How to Make Cold Foam for Coffee at Home

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As the summer weather starts to set in, one of the first things some people do is switch out their favorite hot drinks with their cold alternatives, with coffee being no exception. Iced coffee, iced cappuccinos, cold brew coffee, nitro cold brew, sweet cold foam…there is a cold coffee drink out there for everyone! But have you ever wondered how to take your cold coffee drink up a notch?

Enter cold foam. Cold foam is essentially frothed milk with a thick and creamy texture often used to top cold coffee drinks. If you tend to frequent places like Starbucks, there is a good chance that you are at least familiar with the term if you have not tried it already.

Places like Starbucks use a blender with a special kind of blade to make theirs, but did you know you can make it yourself without the use of special equipment?

If you want to know how to make cold foam for coffee at home, check out our step-by-step instructions below!

How is Cold Foam Different from Regular Foam?

Usually, the foam on your average hot coffee drink is made by frothing milk with hot steam, which creates the little microbubbles that make up the foam. If you tried putting this hot-frothed milk foam on a cold drink, it would melt pretty quickly and warm up the overall temperature of your drink, which is typically not what you want when you order an iced beverage. There is also the chance that, when poured over ice, hot milk can grow bacteria. Better safe than sorry!

So, to make a foam that will help keep your drink cool, you need to froth it without using any heat or steam. This results in the cold foam having a light, airy texture like whipped cream.

What Kind of Milk Do You Need for Cold Foam?

Cold foam is typically made from nonfat milk, as it has a higher percentage of protein than other kinds of milk and can produce a more robust foam. Therefore, unless you add any flavored syrup like caramel syrup or vanilla syrup, honey, or sugar to your cold foam, it will taste like nonfat milk.

It also will not be as smooth or creamy as the typical foam you would find on lattes, as these foams tend to be made with milk with higher fat content.

You can technically make cold foam with whole milk or heavy whipping cream, but then you are really getting closer to just making more of a whipped cream topping than cold foam. The added fat content will make it creamy and delicious, but it is not exactly the intention of cold foam.

Also, it can be difficult to froth whole milk or heavy whipping cream properly, so if you are a beginner and do not have the patience and/or professional coffee-making equipment, it is probably best to stick with nonfat and low-fat milk for cold foam.

How to Make Cold Foam for Coffee

Ready to make some cold foam? Fortunately, there are many ways to do it with kitchen tools you probably already have at home. You can make it with a milk frother, a blender, a French press, or even just a jar!

Follow our step-by-step instructions below to see how to make cold foam for coffee at home.

How to Make Cold Foam Using a Milk Frother

Not everyone has a milk frother at home, but if you do, this is probably the easiest way of making cold foam.

Step 1: Gather supplies

  • Milk frother (automatic or handheld)
  • Nonfat milk
  • Bowl
  • Sugar or honey to taste (optional)

Step 2: Mix ingredients (optional)

If you want to add sugar or honey, combine it with the milk in a bowl before frothing, so there is even distribution.

Step 3: Froth away!

If you have not used your automatic milk frother much before, look inside for a fill line. Try not to go over the fill line for the frother to work best. Then, just turn it on.

If you use a handheld frother, whisk the milk in a bowl until you get a thick and creamy texture.

Bonsen milk frother
Bonsen Milk Frother

How to Make Cold Foam Using a Blender

While you can use this for smaller batches of cold foam, it is most appropriate if you are making a lot at one time.

Step 1: Gather supplies

  • Blender
  • Nonfat milk
  • Sugar or honey to taste (optional)

Step 2: Add the milk to the blender

If you chose the blender method because you are making a big batch of cold foam, make sure you do not add too much at a time as it will increase in volume. Add in your sugar or honey if you like (or premix it with the milk in a bowl beforehand).

Step 3: Turn on the blender

Start slow, then increase your speed until it is at the maximum. The more volume you can get out of your foam (without it threatening to spill out of the top of your blender, of course), the better.

 

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Last update on 2025-02-17 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

How to Make Cold Foam Using a French Press

women making french press coffee for breakfast
French Press

If you want to learn how to make cold foam for coffee because you want something to top the cold brew you have been making in your French press, then put that French press to work!

Step 1: Gather supplies

  • French press (it is easiest if you can see through it)
  • Nonfat milk
  • Sugar or honey to taste (optional)

Step 2: Add milk to French press

Again, if you want to add the extra sweeteners, either mix them together first or pour them in together. Make sure you do not overfill the French press, as it will double or even triple in volume. Also, do not underfill it, as the strainer needs to be completely submerged in the milk to pump in enough air to create bubbles.

Step 3: Push the plunger up and down until finished

Depending on the amount of milk you put in there, it could take a lot of plunging up and down until you get the desired cold foam texture.

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Last update on 2025-02-17 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

How to Make Cold Foam Using a Jar

person pouring coffee into foamed milk jars
Cold milk foam in Mason Jars

Yes, you can make cold foam with just a jar! If your jar is resealable and airtight like a mason jar or something, you should have no trouble with this method.

Step 1: Gather supplies

  • Resealable jar
  • Nonfat milk
  • Sugar or honey to taste (optional)

Step 2: Pour milk and close lid

Either premix your sweetener of choice with the milk or throw it all in the jar together. Again, be aware of how much you are putting in there as it will increase in volume.

Step 3: Shake

Shake vigorously – this may give your muscles a bit of a workout! It could take up to a minute or more until you start getting lots of foam.

Now that you know how to make cold foam for coffee at home, what are you waiting for? You almost undoubtedly have the equipment to try one of these methods, so get to it! When you make your coffee at home, you also have the opportunity to try out new flavors and experiment with different flavored syrups and toppings, including pumpkin pie spice, maple syrup, or even sea salt.

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Mason jars are relatively easy to buy almost anywhere. However, we list two of the best selling just in case you are interested!

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Last update on 2025-02-17 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

Frequently Asked Questions

Which Cold Foam Method Will Yield the Best Results?

You can get fantastic results from any of these methods, really, but the easiest one is probably the milk frother method. Milk frothers are specifically made for this purpose, and you can even get some that have a special setting for cold foam.

Milk frothers may give you bigger and uneven bubbles, though, so if you are looking for more uniform and consistent bubbles, you can get really good results from the French press method.

What Drinks Can I Add Cold Foam To?

Any cold drink that you would usually add milk or cream to would benefit from cold foam. Iced coffees, iced lattes, iced cappuccinos, cold brew coffee, or even iced teas.

Should I Use Cold Foam in Place of Milk or Cream?

This may depend a bit on personal preference and how you typically drink your iced coffee beverages. If you normally put milk in your drink and are usually a quick drinker, then the cold foam should be fine on top – it will likely not have a lot of time to mix in with the rest of your drink.

If, on the other hand, you are a slow drinker, then you may want to either cut back on the amount of milk you usually add to your drink or leave it out entirely. The cold foam will eventually melt into and dilute your drink, but if you do not mind that, it is completely up to you whether or not you want to cut back!


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