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Coffee News & Reviews

Overhead view of a whisk swirling through creamy tan coffee foam in a glass bowl, surrounded by instant coffee granules and sugar on a warm wooden surface.

Coffee Recipes

Guides and recipes for making various coffee drinks at home, including viral trends and classic preparations.

How to Make Delicious Dalgona Coffee at Home and Master the Viral Trend

March 2020 — by Jeffery L. Parker

Dalgona coffee — also known as whipped coffee — took social media by storm in early 2020. The recipe is remarkably simple: equal parts instant coffee, sugar, and hot water, whisked vigorously until thick and creamy, then spooned over cold or warm milk.

Basic Dalgona Coffee

  • 2 tablespoons instant coffee
  • 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 2 tablespoons hot water
  • 1 cup milk of choice (dairy, oat, almond)
  • Ice (optional, for iced version)

Method: Combine instant coffee, sugar, and hot water in a bowl. Whisk by hand — or use an electric mixer — until the mixture turns pale brown and forms stiff peaks. Fill a glass with milk and ice, then spoon the whipped coffee on top. Stir before drinking.

The drink's name comes from a South Korean honeycomb toffee called dalgona, which the whipped coffee resembles in color and texture. Its pantry-friendly ingredient list made it a hit during stay-at-home periods.

People Are Customizing the Viral Creamy Coffee Recipe

March 2020 — by Jeffery L. Parker

Once the basic Dalgona recipe spread across TikTok and Instagram, home baristas began experimenting. Popular variations include:

  • Matcha Dalgona: Replace half the instant coffee with matcha powder for an earthy twist.
  • Mocha Dalgona: Add a teaspoon of cocoa powder to the coffee mixture.
  • Caramel Dalgona: Substitute brown sugar for white sugar and drizzle caramel sauce over the finished drink.
  • Vegan Dalgona: Use coconut sugar and serve over oat or almond milk.

Some enthusiasts also experimented with sugar-free versions using erythritol or monk fruit sweetener, though the texture can be harder to achieve without granulated sugar.

This Pantry-Friendly Dalgona Coffee Recipe Will Make You Forget About Starbucks

March 2020 — by Jeffery L. Parker

With cafés operating on limited schedules in early 2020, many coffee lovers turned to homemade alternatives. The Dalgona trend proved that a café-style experience could be recreated with just three pantry staples. Unlike a standard latte, the whipped topping delivers a concentrated coffee flavor that gradually blends into the milk below, creating layers of taste as you sip.

For best results, use a medium-roast instant coffee — darker roasts can make the foam taste bitter. A hand mixer or stand mixer will produce fluffier peaks in about two minutes, though whisking by hand is entirely possible with some patience.

How to Make TikTok's Favorite Drink

March 2020 — by Jeffery L. Parker

The Dalgona coffee phenomenon originated on TikTok, where videos under the hashtag #dalgonacoffee accumulated millions of views. The visual appeal — a glass of milk topped with a dramatic swirl of caramel-colored foam — made it perfectly suited to short-form video. Key tips from popular creators included chilling the bowl before whipping for faster results and using a tall glass to show off the layered effect.

The Famous Dalgona Coffee Recipe on TikTok Is Easy to Make at Home

March 2020 — by Jeffery L. Parker

If you are new to Dalgona coffee, start with the classic 1:1:1 ratio and adjust to taste. Some prefer a stronger coffee kick with a 2:1:1 ratio (coffee:sugar:water), while others reduce the sugar for a less sweet foam. The whipped mixture keeps well in the refrigerator for up to two days, so you can prepare a batch in advance and spoon it over fresh milk whenever you like.