Here’s how to make Dalgona coffee healthier

Using coconut sugar and low-fat milk lessens calories, fat, and sugar—and makes Dalgona coffee a little more wholesome

Art by Tricia Guevara

We’ve mentioned that Dalgona coffee could actually pose a threat to your health. We don’t mean to be a buzzkill but the reason why the TikTok-trending beverage isn’t as good for you is that it consists of instant coffee, milk, and sugar. Which are practically ticking time bombs when consumed regularly.

But don’t fret, we found an alternative to make this three-ingredient whipped coffee a little better. 

Swap the sugar and whole milk with coconut sugar and an alternative dairy of your choice (low fat, oat, soy, almond, or cashew). These lessen the calories, fat, and sugar content in the actual recipe according to Fia Batua, a medical and sports nutritionist-dietitian. To make it easier for you, here’s exactly how you can whip up one.

Ingredients

2 tbsp instant coffee
2 tbsp coconut sugar
2 tbsp hot water
1 cup milk or alt-milk (whole, skim, oat, soy, almond, cashew, etc.)

Directions

Follow the same procedure from Hannah Cho’s 15-second Dalgona coffee recipe —the same one that started and spread the Dalgona coffee trend in March 2020. 

1. Put the instant coffee in a bowl. Then add two tablespoons of hot water and mix until the coffee dissolves.
2. Add coconut sugar. Using a hand mixer or whisk, beat until thick and frothy
3. When the mixture is ready, pour in a glass filled with your choice of alternative milk and ice cubes.