K-FOODRECIPE
Menu
Recipes Saved recipes
Recipes
Drinks & cocktails · Korean home cooking

Dalgona coffee — whipped Korean coffee

Instant coffee, sugar and hot water whip into a caramel-colored foam served over cold milk, a simple café drink popularized worldwide during the stay-at-home era.

10 min2 servings6 stepsDifficulty: Easy
Dalgona coffee — whipped Korean coffee

AI-generated cooking illustrations. Follow the written quantities and instructions.

01 / Before you start

Ingredients

2 servings

Get your ingredients ready
Get your ingredients ready

Everyday kitchen measurements

For 2 servings. Use a small 180 ml paper cup, a level eating spoon (about 15 ml) and a small teaspoon (about 5 ml).

How to fill the cup and spoons

Use the same cup and spoons throughout. Their sizes vary, so these amounts are approximate. Spoon flour in loosely and level the top without pressing. Measure vegetables after chopping, without packing them down. The amounts in g/ml are the original reference quantities. For part of a pack, use the specified pack weight and divide the contents evenly.

King Arthur Baking

Essential, optional and substitute ingredients

Keep essential ingredients. For a replacement, use its listed amount and cooking changes instead of that ingredient’s original amount. Skip optional ingredients and their preparation if omitted. Photos show the original recipe.

  • Essential

    Use instant coffee granules or espresso powder; ground coffee will not whip.

  • Essential

    Use white or brown sugar. Sugar-free sweetener may not whip as firmly.

  • Essential

    Use freshly boiled water.

  • Essential

    Use oat, soy or any milk you enjoy.

  • Optional

    Omit if serving without ice.

  • Optional

    Omit or dust with cinnamon.

Tap each ingredient as you prepare it. Check product labels for egg, soy, sesame, wheat, fish or shellfish where relevant.

02 / You’re ready to cook

Step-by-step cooking

  1. Step 1

    Put instant coffee, sugar and freshly boiled water in a deep bowl. Use equal spoonfuls of all three for a stable foam.

  2. Step 2

    Whisk vigorously by hand or with a hand mixer. Keep the whisk moving around the bowl so the coffee dissolves evenly.

  3. Step 3

    Continue 3 to 5 minutes by mixer, or longer by hand, until the mixture is thick, pale brown and holds soft peaks.

  4. Step 4

    Fill two glasses with ice if using. Pour cold milk into each glass, leaving room at the top for the coffee foam.

  5. Step 5

    Spoon the whipped coffee evenly over the milk. Dust with cocoa or cinnamon if desired.

  6. Step 6

    Serve with a spoon and stir before drinking. The coffee foam is concentrated, so mix it into the milk to taste.

03 / Enjoy your meal

Finished dish

Finished dish: Dalgona coffee — whipped Korean coffee
Dalgona coffee — whipped Korean coffee
Helpful tips

A level tablespoon is 15 ml. Use instant coffee, not brewed coffee. Whipping time depends on the tool: an electric hand mixer is fastest, but a whisk works. This drink contains caffeine; use decaffeinated instant coffee if desired.

Enjoy every bite

How to enjoy it

Let it cool or chill until the texture has settled, then serve in small portions. Taste it as written before adding extra sweetener or toppings.

Serve it with