Cold foam has quickly become something of a supposed miracle that overtook the coffee world by storm. While it makes sense (after all, how can you complain about sweet cream?), it’s surprising to me how many people lack a basic cold foam recipe. Not only is cold foam incredibly easy to make with only a few basic tools, but it is, in my opinion, superior for cold brew and just about any other iced coffee drink.

So — let’s dive into the nitty-gritty of how to make cold foam.

The Basics

Let’s start with a few simple starters before we dive into the how-to. Before you begin, you need to account for three things:

• Equipment
• Milk
• Flavor

Let’s start with the equipment side of things first.

Equipment for Cold Foam

Before you panic, I promise: I’m using the term “equipment” here very loosely. You won’t need any thousand-dollar gadgetry, nor will you have to invest in any single-use tools to make this happen. The simplest way for most people to make cold foam is with the following:

• A high-quality immersion blender, whisk, or electric milk frother
• A mason jar or steamer carafe
• And some elbow grease — but you already have that

Like I said — simple, right?

(Side note: Reach out to a Curated Kitchen or Coffee and Espresso Expert for guidance on finding the best tools for the task.)

Milk

Now, while you can absolutely make cold foam with an alternative like oat milk, one of the things that makes cold foam work is its fat content. Because of this, some milk alternatives may require a touch of any neutral oil or butter to properly emulsify. Some people prefer to use creamer, as it has vegetable oil added already, but I try to avoid the stuff — though that’s up to you.

With that said, I tend to prefer oat milk with a pat of butter or straight-up, old-fashioned heavy cream, though you’re welcome to use standard whole or 2% if that’s what you have on hand.

Ultimately what we’re doing here is making, essentially, whipped cream lite, so you do have a bit of leeway in terms of texture and consistency when making your cold foam. The consistency you’re likely aiming for is still liquid, but with a touch of body to it — think of the texture of a cheese sauce or pan sauce for steak.

In short, opt for what you like most, explore it a bit, and you’ll quickly nail down your own personal recipe.

Flavor

Flavor is another integral part of many famous cold foam recipes. For example, Starbucks drinks that use cold foam tend to use vanilla cold foam, rather than bar-standard sweetened cold foam. If you’re trying to emulate your favorite Starbies drink, invest in some high-quality vanilla extract and thank me later.

Of course, once you open the floodgates of flavoring, the options are essentially limitless. Make yourself some pumpkin spice foam during the spring, or some sexy orgeat-almond milk cold foam — who’s going to stop you?

As for the actual necessities, all you really need is sugar. While you should always opt for the best sugar you have access to (I love demerara, for example), any sugar will work. Most professionals use simple syrup or honey, as they’re easier to pour in, but that’s up to you.

Some sugar alternatives, such as Splenda or your favorite sugar-free syrup, will also work, though you’ll notice that they taste notably off if you’re used to regular cold foam.

Extras

Now, this is a bit of a point of contention in the coffee world. See, some companies — I won’t name names (Cough … it rhymes with “barducks” ... cough …) — use an extra secret ingredient in their cold foam. While this addition varies from brand to brand, the general idea is that they add something to help emulsion.

This can include ingredients like:

• Agar-agar (vegan)
• Xantham gum (vegan)
• Cellulose gum (note: not vegetarian/vegan)

Generally, their purpose is to stabilize the emulsion (especially when store-bought), but I have a secret for you — the need for stabilizers such as those means that the person making the cold foam can’t properly emulsify.

As if that weren’t enough, you’ll often find Dunkin Donuts or Starbucks copycat recipes that use … other means. Additions like cream cheese can be found in some recipes online, and I urge you — don’t do that to yourself (or your stomach). All it takes is time, I promise.

However, if you’re trying to emulate the almost solid consistency of some cold foams, be warned that you will be more likely to create sweet whipped butter than you will cold foam without some kind of stabilizer. Personally, I recommend agar-agar, if required, as it needs an extremely small amount (we’re talking the tip of a bar spoon) to stabilize up to 20 ounces of cream and has a nearly indiscernible flavor.

Note that you can also use cream of tartar as well, but it’s easy to overdo it and lead to a slightly metallic taste in the final product. Both xantham gum and agar-agar are excellent thickeners for vegan and vegetarian diets, so you’ll get a lot of use out of ~$5 worth in sauces, dressings, and the like.

How to Make Cold Foam

With that out of the way, let’s talk technique. This is surprisingly easy, especially if you’ve ever made whipped cream. That’s because, realistically, we’re just making a thinner whipped cream without stiff peaks. This allows it to melt into your coffee slowly while keeping a layer atop the drink, and stabilizers as discussed above will make your cold foam stand up to hot coffee a bit more efficiently.

Now, gather your tools and favorite mug, pull a shot or two, and let’s get going.

Measure Your Ingredients

• The general rule of thumb is that you want a 2:1 ratio of milk (or an alternative) to sugar. So, if you have one ounce (~30 grams) of milk, you want a half-ounce (~14 grams) of sugar.
• If using flavorings like vanilla extract, begin with a very small (e.g., less than a teaspoon, if not just a drop or two) amount. Extracts are very strong by their very nature and can quickly overpower the cold foam’s natural sweetness.

Using a Whisk, Handheld Milk Frother, or Immersion Blender

• Combine all ingredients in the container and blend. The time it takes will vary based on your method and volume, but this generally takes less than five minutes.

Working Manually (With a Mason Jar)

• Combine all ingredients and shake vigorously for at least two minutes. Open the jar, check its consistency, and continue until you reach the desired texture.

Using a Low-Fat Alternative

• I hate to break it to you, but you will need some semblance of fat in this for it to work. If you’re using skim milk or a low-fat dairy-free alternative, consider adding 1 tsp of oil or butter per ounce of cold foam.
• Either whisk or blend your mixture, slowly adding the fat in very small increments until it’s fully emulsified (blended). You should not see any streaks of oil in the cream, and you should have something akin to a thin whipped cream when finished. The mason jar method can work here, but it’s generally more work than it’s worth if you have a whisk and a bowl, as emulsion takes constant movement, which is interrupted by opening the jar to add more fat.

A Few Tips

In no particular order, check out a few of my favorite tips for making perfect cold foam:

1. You want some froth but not a lot. We’re trying to work air into the cream, but too much can cause a weird texture.
2. Experiment with flavors. Cinnamon, nutmeg, maple syrup, and hazelnut extract make for a killer autumnal topper.
3. Cold foam for cold coffee. While it’s great on hot drinks too, cold foam is loved for its texture. And, like any emulsion, heat breaks it — so just know that going in.
4. Try new sweeteners. As mentioned above, I love using maple syrup or even honey for a slightly different sweetness. They each lend a unique flavor to the final product that can make for some exciting combinations.
5. Explore your options. Even if you love milk, alternatives like oat milk, almond milk, or even heavy whipping cream can bring new flavors, textures, and lower (or higher) calories.

Final Word

Ultimately, cold foam is an awesome topping for just about any type of coffee that’s incredibly simple to make. Even better, when looking at the per-serving cost of cold foam, you can save loads of money over the course of the year. What might normally cost you $.75 at a coffee shop for two ounces can be made with roughly $.10 of ingredients at home — though you will need to work for it.

I highly recommend making your cold foam in batches of a pint or more, as it generally stays good for up to three days. If you opt for this method, give it a quick whisk to reinvigorate it, and you’re off to the races.

Should you find that you still need a bit of guidance (or just tips on our favorite personal recipes), reach out! Our Curated Coffee and Espresso Experts know arguably too much about this, and we’re usually just waiting to dump everything we know to anyone who will listen.