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Indian Cold Coffee: Frothy Recipe with or Without Ice Cream

Indian cold coffee blends instant coffee, cold milk and sugar into a sweet, frothy drink. The plain version needs no ice cream; blending gives it an airy surface and a creamy texture that stays easy to sip.

By Ali Can DoralarReviewed by Online Coffee Guide editorial teamPublished 5 min read
A tall glass of pale brown Indian cold coffee with a frothy milk top on a sunlit counter
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Drink Snapshot

Caffeine
50–90 mg (named example)2 g NESCAFÉ Original or Gold, UK exampleUse the caffeine information on the exact instant coffee you choose.
Calories
Estimated 175 kcalDefined recipe without ice creamIncludes milk, sugar and dry instant coffee; optional toppings and ice cream are excluded.
Serving, sugar and sources
Serving
1 drink: 2 g instant coffee, 200 g (¾ US cup + 1 US tbsp) milk, 12 g (3 US tsp) sugar, 20 ml (4 US tsp) water and 60 g (2.1 oz) ice
Made with
Plain instant coffee, chilled whole milk, sugar, water and ice
Sugar
Estimated 22 g total. 12 g from added sugar and 10 g naturally present in the whole milk.
Preparation
About 5 minutes

Ingredient estimates for the recipe without ice cream; a 500 ml (16.9 US fl oz) glass leaves room for foam. See the full calculation or label comparison.

Key Takeaways
  • Choose the no-ice-cream version for a frothy milk drink; add ice cream when you want a thicker dessert texture.
  • Start with thoroughly chilled milk so the drink feels creamy and cold without relying on extra ice.
  • Dissolve the coffee and sugar first, then blend with cold milk and ice in an appliance rated for ice.
On This Page9 Sections

What Makes Indian Cold Coffee Different?

The goal is cold coffee with a frothy milk texture, not a glass full of crushed ice. Instant coffee is convenient because it dissolves without brewing equipment. Milk provides the body, while blending brings air into the drink. NESCAFÉ India's published cold-coffee recipe uses instant coffee, milk and sugar, with blending or shaking; ice cream is not essential.

The quantities here are our defined home version. Café drinks may include ice cream, chocolate sauce or cream, so the name alone cannot tell you their ingredients or calories.

What Makes Indian Cold Coffee Different?
What Makes Indian Cold Coffee Different?
Nearby drinkHow it differs from this recipe
Blended iced coffeeA broader frozen-coffee style; the linked recipe uses frozen brewed coffee for a slushier result
Coffee milkshakeIce cream is a defining ingredient rather than an optional addition
Greek frappéInstant coffee is foamed with water first; milk is optional
Indian beaten coffeeCoffee and sugar are beaten into a foam before milk is added, rather than blending the whole iced drink

What Does Indian Cold Coffee Taste Like?

Indian cold coffee is sweet, milky and frothy, with a gentler coffee presence than a small iced espresso drink. Blending puts air through the milk, so it feels light at the surface and creamy underneath. The base recipe is fluid enough to sip easily; vanilla ice cream makes the optional version fuller, sweeter-tasting and more dessert-like.

I prefer the no-ice-cream version without chocolate sauce: the airy milk and gentle coffee flavor stay refreshing and light enough to sip through a straw.

Indian Cold Coffee Recipe

A 500 ml (16.9 US fl oz) glass gives the foam room to rise.

Recipe

Indian Cold Coffee

Makes:
1 drink
Time:
About 5 minutes; use chilled milk

Ingredients

  • 2 g plain, unsweetened instant coffee
  • 20 ml (4 US tsp) cool drinking water
  • 200 g (¾ US cup + 1 US tbsp) cold whole milk
  • 12 g (3 US tsp) fine granulated sugar
  • 60 g (2.1 oz) ice cubes

Equipment

  • Blender rated for ice
  • Small bowl
  • Spoon
  • Scale
  • Liquid measure
  • 500 ml (16.9 US fl oz) glass

Method

  1. Dissolve. Stir 2 g instant coffee and 12 g (3 US tsp) sugar into 20 ml (4 US tsp) cool water until no dry granules remain.
  2. Load. Put the coffee mixture, 200 g (¾ US cup + 1 US tbsp) cold whole milk and 60 g (2.1 oz) ice into a blender rated for ice, following its loading instructions. Secure the lid and stay below its maximum fill line.
  3. Blend and serve. Blend in short bursts until smooth and frothy, with no hard ice pieces. Pour the whole serving into a 500 ml (16.9 US fl oz) glass and drink promptly.

Estimated nutrition: 175 kcal · 22 g total sugar. Per drink, using whole milk, without ice cream or toppings.

Choose soluble instant coffee, not ground coffee: grounds remain gritty when blended into milk. A sweetened 3-in-1 sachet already contains other ingredients and will change the sweetness, milk content and estimates. For help choosing and dissolving the base, see the instant-coffee preparation guide.

Instant coffee and sugar dissolved in a shallow cool-water starter, then blended with cold milk and ice under a secured lid and poured while frothy.
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Dissolve the coffee first and blend cold ingredients into a pourable, frothy drink.

Indian Cold Coffee with or Without Ice Cream

Ice cream is optional; the base recipe gets its froth from blended milk.

For the richer version, add 50 g (1.8 oz) vanilla ice cream and omit the 12 g (3 US tsp) granulated sugar. Keep the 2 g coffee, 20 ml (4 US tsp) water, 200 g (¾ US cup + 1 US tbsp) milk and 60 g (2.1 oz) ice unchanged. Add the ice cream with the milk and blend.

Indian Cold Coffee With or Without Ice Cream
Indian Cold Coffee With or Without Ice Cream
VersionEstimated calories and total sugar
Base recipe, no ice cream175 kcal; 22 g sugar
Add 50 g (1.8 oz) vanilla ice cream and omit 12 g (3 US tsp) sugar235 kcal; 21 g sugar
Base recipe with the 12 g (3 US tsp) sugar omitted130 kcal; 10 g sugar

The ice-cream version can have similar total sugar yet more calories because its composition differs from plain sugar. These are calculated comparisons using generic ingredients. Your ice cream's label takes priority, and chocolate sauce, whipped cream or a scoop on top would need to be counted separately.

For a more dessert-like drink built around ice cream, use the coffee milkshake recipe.

Getting Froth Without a Watery Drink

Chill the milk before blending. Ice should help chill and texture the drink, rather than compensate for warm ingredients. The 60 g (2.1 oz) ice portion is part of the recipe; adding a large unmeasured handful introduces more water as it melts.

Getting Froth Without a Watery Drink
Getting Froth Without a Watery Drink
ProblemA practical adjustment
Grainy coffee or sugarDissolve the coffee and sugar in the small water portion before adding cold milk
Watery after standingServe immediately; next time start with colder ingredients and avoid extra ice
Too sweetReduce the measured sugar; do not compensate by adding more ice
Too little coffee flavorIncrease the instant coffee slightly next time, remembering that this also changes caffeine
Hard ice pieces remainStop and follow the blender's instructions; do not force an appliance that is not designed for ice

Can You Make It Without a Blender?

Yes, as a shaken variation. Dissolve 2 g instant coffee and 12 g (3 US tsp) sugar in 20 ml (4 US tsp) cool water, add 200 g (¾ US cup + 1 US tbsp) cold whole milk to a clean, tightly closing shaker with ample headroom, and shake until frothy. Pour over the 60 g (2.1 oz) ice in a glass. The ice stays as cubes, so the texture differs from the blended recipe. A blender is useful for the specific smooth, integrated result shown here.

Indian Cold Coffee Calories, Sugar and Caffeine

For 2 g instant coffee, 200 g (¾ US cup + 1 US tbsp) whole milk and 12 g (3 US tsp) sugar blended with water and ice, the estimates are 175 kcal and 22 g total sugar. That includes the small energy contribution of the instant coffee, with 10 g of sugar naturally present in the milk; omitting added sugar does not make this dairy drink sugar-free.

For caffeine, NESCAFÉ UK gives 50–90 mg per 2 g of Original or Gold instant coffee, checked 26 September 2026. This named UK example does not cover every Indian instant coffee, coffee–chicory blend or café serving.

Serving assumptions and calculation

Generic USDA SR28 values per 100 g are: whole milk 61 kcal and 5.05 g sugar; granulated sugar 387 kcal and 99.8 g sugar; dry regular instant coffee 353 kcal and 0 g sugar. Thus 200 g milk supplies 122 kcal and 10.1 g sugar, 12 g sugar adds 46.44 kcal and 11.976 g sugar, and 2 g instant coffee adds 7.06 kcal. Total: 175.5 kcal and 22.076 g sugar, shown as 175 kcal and 22 g. Water and ice add neither. For the variation, 50 g generic vanilla ice cream adds 103.5 kcal and 10.61 g sugar; omitting granulated sugar gives 232.56 kcal and 20.71 g sugar, rounded to 235 kcal and 21 g.

Contains milk. For a plant-based version, replace the milk and any optional ice cream with suitable alternatives, check their ingredients, and recalculate from their labels. Keep dairy refrigerated and make the drink when ready to serve; its foam will settle with time.

Questions About Indian Cold Coffee

Does Indian cold coffee need ice cream?
No. Blending chilled milk, dissolved instant coffee, sugar and a measured amount of ice makes a frothy drink. The ice-cream variation is optional and has a separate nutrition estimate.
Can I use ground coffee instead of instant?
Use the blended-iced-coffee recipe for a brewed-coffee version, with its own liquid and frozen-coffee portions. Dry grounds would leave grit in this instant-coffee drink.
Is Indian cold coffee the same as cold brew?
No. This recipe dissolves instant coffee and blends it with milk and ice. Cold brew describes coffee extracted with cool water over time.
Can I make it without sugar?
Yes, omit the 12 g (3 US tsp) granulated sugar. With 2 g instant coffee, 20 ml (4 US tsp) water, 200 g (¾ US cup + 1 US tbsp) whole milk and 60 g (2.1 oz) ice, the estimate becomes 130 kcal and 10 g total sugar from milk. It will taste less sweet.

For the brewed-coffee alternative, follow the blended iced coffee recipe, including its coffee-freezing step.

Editor's Take

Sources and Further Reading

View 5 references