The Viral Washington Style Americano is the simplest coffee upgrade you can make to take your morning coffee from basic to blissfully delicious! This Washington Americano recipe is smooth, refreshing, and easy to make with espresso, cold water, and ice in just minutes.

Cream being poured into a glass filled with iced coffee.

Everyone Is Talking About Washington Americanos

Sometimes the simplest coffee recipes are the ones that completely change your routine, and the Washington Style Americano is proof. This viral espresso drink has coffee lovers swapping their usual iced coffee for a smoother, more refreshing sip that’s incredibly easy to make at home. With just a shot of espresso, cold water, and plenty of ice, it’s a simple recipe that lets the coffee’s rich flavor shine.

Enjoy it with a homemade Vanilla Bean Scone, and you can skip the drive-thru line at the coffee shop entirely!

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Rebecca’s Recipe Review

Taste: Slightly sweet with a hint of white chocolate mixed with robust coffee flavor.

Texture: Slightly creamy mouthfeel.

Ease: 2/10

Pros: Minimal ingredients and great flavor!

Cons: The white chocolate powder is generally only found in large containers, so you’ll want to plan to make a lot of these.

Would I Make This Again? Yes, it’s a sweet coffee treat that I’ve been making for friends all summer!

Two glasses filled with iced Washington americanos on a table.

Washington Americano Ingredients

The key ingredient in this Iced Americano recipe is the powdered white chocolate. Ghirardelli is the most common choice, but you could also substitute it with bettergoods brand or another white hot chocolate mix or powder.

Other than that, you’re looking at very simple ingredients like espresso, sea salt, milk, cream, and ice to complete this recipe.

Ingredients to make Washington-style americanos on a table.

How To Make a Washington-Style Americano

This drink is made with lots of ice, so fill that cup right up–that’s where all your water comes from for the Americano!
Add your powdered white chocolate and salt to a separate cup.
Brew the espresso over the top of the powder.
Use a hand frother to whip the coffee until the powder has dissolved and the coffee is pale in color and has a fluffy top layer from whipping.
Pour the espresso over the top of the ice, the heat should melt the ice and bit and it will settle down in the glass.
Pour in the milk and heavy cream.
Stir before enjoying for the best flavor.

Fill a glass with ice.
Add white chocolate and salt to a cup.
Brew espresso over powder and froth.
Pour frothy espresso over the ice.
Finish with cream and milk.
Stir and enjoy.

Rebecca’s Iced Americano Tips

Have your ice ready to go as soon as you’re done frothing your coffee so the coffee doesn’t cool down too much beforehand. You need the heat of the espresso to melt the ice for the Americano effect.
Use nugget or crushed ice for best results. Large cubes are harder for the espresso to melt efficiently.
We tested many variations of the dairy element and found a combination that yielded the best results. Flavored creamers made this drink too sweet, and all milk left it feeling watered down, while all cream made it feel a bit heavy.
I like making these to take on the go with these 12-ounce iced coffee cups with sip lids.

Close up of two glasses with Washington style americano coffees in them.

More White Chocolate Recipes

Did You Make This Recipe?

If you’ve tried this recipe, please let leave a review in the comments below. I love hearing from you! Don’t forget to tag me – @sugarandsoulco – on Instagram and Pinterest with your photos, or join our Sugar & Soul Show-offs Community and share them there.

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Viral Washington-Style Americano

Author Rebecca Hubbell

Course Beverage

Cuisine American

Prep Time 5

Total Time 5

Skip the coffee shop and make this viral Washington Style Americano at home! Smooth espresso, cold water, and plenty of ice come together for a refreshing coffee you'll crave all year.

Ingredients

Instructions

Overfill a 10 or 12-ounce cup with nugget ice and set aside.
Add 2 tablespoons white chocolate flavored powder and 1 pinch flaky sea salt to a medium glass or jar and brew 2 ounces espresso over it.
Mix the espresso with a hand frother until the powder has dissolved and the coffee is light and foamy.
Pour over the top of the ice in the cup. The ice should begin to melt and settle into the cup.
Pour in 3 tablespoons whole milk and 1 tablespoon heavy cream.
Stir or swirl and enjoy.