Cafe Style Cold Coffee Recipe

You need only 4-ingredients to make cafe-style creamy and frothy cold coffee at home.

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About Indian Cold Coffee
Instant Coffee Powder
How To Make Cold Coffee
Serving Suggestion
Hina’s Tried and True Tips
Frequently Asked Questions
Cafe Style Cold Coffee Recipe

About Indian Cold Coffee

In the Indian subcontinent, when we talk about cold coffee, it means frothy, creamy, milkshake-style cold coffee. It is quite the opposite of iced coffee. It has a lot of froth, sugar, and the instant coffee powder.

You need – chilled milk, instant coffee powder, granulated white sugar, and water to make cold coffee at home.

You do not need any fancy ingredients or equipments to make cafe style cold coffee at home. Only 4 ingredients and a blender or a hand mixer are required for this cold coffee recipe.

Instant Coffee Powder

The instant coffee powder can make or break your cold coffee. Hence, pick it wisely.

Use a strong instant granulated coffee powder with 70% to 100% pure coffee. A coffee powder with a high amount of chicory or chocolate flavour can never satisfy a coffee lover.

A few of my favorite instant coffee brands are – Davidoff – Rich Aroma, Narasu’s Insta Strong, Levista, and Nescafe Gold Blend.

How To Make Cold Coffee

Here are how to make perfectly frothy cold coffee in two ways.

Hand Mixer Method:

Combine coffee and sugar in a wide mixing bowl. Add hot water.
Start whipping the coffee using a hand mixer whisk attachment at medium-high speed. After 5 – 10 minutes the coffee will turn into a light brown color with a whipped cream texture.
Add a tablespoon or two of whipped coffee into the serving glass. Pour chilled milk. Stir using a spoon until combined well.

collage of coffee whipping steps using a hand mixer

Blender Method:

Add coffee, sugar, and water in the blender. Blend for 10 – 20 seconds or till foamy and mixed well.
Add milk and blend for less than 10 seconds. Cold Coffee is ready.

collage of cold coffee making using blender

Serving Suggestion

If you want to take your homemade cold coffee a step ahead and make it more indulgent, add a scoop of your favourite vanilla ice cream on top before serving. Or you can add a scoop of vanilla ice cream and milk while blending the coffee. In India, its called cold coffee with ice cream.

Please note that if you are adding ice cream/whipped cream/chocolate sauce, adjust the amount of sugar in the coffee accordingly.

Hina’s Tried and True Tips

An equal ratio of coffee, sugar, and water (1:1:1) works best to whisk the coffee to form soft peaks.
For the hand mixer method, I use hot water to whisk the coffee whereas for the blender method ice-cold water.
The granulated instant coffee powder works best for this cold coffee recipe.
From granulated white sugar to brown sugar, you can use either of the sweeteners to blend with coffee powder.
Make sure the milk is chilled and straight out of the fridge.
Do not blend the coffee for too long after adding milk if you enjoy a foamy coffee.
A smoothie blender like Nutri Bullet or Wonderchef is perfect for making my signature cold coffee. Or follow the hand mixer method.

side close up shot of cold coffee without ice cream

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between Cold Coffee and Dalgona Coffee?

Cold coffee is a frothy, creamy milkshake-style chilled coffee drink. The internet-famous Dalgona coffee has a thick layer of strong and rich whipped coffee on top of milk. Both are a variety of cold coffee, but the preparation method and taste are slightly different.

Which kind of milk is the best for making cold coffee?

For any kind of cold coffee, full-fat or full-cream milk works best. You can also use vegan milk such as almond or soy milk for this cold coffee recipe.

What is the ideal ratio of coffee and sugar?

An equal ratio of coffee, sugar, and water (1:1:1) works best to whisk the coffee to form soft peaks.

For how long does this cold coffee remain frothy?

This cafe-style cold coffee remains frothy for a short span of time. After a few minutes, it starts turning flat like a regular iced coffee. I would suggest serving it immediately.

Can I add ice cubes to the cold coffee?

Yes, while blending along with milk, you can add ice cubes. I personally feel adding ice cubes dilutes the thickness and creaminess of the cold coffee.

Looking for more cafe style fancy summer drink ideas? Try this refreshing Orange Iced Tea, creamy Vietnamese Iced Coffee, Oreo Frappe, or the tropical Virgin Mango Mojito.