dalgona coffee

Dalgona Coffee Recipe

By Swasthi on September 14, 2023, Comments, Jump to Recipe

Dalgona Coffee at its best!! Make this super sensational Whipped Coffee at home with just 4 ingredients and you will love this for everything. Dalgona coffee, also known as whipped coffee, has taken the internet by storm. Named after the Korean toffee flavored street candy that it resembles in appearance, texture, and color, Dalgona coffee has become wildly popular across many social media platforms. What started out as a trend actually has roots in many other cultures around the world including India, Greece, and Cuba.

dalgona coffee

The intrigue of this trend continues to carry on as people everywhere are giving this unique coffee beverage a try. Once you have tried making Dalgona coffee at home you will, no doubt, understand the enthusiasm for this unique drink.

About Dalgona

Dalgona coffee is a beverage where equal parts of instant coffee, sugar and boiling hot water are whisked until a thick foam like consistency is achieved. It is then served over a cup of hot or chilled milk.

What sets it apart from other coffee beverages is the unusual method that creates an almost mousse-like foam that floats atop a glass of milk, seemingly suspended there like a coffee-flavored cloud.

There are a number of ways to whip the coffee into the desired foamy consistency. While purists may support the idea of whisking by hand, it is worth mentioning that this will take some time. It is also a good bit of arm work to get it there by whisk. This certainly can be done if you give yourself plenty of time. Also a bowl big enough to accommodate a whisk.

There are other options if you want to opt for something a bit more efficient and easier on your arms. An electric hand mixer, milk frother, or stand mixer will all work quite nicely to make light work of this task. All of these help achieve the optimal stiff peaks in just minutes.

Choosing Ingredients

Dalgona coffee is made simply of instant coffee, sugar, water and milk. When choosing your ingredients, it is important to pay attention to a few details.

Instant Coffee: It is important to choose freeze-dried coffee which tends to yield the fluffiest and lightest foam. It just so happens that this type of instant coffee is very readily available and is often the least expensive option in the grocery store.

Sugar: When choosing sugar for this coffee beverage, it is best to opt for granulated sugar because they it give you the best texture when it comes to whipping. Alternately, you can opt for brown sugar which will contribute a toffee-like flavor, or coconut sugar which will work, but with less airy results.

Water: Hot boiling water is the key to making a nice stable foam. It allows the coffee granules to dissolve and creates a syrup as it is combined with the sugar.

Milk: Any kind of milk will work. Simply put it in a glass with a few ice cubes or warm it up and serve it in a mug if you prefer it hot. You can also use this homemade almond milk.

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How to make Dalgona Coffee (Stepwise Photos)

The process for making the coffee foam starts with equal parts of instant coffee, sugar, and water.

1. To a large bowl add 2 tablespoons instant coffee. If you have a stand mixer, use that instead.

2. Add 3 tbsps of sugar. Granulated white sugar works best here.

3. Pour 2 tablespoons hot boiling water and mix everything well to a uniform mixture.

4. Using a whisk begin to beat vigorously. If using a hand or stand mixer you can use a wire whip/whisk or a beater attachment.

5. Begin to whisk/beat. If doing with a hand held whisk, you may take about 12 to 15 mins depending on your arm strength.

6. Depending on whether you are whisking by hand or with an electric mixer, this will take anywhere from 2 to 15 minutes to reach the final stage. It took 3 minutes for me on the highest speed in my KitchenAid. After 1 minute, scrape the sides.

7. You will know it is done when it has lightened considerably in color, taking on a light toffee color. In addition, the volume also increases considerably. The mixture will be quite thick and will hold stiff peaks, much like whipping egg whites into a meringue.

8. Once you have achieved optimal creaminess, pour chilled or hot milk to a serving glass. Depending on your preference, you can also add some ice cubes.

9. Simply dollop your coffee cream on top. With this recipe, you can easily make 3 servings of dalgona. With a straw, gently stir a portion of the coffee cream into the milk and enjoy.

Once you have tried making Dalgona coffee you will, no doubt, understand the enthusiasm for this unique coffee beverage.

dalgona coffee recipe

Faqs on dalgona coffee

Can you store the coffee foam after it is whipped?

Yes, you can store the whipped coffee foam in the refrigerator for several days. You may notice that it will lose some of its volume. If you do find that it has deflated a bit you can easily bring it back just by whisking if necessary.

Can I make it with less sugar, no sugar or sugar alternative?

Alternative sugar substitutes can work, though you can expect less volume. The options are there, though because the granulated sugar works by creating a viscous sugar syrup you can expect optimal results. Skipping the sugar completely will not yield desirable results.

Can Vegan milk be used?

Yes, any milk will work just fine. Cows milk, oat milk, nut milk, coconut milk all work perfectly fine here. In fact, any milk that you like is a good fit for this recipe.

Why does the recipe work best with instant coffee powder?

Dalgona coffee works best with instant coffee due to the concentration of the coffee as well as some intrinsic properties of the coffee that are the result of the freeze-drying process. Using regular coffee or espresso will not give you the same thick foam that defines Dalgona coffee.

What is the best way to store whipped coffee cream?

You can store whipped coffee cream in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to a week. It is best used within 2-3 days, though you can re-whip it if necessary.

More common questions

Why won’t the recipe work with some kinds of sweeteners?

Granulated white sugar is the best option for whipped coffee. It yields a nice stiff foam. Brown sugar works, as well, though its moisture content will diminish its ability to achieve the same lightness. The reason sugar works in this recipe is that it combines with the water to create a viscous sugar syrup that holds volume and creates stability. Alternate sweeteners cannot deliver the same results.

Ideas to use up leftover whipped coffee

Lastly if you find yourself with too much whipped coffee, you can use it in a number of ways that are equally delicious:

  • Fold dalgona coffee into vanilla yogurt and freeze it for a coffee-flavored froyo.
  • Make it into a dalgona coffee tiramisu with ladyfingers and sweetened mascarpone cheese.
  • Use it as a topping for chocolate mousse.
  • Slather it onto cake, brownies, etc.

Related Recipes

Recipe Card

dalgona coffee

Dalgona Coffee Recipe (Whipped Coffee)

Dalgona coffee at its best!! Make this super sensational whipped coffee at home with just 4 ingredients and you will love this for everything.
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For best results follow the step-by-step photos above the recipe card

Prep Time13 minutes
Cook Time2 minutes
Total Time15 minutes
Servings3
AuthorSwasthi
Diet : Gluten Free, Vegetarian

Ingredients (US cup = 240ml )

  • 2 tablespoons instant coffee
  • 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 2 tablespoons boiling water
  • 2 cups milk

optional (for serving)

  • 4 ice cubes


Instructions

How to make Dalgona Coffee

  • Add instant coffee, sugar and boiling water to a mixing bowl. Give a quick stir to incorporate the coffee with the water.
  • Begin to whisk vigorously until the mixture turns to a thick coffee cream, that holds stiff peaks.
  • Option 1 – Using a hand whisk it takes about 12 to 15 minutes depending on your arm strength. While you whisk, tilt the bowl slightly to help you whisk and aerate the mixture well. Also at regular intervals scrape the sides.
  • Option 2 – If using a electric hand mixer, it takes about 7 to 8 minutes depending on your equipment. Scrape the sides a few times at intervals of 2 to 3 mins.
  • Option 3 – If using a electric stand mixer, whip it on a high speed using a wire whisk or a paddle attachment. After 1 minute, scrape the sides. In my KitchenAid it took about 3 to 4 minutes on the highest speed.
  • When the coffee cream is done it takes on a lighter color with stiff peaks.
  • Pour chilled or hot milk to serving cups. You can also add ice cubes if you prefer. Then scoop the dalgona coffee cream on top of the milk.
  • With a straw, gently stir a part of the coffee cream into the milk and enjoy dalgona coffee.


Alternative quantities provided in the recipe card are for 1x only, original recipe.

For best results follow my detailed step-by-step photo instructions and tips above the recipe card.

Video

Watch Dalgona Coffee Video

NUTRITION INFO (estimation only)

Nutrition Facts
Dalgona Coffee Recipe (Whipped Coffee)
Amount Per Serving
Calories 160 Calories from Fat 45
% Daily Value*
Fat 5g8%
Saturated Fat 3g19%
Cholesterol 17mg6%
Sodium 73mg3%
Potassium 338mg10%
Carbohydrates 23g8%
Sugar 20g22%
Protein 6g12%
Vitamin A 267IU5%
Calcium 192mg19%
Iron 1mg6%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
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Dalgona Coffee Recipe

About Swasthi

I’m Swasthi Shreekanth, the recipe developer, food photographer & food writer behind Swasthi’s Recipes. My aim is to help you cook great Indian food with my time-tested recipes. After 2 decades of experience in practical Indian cooking I started this blog to help people cook better & more often at home. Whether you are a novice or an experienced cook I am sure Swasthi’s Recipes will assist you to enhance your cooking skills. More about me

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5 stars
I love this Dalgona coffee. I had a recipe from elsewhere, but basically the same other than using swerve instead of sugar for people that are watching their sugar intake. It is delicious.

5 stars
I got a chance to dust up my kitchenaid to make this dalgona coffee. Turned out fab. Thank you