Cinnamon Dalgona Espresso (Whipped Coffee)
Elevate your coffee game with a little spice and the luxurious texture of whipped coffee! My Cinnamon Dalgona Espresso (Whipped Coffee) is made with fresh espresso and a hint of cinnamon. So thick and creamy, this espresso coffee drink can be made iced or hot and is sure to tantalize your taste buds and awaken your senses.
This iced whipped coffee recipe has better flavor than standard Dalgona recipes, which are traditionally made with instant coffee. To learn how to make this special coffee recipe see the printable recipe card below, or take a look at the recipe video. Find out how to customize this drink, including how to make it keto, dairy free, and vegan, and learn about the history of the Dalgona coffee by visiting the Pimp My Recipe section in my Blog Comments & Tips below.
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RECIPE
(Printable recipe card below.)
CINNAMON DALGONA ESPRESSO (WHIPPED COFFEE)
Ingredients
Instructions
- Make espresso, and pour into a tall and narrow heat proof measuring cup.
- Add cinnamon, and granulated sugar to the espresso. Using a handheld milk frother, froth milk in a zigzag pattern until it becomes thick and frothy (into soft peaks) and liquid is not visible (about 1-2 minutes).
- Fill a 16 ounce glass ¾ full with ice cubes. Then pour cold milk over the ice. Spoon the whipped espresso onto the milk, sprinkle a little ground cinnamon on top, stir, and enjoy!
Notes
- This recipe has a subtle cinnamon flavor. If you prefer a stronger cinnamon flavor, use ⅛ teaspoon ground cinnamon instead.
- This is a sweet drink, but not cloyingly sweet. If you prefer a very sweet iced coffee, use 2 tablespoons of sugar (like in a traditional Dalgona). For a Dalgona that is not as sweet, reduce sugar to 1 tablespoon.
- Dairy milk is traditionally used to make a Dalgona. For non-dairy substitutes, you can use unsweetened vanilla almond milk or oat milk. I prefer the taste of almond milk in this recipe, but any nut milk works well.
- Do you prefer hot drinks? For more recipe variations, including how to make this a hot Dalgona, sugar free, or keto friendly, visit the Pimp My Recipe section in my Blog Comments & Tips for this recipe on the website.
- Makes one serving (16 ounce serving with ice - 12 ounces without ice).
Nutrition Facts
Calories
142.93Fat (grams)
3.79 gSat. Fat (grams)
2.16 gCarbs (grams)
24.34 gFiber (grams)
0.11 gNet carbs
24.23 gSugar (grams)
23.41 gProtein (grams)
3.8 gSodium (milligrams)
54.03 mgCholesterol (grams)
13.61 mgNutritional information provided is strictly an estimate and will vary based on ingredient brands and cooking methods. Nutritional calculations include whole dairy milk. If using unsweetened almond milk, approximate nutritional calculations will be reduced to 90 calories, 18 grams sugar, 19.49 grams carbs, 19.15 grams net carbs, and 0 grams cholesterol.
SERVING
VIDEO
How to Make a Delicious Cinnamon Dalgona Espresso (Whipped Coffee)!
Blog Comments & Tips
A sweet & luxurious coffee treat!
Treat yourself to a moment of pure comfort with this Cinnamon Dalgona Espresso (Whipped Coffee). There is nothing more decadent than spooning sweet whipped coffee over milk. For summertime, an iced Dalgona is perfect to cool you down and perk you up at the same time! If you want a cozy after dinner coffee drink during the colder months, It’s easy to make it hot. This twist on the traditional Dalgona coffee is made with fresh espresso coffee and cinnamon, making this whipped coffee drink even more luxurious!
Whipped coffee (or hand beaten coffee) is said to have originated in Macau in the 1990s at a modest shipyard café, called Hon Kee Café. This drink later gained popularity by Jung Il-woo, a well known Korean actor who starred in the television series, “Stars’ Top Recipe at Fun-Staurant.”
In an episode aired in January 2020, the actor ordered the coffee (iced) at the Hon Kee Café in Macau. Jung Il-woo was struck by the sweet flavor at first sip, which is evidenced in this clip from the episode on KBS World TV (it is subtitled, and fun to watch even if you don’t understand the Korean language). He likened the taste to the sweet sugar candy called, Dalgona candy (honeycomb toffee in Korean), which was a popular treat in the early 1950s in Korea. The actor is reported to have popularized this whipped coffee, and named it Dalgona coffee, because of its similarity to the candy. This coffee drink quickly became more popular on social media during COVID, when many of us were homebound and missing our local coffee house specialities.
Since learning about this drink, I discovered that using fresh espresso coffee greatly improved the flavor of the drink. Although it may take a little longer to whip than when using instant coffee, it’s worth the extra few seconds to get the better flavor from espresso (primarily because I’m not a fan of instant coffee).
How do you ensure the best results from this recipe?
My 4 tips to making the perfect Cinnamon Dalgona Espresso (Whipped Coffee):
I prefer using a dark roast coffee bean to make my espresso. I use Kicking Horse Kick Ass dark roast coffee beans. If you are sensitive to caffeine (like I am), try Kicking Horse decaf dark roast coffee beans. It’s nice and strong!
For the best flavor, set the strength to “double shot” or “extra strong” on your automatic espresso machine.
Although the original whipped coffee uses equal amounts of sugar to instant coffee, I found it to be cloyingly sweet. Based on your personal taste, I suggest adjusting the sugar according to your preference. See the Pimp My Recipe section below for recommendations.
The key to whipping espresso is the cup or pitcher. You want it to have narrow sides that are vertical, not angled. Very slightly angled sides (outward) are okay, but not as effective. The cup or pitcher needs to be large enough, as the coffee will quadruple in volume. I found this borosilicate heat proof glass measuring cup works perfectly! It doubles as a measuring cup and can accommodate hot or cold liquids, making it perfect for whipping coffee.
You can whip the coffee, cinnamon, and sugar into soft peaks, which should take about 30-60 seconds using a handheld milk frother. If you want stiff peaks that will stay super fluffy, then whip 1-2 minutes. Trust me, it’s worth the extra 60 seconds.
Have any dietary preferences that won’t quite work with this recipe? It’s time to customize and Pimp My Recipe.
Pimp My Recipe:
Make it Dairy Free: For non-dairy substitutes, you can use oat milk or almond milk. I prefer the taste of unsweetened vanilla almond milk in this Dalgona, but any nut milk or oat milk works well.
Make it Hot: A Dalgona can be made iced or hot. If you prefer a hot beverage, omit the ice cubes. Use hot milk and a heat proof mug instead. Spoon the whipped coffee over the hot milk.
Make it Less Sweet or Sweeter: If you prefer using a sugar-free substitute, granulated monk fruit or stevia sweetener work well. As an alternative, you can use 1 tablespoon sugar-free syrup instead (please note syrup will cause the foam to liquify faster).
Make it Keto & Sugar-Free: Use a sugar-free substitute. I recommend either of these two options: Truvia Sweet Complete granulated sweetener with stevia or Truvia Sweet Complete granulated sweetener with monk fruit. As long as it’s a 1:1 sweetener, you can use 2 tablespoons granulated sweetener per serving (don’t use less than 1 ½ tablespoons of granulated sweetener, or it won’t whip up properly). As an alternative, you can use 1 to 1 ½ tablespoons sugar-free syrup instead (but please note that syrup will cause the foam to liquify faster). Use unsweetened almond milk or coconut milk instead of dairy milk.
Make a Traditional Dalgona Coffee: Use 2 tablespoons of instant coffee, 2 tablespoons of granulated sugar, and 2 ounces of hot water. Whip as directed (about 1 minute should suffice), and pour over 4 to 6 ounces of hot or iced milk.
Enjoy and let me know what you think by commenting below, rating my recipes, subscribing, following, and liking Prep My Recipe on Pinterest, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok! Don’t forget to subscribe to get updates on new recipes and tips & tricks.
Santé!
Mich
Footnote: Remember to whip for the full 1-2 minutes to make sure your coffee is whipped to perfection!
Inspired by the Hon Kee Café in Macau, the originator of whipped coffee. I adapted this recipe to use fresh espresso coffee instead of instant coffee granules. I also adjusted the sweetness to make it less cloyingly sweet than the traditional Dalgona. Sweetness can easily be adjusted according to your taste preference.
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