Online Coffee Guide

Coffee Drink

Greek Frappé: Instant Coffee Recipe, Calories and Caffeine

By Mara EllisonReviewed by Online Coffee Guide editorial teamPublished Updated 5 min read

Greek frappé is instant coffee aerated with a little cold water, then served over ice with more water. This measured métrios recipe uses 5 g plain instant coffee, 8 g (2 US tsp) sugar, 30 g (1 US fl oz) starter water, 100 g (3.5 oz) ice and 150 g (5.1 US fl oz) finishing water. Milk is a separate option; no espresso machine is needed.

Greek frappé with tan instant-coffee foam above dark coffee and ice
Open full size

Drink Snapshot

Caffeine
~ 200 mg exampleNESCAFÉ Greece plain instant-coffee guidance, 5 gNamed product guidance: 40 mg per gram, scaled to the 5 g coffee portion.
Calories
About 35 kcalDefined recipe; rounded ingredient estimateNamed plain-coffee example with 8 g (2 US tsp) sugar; no milk.
Serving, sugar and sources
Serving
1 black métrios frappé: 5 g instant coffee, 8 g (2 US tsp) sugar, 180 g (6.1 US fl oz) water and 100 g (3.5 oz) ice
Made with
5 g plain soluble instant coffee
Sugar
About 8 g total. The 8 g added sugar is included in the total. Omit the sugar for the sketo version; milk changes the totals.
Preparation
About 5 minutes

Manufacturer coffee guidance and USDA granulated-sugar values. 400 ml (13.5 US fl oz) is glass capacity; foam and melting ice change yield. See the full calculation or label comparison.

Key Takeaways

  • 1Shake the instant coffee, sugar and 30 g (1 US fl oz) cold starter water before adding ice and the remaining water.
  • 2Skétos, métrios and glykós describe sweetness; milk is a separate request.
  • 3The black recipe is about 35 kcal and 8 g total sugar. About 200 mg caffeine is a named NESCAFÉ Greece example, not every instant coffee.
On This Page12 Sections

How to Make Greek Frappé

Use plain soluble instant coffee, not espresso grounds or a sweetened 3-in-1 sachet. The coffee and a small amount of water become the foam base; the remaining water goes in afterward. A sealed shaker works without an espresso machine.

Greek frappé recipe with 5 g instant coffee, foam-first method, and separate sugar and milk ordering terms
Open full size
Use cold water throughout and make the coffee foam before adding the ice.

Ice size and foam expansion change how full the glass looks. NESCAFÉ Greece's Classic instructions support the 5 g coffee and small starter-water approach; the weighed water, ice and sugar below define this home version.

Recipe

Greek Frappé, Métrios

Makes:
1 serving
Time:
About 5 minutes

Ingredients For One Métrios Frappé

  • 5 g plain unsweetened soluble instant coffee
  • 8 g (2 US tsp) granulated sugar
  • 30 g (1 US fl oz) cold water for foaming
  • 100 g (3.5 oz) ice
  • 150 g (5.1 US fl oz) cold water to finish

Equipment

  • Scale, 500 ml (16.9 US fl oz) shaker, 400 ml (13.5 US fl oz) glass, spoon, straw

Method

  1. Combine. Put 5 g instant coffee, 8 g (2 US tsp) sugar and 30 g (1 US fl oz) cold water in a securely closing 500 ml (16.9 US fl oz) shaker.
  2. Make foam. Seal and shake vigorously for 20–30 seconds, until the bubbles look fine and dense.
  3. Add ice. Pour the foam into a 400 ml (13.5 US fl oz) glass, then add 100 g (3.5 oz) ice.
  4. Top up. Slowly pour 150 g (5.1 US fl oz) cold water down the inside wall of the glass.
  5. Serve. Stir the liquid gently two or three times and serve with a straw.

Estimated nutrition per serving: Approximately 35 calories; total sugar 8 g. Serving: 5 g instant coffee + 8 g (2 US tsp) sugar + 180 g (6.1 US fl oz) water + 100 g (3.5 oz) ice.

Recipe notes

Use cold water throughout. Milk is optional and excluded.

Estimate: ~35 kcal and ~8 g total sugar.

A small electric frother is another option if its manual permits the starter volume. Froth the coffee, sugar and starter water before adding ice. Do not let a delicate whisk strike ice cubes, and do not shake hot liquid in a sealed container.

How to Order It: Skétos, Métrios and Glykós

How To Order It: Skétos, Métrios And GlykósScrollable table
How To Order It: Skétos, Métrios And Glykós
OrderMeaningThis page's home sugar choice
Skétos (σκέτος)No sugar0 g
Métrios (μέτριος)Medium-sweet8 g (2 US tsp)
Glykós (γλυκός)Sweet16 g (4 US tsp)

Me gála means with milk; chorís gála means without milk. Sugar and milk are separate decisions, so skétos does not automatically mean milk-free. Ask for both preferences when ordering.

For a home milk version, replace 15 g (1 US tbsp) of the finishing water with 15 g (0.5 oz) unsweetened evaporated milk: use 135 g (4.6 US fl oz) water and add the milk after foaming. Sweetened condensed milk is a different ingredient and adds sugar. For plant milk, start with the same weighed substitution for preparation; calculate nutrition in the units on its label rather than assuming grams equal milliliters.

What Does Greek Frappé Taste Like?

Expect a cold, roast-forward instant-coffee drink with a persistent, airy top. The foam itself contains no milk in the base recipe. Sugar changes sweetness; milk changes body as well. The coffee brand and dose matter more than a particular shade of brown in a photograph.

Greek Frappé vs. Blended Coffee Frappé

Greek Frappé vs Blended Coffee FrappéScrollable table
Greek Frappé vs Blended Coffee Frappé
DrinkCoffee baseWhat creates the texture?
Greek frappéInstant coffeeA small coffee-water base is aerated, then diluted over ice
Blended coffee frappéPrepared espresso in our recipeCoffee, milk and ice are blended into an icy drink
Freddo espressoFresh espressoEspresso is chilled and aerated with ice
Freddo cappuccinoFresh espressoThe freddo base receives separately frothed cold milk
Dalgona coffeeInstant coffeeA sweet whipped coffee topping sits above milk

"Greek iced coffee" can refer to more than one of these drinks. Choose by the coffee base and method, not the shared cold serving temperature.

Calories and Nutrition by Version

This black métrios recipe has about 35 kcal and 8 g sugar. The table compares its sugar choices using the named NESCAFÉ Greece plain-coffee example:

Calories And Nutrition By VersionScrollable table
Calories And Nutrition By Version
Home versionEstimated coffee + sugar energyTotal sugar, roundedAdded sugar, rounded
Skétos: 0 g sugar5 kcal0 g0 g
Métrios: 8 g (2 US tsp) sugar35 kcal8 g8 g
Glykós: 16 g (4 US tsp) sugar65 kcal16 g16 g
Ingredient calculation

NESCAFÉ Greece’s plain-coffee guidance gives 3 kcal per 3 g, or 5 kcal for this 5 g portion. USDA granulated sugar supplies 3.87 kcal and 0.998 g sugar per gram. The métrios calculation is 5 + (8 × 3.87) = 35.96 kcal, rounded to the nearest 5 kcal. Water and plain ice add no calories. The table excludes optional milk.

How Much Caffeine Is in Greek Frappé?

About 200 mg is a named product example, not a universal frappé amount. NESCAFÉ Greece's current frappé FAQ publishes approximately 40 mg caffeine per gram. Multiplying by this recipe's 5 g gives 200 mg. A 3 g portion of that same example would give 120 mg, but would also make a less concentrated drink if the water stayed unchanged.

Changing the sugar or adding milk does not remove the coffee's caffeine. Do not apply espresso's caffeine-per-shot figures to instant-coffee powder.

Why the Foam Works

Shaking introduces air into a concentrated instant-coffee solution. Starting with little water lets you build the foam before making the drink longer. Sugar is optional: an unsweetened frappé can still foam. The tan head is aerated instant coffee, not espresso crema.

The airy coffee is what I enjoy in Greek frappé. I keep the initial foam light enough to meet the finishing water, rather than build a thick cap that feels separate from the drink below.

Troubleshooting Greek Frappé

Troubleshooting Greek FrappéScrollable table
Troubleshooting Greek Frappé
ProblemCheck firstChange next time
Little foamWas all 180 g (6.1 US fl oz) water added at the start?Shake with just 30 g (1 US fl oz) starter water first
Large bubblesWeak or brief agitationShake a little longer, watching for finer bubbles
Gritty drinkGround coffee or incompletely dissolved instantUse soluble coffee; shake until dissolved
Foam falls after milkMilk added before foamingMake the coffee foam first, then pour milk gently
Too strong or bitterInstant-coffee dose and productReduce the coffee dose; sugar changes sweetness, not caffeine
Too sweetSugar already in the instant mixUse plain instant coffee and weigh the separate sugar

The 1957 Story, with Context

NESCAFÉ's Greek history associates frappé with 1957 and Dimitrios Vakondios at the Thessaloniki International Fair. The enduring practical distinction is clearer: instant coffee shaken with water, served over ice. Visit Greece describes it separately from espresso-based freddo drinks.

Common Greek Frappé Questions

Do I need an espresso machine?
No. Plain soluble instant coffee, a shaker and cold water are enough.
Can I use espresso instead?
Use the freddo espresso method instead; brewed espresso is not a direct substitution for 5 g instant powder.
Can I make it without milk or sugar?
Yes. Omit the 8 g (2 US tsp) sugar for skétos and keep the water-only base for no milk.
Is freeze-dried instant coffee usable?
Plain soluble coffee can be used; foam and flavor vary by formulation. Avoid insoluble coffee grounds and pre-sweetened mixes.
Can Greek frappé be decaf?
Yes. Use plain decaffeinated instant coffee, and use its own caffeine information rather than the 200 mg example.
Can I make it ahead?
Make it near serving time: foam settles and melting ice changes the drink.

Editor's Take

Sources and Further Reading

5 references

External links open in a new tab