes?

Homemade Lemonade

Homemade Lemonade

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients

For the simple syrup

  • 2 cups granulated sugar
  • 2 cups water

Everything else

  • 1.5 cups lemon juice, freshly squeezed (see notes)
  • 4 cups water
  • fresh mint, for garnish (optional)

Instructions

To make the simple syrup

  1. In a medium-sized saucepan, combine the granulated sugar and 2 cups of water.
  2. Heat the mixture over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the sugar has dissolved completely.
  3. Remove from the heat and allow it to cool completely.

To make the lemonade

  1. Add the cooled simple syrup, lemon juice, and water to a pitcher.
  2. Stir to combine.

Notes

  • 8-10 juicy lemons should yield approximately 1.5 cups of juice

© laurenpacek
Cuisine: American / Category: Non-Alcoholic

What special equipment will you need to make this lemonade?

  • I have this citrus squeezer and it makes things so much easier
  • Stash your lemonade in a pitcher in the fridge!

Wanna pin this recipe for later? (Please do 😉 )

Homemade Cold Brew Coffee

by 8 Comments

Cold brew coffee is nothing short of amazing

Homemade cold brew coffee is amazing. For the vast majority of you out there, this will not be new information. But I only recently discovered this.

I’ve never been a coffee drinker. Like not at all. I realize that this is pretty unusual. In the past, I’ve even made efforts to like it. I was obviously doing something wrong.

Enter: cold brew.

Don’t get me wrong, I still love my Iced Chai Lattes. They’re delicious. But they can’t come close to the cracky goodness that cold brew provides.

Homemade Cold Brew Coffee | A Nerd Cooks

Doctor it up however you like!

My MO is to pour some cold brew over (lots of) ice, add a splash of half and half and a bit of sugar free syrup (salted caramel, please). Do this and I’ll be in caffeinated heaven.

If you like to drink it black, have at it. You can add whatever milk (dairy or otherwise) you’d like, and sweeten it (or not) to your heart’s content. It might also be fun to freeze some cold brew into ice cubes and use that instead of regular old watery ones, that way your cold brew never gets diluted!

Homemade Cold Brew Coffee | A Nerd Cooks

Cold brew is very easy to make, but requires some planning

Making a batch of homemade cold brew requires you to think ahead just a little bit. It’s not quite as easy as brewing up a hot pot of coffee and pouring it over some ice. You’ll want to let it sit for 12 hours at room temperature before straining and drinking. Let it sit even longer if you’d like a stronger brew.

Letting your coarsely ground coffee steep for a long period of time, in room-temperature (or sometimes cold) water, results in a less acidic product as compared to brewing methods that require hot water. Basically, cold brew is smoooth and delicious. 

This cold brew will keep in the fridge for about 2 weeks. But let’s be honest, you’ll be making a new batch sooner than that.

5 from 4 votes
Homemade Cold Brew Coffee | A Nerd Cooks
Print
Homemade Cold Brew Coffee
Prep Time
5 mins
Cold brewing time
12 hrs
Total Time
12 hrs 5 mins
 
Course: Beverage
Cuisine: American
Servings: 8 cups
Author: Lauren Pacek
Ingredients
  • 1 cup coffee, coarsey gorund
  • 8 cups filtered water
Instructions
To make the cold brew

  1. Combine the ground coffee and filtered water in a large container with a lid. I use a plastic pitcher.

  2. Let the coffee sit for 12 hours (or longer, if you'd like stronger cold brew) at room temperature.

  3. Strain the cold brew (see notes) into whatever container you plan to store it in. Refrigerate it until you're ready to use it.

When you're ready to drink your cold brew

  1. Pour the desired amount of cold brew over ice.

  2. Add your desired amount of milk/creamer/half and half/etc. and/or sweetener.

Recipe Notes

Notes:

  • I like to strain the cold brew through a fine mesh sieve lined with a coffee filter.
  • My current favorite way to drink my cold brew is with a splash of half and half and little bit of sugar free salted caramel syrup.

This homemade cold brew coffee is sweet, smooth, and delicious. It will give you the caffeine hit that you need.

Homemade Cold Brew Coffee | A Nerd Cooks

Homemade Cold Brew Coffee | A Nerd Cooks

Iced Chai Lattes

by 6 Comments

Iced Chai Lattes are EXACTLY what you want for a caffeine kick on a hot day 

Since the weather is warming up, I’ve had to trade my morning mug of hot tea for homemade iced chai lattes. I usually consume my morning caffeine at my desk at work, right after I get there. However,  it’s just not that relaxing to come in from the hot hot outdoors and drink a hot beverage.

Fortunately, these Iced Chai Lattes are delicious, caffeinated, and cold.

FYI – this post contains affiliate links

Sure, you can buy them at Starbucks. But they’re so easy to make!

I used to get iced chai lattes from Starbucks, loved them, and assumed that they were really complicated to make. But, as it turns out, they’re just… get this… spiced black tea and milk.

So, so simple!

How do they come together?

You start out by bringing water with some fragrant chai spices (more about that below) and sweetener to a boil. 

I like to sweeten mine with sugar. But you do you. Want to use a non-sugar substitute? Do it. Honey or maple syrup? Have at it.

Steep some black tea bags in this mixture and allow it to cool. Pour over ice and add the milk of your choice. Et voila!

I typically use almond milk, but please use whatever you prefer. It’s great with cow’s milk, too.

Let’s talk about chai spices!

You can use a pre-made chai spice mix, if that’s easier for you. But if you have the means (and the Internet can help with this), I’d recommend buying some whole spices and creating your own mix. Not only does it taste great, but it also allows you to customize your chai latte experience.

In case your local grocery store doesn’t carry some of the spices, consider looking online. I’ve included links to some of the potentially harder to find spices below:

Iced Chai Lattes | A Nerd Cooks

Looking for other recipes?

Need more caffeinated goodness? Check out my Homemade Cold Brew Coffee! I truly cannot recommend it enough.

Looking for more treats that feature chai flavors? Check out these Chai Spice Chocolate Chunk Muffins!

5 from 1 vote
Iced Chai Lattes | A Nerd Cooks
Print
Iced Chai Lattes
Prep Time
5 mins
Cook Time
35 mins
Total Time
40 mins
 
Course: Beverage
Cuisine: American
Author: Lauren Pacek
Ingredients
  • 6 cups water
  • 1/2 cup sugar, see notes
  • 2 3-inch cinnamon sticks
  • 4 star anise
  • 2 inches fresh ginger, peeled
  • 1 tsp black peppercorns
  • 1 tsp coriander seeds
  • 10 whole cloves
  • 2 tsp cardamon seeds
  • 8 teabags black tea
  • milk, see notes
Instructions

  1. Combine the water, sugar, and spices in a medium-sized saucepan over medium heat.

  2. Bring to a boil, and allow the mixture to simmer for 10 minutes.

  3. Turn the heat off and add the teabags to the saucepan. Allow the tea to steep for 20 minutes. Remove the tea bags and allow the tea to cool completely.

  4. In whatever proportions you desire, pour the cooled tea over ice and top with milk.

Recipe Notes

Notes:

  • You can increase or decrease the amount of sugar to suit your tastes. I've used both brown and white granulated sugar with success.
  • I have used cows milk and almond milk. I can't speak to how these iced lattes turn out when using another kind.

Do I need any special equipment to make these chai lattes?

Iced Chai Lattes | A Nerd Cooks

 

Pin this recipe for later!

The Perfect Hot Chocolate

by 6 Comments

This is the perfect hot chocolate. There, I said it.

It is rich, creamy, and delicious, and will put you in a cozy, wintry state of mind.

Perfect Hot Chocolate | A Nerd Cooks

First day back at work after the holiday? Yeah, I feel that pain. May I suggest clinging to the holiday season with some decadent hot chocolate?

Perfect Hot Chocolate | A Nerd Cooks

Even though a good portion of the country has been unseasonably warm lately, it’s finally in the 30s in Western Pennsylvania (where our families live). In addition to avoiding the return to reality, this little bit of chilly weather is as good an excuse as any for enjoying this easy, perfect hot chocolate.

I’d highly recommend that you snuggle up under some blankets with a cuddly dog or two and sip away on this hot chocolate!

You should also check out these Hot Chocolate No Bake Cookies while you’re at it.

5 from 1 vote
Perfect Hot Chocolate | A Nerd Cooks
Print
The Perfect Hot Chocolate
Prep Time
5 mins
Cook Time
15 mins
Total Time
20 mins
 
Course: Beverage
Cuisine: American
Servings: 2 large mugs
Author: Lauren Pacek
Ingredients
For the hot chocolate
  • 3 cups milk of choice, see notes
  • 2-3 oz. dark chocolate, roughly chopped
  • 2 tbs cocoa powder
  • 2 tbs granulated sugar
  • 1/8 tsp kosher salt
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 cup mini marshmallows
Optional toppings
  • whipped cream
  • mini marshmallows
  • cinnamon stick
Instructions

  1. In a medium sauce pan, heat the milk over medium heat until bubbles just begin to appear around the edges.

  2. Add the dark chocolate, cocoa powder, sugar, salt, and vanilla extract. Whisk occasionally until everything is melted and combined.

  3. Add the cup of mini marshmallows and whisk until they melt into the hot cocoa.

  4. Ladle the hot chocolate into mugs and top with whipped cream, more marshmallows, and a cinnamon stick, if desired.

Recipe Notes

Notes:

  • I've used 2% and almond milk. Both worked very well.
  •  

Perfect Hot Chocolate | A Nerd Cooks

 

Perfect Hot Chocolate | A Nerd Cooks Perfect Hot Chocolate | A Nerd Cooks

Cheerwine Ice Cream Floats

by 44 Comments

Cheerwine Ice Cream Floats are cold and delicious

Drinking one of these Cheerwine Ice Cream Floats is the perfect way to beat the Southern summer heat. Plus, you only need 2 ingredients!

Cheerwine Ice Cream Floats | A Nerd Cooks

We moved to the South!

We officially moved to Durham, NC last Saturday!

I’m beyond excited to finally be down here and to start work at Duke next week.  I’ll be sharing more about the transition to southern life as things develop.

I’ve spent the past week unpacking and trying to organize the house.  I am finally at a point where all of my blog props and whatnot are unpacked, and the bedroom that I’m using as a “studio” (and as a spare bedroom) is organized enough that I could take some photos.

Cheerwine Ice Cream Floats | A Nerd Cooks

Time to start acting like I live here now, right?

In an attempt to kick things off with a proper Southern treat, I decided to go with Cheerwine Ice Cream Floats.

Cheerwine Ice Cream Floats | A Nerd Cooks

What is Cheerwine, anyway?

Haven’t tried Cheerwine? Cheerwine is a cherry-flavored soda that was created right here in North Carolina. It was introduced to me by my friend, Emily, who is a South Carolina native.  It’s bubbly and sweet, and perfect over vanilla ice cream.

Cheerwine Ice Cream Floats | A Nerd Cooks
Print
Cheerwine Ice Cream Floats
Prep Time
2 mins
 
Course: Beverage, Dessert
Cuisine: American
Servings: 1 float
Author: Lauren Pacek
Ingredients
  • 2 scoops vanilla ice cream
  • Cheerwine soda
Instructions

  1. Drop the scoops of ice cream into a tall glass.

  2. Top with Cheerwine. 

Looking for other cold, non-alcoholic treats?

Try these out:

 

Pin this recipe for later!

Cheerwine Ice Cream Floats | A Nerd Cooks