Brown sugar and vanilla shouldn’t be limited to just desserts! This brown sugar vanilla whipped coffee recipe is incredible and will have your cheap, instant coffee tasting like a delicious cafe drink.

All you need are 5 ingredients and in 5 minutes you can make a fluffy, creamy dalgona coffee! The brown sugar and vanilla take this drink to the next level.

So, here’s how to make a brown sugar vanilla whipped coffee at home!

What is Whipped Coffee?

Whipped coffee, also known as dalgona coffee, is a fluffy coffee foam made from beating instant coffee, hot water, and sugar until it’s soft, thick, and fluffy. It earned its fame on social media and is most associated with TikTok.

Enjoy this whipped instant coffee on milk with ice for a refreshing treat. And when you mix the coffee into the milk, the entire drink takes on a frothy texture that’s just so good.

Why is Dalgona Coffee So Popular?

As mentioned, dalgona coffee became popular through TikTok, but specifically, it was first spread through a popular mukbang TV show in Korea.

Now, many believe that it is Korean whipped coffee, but it’s not! The cast visited a cafe in Macau, from the man who started this frothy treat!

The ex-shipyard worker created the handbeaten coffee to strengthen his arm after an injury, and once shared on television, the whipped iced coffee took the world by storm.

People, like myself, were intrigued by the fluffy texture and how it was seemingly created out of magic. Plus, it’s super easy to make and people love easy recipes that pay off.

This whipped coffee recipe is also very accessible, anyone can make it with ingredients many already have in their kitchen!

Does Whipped Coffee Have a Lot of Caffeine?

You’d think that whipped coffee has a lot of caffeine, but surprisingly, it has the same amount as a cup of brewed coffee!

This is because one serving of whipped coffee equals 1 tablespoon of instant coffee, which has about 90 mg of caffeine in it. A cup of brewed coffee has around 82 mg of caffeine, so this whipped coffee has roughly the same amount of caffeine!

But if you use more than a tablespoon of coffee in your drink, you’ll have much more caffeine. So be wary of adding more instant coffee, especially if you’re sensitive to caffeine!

How to Make Whipped Coffee

The golden ratio for any whipped coffee recipe is a 1:1:1 ratio of coffee, sugar, and water. Meaning, that for any amount of coffee you use, you use the same amount of sugar and water.

Most recipes call for 1 tbsp of each ingredient, which is perfect for one serving of dalgona coffee. From experimenting, I find that you can add about half the sugar and get the same foam, you just need to whip it a little faster.

However, if you use too little sugar, the foam will not become stiff and fluffy.

To whip instant coffee, you’ll need a handheld frother or a fast whisk. The faster you can incorporate air, the better your whipped coffee will be. You can even use a fork as long as you whip fast enough (just like the creator!)

Use a shallow bowl or tall glass, whatever fits your equipment best and has high sides or walls. This is so the coffee doesn’t splash everywhere, which can seriously stain clothing, carpets, fabric, etc.

Whip the coffee for at least 15 seconds, or until you get a fluffy foam! The time whipping may vary depending on how strong you’re whisking.

Can You Make Whipped Coffee With Regular Coffee?

Unfortunately, you cannot make whipped coffee with regular brewed coffee, which is too watery and won’t get the same, signature frothy texture instant coffee gives you. You will, instead, get large bubbles instead of microfoam.

Food Science Break: Whipping instant coffee creates a foam from the coffee proteins and sugar trapping air between them. Brewed coffee has more water which creates an unideal solution concentration that prevents the coffee foam from stabilizing like instant coffee.

If you’re thinking, maybe espresso will work, you would be correct! Espresso has a high enough concentration that when you whip it with sugar, it also creates a fluffy foam.

The Greeks do this and it’s called freddo espresso! I want to try using this method in the future, I hypothesize that the foam “melts” faster than the instant coffee version.

Can I Use Different Sugars?

One of the best parts of whipped coffee is that you can use any sugar or sweetener you’d like! You can really get creative experimenting with a whipped coffee recipe.

My go-to sweetener for dalgona coffee is honey, maple syrup, or brown sugar (ironic since the default is regular sugar).

Some diabetes-friendly options include monkfruit, stevia, and agave. You can even try using condensed milk or caramel sauce, although, I’m not sure how stable the foam will be.

Any flavored syrups works well, too, since it’s basically regular flavored sugar.

Whatever you use, just make sure to use the same amount of sugar as coffee. With agave or maple syrup, you can use less since they are sweeter than sugar. You can also use less if you want it less sweet and it should froth up similarly!

Do Brown Sugar and Vanilla Go Together?

Brown sugar and vanilla are a classic flavor pairing which you’ll find in many baked goods from cakes, cookies, muffins, and more.

The molasses caramel flavor goes well with vanilla, which helps round out the more bitter and smokey flavors. Honestly, vanilla goes with nearly every flavor, there’s a reason why it’s the world’s most popular flavor (hello, 18,000 products with vanilla).

Vanilla adds more aroma to the brown sugar and it’s delicious in coffee—honestly, more shops should use them!

In this whipped coffee recipe, I add the vanilla extract to the milk rather than the coffee because I’m not sure if the alcohol in the extract will destabilize the foam.

Best Instant Coffee to Use

The quality of instant coffee makes a huge difference in whether the whipped coffee tastes good.

I don’t like instant coffee when it has that sour aftertaste, the one that kind of makes your mouth pucker. My favorite instant coffee is Japanese instant coffee, specifically, UCC’s 114 blend, which is a smooth Japanese instant coffee.

However, you can use any plain instant coffee you have and it should work! Instant coffee with additives like spices or milk can affect the fluffy texture and make it so your coffee doesn’t froth properly.

In my experience, instant coffee granules seem to work best compared to instant coffee powder.

How to Make Whipped Coffee: Brown Sugar Vanilla Edition

Here’s what you’ll need to make brown sugar vanilla whipped coffee at home:

• 1 tbsp instant coffee
• 1 tbsp hot water
• 1/2 tbsp brown sugar
• 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup ice
• 1 cup milk

Brown Sugar Vanilla Whipped Coffee Recipe

1. Make Whipped Coffee. Add coffee, sugar, and hot water to a tall glass or bowl, then, using a handheld frother or whisk, whip the coffee mixture for 15 seconds or until the mixture becomes soft and fluffy. You can whip until soft or stiff peaks, it is up to you.
2. Assemble Drink. Add ice, vanilla extract, and milk to a glass, then top with your whipped coffee.
3. Mix and Enjoy!

Whipped Coffee Troubleshooting

If your coffee isn’t becoming fluffy, here are some things to check when making your dalgona coffee:

• Not Whipping Fast Enough: If your whipped instant coffee isn’t becoming thick and fluffy, but there is some foam, whip your coffee faster. The faster you incorporate air, the more fluffy your foam gets! You may have to increase the speed if possible or switch to a different whisk.
• Added Too Much Water: Too much water can prevent foam from forming, so if you add too much add some instant coffee and sugar to make it more concentrated.

Tips:

Here are some tips for making an amazing brown sugar vanilla whipped coffee at home:

• Use Vanilla Bean: Want more vanilla flavor? Use vanilla bean paste, syrup, or actual vanilla beans! This will give you more of that creamy aroma and taste that’s so addicting.
• Freeze It: Made a large batch of dalgona coffee? Freeze it and enjoy it later! Frozen whipped coffee has the texture of a frozen slushie, so it’s basically like frozen coffee ice cream!
• Let the Coffee Sit: Once you make your dalgona coffee, let it sit on your milk for a little bit and watch the coffee drip into the milk. It’s mesmerizing.