Looking for a fun way to ring in Fall? This pumpkin spice dalgona latte is one of the easiest coffee drinks to make and is so good! It’s sweet, creamy, frothy, and nicely spiced.

It only takes 5 ingredients and minutes to make. There is no need for an espresso machine or coffee maker, just instant coffee. Easily add some autumn spice to your daily coffee with this recipe!

Here’s how to make a pumpkin spice dalgona latte at home!

What is Dalgona?

Dalgona coffee, or whipped coffee, was started in Macau in the 90’s by shipbuilder Leong Kam Hon, who opened up Hon Kee Cafe.

It’s made from equal parts instant coffee, water, and sugar, beaten with a whisk or fork until a soft, brown, fluffy foam forms triple its size. It takes less than 5 minutes to make, making it a fun and quick coffee recipe.

It’s served on top of a cup of ice and milk, and when mixed into the drink, it becomes a sweet, creamy, and frothy drink. The taste is similar to a sweet and bitter caramel.

How Does Whipped Coffee Work?

Food Science Break! Dalgona coffee works because of the sugar and protein in the coffee powder.

Coffee is a colloid, a mixture where insoluble molecules are suspended in another substance. In this case, coffee particles in water. Instant coffee has the water dehydrated out of it, making it a stable colloid perfect for foam formation.

Like sweet cream, the protein or structures in the instant coffee trap air when whisked, and the sugar helps stabilize the foam. Without sugar, the coffee won’t hold its frothy texture. Instant coffee also has less oil than regular coffee, making it more stable.

How Did Whipped Coffee Become Popular?

It became popular after a famous Hong Kong movie star visited his cafe, but didn’t garner worldwide fame until 2021 when it blew up on social media after a Korean actor, Jung Il-woo, ordered it on a TV show called Stars’ Top Recipe at Fun-Staurant while filming a mukbang in Macau.

Enamored by its seemingly magic process, whipped coffee spread virally in South Korea and eventually flooded Tiktok, with thousands of people making this coffee beverage at home in quarantine.

Since then, people affectionately know dalgona as their comfort drink, which helped them connect with strangers worldwide during a global pandemic.

Initially, this drink was called hand-beaten coffee. But the actor described it as tasting like the dalgona candy he had as a kid, and the name stuck.

What is Pumpkin Spice?

Pumpkin spice is a blend of 5 spices: cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, cloves, and ginger. It’s usually sold with all five or without allspice, pre-bottled, and ground in a spice jar. You’ll find it at any grocery store, especially during the holidays.

Pumpkin spice is also known as pumpkin pie spice because it is used for making pumpkin pies. However, it’s associated with anything flavored with pumpkin spice, like lattes, cupcakes, desserts, drinks, and more.

How to Make Pumpkin Spice

You can make pumpkin spice if you already have the spices or want a fun fall activity! Take 1 tbsp ground cinnamon, 1 tsp allspice, 1 tsp nutmeg, 1 tsp ginger, 1/4 tsp cloves, and mix them together. Then you’ll have pumpkin pie spice!

Cinnamon is the main spice, followed by allspice, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves. Cloves are a strong spice, so you don’t want to add too much; otherwise, it will overpower all the other spices.

If you have fresh spices, like a cinnamon stick, whole nutmeg, etc., grind them using a mortar and pestle or spice grinder. You’ll get a finer powder with an electric spice grinder than a mortar and pestle.

Store your pumpkin spice in an airtight, glass container, like an empty or ceramic spice jar. Make sure to label it so you know what it is!

What Does Pumpkin Spice Dalgona Taste Like?

Pumpkin spice dalgona coffee tastes like fall! It’s sweet, creamy, and spiced with a strong coffee flavor. It will remind you of cozy diners and black coffee, depending on the type of instant coffee you use.

Most instant coffees tend to remind me of strong, black coffee with a nostalgic taste. Whipped coffee tends to be sweeter, but the pumpkin puree and spices help balance it.

Because this coffee has little water, the milk makes it incredibly creamy and flavorful. It’s more similar to a latte than a regular iced coffee.

How to Make a Pumpkin Spice Dalgona Latte

To make a pumpkin spice dalgona latte at home, you’ll need:

• Pumpkin puree
• Pumpkin spice
• Instant coffee
• Sugar
• Hot water
• Milk
• Ice

Pumpkin Spice Dalgona Latte Recipe

Make your whipped coffee topping by adding instant coffee, pumpkin puree, pumpkin spice, water, and sugar into a cup or bowl. Whip your coffee mixture using a handheld frother, whisk, or electric whisk until it becomes soft and fluffy.

This process might take 2-5 minutes, depending on how fast you’re whisking or how strong your whisk is. If you’re having trouble getting a fluffy foam, read the next section for troubleshooting tips!

Add ice and milk in a separate cup, then add your pumpkin spice dalgona on top. For extra pumpkin flavor, add pumpkin puree to your milk and mix until well combined.

Mix and enjoy!

Why is My Dalgona Not Fluffy?

If your whipped coffee isn’t whipping, here are some things to try:

• Whip your dalgona without the pumpkin puree and spice, and add the pumpkin and spice to your milk.
• Add the pumpkin puree and spice after whipping your coffee mixture separately.
• Use a better or faster whisk.
• Make sure you’re using hot water.
• Use equal parts hot water, coffee, and sugar.
• Make sure the cup or bowl you’re whipping in doesn’t have fat residue.

Can I Make it Without Pumpkin?

Not a fan of pumpkin? No worries, you can always make this drink without pumpkin puree and only pumpkin spice. It will have a sweeter, smoother taste and texture since pumpkin leans savory and fibrous.

Plus, it will taste more similar to store-bought pumpkin spice lattes since many do not have actual pumpkins in them.

You could also use sweet potato or other better pumpkin varieties for sweets and desserts.

For convenience, you can use premade pumpkin spice syrup in your whipped coffee, eliminating a few steps!

Tips

Here are some tips for making a great pumpkin spice dalgona latte at home!

• If your dalgona coffee doesn’t whip, you can still drink it! It might not have the same frothy texture, but it will taste the exact same.
• You can make a smaller quantity of dalgona coffee if you don’t want to drink too much caffeine. However, whipping without a small frother or whisk will be harder.
• For a hot version, steam your milk using a steam wand or heat it in the microwave or on the stove. The dalgona coffee will instantly melt into the milk since the hot milk will dissolve the foam.