Trying to use up your leftover ube extract? This is the perfect ube iced coffee you have to try. Marrying the creamy ube flavor with bold coffee in ube dalgona coffee is such a win! It’s vanilla-y and creamy, with a gorgeous purple color.

Ube dalgona coffee is so delicious, easy, and takes less than 5 minutes to make. It’s now one of my favorite dalgona coffee recipes to make!

So, here’s how to make a creamy ube dalgona coffee at home!

What is Dalgona Coffee?

History: Dalgona coffee, or whipped coffee, was started in Macau in the 90’s by shipbuilder Leong Kam Hon, who opened up Hon Kee Cafe. His coffee was featured on a famous Korean TV show and spread virally on TikTok in 2021.

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.

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.

What Does Dalgona Coffee Taste Like?

Dalgona coffee tastes like coffee candy! It’s sweet and strong, especially from the concentrated instant coffee. It kind of reminds me of those popular Indonesian Kopiko candies you can get at any Asian supermarket.

However, there is a prominent instant coffee aftertaste which is slightly bitter and sour. If you’ve ever tried instant coffee, you know what I mean. But the added milk and sugar help reduce that aftertaste, especially if you add other flavors.

Does Dalgona Have a Lot of Caffeine?

Surprisingly, dalgona coffee has a normal amount of caffeine even though you’re using more than one serving of instant coffee to make it.

One teaspoon of instant coffee has around 30-35 mg of caffeine, so 1 tbsp of instant coffee (the recommended amount to make dalgona coffee) there’s 90-105 mg of caffeine.

On average, a cup of brewed coffee has around 82.5 mg of caffeine, so dalgona coffee is close to what people usually have in a serving of coffee.

I think because we’re not used to using tablespoons of coffee, we think dalgona has a lot of caffeine in it, but it’s actually not too bad!

How to Make Whipped Coffee

As mentioned, dalgona or whipped coffee is equal parts instant coffee, sugar, and hot water whisked until soft, fluffy foam forms.

Boil water, then add all the ingredients into a tall cup or bowl.

You can use a whisk or fork to try hand-beating the coffee yourself, but it takes a lot of effort and constant beating to get it frothy.

The more convenient (and realistic) way is to use a handheld frother or electric whisk to achieve the same result. Whip it as fast as possible (without making a mess) for the fluffiest consistency.

Food Science Break: Instant coffee’s protein plus sugar is the perfect formula for a soft, fluffy foam. Like sweet cream, the protein or structures in the instant coffee trap air when whisked, and the sugar helps stabilize the foam. Once you make the dalgona foam, it will eventually dissolve into a liquid if you let it sit.

What is Ube?

Ube, also known as purple yam, is a sweet root vegetable that has a thin brown skin on the outside (like a sweet potato) and soft, purple flesh on the inside.

Its texture is similar to sweet potato, but the flavor is a delicious mix of nutty, sweet, and vanilla, with a subtle coconut-like aroma.

Ube is widely grown throughout Southeast Asia, but it’s most famous in the Philippines, where you’ll find ube featured in all kinds of treats. It’s a yam I grew up eating and it’s a nostalgic flavor for me!

You can enjoy ube like sweet potato once you cook it— just peel the skin off and dig into the soft, creamy inside. But be careful, ube can easily stain your teeth, tongue, and fabrics, so handle it carefully!

The bold purple color also makes ube an excellent natural coloring agent, perfect for adding a pop of color to any dessert or drink.

How to Get Ube Flavor

Ube comes in many forms, including extract, jam, powder, or whole yam, which you can all find in any Filipino or Asian grocery store (except when the yam is out of season).

Ube extract is the easiest to find and work with, and I always use the Butterfly brand, who also carry many Asian flavors like pandan, almond, etc. It has a slight vanilla flavor and a bright purple color. A little goes a long way!

Ube powder, usually the Giron Foods brand, is also available at the store but the particles are much bigger than a powder and better in desserts or smoothies. There are more options for ube powder online, which are much finer.

You’ll also find some ube jams or halayas in the jam or spread section, usually with multiple options, but they are presweetened so controlling for sugar is difficult in drinks.

To use real yam, steam the ube before using it, then blend it to get a thick paste to flavor your drinks.

How to Make Ube Dalgona Coffee

Here’s what you’ll need to make ube dalgona coffee at home:

• 2 tbsp instant coffee
• ½ tbsp sugar
• 2 tbsp hot water
• 1/8 tsp ube extract
• 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup milk
• 1 cup ice

Ube Dalgona Coffee Recipe

1. Whip Instant Coffee: In a tall cup or bowl, add instant coffee, hot water, and sugar and whip on high until soft and fluffy. Your foam should be stiff and light brown in color.
2. Assemble Ube Dalgona Coffee: Add ube extract, vanilla extract, ice, and milk in a tall glass. Then, top with your whipped coffee.
3. Mix and Enjoy!

Why is My Dalgona Coffee Not Fluffy?

If your whipped coffee isn’t whipping, make sure that:

• You’re Using Hot Water: The coffee and sugar need to dissolve before whipping, otherwise it won’t work.
• Using the Right Ratio: Make sure you’re using enough instant coffee and sugar to water. You can alter the coffee and sugar amounts, but too much water will make your dalgona runny and not foamy.
• Whisking Fast Enough: You need to incorporate a lot of air fast to get a nice, fluffy foam. Either use a stand or hand mixer or a really strong hand frother to get that nice fluffy texture.
• Using the Right Instant Coffee: I’ve used instant coffee with added spices in the past and it did not whip well, so use plain instant coffee.

Tips:

Here are some tips for making a super fluffy ube dalgona coffee at home!

• Experiment With Sugar: You can use different kinds of sugar in your dalgona coffee! Depending on what you use, you’ll get a slightly different flavor. My favorites include honey, vanilla syrup, and brown sugar.
• Blend Your Drink: You can blend this drink for a frosty ube frappuccino with instant coffee! It’ll be a creamy, sweet frozen treat.