Have you ever heard of a Washington Americano? If you pull up to any Washington State coffee stand and ask for this, you’ll receive an iced coffee that’s different from a regular Americano. It’s sweet, creamy, and strong, which is perfect for when you need a little extra caffeine in your system. (Hint: it’s got white chocolate in it!)

Here’s how to make a Washington Americano at home!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• It’s super simple and easy to make with an espresso machine at home!
• The coffee is strong and creamy, perfect if you don’t like diluted drinks.
• It’s so addictive, you’ll make it often, and it might become your new coffee fixation.
• Try a new, unique coffee that’ll open your horizons.

What is an Americano?

An Americano is a hot coffee made with hot water and espresso. It’s similar to brewed coffee but much stronger and less diluted in flavor. The espresso also has a silkier mouthfeel, especially from the crema from pulling the espresso. You can also have variations of an Americano, like having it cold or with a little syrup and cream.

Fun Fact: Iced Americanos are actually insanely popular in South Korea, termed “Ah-Ah” to shorten the name when ordering.

What is a Washington Americano?

So, a Washington Americano is a specific type of iced coffee that most Washington State coffee stands serve. A coffee stand (for all my non-American folks) is a small kiosk, usually in parking lots, that serves coffee and other items drive-thru style. It’s only for cars, although I’m sure you could walk up to the window if there was no one in line. There are a couple in my city, but I think you can find them all across the States.

If you go to a regular coffee shop and try to order this drink, the barista will probably not know what you’re talking about.

But a Washington Americano is an iced drink with 3 shots of espresso mixed with white chocolate powder, poured over a lot of crushed ice, with a splash of half-and-half on top. You might be wondering, “Where’s the water?” Well, the hot espresso melts part of the ice, which makes up the water part of a traditional Americano. It’s definitely not traditional, but in principle it makes sense.

How to Order a Washington Americano

If you want to try this at a regular coffee shop, I’d order a triple-shot espresso over ice with white chocolate powder or syrup and extra ice. Then, you can add half and half from the self-serve sugar and milk bar that most coffee shops have on the side.

What Does a Washington Americano Taste Like?

This tastes like a Vietnamese iced coffee to me! It’s strong, sweet, and creamy, which is literally what a Vietnamese iced coffee is. Part of me wonders if this is Washington’s take on it, but I’m not sure!

However, the white chocolate adds a super creamy and sweet vanilla flavor to the coffee, which balances the espresso. Usually, there are 3 shots, so it definitely needs something to take the edge off. What you end up making is a concentrated milky coffee, so the ice makes it more balanced and frosty. The half-and-half on top adds a nice creaminess, and a lot of people like this strong and creamy flavor. That’s all you could ever want in an iced coffee, really!

Washington Americano Recipe: Ingredients

To make this Washington-style Americano at home, you’ll need:

• White Chocolate Powder — Most stands use the Ghirardelli white chocolate powder, which is actually white chocolate-flavored powder. The ingredients are sugar, creamer, and natural flavor, so it’s honestly just a white chocolate-flavored creamer powder. I’ve only seen it sold online, but I’m sure some grocery stores might carry it. I’ve also used regular white chocolate, which works just as well! I also think condensed milk would work in a pinch.
• Espresso — Any espresso blend bean or dark roast bean works great here!
• Crushed Ice — This is key! You can use your fridge’s crushed ice, crush up your own ice, or pebble ice if you have a separate ice maker. The small size is important so that it melts from the espresso.
• Half and Half — You don’t need a lot, and if you don’t have half and half, you can use heavy cream or whole milk. You can also make your own half-and-half from those ingredients, too. It’s just 75% 2% milk and 25% heavy cream.

How to Make a Washington Americano

1. Brew Espresso. Add the white chocolate powder to your espresso cup. Brew 2-3 shots of your favorite espresso using an espresso machine into the same cup. You can also use instant espresso powder or a stovetop espresso maker as a replacement.
2. Melt the Chocolate. Once the espresso brews, use a spoon and mix the powder and espresso together until fully mixed. There should be no clumps or unmixed bits.
3. Assemble Drink. Add the white chocolate espresso to your cup, then fill up with crushed ice. Using a long spoon, mix the hot espresso and ice together until the coffee is no longer hot. This will melt about half of the ice.
4. Fill the cup back up with crushed ice, then top with your half-and-half or cream.
5. Mix and Enjoy! Mix with your straw and watch the layers ombre together and enjoy!

Tips for the Best Washington Americano

• Use a Mini Whisk: Use a mini whisk to mix your espresso and chocolate together. This helps mix more evenly and quickly compared to using a spoon. There are also espresso-specific whisks with long and thin metal prongs that people use to mix as well, although I don’t think that’s necessary.
• Work Quickly: Don’t let the espresso cool down too much, or else it won’t melt your ice. Once you brew your espresso, immediately add it to your cup and fill it with ice. If you want a stronger, creamier taste, though, then letting the espresso cool is perfect.
• Don’t Use Too Much Milk: Depending on the size of your cup, it’s hard to tell how much milk to add is enough. I use a 16 oz. cup for this recipe, but generally you should be adding about a fourth cup of half and half or less for every 16 oz.

FAQ’s

What’s the difference between a white Americano and a Washington Americano?

A white Americano is a regular Americano with a little cream or milk added, while a Washington Americano does not have extra water added and adds white chocolate powder, half and half, and crushed ice to the espresso. Most baristas will know what a white Americano is, but won’t know what a Washington-style Americano is.

Can I use white chocolate instead?

Yes! Instead of white chocolate powder, you can use white chocolate chips, a white chocolate truffle, or parts of a bar. You might need to mix the espresso and chocolate for a little longer since it’s harder to melt chocolate than powder.

Can I use heavy cream?

Yes, you can use heavy cream instead of half and half, but I would add about half the amount since it’s richer. If you add too much cream, the coffee flavor won’t be as strong.

Other Iced Coffee Recipes to Try

This Washington barista-style Americano is so fun to make, and honestly, I wouldn’t have discovered it if it weren’t for social media. But that’s the best part: discovering new recipes! If you want more iced coffee drinks to try, here are some other coffee recipes to try next:

• Iced Toasty Latte from Mandarin Coffee Stand in LA
• Protein Iced Coffee
• Brown Sugar Shaken Espresso
• Banana Bread Coffee
• Easy Greek Frappe