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Dalgona Whipped Coffee Recipe

Here’s how to make TikTok’s easy and delicious and creamy Korean Dalgona coffee recipe (Dalgona whipped coffee). You only need two ingredients to make this delicious whipped coffee recipe!

Dalgona coffee recipe

I hopped on the Whipped Coffee Recipe / Dalgona Coffee trend. Forgive me if this is the umpteenth post you’re reading about Korean whipped coffee. The thing is: I find amusement in the simplest things in life. For something so simple, This Dalgona coffee recipe is definitely worth talking about for a second.

Instant coffee granules for whipped coffee

This Dalgona whipped coffee recipe is one of those trends that you have to get with. It’s a nice treat and tastes delicious. We are in the middle of a global pandemic, and I’ve began sunbathing on the oversized windowsill in my living room. Dalgona whipped coffee in one hand, homemade everything bagel in the other.

Instant coffee and sugar for whipped coffee recipe

About Dalgona Coffee / Whipped Coffee

Firstly, this Dalgona Coffee recipe is not one you would want to make on the daily. However, if you feel obliged to have one everyday I am not going to be the one to stop you! Moreover, considering the current state of the world, I think it is safe to say that we can overlook the fact that this is not the year of the “snatched” summer body.

Whipping Coffee

Because this Dalgona coffee recipe is so simple, it only tastes as good as the instant coffee granules that you use. If you can help it, get something that tastes good. It was a two-hour ordeal to finally get my hands on some. Most of my time was spent on a line wrapped around my local Portuguese grocery store. Luckily, most Portuguese and Latin grocery stores have an impressive selection of coffees.

Whipped Instant Coffee

I’m no expert on instant coffee, so I went with what everyone else is stocking up on– Nescafé (specifically, this instant coffee). It’s a good choice, but if you can’t find the same thing please don’t beat yourself up. Anything should do the trick, honestly– this is not the time to spend incredible amounts of money or time searching for instant coffee granules for this Dalgona coffee recipe.

Dalgona Coffee Recipe

What is Dalgona whipped coffee?

Dalgona whipped coffee is a simple two-layer whipped coffee or latte drink originating from Rajasthan, India, and recently made popular in South Korea and on Tik-Tok. The whipped coffee recipe is said to have actually originated in Greece by a Nescafé representative (read: Frappé) back in the 1950s. The whipped coffee got its popular name after a South Korean Actor, Jung Il-woo visited Macau and had the luscious pick-me-up; saying it reminds him of Korean honeycomb “Dalgona” (also known as ppogi) toffee.

Is this whipped coffee recipe basically a cappuccino recipe?

While considered an upside-down cappuccino, this foamy Dalgona Coffee drink packs a lot of punch in the caffeine and sugar department and will put some pep in your step. The first layer is a velvety thick layer of caramel-colored whipped coffee, and the second is milk–– either warm or cold (often iced)

Dalgona Coffee Recipe

Is whipped coffee delicious?

Though a popular craze at the moment, this Dalgona Coffee recipe is truly a delicious treat! Because the whipped coffee mousse packs quite a bit of caffeine (unless you’re using decaf) and sugar per serving, you should drink it sparingly.

Thick Dalgona Coffee Recipe | sophisticatedgourmet.com

What’s in Dalgona coffee (whipped coffee)? What makes It foam?

The Dalgona coffee recipe is simply made with three ingredients: instant coffee or espresso granules, granulated sugar (white or natural cane), and boiling water.

The bottom portion of Dalgona coffee is milk–– whether you prefer dairy milk or non-dairy (i.e. almond milk, coconut milk, hazelnut milk, soy milk), a little Bailey’s… The choice is yours. Dalgona coffee tastes great with a bit of ice, but a warm milk version is the perfect pick-me-up on a cold, rainy day.

Spooned Instant Coffee

Can I make this Dalgona coffee recipe without sugar?

Like meringue, Dalgona Coffee is best if you make it with sugar. You can cut down on the amount of sugar by about 1/2 a tablespoon, however this will result in coffee foam that is not whipped to its full billowy potential.

Foamy Coffee

How can I make this Dalgona coffee recipe Healthier? How can I make Dalgona coffee / whipped coffee vegan or keto?

The original Dalgona coffee recipe calls for granulated sugar (granulated cane sugar / natural cane sugar can be used). Other alternatives to granulated sugar are granulated maple sugar and granulated coconut sugar. An alternative keto and sugar-free version of Dalgona coffee can be made using confectioners’ or granulated Swerve Sweetener, or with granulated monkfruit sweetener.

Coffee Foam

How do you make Dalgona coffee? Is the Dalgona coffee recipe easy?

The Dalgona coffee recipe is made by beating instant coffee granules, sugar, and boiling water together for several minutes until thick and mousse-like.

The thickness of the dalgona coffee mousse simply depends on how much it is beaten with a whisk or electric mixer. Like whipped cream, the thickness of the dalgona coffee mousse is a matter of preference. For us, however, it’s best at medium-ish peaks swathed on ice-cold milk.

Pouring Coffee

Can I use normal coffee or coffee grounds for this Dalgona coffee recipe?

Simply put, this Dalgona coffee recipe cannot me made with normal coffee. However, there are companies that take some of your favorite coffees and turn them into instant grounds. The uniqueness of instant coffee grounds (essentially: dried coffee extract) makes it the best means of achieving a heavenly mousse consistency for your coffee.

Thick whipped coffee foam
Mixed dalgona coffee

How should I drink Dalgona coffee?

While dalgona coffee is beautiful to look at with both layers of coffee foam and milk, it is best if you mix it into the milk. Furthermore, the coffee flavor with the milk is heavenly and tastes like a better version of your favorite iced coffee.

Mixed Dalgona Coffee Recipe

Other Delicious Recipes You Will Enjoy

Yield: Makes Enough for 1 Whipped Coffee

Whipped Coffee Recipe (Dalgona Coffee)

Dalgona Coffee Recipe

When it comes to whipping the Dalgona Coffee, you can either go the route of beating it within an inch of its life or lean for something a little more luxurious and billowy. Whether you like your whipped coffee thick like shaving foam or not, it's all based on preference. I aim for softish peaks because it mixes a bit better into the milk. This makes one serving of whipped coffee, however, feel free to double or triple it to your needs.

The Dalgona coffee can be served over ice-cold milk or warm milk. Any milk will work here. Just be sure to mix everything together to enjoy the true taste of this luscious coffee drink. For an adult version of this, add a shot of Baileys Irish Cream to the milk before spooning the whipped coffee on top. Thank me later.

Prep Time 5 minutes
Total Time 5 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
  • 1 tablespoon instant coffee granules
  • 1 tablespoon boiling hot water
  • Whole milk, for serving
  • Ice, for serving

Instructions

  1. In a small bowl, combine the sugar, instant coffee granules, and boiling water. Beat the mixture with a whisk or an electric hand mixer until the coffee is like whipped cream (about 3 to 5 minutes). You can err on the side of soft peaks or go for something more stiffly whipped. Set the bowl aside.
  2. Fill a glass with ice cubes and milk (you can use warm milk instead), then dollop the mixture of whipped coffee on top and mix before serving.

Notes

For Keto whipped coffee (Dalgona Coffee):

Use confectioners’ or granulated Swerve Sweetener. Granulated monkfruit sweetener is also an acceptable alternative.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

1 Dalgona Coffee

Serving Size:

1 Dalgona Coffee

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 49Total Fat: 0gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 1mgCarbohydrates: 13gFiber: 0gSugar: 13gProtein: 0g

12 Comments

  • Dee
    April 24, 2020 at 3:51 am

    Just happened to be in the kitchen funnily enough baking your bagels. Just made my husband do the whisking lol. Added to some oat milk. DEEEELICIOUS! I’m too old for tiktok so I do appreciate you sharing this on your blog. Love the baileys idea trying that this weekend.

    Reply
  • Andrea
    April 24, 2020 at 5:57 pm

    Via+Sugar packet! I’ll bring a mini whisk and we’ll have galley whipped coffee!!!

    But seriously, would Via be considered instant coffee? Or I have a bunch of Nescafé packets from The Closet!

    Reply
    • Kamran Siddiqi
      April 25, 2020 at 1:27 am

      I made some with a pack of via when I first saw this online. It works perfectly!

      Reply
  • Kiera S
    April 25, 2020 at 5:49 pm

    You made this look so elegant! Just did as you suggested and made one with Bailey’s. I usually don’t like the taste of instant coffee but my partner only drinks that. It tastes soooo good in here. Maybe the alcohol helps with that too haha!

    Reply
  • Kamran Siddiqi
    April 26, 2020 at 8:53 pm

    Kiera- it definitely does! So glad you enjoyed it :)

    Reply
  • Vincent
    May 13, 2020 at 8:34 am

    I love dalgona coffee because of the smooth texture provided by the coffee foam atop the silky milk! :) Your take on dalgona coffee is very exquisite!

    Reply
  • Rosaria Mitchell
    May 14, 2020 at 4:05 am

    I love coffee, but I think that we have to be careful with it. If you drink too much coffee, you will be able to have serious problems with your stomach, that is why I love this recipe. Can control how much coffee you’re having and make it a treat and customize it with whatever milk you have on hand.

    Reply
  • Diane
    May 29, 2020 at 7:10 am

    Just made this following your instructions. I’m officially hooked on Dalgona Coffee! Thank you, Kam!

    Reply
  • Russell Volz
    July 4, 2020 at 7:40 pm

    Whipped coffee. Wow, what an idea. I have got to try this.

    I’m a fanatic about smooth coffee, i.e., not bitter and not burnt. I can just imagine a super smooth coffee that’s whipped. I can’t wait.

    The challenge is finding super smooth coffee. Here in the states, fresh coffee is hard to find. The best option is to search the internet for “smooth coffee”, or “smoothest coffee”, or “smooth coffee beans”. There you’ll find several good options.

    Reply
  • William Hughes
    November 5, 2020 at 12:44 pm

    So good!!! I didn’t have a strainer or cheese cloth so mine still had most of the pumpkin texture, but it tasted amazing and was easy to make.

    Reply
  • Vicky
    April 8, 2022 at 11:17 am

    Love this Korean dalgona whipped coffee. Great recipe and beautiful pictures. Something to do this weekend. Thanks

    Reply
  • Parveen
    October 11, 2023 at 10:02 pm

    This is a great recipe! I love dalgona coffee and this recipe makes a great cup.

    Reply

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