Dalgona Coffee (Easy Whipped Coffee Recipe) | Hello Little Home (2024)

Learn how to make Dalgona Coffee (a rich, whipped coffee foam) with this easy, step-by-step recipe ... this delicious recipe a visual delight and the perfect afternoon pick-me-up!

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Craving an indulgent coffee treat?

Then, this rich, creamy Dalgona Coffee is for you! If you've spent any time on Instagram or TikTok in the last two months, you've probably seen this interesting coffee confection pop up at least once ... or more likely ten times!

Unlike lots of trendy recipes, which usually require a million ingredients and lots of tricky steps to prepare, this one is actually really easy to make! In fact, you can make a cup in five minutes or less.

Ready to treat yourself? Then keep reading, because I'm sharing tons of tips and a detailed step-by-step recipe so you can try it at home, too!

What is Dalgona Coffee?

Dalgona Coffee is equal portions of instant coffee, granulated sugar, and hot water that's whipped together and turned into a rich, coffee cream, then served over milk. You may also see it referred to as Whipped Coffee, Creamy Coffee, Fluffy Coffee, Korean Coffee, and even Magic Coffee.

The transformation of boring instant coffee into a thick, creamy coffee foam is pretty magical to see. And this drink is not only delicious, but also fun to make!

Who invented Dalgona Coffee?

Despite its current popularity, this coffee treat isn't necessarily a new phenomenon. Similar drinks, such as Greek Frappe and Phenti Hui or beaten coffee (sometimes called Indian cappuccino) have been around for a while. The most current iteration became popular though after South Korea actor Jung Il-woo tried it in Macau for a TV show and said it reminded him of Dalgona, a South Korean honeycomb toffee candy.

Coffee shop and homemade versions of the drink started trending after his TV appearance, and people began sharing it on YouTube and social media with the hashtag #dalgonacoffeechallenge. Then, it truly exploded in popularity when Helen Cho prepared it in a TikTok video ... which has since been viewed millions of times! These days, it seems like everyone and their mother is recreating this viral treat while we've all been stuck at home this past month.

Regardless of its origins, if you like frothy coffee drinks, then you're going to love this fun treat!

What does Whipped Coffee taste like?

Dalgona Coffee tastes exactly how you'd imagine coffee-flavored whipped cream would. It has a strong coffee flavor, and it's super thick, creamy, and luxurious. The cream is also sugary sweet, although once you mix it with milk, the resulting drink is fairly well-balanced (though still sweet).

It's also very potent ... the directions on my instant coffee container recommend using one teaspoon of grounds per drink, but you'll use one tablespoon per drink for this recipe (so triple the coffee / caffeine)! The first time I made this TikTok Coffee recipe, I assumed that it only made one drink, when actually, it makes two. I doubled everything, so my husband could try it, too ... then, I made another batch.

Needless to say, neither of us could sleep that night! So proceed with caution 😉

Ingredients

This fluffy treat may look intimidating to make, but the recipe only requires three very basic ingredients (plus hot water). Here's what you'll need:

• Instant Coffee - You'll need the granulated type of instant coffee (or instant espresso) for this recipe. I used what I had on hand: Café Rico Instant Coffee that my husband picked up in Puerto Rico. Any kind of instant coffee works though ... Café Bustelo and Nescafé Clasico are both excellent options.
• Granulated Sugar - I used standard sugar for this recipe, but other types of sugar (such as raw sugar) will work as long as they are granulated.
• Milk - Feel free to use any kind of milk you'd like, regular or plant-based ... I used unsweetened Almond Milk, which makes this recipe vegan.

You'll Also Need

I prepared this recipe using my stand mixer, which makes it a total snap to whip up! Don't have a stand mixer (or don't want to haul yours out)? Then, you'll need a large bowl, and one of the following:

• Handheld Mixer with Whisk Attachment
• Handheld Whisk
• Milk Frother
• Spoon

Any of these should work well, although they'll take a bit more time. Personally, I'm not sure I'd personally recommend a spoon though ... unless you have tons of patience and a hankering for a major arm workout!

How to Make Whipped Coffee

Creamy coffee is one of those recipes that looks impressive, but couldn't be easier to make. For best results, make sure to use the exact ingredients the recipe calls for and to follow the directions as written.

You'll find a detailed recipe at the end of this post, but here's an overview of the steps:

1. Combine two tablespoons of instant coffee and two tablespoons of granulated sugar in a large mixing bowl.
2. Add two tablespoons of very hot water to the coffee-sugar mixture.The water needs to be hot enough to dissolve the sugar and coffee. I used water from my faucet, but if your tap water doesn't get hot enough, heat if up in the microwave first.
3. Using the whisk attachment on your stand mixer, mix the ingredients together on low speed until the sugar and coffee have dissolved.
4. Once everything is mostly dissolved, change the mixer speed to high. Then keep mixing ... as you do the mixture will lighten, increase in volume, and start to froth up. As you mix, stop a couple times to scrape down the bowl with a spatula, just to make sure everything gets incorporated.
5. Continue mixing at high speed until the coffee foam forms a stiff peak. It should only take a couple minutes with a stand mixer, but it will take longer if you're using one of the other methods. Have patience!

You can see the progression of how the coffee changes in the photos below. When you're finished with this magic coffee, the peak should hold up without folding over. Pretty cool, right?

Tip: if you don't have a stand mixer, you'll need a large bowl. Add the coffee, sugar, and hot water, then whip the ingredients together using a hand mixer with a whisk attachment, handheld whisk, milk frother, or a spoon.

Serving the Drink

When you've whipped the coffee, grab two glasses. Any glass works, but I love how these Dalgona Lattes look served in glass mugs ... they give you that coffee shop feel (even if you're stuck at home), and they're perfect for showing off the layers!

Fill the glasses about halfway with milk. You'll need about ⅓ to ½ cup milk for each glass, and any kind of milk works (I used almond milk). Then, add enough ice cubes to fill the glass about ¾ full.

Finish your drink by spooning the coffee cream over the top. And that's all there is to it ... simple, right?

Serve your Dalgona Coffee with a reusable straw or a spoon. You'll need it to mix the coffee foam and milk together before drinking.

Creamy Coffee Variations

This Korean coffee is super tasty served exactly as-is! Once you've mastered the basic recipe though, here are a few clever ways to change it up:

• Serve it hot. Heat the milk in your microwave or on the stove before topping with the fluffy coffee mixture.
• Add a topping. Sprinkle the finished coffee with cinnamon, nutmeg, coffee powder, crumbled cookies, or cocoa powder before serving. Or add a drizzle of honey, chocolate, caramel, or another syrup.
• Flavor the milk. Add a dash of vanilla, hazelnut, chocolate, cinnamon brown sugar, or another flavored coffee syrup to the milk before adding the creamy coffee topping. Just don't go too crazy, or your drink will be super sweet.
• Turn it into a co*cktail. Add a splash of vodka, whisky, rum, or another spirit, to turn this coffee drink into an indulgent co*cktail.

Storage

If you have any leftover whipped coffee, store it in an airtight container in your refrigerator. The cream should last a day or two before it starts separating. Then, layer it over the milk just before you're ready to drink it.

Related Recipes

Did you love this easy recipe? Try one of my other coffee shop-inspired drinks next!

• Australian Iced Coffee - Coffee + ice cream = the perfect warm weather treat!
• Dirty Chai Latte - This coffee-tea combo is a tasty afternoon pick-me-up.
• Iced Coffee - A classic recipe using brewed coffee.
• Instant Iced Coffee - The easiest way to make cold coffee at home (and another way to use instant coffee)!
• Iced Coffee Cubes - These frozen coffee cubes are perfect for making iced coffee with hot coffee.
• Salted Caramel Affogato - You'll love love this delicious recipe after dinner or anytime you're craving a sweet treat.
• Irish Coffee - This classic recipe is inspired by the Buena Vista Cafe original.
• Iced Irish Coffee - A fun twist on the traditional recipe!
• Cinnamon Brown Sugar Coffee Syrup - This flavored simple syrup is the perfect addition to any coffee drink.
• Iced Brown Sugar Oatmilk Shaken Espresso - A crave-worthy Starbucks copycat you're sure to love!
• Sweet Cinnamon Milk Tea - This coziest, most relaxing drink!
• Easy Chai Tea Mix - Make a batch of this easy mix to make a chai latte anytime you get a craving.

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