How to Make Freddo Espresso, Greece’s Iced Espresso, at Home

Spend a summer day in Athens or on any Greek island and you will see the same drink on every café table: a tall glass of dark, ice-cold coffee with a thin layer of tan foam. That is the freddo espresso. Learning how to make freddo espresso at home takes two minutes: pull a double espresso, shake it hard with ice until it turns velvety, and pour it over fresh ice. Sugar, if you want it, goes in before shaking.

It sounds like ordinary iced espresso, but the shaking changes everything: the coffee chills instantly, gains a silky texture and keeps a light foam on top.

Freddo espresso at a glance

In this article

1. At a glance
2. How to make freddo espresso
3. Sketos, metrios, glykos: ordering your sugar
4. No espresso machine?
5. Freddo espresso vs frappé and other iced coffees
6. Where the freddo came from
7. FAQ

How to make freddo espresso

Ingredients (1 glass)

• 1 double espresso, about 2 oz (60 ml), from 16 to 20 g of coffee
• Sugar to taste: 0, 1 or 2 teaspoons (0, 4 or 8 g)
• About 1 cup of ice cubes for shaking
• A fresh glass of ice for serving

Equipment

• A cocktail shaker, a jar with a tight lid, or a handheld milk frother and a tall cup
• A tall glass and a straw

Steps

1. Pull the shot. Brew a double espresso directly into your shaker or a small jug.
2. Add sugar now if you want it. Stir for a few seconds while the coffee is hot so it dissolves. Once the coffee is cold, sugar will not dissolve properly.
3. Add ice and shake hard. Fill the shaker about halfway with ice, seal it and shake vigorously for 10 to 15 seconds. If you are using a frother, add 3 or 4 ice cubes to the coffee in a tall cup and froth for about 15 seconds.
4. Strain over fresh ice. Pour through the shaker’s strainer into a tall glass filled with fresh ice. The shaking ice has done its job; fresh ice melts more slowly.
5. Serve with a straw and drink it cold.

Tips for the perfect freddo

• Use fresh ice for serving. Reusing the shaking ice makes a watery drink.
• Shake harder than you think. Air and rapid chilling create the velvety texture and foam.
• Go strong. Some dilution is part of the drink, so a full-bodied espresso works best.
• Chill the glass on hot days.

Sketos, metrios, glykos: ordering your sugar

In Greece you choose your sweetness when you order, because the sugar is mixed in while the coffee is hot, before shaking. The same words are used for frappé and Greek coffee.

Exact amounts vary from café to café, so treat these as starting points. Liquid sweeteners such as simple syrup mix well even into cold coffee if you forget to add sugar early.

No espresso machine?

You can still make a good freddo-style drink. A moka pot gives a strong, concentrated coffee that shakes up well; brew it with our Espresso grind, which is made for espresso machines and moka pots. Our guide to espresso without a machine covers more options. Cold brew concentrate also works, though the flavor is softer and you will get less foam.

Coffee to use

A freddo is all coffee, so the beans show through. Our 6 Bean Blend is a dark roast built for espresso with dark chocolate notes and thick crema, which gives the classic bold Greek café taste. For a fruitier, brighter freddo, try African Espresso, a medium-dark blend of Kenyan, Tanzanian and Ethiopian coffees. If you want one in the evening, Decaf Espresso is water-process decaf roasted dark for espresso.

Freddo espresso vs frappé and other iced coffees

The frappé came first and is the drink the freddo modernized; our article on the history of the Greek frappé tells its 1957 origin story. If you like the sweet, shaken style with milk, see our brown sugar shaken espresso.

Where the freddo came from

The freddo espresso’s exact origin is not precisely documented. Greek newspaper To Vima reports that the most widely accepted account credits Yiannis Iosifides, founder of the coffee distributor Kafea Terra, who wanted to counter the drop in hot espresso sales during Greek summers by applying the frappé’s shaking technique to espresso. Tasting Table places its arrival in the 1990s and its rise to a national habit in the 2000s.

Today it dominates Greek summer coffee. Coffee Island’s managing director told To Vima that freddo espresso and freddo cappuccino are estimated to account for 70 to 80% of cold coffee drinks consumed in Greece, an industry estimate rather than an official statistic. The drink is part of daily life, from takeaway cups on the way to work to long afternoons at a beach café.

Freddo espresso FAQ

What is the difference between freddo espresso and iced espresso?

Freddo is shaken or mixed with ice before being poured over fresh ice, which gives it a silky texture and light foam. Plain iced espresso is simply poured over ice.

Does freddo espresso have milk?

No. The version with cold milk foam on top is called a freddo cappuccino.

How much caffeine is in a freddo espresso?

About as much as the double espresso it is made from. For typical ranges, see how much caffeine is in coffee.

Can I make freddo espresso without a shaker?

Yes. Use a jar with a tight lid, or froth the coffee with a few ice cubes using a handheld frother.

Why add sugar before shaking?

Sugar dissolves in hot coffee but not well in cold coffee, so it needs to go in first.

Sources

1. The Freddo Espresso: A Modern Greek Cultural Phenomenon, To Vima.
2. Freddo vs Frappé: The Main Difference Between the Greek Coffee Styles, Tasting Table.

Facts checked in October 2026.

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