My iced coffee addiction is still going strong.

And now that I work right next to a Starbucks, it’s even more imperative that I make my own coffee at home.

Especially after these sleepless nights I’ve been having.

I don’t know what has changed over this past year, but Prince has been ridiculously afraid of thunder.  At first, when we were living in Pennsylvania, he would sneak out of the bedroom and torment anyone else that was in the house in order to seek comfort.  Now that there isn’t anyone else, he patters around the hardwood floors, scratches against closed doors, shuts himself in bathrooms and cries until I get him out, and he goes downstairs and slams into things.  What things?  I have no idea, but I’ll hear thud after thud.

So, when the weather channel has predicted thunderstorms for the next fifteen days, you make a game plan for all those mornings you were woken up at 3 am.  Or those nights you couldn’t get to sleep until after 1.  You also realize that making yourself some hot brewed coffee isn’t ideal when you’re living in the coastal region of North Carolina.  Because the humidity is at 100%, and it’s still feeling like it’s in the high 90s.

But you wouldn’t want hot brewed coffee either.  Because like I’ve mentioned before – my iced coffee addiction is still going strong.  Years ago it would be a treat to stop by Dunkin’ Donuts and pick up an iced coffee in whatever flavor was being featured.  Now?  I call it having some major willpower if I make it through an entire week without going through Dunkin’ Donuts’ drive through, or making my way next door to Starbucks.

Ugh, all that money.

Thankfully, I’ve got you covered with this salted caramel iced coffee.  It’s a large batch, so you just pour and go.  Absolutely perfect for those days when you’ve tried to accomplish way too many things before work in the morning, and have absolutely no time to mix up a flavored iced coffee and head out the door.

Salted Caramel Iced Coffee

serves 10 (or 5 if you’re used to drinking DD medium) 

• 2 c. brown sugar
• 1/2 c. water
• 2 1/2 c. heavy cream, divided
• 6 tbsp. butter
• 1 tsp. sea salt
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 10 c. cold brew coffee

In a saucepan, add the brown sugar and water.  Stir over a medium-high heat until the sugar has dissolved.  Turn the heat down to a medium-low and allow the sugar to bowl, without stirring, until the mixture turns a deep amber color.  This will take about 7-10 minutes.

Once the mixture is a deep amber color, remove the saucepan from the heat immediately so it does not continuing cooking.  Whisk in 1 1/2 cups of the heavy cream until the mixture is smooth, and then add the butter, salt, and vanilla extract.  If at any point the sugar mixture clumps from adding the cold ingredients, just place the mixture onto a very low heat, and whisk until it is smooth.  Set the caramel aside and allow to cool.

To make the salted caramel iced coffee, pour 1 1/2 cups of the salted caramel into a large pitcher.  Next add the 10 cups of cold brew coffee, and the remaining one cup of heavy cream.  Mix together and refrigerate until chilled.

Now if only I can figure out a perfect large batch pistachio iced coffee recipe.