I recently shared my Dalgona coffee recipe on the blog, but I have to tell you – it can be a messy one to make. The whipped coffee sits on top of the milk and stirring it in is similar to trying to work peanut butter into a liquid. So, that got me thinking…. if Starbucks can make an upside down caramel macchiato, why can’t I make an upside down Dalgona?
So, that’s exactly what I did. Starting with the usual instant coffee, but then mixing it up from there, I created a light, fluffy, iced vanilla Dalgona that is so delicious, you’ll be whipped for this whipped coffee.
What is an upside down Dalgona Coffee?
Since Dalgona coffee is typically a whipped coffee fluff that is set on top of milk, the upside down part means that the fluff is made first, at the bottom of the glass, and then the milk is poured on top.
This is a way less messy way to make a Dalgona. Trust me.
And, because I was able to make the fluff and the coffee in the same glass, I used less dishes. Hurrah! In the words of David Rose:
Ingredients for an Upside Down Dalgona:
The ingredients are pretty much the same as a traditional iced Dalgona, except that I also broke the rules by using vanilla simple syrup here instead of granuled sugar. I wanted to see if it would hold it’s shape. Since I didn’t need the fluff to float, it was okay to use something that may need create as firm of a whipped coffee. It was a risk worth taking – because all the coffee drinkers in the house agreed that it was even better this way.
Here’s what you’ll need to recreate this magical drink:
- Instant coffee – I used this Nescafe Instant Coffee that comes in individual packets. I used just one packet in this recipe.
- Sweetener – In the past, I used this thicker, unbleached sugar and it worked great. You can use any type of sugar that you have, such as coconut sugar, light brown sugar, dark brown sugar, etc. Brown sugars will add a more caramelly taste to your dalgona. For this particular recipe, I used 2 tablespoons of my homemade vanilla simple syrup. You can sub out for plain simple syrup or even store bought vanilla simple syrup, too. If you feel like the sugar doesn’t make it sweet enough, add some simple syrup to the milk to up the sweet level.
- Water – Cold water is fine. I did not heat the water.
- Milk -Use whatever milk you like to drink here and fill your glass 3/4 of the way full with it. I used Ripple protein cold oat milk, because that’s my jam. The protein adds a nice little healthy kick to it, which makes me feel good about myself.
- Ice – One time I made this with larger ice cubes and stirring it was a pain, so the next time I used smaller iced cubes and that helped quite a bit. I would say stick to smaller iced cubes here if you can.
*Affiliate links are used in this post for products I purchased and used, which means that at no cost to you, if you make a purchase through my links, I may receive a commission at no cost to you.
How To Make an Upside Down Iced Dalgona Coffee:
Basically, we’re going to flip the original recipe upside down here.
- Start by adding the packet of instant coffee to an empty glass.
- Top with 2 tablepoons vanilla simple syrup and then 2 tablespoons of water.
- Blend with a frother until lighter and fluffy. You may not be able to get stiff peeks with a liquid sweetener, but it shouldn’t be too liquidy.
- Then, add your ice.
- Fill with milk to the top.
- Stir to help blend it all together and drink!
I made a little video here to show you how easy it is:
Answering Your Dalgona Questions:
Can you make Dalgona coffee keto friendly?
Yes! Swap the syrup for a keto-friendly sweetener and switch to a keto-friendly milk to turn your dalgona into a delicious, sugar-free keto drink.
What does Dalgona coffee taste like?
The combination of the foam coffee with milk creates a kind of thick, creamy coffee milkshake. It has a really unique flavor, too, but one thing is for sure – this is stroooong coffee.
Can you make Dalgona coffee without sweetener?
Without sweetener, the coffee fluff will not be as stable, so the texture of the drink will be much more liquidy. Some people have experimented with honey instead of a sugar-based sweetener with similar results.
Should Dalgona coffee be hot or cold?
You can make Dalgona either way! You can add your Dalgona fluff to either warmed or iced milk. If making it hot, you don’t need to use hot water to make the fluff, because it’s such a small amount – it won’t make a difference in the end. The temperature of the milk you are stirring it into is what will give the coffee it’s overall temperature.
More Coffee Recipe Ideas:
Looking for more fun coffee drinks to try at home? Check out these other posts:
- Easy vanilla caramel affogato dessert
- Starbucks iced caramel macchiato recipe at home
- The vanilla coffee cream soda you need this summer
- Delicious Sweet Cinnamon Iced Coffee at Home
- Vanilla Coffee Cream Soda Recipe Perfect for Summer
- Starbucks Chocolate Cream Cold Brew Copycat
Hope you find something to make today!
Get roasted,
A
