Whipped Coffee (Dalgona): Easy Recipe With Instant Coffee

Whipped coffee, also called dalgona coffee, is instant coffee, sugar and hot water beaten together until they turn into a thick, glossy, caramel-colored foam, then spooned over a glass of cold or hot milk. You need equal parts of each, about two minutes with an electric mixer or five to ten by hand, and nothing else.

Why You Need Instant Coffee

Whipped coffee only works with instant coffee. Instant is coffee that has already been brewed and dried, so it dissolves completely, and the thick, concentrated mixture of coffee solids and sugar traps air and holds it as a stable foam. Ground coffee does not dissolve, and brewed coffee or espresso is far too watery to whip. Any instant works, granules or powder, regular or decaf. Our guide to how instant coffee is made explains why it behaves so differently.

How to Whip It: Mixer, Frother or Whisk

You can also shake it hard in a sealed jar for a couple of minutes. It will not get as thick, but it froths well enough to float on milk.

Tips for Better Whipped Coffee

• Keep the ratio equal. One part instant coffee, one part sugar, one part hot water is what makes it whip. For one drink, use 1 tablespoon of each.
• Use hot water. It dissolves the coffee and sugar quickly, so the mixture whips faster.
• Watch the color. It starts dark brown and turns light caramel as it fills with air. When it holds a ridge, it is done.
• Taste it with the milk. The foam on its own is very bitter and sweet. Stirred into the milk it becomes a mellow, sweet iced latte.

Can You Make It With Less Sugar?

Yes, up to a point. Sugar thickens the mixture and keeps the foam stable. With half the sugar it still whips, but the foam is looser and fades sooner. With none at all, instant coffee and water will foam but collapse within minutes. Granulated sweeteners such as erythritol work better than liquid ones; honey and syrups make it too runny to whip. If you want it less sweet, keep the sugar and use unsweetened milk.

Variations

• Mocha: add 1 teaspoon of cocoa powder before whipping, or use chocolate milk.
• Vanilla or cinnamon: a few drops of vanilla extract or a pinch of cinnamon in the mix.
• Decaf: decaf instant whips just as well.
• Dairy-free: oat milk is the creamiest; almond and soy work too. Our guide to milks for coffee compares them.
• Hot: warm the milk in a pan or the microwave, pour it into a mug, and spoon the foam on top.

Where Whipped Coffee Comes From

Whipped coffee went viral in early 2020, when people stuck at home started sharing it online as “dalgona coffee”. The name came from South Korea: its color and texture reminded people of dalgona, a Korean honeycomb toffee. The idea is much older. In India, “beaten coffee” made by whipping instant coffee and sugar with a little water has been a home favorite for decades, and Greece’s iced frappé is also made by whipping instant coffee into a foam. Our history of instant coffee has more.

Common Questions

Why won’t my whipped coffee get thick?

Usually too much water, not enough sugar, or not enough whipping. Keep the three ingredients equal and keep going: by hand it can take a full 10 minutes. Using ground coffee or brewed coffee instead of instant will not work at all.

How much caffeine is in whipped coffee?

Two tablespoons of instant coffee is several cups’ worth, which is why this recipe makes two drinks. Each glass gets about a tablespoon, two to three times what most people use for a cup of instant, so expect very roughly 120 to 180 mg of caffeine, depending on the brand. Our caffeine guide has the figures for instant and brewed coffee.

Can you store whipped coffee?

It is best fresh. Covered in the fridge it keeps for a day or two; it will settle a little, so whisk it again briefly before using.