While instant coffee does not make the best tasting basic black cup of coffee, it is a great ingredient for many instant coffee recipes. Read to find out how.
Easy to find and requiring nothing more than hot water to brew, instant coffee is a convenient and inexpensive product to keep on hand. Unfortunately, the coffee that instant coffee crystals make isn’t as good as brewed coffee made from ground coffee, but it will do in a pinch.
Even if you do not use instant coffee for drinking plain, it is a great component for many recipes, creating recipes for exotic coffee drinks that you may only find at a coffee shop.
1. Dalgona Coffee Recipe
Also known as whipped coffee, dalgona coffee takes instant coffee and whips it into a froth to create a fluffy, creamy drink from just a few ingredients and a few minutes of prep time. This recipe was quite popular on Korean social media for years, and during the 2020 quarantines, videos for making whipped coffee became popular worldwide on apps like TikTok.
Ingredients for Dalgona Coffee
- 2 tablespoons hot water
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar or another granulated sweetener
- 2 tablespoons instant coffee crystals
- 8 ounces milk (you can use traditional cows milk, almond milk, soy milk, oat milk, or any other milk)
- 6-8 ice cubes
Step 1. Measure
Measure the hot water, the sugar, and the instant coffee granules into a medium-sized mixing bowl, stirring them together to dissolve the coffee and sugar.
Step 2. Mix
Use an electric hand mixer to whip the mixture for 4 to 5 minutes. The mixture will begin to fluff and froth. After about 5 minutes total time, it will become a thick mixture with soft peaks.
Step 3. Assemble the Drink
Pour the cold milk into a glass, over the ice cubes. Spoon several dollops of the whipped coffee over the milk. This recipe will probably make enough whipped coffee topping for 2 or 3 cups.
Step 4. Enjoy
Add a straw to the drink and serve it. You probably want to stir the whipped coffee into the mixture before drinking it with a spoon.
2. Homemade Latte Recipe
If your favorite Starbucks drink is a latte, you may want to try this recipe. Our latte recipe can be made without any special coffee machines. While a milk frother is helpful, if you don’t have one, you can use an electric mixer with a whisk attachment or a hand whisk.
Ingredients for a Homemade Latte
- 1/4 cup dried milk powder
- 6 ounces hot water for mixing with milk
- 1/2 tablespoon instant coffee
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 4 ounces boiling water for mixing with coffee
Step 1. Froth the Milk
Add the milk powder to a small, deep mixing bowl or a mason jar and slowly pour the hot water into the bowl. Use a milk frother to stir and mix the milk with the water and slowly start to froth the milk.
Foam the milk until it is light and fluffy, and then divide the milk froth between two coffee mugs. Don’t put all the milk froth into the mugs but reserve a bit of it for topping the drinks.
Step 2. Stir Together Coffee and Other Ingredients
In a small bowl or jar, stir together the instant coffee, sugar, and boiling water until the coffee and sugar are dissolved.
Step 3. Create the Drinks
Divide this mixture between the two mugs in which you put the foamed milk. Use the remaining milk froth to top your beverages.
Step 4. Enjoy
Serve the drinks. You can top the drinks with a dusting of cocoa powder as a garnish.
3. Frappé Recipe
A frappé is a coffee recipe that is lightly sweetened, cool, and creamy. It is a perfect beverage for hot summer days when ice cream or a milkshake seems too heavy and sweet.
Ingredients for a Frappé
- 1 tablespoon instant coffee
- 1/4 cup very hot water
- 1 cup cold milk
- 2-3 tablespoons sugar or another sweetener of your choice
- 3 or 4 ice cubes
- A splash of flavored coffee creamer if you desire
Step 1. Stir
In the glass jar of a blender, stir together the coffee, hot water, and sugar. Add the milk and the creamer if you desire.
Step 2. Blend
Add the ice cubes and blend the mixture together, pulsing to crush the ice. Blend the drink until it is light and frothy.
Step 3. Serve
Pour the frappé into a serving glass, add a straw, and enjoy it!
Final Word on Instant Coffee Recipes
Don’t turn up your nose at instant coffee. It can be a very useful ingredient for making your own coffee drinks at home, avoiding the cost of going to Starbucks or other coffee shops. With our instant coffee recipes, you can enjoy tasty, beautiful coffee drinks created in your own kitchen with inexpensive, easy-to-find instant coffee.
FAQs About Our Instant Coffee Recipes
Do I have to stick to the instant coffee recipes?
No, you can tweak any of these recipes to make them your own. You can add chocolate syrup to your frappé or coffee dalgona for a mocha twist, or you can add hot chocolate powder to your latte to have a tasty chocolate version of the drink. Adding a splash of vanilla extract will give a vanilla flavor to any of these drinks.
What brand of instant coffee should I use?
You should use the best instant coffee that you can afford. Nescafe is a good brand that is enjoyed all over the world. You may want to try other brands, available on Amazon or at other coffee retailers, and sample which ones you like best.
Why should I mix instant coffee with hot water instead of cold water?
Even if you are making a cold coffee drink from instant coffee, you should still use hot water to dissolve the instant coffee crystals. They may not dissolve as well in cold water.
