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Korean

Dalgona coffee

Vegetarian

달고나 커피 · dalgona keopi

Equal parts instant coffee, sugar and hot water whipped into a stiff, toffee-coloured cream and spooned over iced milk.

Dalgona coffee is a Korean cold drink from South Korea, ready in about 6 minutes and made with instant coffee, sugar and milk. It serves 2 and is rated beginner to cook.

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Close-up of a frothy dalgona coffee on a stylish wooden coaster with a rustic design.
Photo: khats cassim / Pexels · Pexels License
Prep
6 min
Cook
0 min
Total
6 min
Serves
2
Level
Beginner
Calories
192

Ingredients

2 glasses

Equipment

Method

  1. Step 1

    Put the instant coffee (opens in a new tab), sugar (opens in a new tab) and hot water in a deep bowl.

  2. Step 2

    Whisk (opens in a new tab) with a hand mixer (opens in a new tab) on high for 3–5 minutes (or about 10 minutes by hand) until pale, glossy and stiff enough to hold peaks.

    Eggs being whisked in a bowl
    How it looks · Photo: Kampus Production on Pexels

  3. Step 3

    Fill two glasses with ice and cold milk (opens in a new tab), about three-quarters full.

    • Step 4

      Spoon the whipped coffee on top and swirl it in with a spoon or straw as you drink.

      • 1 min

    About this dish

    Origin
    South Korea · Commonly attributedNamed and popularised in South Korea in 2020; hand-beaten instant coffee with sugar was already common in India, Pakistan and elsewhere.Also popular in India, Pakistan, United StatesMore food from South Korea
    Dish
    Snack · Brunch · Cold drinks
    Cooking method
    Whipped
    Taste
    sweet, bitter, creamy
    Diet
    Vegetarian (lacto-ovo) · No gluten ingredients · No nut ingredients
    All labelsVegetarian (lacto-ovo) · Eggetarian · Lacto-vegetarian · Pescatarian · Flexitarian-friendly · No gluten ingredients · Egg-free · No nut ingredients · Alcohol-free · Pork-free · Beef-free · Low-fat · Low-sodium
    With the listed swaps: Vegan, Plant-based, Ovo-vegetarian, Dairy-freeWorked out from the ingredients. How labels work
    Good for
    Child-friendly
    Cook more with
    Instant coffee · Sugar · Milk
    Techniques
    Emulsification

    Allergens

    • Contains, can be adapted: Milkfrom milk

    Based on typical versions of these ingredients and not verified allergen-free. Brands differ and cross-contact happens, so always check labels. For severe allergies, follow your clinician’s advice.

    Nutrition

    192 kcal per serving

    Estimated

    1 serving ≈ 314 g · recipe makes 2

    Where the energy comes from

    • Protein 15%
    • Carbohydrate 54%
    • Fat 31%
    Nutrition per serving and per 100 g
    NutrientPer servingPer 100 g*
    Energy192 kcal61 kcal
    Protein7.1 g2.3 g
    Carbohydrate26.2 g8.3 g
    Net carbohydrate26.2 g8.3 g
    Sugars22.9 g7.3 g
    Added sugars12.5 g4 g
    Fibre0 g0 g
    Fat6.7 g2.1 g
    Saturated fat3.9 g1.2 g
    Trans fat——
    Cholesterol21 mg7 mg
    Sodium92 mg29 mg
    Salt equivalent0.2 g0.1 g
    Vitamins & minerals per serving
    Potassium
    449 mg
    Calcium
    249 mg
    Iron
    0.3 mg
    Magnesium
    39 mg
    Vitamin A (RAE)
    95 µg
    Vitamin C
    0 mg
    Vitamin D
    2.7 µg
    Vitamin B12
    0.9 µg
    Folate (DFE)
    10 µg

    How these numbers were made

    • Calculated from USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy) per-100 g values and the listed quantities.
    • *Per 100 g of combined raw ingredients; the cooked dish may weigh more or less.
    • Ice: Frozen water; same composition as water.
    • “—” means the value isn’t known for enough of the ingredients; it is never zero by default.
    • Values are estimates for guidance, not for medical dosing. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. fdc.nal.usda.gov.

    Good to know

    Tips

    • A deep, narrow bowl or jug whips faster than a wide one because the beaters stay submerged.

    Common mistakes

    • Using brewed coffee or sugar substitutes — the foam will not set.

    Storage

    • The whipped coffee keeps, covered, in the fridge for a day; re-whisk briefly.

    Variations

    • Phenti hui coffee (India): Indian home version: coffee and sugar beaten to a paste and topped with hot milk.

    Original editorial recipe · FriendsPantry editorial · Not yet independently reviewed · Added · Updated

    Recipe DNA

    How this dish is built

    Customise in Sip & Blend

    Grouped by each ingredient’s role in the dish. Each band’s width is its share of the dish by weight. Choose a component to see what it does.

    What the dish is built around

    Main ingredient

    • Milk, cold400 ml · 412 g
    Used in step 3

    Less sweet, dairy-free, caffeine-free or for more people — the original stays as it is.

    Customise in Sip & Blend

    Reviews & corrections

    Reviews come from signed-in cooks and appear after a moderator checks them. We never show made-up ratings.

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