This creamy dalgona milk tea is a bold and smooth caffeinated drink perfect for days when you feel tired. You get the bold coffee with the smooth milk tea that’s both refreshing and delicious. It’s also incredibly easy to make at home and prepare ahead of time, so you can enjoy it on the go!

Here’s how to make this refreshing dalgona milk tea at home!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Best of Both Worlds – It’s the perfect fusion of bold coffee and sweet milk tea, combining two beloved drinks into one creamy, energizing treat.
• Frothy & Aesthetic – That whipped dalgona coffee layer is not only fun to make, but gives the drink a beautiful, café-style look with a luxurious texture.
• Easy to Make at Home – You only need a few basic ingredients like instant coffee, sugar, milk, and tea—no fancy equipment or barista skills required.
• Customizable Flavor – You can tailor the milk tea base to your favorite tea (black, Thai, jasmine, etc.), adjust sweetness, or add syrups like brown sugar or vanilla.
• Cheaper Than Takeout – It tastes just like (or better than!) something you’d get at a trendy café—but for a fraction of the price.

What is Dalgona?

Dalgona coffee, also known as whipped coffee, actually traces back to Macau in the 1990s. It was created by Leong Kam Hon, a shipbuilder-turned-café-owner who served what he called “hand-beaten coffee” at his shop, Hon Kee Café.

The drink stayed relatively local until it got international attention after appearing on a Korean TV show, where an actor compared its sweet, toasty flavor to dalgona—a honeycomb candy from his childhood. The name stuck, and the trend exploded globally after going viral on TikTok in 2021.

The drink is made by whipping together equal parts instant coffee, sugar, and hot water until it turns into a light, airy foam, tripling in size and turning silky and brown. Spoon it over milk and ice, and you’ve got a drink that’s sweet, creamy, and slightly bitter with caramel-like notes. It’s easy, fast, and feels like a little café treat made right in your kitchen.

What is Dalgona Milk Tea?

Dalgona milk tea is a creamy milk tea topped with fluffy dalgona coffee foam for a fun combination of two of the most popular beverages. While it’s usually made with whipped instant coffee on top, some versions swap that for a dalgona-style foam made using instant tea or brewed tea instead.

It’s surprisingly easy to make at home—all you need is instant coffee, sugar, water, and your favorite brewed tea. You can make it with any tea—jasmine, oolong, green—but I think it pairs best with black tea since it has a stronger, more robust flavor that holds its own. I usually keep mine simple with no toppings, but lots of people like to add boba or chewy tapioca pearls for a fun, textural twist.

What Does Dalgona Milk Tea Taste Like?

Dalgona milk tea tastes like a sweet and smoky caramel milk tea with a hint of bitterness from the whipped coffee on top. The dalgona foam adds a deep, slightly roasted flavor that balances perfectly with the creamy milk tea base. It almost tastes like a grown-up version of caramel milk tea that is less sugary and more complex.

If you’ve ever had dalgona (Korean caramel candy) with a similar caramel flavor, that’s exactly what the whipped coffee tastes like, washed down with a sweet milk tea. Altogether, it’s rich, smooth, and slightly nostalgic, especially if you’re a fan of coffee or caramel.

How Much Caffeine is in Dalgona Milk Tea?

The caffeine content in dalgona milk tea can vary depending on the type of tea and coffee used, as well as the brewing method. However, here’s a rough estimate:

• Instant coffee (2 tsp): about 60–90 mg of caffeine
• Black tea (1 cup brewed): roughly around 40-70 mg of caffeine

The instant coffee caffeine amount is pretty consistent since there is only one way to “brew” it, and it is controlled by how much instant coffee you use. The caffeine in brewed tea, however, varies depending on tea leaf size, water temperature, brewing time, tea type, and so on.

Generally, hotter water, longer brewing time, and using more oxidized tea result in higher caffeine.

So in total, a cup of dalgona milk tea typically contains 100–160 mg of caffeine, which is roughly equivalent to a regular cup of coffee or 2 shots of espresso.

Note: If you’re sensitive to caffeine or want a lighter option, you can reduce the amount of instant coffee in the dalgona foam or use a decaf tea.

How to Make Dalgona Coffee

To make dalgona coffee, you’ll whisk together equal parts instant coffee, sugar, and hot water until it transforms into a soft, fluffy foam. Start by boiling some water, then mix everything in a small bowl or cup.

Food Science Break: Instant coffee contains proteins that trap air when whipped, and the sugar helps stabilize that airy structure. That’s why you get such a thick, cloud-like foam—kind of like meringue.

You can go the old-school route and whip it by hand with a whisk or fork—just know it’ll take some serious arm work. The best way is to use a handheld frother or electric whisk to save time and effort (and spare your wrists).

While you can use cold or room temperature water, hot water dissolves everything smoothly and quickly. Keep in mind that dalgona foam isn’t super stable. It starts breaking down and turning liquid if left out too long, so whip it and use it quickly for the best results!

How to Make Creamy Milk Tea

While you can just brew tea and add some sugar and milk to it, there’s a better method for making a creamy and rich milk tea that still tastes like tea. Instead of brewing tea in water, brew it in milk and let it steep overnight.

This semi-cold brew method is how you make a strong and creamy milk tea that isn’t watery, and it’s how you make the famous royal milk tea. Start by adding tea leaves and a little hot water to a pot to get the brewing started. Then, add the sugar and milk and heat until it starts to boil.

Let the tea boil for a couple of seconds, then take it off the heat and let the tea steep for at least 20 minutes or overnight before serving. Trust me, it’s the best way to make milk tea!

How to Make Dalgona Milk Tea

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp instant coffee
• 2½ tbsp brown sugar split
• ½ cup hot water split
• 3 tbsp black tea leaves
• 2 cups milk
• 1 cup ice

Dalgona Milk Tea Recipe

1. Milk Tea:
2. Add tea leaves and hot water to a small pot, then let them brew for 3-5 minutes. Add milk, sugar, and heat on the stovetop on low to medium heat until the milk starts to boil.
3. Turn off the heat and let the tea steep for 20 minutes or until the milk turns a light brown color. Steep longer or overnight for a stronger flavor.
4. Dalgona Coffee:
5. Add instant coffee, sugar, and water to a tall cup, then whip for 10-20 seconds with a handheld frother until the coffee is soft and fluffy. The foam should hold its shape.
6. Add ice and milk tea to a separate glass, then top with dalgona coffee.
7. Mix and enjoy!

Other Dalgona Recipes

Coffee and tea are an amazing drink pair, not just side by side! It’s slightly bitter, smoky, and robust, with an energizing kick. If you love strong and creamy drinks, then you need to try these other dalgona recipes next:

• Dalgona Thai tea
• Ube dalgona coffee
• Vanilla dalgona coffee
• Honey dalgona coffee
• Dalgona matcha latte

Tips:

• Use a Handheld Frother: The easiest way to make dalgona coffee is by using a handheld frother instead of a whisk or electric whisk. It’s smaller, easier to control, and perfect for making a single portion versus a whole bowl full. You can find them at almost any grocery store now, and they’re usually less than $10 for a cheap one! Try to find one that is rechargeable so you don’t have to change out the batteries.
• Steep Tea Overnight: For extra tea flavor, steep the tea in milk overnight for an ultra-smooth and strong milk tea. It’s basically a type of cold brew that will make your milk tea even better! It’s similar to how the Japanese royal milk tea is made.
• Use Premade Milk Tea: If you don’t want to brew tea or just want an easier method, you can use premade milk tea from a can instead. My favorite is the Sangaria royal milk tea, which is what my tea recipe is based on. You can dilute it with milk to make it less sweet.
• Dalgona Coffee Not Fluffy: If your dalgona is not fluffy, try adding a little more sugar or using a faster whisk. You need both to create a stiff, fluffy coffee foam that will float on your tea.