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Copyright © 2025 Foodies Only
Copyright © 2025 Foodies Only
5 min
30/01/2026
In this article, we'll share how to create this viral Dalgona trend and use it to develop your own, Indian-style winter beverage, using instant coffee and spices while utilising a quicker way to whip the foam. You will have a bold, foamy, gingerlicious mug ready to drink in 15 minutes.
Read on to see a bit deeper into the convergence of fluffy whipped coffee and the warmth of masala chai, as well as how to develop an Indo-fusion of both cultures. While you can choose to stay true to the Korean method used to create the original Korean Dalgona beverage, this Indo-fusion method uses pantry staple spices and hot milk to get even more time-saving benefits from the whipped foam method. This version will keep you warm and cosy, and allow you to indulge in your favourite flavours while still introducing something new.
Although the original Dalgona utilised sugar for its structural mass, the addition of Indian masala spices and hot milk transforms it totally. Ginger and Cardamom add warmth and fullness to the beverage. A hint of cinnamon adds a warm 'holiday' scent to this drink, and the combination of all these ingredients produces an extremely aromatic foam and an almost coffee/chai hybrid (not chai) with far greater depth than just a latte.
The Dalgona version is unique because of the fact that it uses a shortcut to create a stable foam, by first preheating the water+sugar mixture so that it can be whipped quickly. There’s no need to spend 20 minutes trying to whip the foam into a stable consistency. No sore whipping arms! Just deliciously creamy peaks in no time at all.
Connection to Indian culture through spices, with all its warmth but in a very mild way, and without the overpowering 'blaring' spice of a kadak chai; the coffee being the predominant flavour of the drink, with notes of cardamom and ginger offering warmth; sweet but not overly sweet, bitter, but not too bad; or just an original middle ground with no need for guilt after consumption. A wonderful combination of cultures.
Ingredients (1 serving)
2 tbsp instant coffee
2 tbsp sugar
2 tbsp hot water
1 cup milk (hot or warm, your choice)
1 pinch ginger powder
1 pinch cinnamon powder
1–2 crushed cardamom pods
Optional: ½ tsp cocoa powder or jaggery instead of sugar
Equipment
Hand whisk or electric whisk
Small bowl
Saucepan for milk
Mug
Method
Prepare the spiced milk by boiling the milk with ginger powder, cinnamon, and crushed cardamom in a saucepan. Simmer this mixture for two minutes for the spices to become fragrant, then strain and set aside.
Mix instant coffee with hot water and sugar in a bowl.
Use a whisk (preferably electric) to beat the mixture for about three to five minutes until it's thick, glossy, and pale in colour. The mixture should form soft peaks.
Pour the hot spiced milk into a mug.
Spread the coffee mixture on top of the spiced milk so that it floats like a thick cloud on the surface.
Sprinkle some cocoa or cinnamon on top if desired, and stir the drinks lightly before enjoying an excellent coffee experience.
Want to change things up?
You can use coconut milk for this recipe if you desire a richer, deeper flavour or if you don't have regular milk.
Adding a small pinch of black pepper to this drink gives it a slight spicy kick, reminiscent of chai tea.
You could swap out the sugar with jaggery syrup, and it will give you more of a warm caramel taste, adding sweetness as well.
If you'd prefer to drink a chilled beverage but still want a "winter" feel, combine your whipped coffee foam with some cold milk.
Dal-Gona, the way it is prepared here should not be seen as an upscale beverage; However, it can be made quickly and is comfortable, nostalgic and perfectly suited for a fast-paced lifestyle, or those cold winter evenings.
