How to Make Whipped Coffee

It’s the trend that has taken Instagram and TikTok by storm: whipped coffee. Now that we can’t rely on the coffee cart in front of the Chambers Street station, whipped coffee is a delicious, easy alternative. All you need is some instant coffee powder (or ground coffee beans), sugar, hot water, and milk. But before we learn how to make this delicious drink, let’s explore how it became so popular.

This coffee first became famous in South Korea, before COVID-19 broke out in the U.S. and known as the “quarantine drink.” South Korean actor Jung Il-woo ordered a whipped coffee at a restaurant on a cooking show, which many South Koreans tried out afterward. Jung Il-woo liked the drink due to its similarity in taste to dalgona, a Korean honeycomb toffee common in street markets. From there, DIY whipped coffee videos began to spring up on several South Korean YouTube channels and then TikTok (after COVID-19 broke out in the U.S. and became a worldwide pandemic), where people all over the world caught wind of this coffee.

Some people are afraid or unable to leave their homes in quarantine, so this coffee recipe is a great way to mix up our day-to-day schedule. The beverage is quick and enjoyable to make; many people have reported it has the same satisfying effect as watching ASMR videos. If you’re bored in quarantine, you should definitely consider making this coffee for a sweet treat and a chance to change up your daily routine.

Ingredients (for two servings)

- Three tablespoons of instant coffee

- Three tablespoons of sugar

- Three tablespoons of hot water

- 1.25 cups of milk

First, combine the instant coffee, sugar, and hot water into a large measuring cup. Next, mix it with an electric mixer for five minutes or until the mixture is completely fluffy. This may be time-consuming, but the end result will be well worth the effort. If you don’t have an electric mixer, whisk it with a spoon, but this will take slightly longer. Then, divide the milk into two separate glasses and split the whipped coffee mixture between each. If you’re stuck at home and have no one to share the concoction with, halve the ingredients. You can also pop in some ice cubes if you want a more refreshing taste. The end result should be a creamy, caramel-colored mixture on top of a cup of milk. You can drink it as is or stir the creamy mixture with the milk to blend the flavors together. That’s it! Enjoy this sweet treat whenever you’re craving coffee!