Cold foam is frothed nonfat milk served cold on top of iced drinks. You can make it with a French press or frother.
The key is using nonfat milk, which froths better cold than whole milk. We show three methods using common kitchen tools.
Method 1: French Press (Best Results)
Pour ½ cup cold milk into a clean French press. Pump the plunger up and down rapidly for 20-30 seconds. The milk will triple in volume and become thick and foamy. Spoon the foam onto iced coffee immediately.
This method produces the most stable foam with the finest texture. The mesh filter creates tiny air bubbles that hold their structure longer than other methods.
Method 2: Handheld Milk Frother (Fastest)
Pour cold milk into a tall glass or jar. Insert a battery-powered milk frother and run it for 30-45 seconds, moving it up and down. The milk will foam and expand.
Handheld frothers cost $10-20 and work in seconds. The foam is slightly less stable than French press foam but still lasts 8-10 minutes.
Bodum Bistro Electric Milk Frother – Check Price – Automatic option for consistent results.
Method 3: Jar Shake (No Equipment)
Pour ½ cup cold milk into a jar with tight lid. Shake vigorously for 45-60 seconds until foam forms and milk doubles in volume. Pour immediately onto iced coffee.
This method requires zero special equipment but produces larger, less stable bubbles. Use this method when traveling or if you don’t have a frother or French press available.
Best Milk for Cold Foam
- Whole Milk: Creamiest foam, most stable, lasts longest (15+ minutes)
- 2% Milk: Good balance of foam and lightness, lasts 10-12 minutes
- Skim Milk: Light foam, less creamy, deflates in 5-7 minutes
- Oat Milk: Best dairy-free option, creamy texture, lasts 8-10 minutes
- Almond Milk: Thin foam, deflates quickly, not recommended
Flavor Additions
Add flavoring before frothing for even distribution. Try 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1 tablespoon chocolate syrup, or ½ teaspoon cinnamon per ½ cup milk. Sweetened cold foam requires 1-2 teaspoons sugar or simple syrup.
More Popular Coffee Recipes
Looking for more cold coffee ideas? Check out these reader favorites:
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- Coffee Smoothie Without Banana Recipe – Creamy breakfast
- 5 Best Nespresso Vertuo Recipes – Espresso drinks
Cold foam adds texture and visual appeal to iced coffee without watering it down. Use the French press method for special occasions and the handheld frother for daily use. Both methods take under a minute and cost nothing beyond the milk.
What We Actually Do Differently
Full disclosure: we’ve made this recipe dozens of times, and here’s how we’ve tweaked it for our taste:
The measurements above are a solid starting point, but coffee strength is deeply personal. We usually bump up the coffee by about 15% because we like it punchy. If you’re sensitive to bitterness, scale back slightly and compensate with a longer steep time.
Fresh beans make a noticeable difference here. Anything roasted within the last 3 weeks works great. Supermarket beans that have been sitting for months? You’ll taste the staleness. Not a dealbreaker, but worth knowing.