Iced Dalgona Coffee
By the QuiteRecipes team (Jamy & Kaïna) | Food Service Professional, Early Childhood Expert & Parents
Master the viral whipped coffee phenomenon! This Iced Dalgona Coffee recipe shows you how to whip instant coffee into a thick, velvety marshmallow-like froth.
The whipped coffee everyone made at home in the pandemic, still worth making when you want a little drama in your cup. We whip instant coffee into a cloud, spoon it over cold milk, and watch it slowly melt into a silky iced latte. It is half café, half magic trick.
🥄 Ingredients
- 🫗 2 tbsp instant coffee granules (decaf or regular)
- 🫗 2 tbsp granulated white sugar
- 🫗 2 tbsp boiling hot water
- 🫗 8 oz (240 ml) whole milk or almond milk
- 🫗 Ice
- 🫗 Cocoa powder or cinnamon (for dusting)
Nutrition Facts*
*Nutritional information is an estimate and may vary based on ingredients, brands and portion sizes. Values are provided per serving.
👨🍳 Instructions
In a medium mixing bowl, combine the instant coffee granules, granulated sugar, and boiling hot water (1:1:1 ratio).
Using a hand-held milk frother, an electric hand mixer, or a manual whisk, beat the mixture aggressively.
Continue whipping for 2-3 minutes (if using an electric mixer) or 5-7 minutes (by hand) until the dark liquid transforms into a thick, pale golden-brown, stiff-peaked foam.
Fill a clear serving glass with ice cubes and pour in 8 oz (240 ml) of cold milk.
Using a spoon, gently dollop the fluffy whipped coffee cream directly onto the top of the milk.
Dust lightly with a pinch of cocoa powder or cinnamon, and stir gently with a straw before drinking.
🎥 Video Tutorial
Iced Dalgona Coffee
Video credit: embedded from YouTube. All rights belong to the original creator, who allows sharing on other websites.
⚠️ Common Mistakes
- ✕
Cutting Down the Sugar: Trying to make this sugar-free using stevia or cutting the sugar volume in half will cause the coffee foam to collapse back into liquid within seconds. The sugar acts as the structural glue holding the foam together.
🔄 Variations
Mocha Dalgona: Add 1 tsp of high-quality dark cocoa powder into the coffee mixture before whipping to introduce a rich chocolatey undertone.
Warm Dalgona Comfort: Skip the ice completely and spoon the whipped coffee cream directly over a mug of steaming hot vanilla-infused oat milk.
🧊 Storage
- 📦
The whipped coffee foam can actually be prepared in advance and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days without losing its fluffy texture. Assemble with milk right before serving.
💡 Chef Tips
The Science of the Foam: This reaction *only* works with instant coffee granules. Ground coffee beans or brewed espresso do not contain the specific dehydrated proteins and starches necessary to stabilize and trap air bubbles into a thick structure.
Boiling Water is Essential: The water must be piping hot to instantly dissolve the coffee crystals and melt the sugar into a cohesive syrup matrix that can easily hold its shape.
🔗 Related Recipes
About the Authors
This recipe and guide was developed, tested, and approved in our home kitchen and daily life. Jamy is a retired Food Service District Manager and Early Childhood Program Manager who spent his career overseeing multi-site restaurant operations, large-scale culinary production, and daycare menu management. Kaïna brings the ultimate real-world test: making sure it brings ease and joy to our kids on a busy weeknight.
Read more about our professional background and philosophy →