Fluffy and cloudlike, this matcha einspanner is sweet, creamy, and decadent. It’s popular in specialty cafes for its whimsical appearance and delicious taste! You get a satisfying cream top that is silky and smooth, which pairs nicely with the matcha underneath.

There are so many different types of einspanners, from the classic to matcha, hojicha, tea, and more. Einspanners are easy to make, and the cream only needs two ingredients to add to various drinks.

So, here’s how to make a delicious matcha einspanner at home!

What is an Einspanner?

An einspänner, or Viennese coffee, is a hot coffee beverage made with espresso that is topped with lots of whipped cream. It started in Austria in the 19th century to keep coffee warm for coachmen and carriage drivers.

The whipped cream helped keep the coffee insulated and prevented it from spilling as coachmen drove the carriage and waited in the cold for their next patron. The name comes from the one-horse carriages that were popular at the time, which are the equivalent of modern-day taxis.

Now, you can find this delicious drink worldwide with different renditions of the classic drink. You’ll find delicious whipped cream on lattes, matcha, cold brew, and more, especially from trendy cafes like DAMO, Memory Look, 6XS Coffee, and Yeems Coffee, some cafes in LA I’ve tried einspanners!

What Does Einspanner Taste Like?

A traditional einspanner tastes sweet, creamy, and bitter. The cold whipped cream partially melts into the hot, strong coffee, which helps make it creamy and sweet. It tastes similar to tiramisu, a coffee-soaked sponge with mascarpone cheese and whipped cream.

Modern versions feature the einspanner cream on iced drinks, including lattes, brewed coffee, and more. These versions are extra creamy and milky, with the cream on top adding a luscious texture to the milk. It makes the drink taste similar to ice cream!

It’s also common to have non-caffeinated versions, including flavored milk, coconut water einspanners, and more. The possibilities are endless!

What is a Korean-Style Einspanner?

I first saw einspanners in Korean cafes and from Korean homecafe accounts on Instagram in 2022. You get this incredibly fluffy-looking cream cloud with a dusting of cocoa powder on coffee in cute glass cups.

The drink itself leans more dessert-like, looking like a liquid tiramisu! It’s sweet and creamy with a heavy emphasis on aesthetics. At first, cafes sold the traditional einspanner and a milk coffee version, both hot and cold.

After those images circulated on social media, it’s now inspiring cafe menus everywhere! Several cafes near me have matcha and coffee einspanners, Thai tea einspanners, and other creative flavors.

Einspanner vs. Cold Foam vs. Cream Top

You might be wondering what the difference between an einspanner, cold foam, and a cream top is since they look and taste identical.

Essentially, they all mean the same thing: they’re just different names for a cafe beverage with a whipped cream topping. However, to me, they have slight nuances in their meanings.

An einspanner refers to the drink with a whipped cream top, whereas a cream top refers to the whipped cream topping itself.

A cold foam or sweet cream cold foam is a different topping altogether, which is heavy cream and milk that is less viscous than just whipped cream. It’s pourable, has the consistency of drinking yogurt, and melts into the drink relatively easily.

I love this Eater article that says the einspanner is just a return of whipped cream drinks from our childhood, like frappuccinos or milkshakes, but in adult form.

How to Make a Matcha Einspanner

To make a matcha einspanner, you’ll need:

• A handheld frother or electric whisk
• Heavy cream
• Sugar
• Matcha powder
• Water
• Milk
• Ice

How to Make Einspanner Cream Recipe

Einspanner cream is notoriously thick yet still somewhat pourable. It’s not as stiff as a regular whipped cream, so it is crucial to know when to stop whipping.

You can whip your heavy cream in various ways, but an electric whisk or frother is best. It whips the cream fast enough to create a foam and incorporates air consistently.

Sometimes, I’ll use a handheld frother to whip cream, which does the job, but it can take a while or not aerate the cream enough for it to have a stable texture. A handheld electric whisk is best for this recipe!

First, add heavy cream and sugar to a cup or bowl, then whip it until it aerates into a soft cream. If you pull the whisk out of the cream, it should drip down slowly in a stream. Keep whisking until you get the consistency of a thick, pourable smoothie.

If you accidentally whip your cream to a stiff stage, add some cream to your mixture and whip it again.

How to Make a Matcha Latte Recipe

Making a matcha latte is easy! The hardest part is getting the right ratio of matcha to milk, which depends on how you like your matcha.

You need to whisk matcha in water before you can drink it, which makes it velvety and smooth. Usually, you use a tea bowl and whisk, called a chawan and chasen. But if you don’t have these tools, you can use an electric frother or shake in a lidded jar.

You want to create a microfoam that will give you a nice mouthfeel. With a chawan, whisk your matcha in a zigzag or z motion, which will help create more bubbles and froth!

Then, assemble your drink with ice, milk, and your matcha on top. Then, add your cream on top to make a matcha einspanner!

How to Drink an Einspanner

Before you mix the cream and drink together, try drinking it from the top through the cream. Tilt your beverage 45 degrees and get a sip of both the cream and drink. Make sure you don’t get a sip full of cream!

In cold einspanners, you’ll get a cream texture contrasting with the silky cream and the smooth matcha. With hot drinks, the temperature contrast is refreshing!

Then, mix your cream into the drink for an ultra-creamy beverage that is sweet and delicious. It might take some stirring to mix the cream into the drink thoroughly. Most of the cream will stay at the top, too, so really get in there!

Tips

Here are some tips on making a creamy matcha einspanner at home!

• Instead of sugar, you can use different flavored syrups or sweeteners in your cream, like brown sugar, agave, maple syrup, caramel, lavender, pumpkin spice syrup, etc.
• You can make this vegan with a vegan heavy cream or coconut cream.
• For a less creamy version, add the cream on top of an iced matcha, which is the whisked matcha, and cold water over ice. It’s essentially the same as an iced coffee but with matcha.