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    Homebody Eats » Recipes » Coffee » How To Make Cold Foam Without A Frother (3 Ways)

    How To Make Cold Foam Without A Frother (3 Ways)

    Published: Oct 10, 2021 · Modified: May 2, 2022 by Jessica Mode · This post may contain affiliate links, which means I'll receive a commission if you purchase through the link, at no extra cost to you. Please see full disclosure for more details.

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    Learn how to make foam for coffee without a frother in 3 easy ways

    If you've wanted to learn how to make cold foam for coffee, this post will teach you three different ways to do so! Depending on what equipment you have on hand, you'll be able to make different variations of cold foam - bubbly, frothy, or in between. This guide will walk you through different ingredient options as well.

    cold brew coffee with cold foam on top
    Jump to:
    • What Is Cold Foam?
    • How To Make Cold Foam At Home
    • What Ingredients Do I Need?
    • Overall Results
    • More Coffee Recipes

    I think we can all agree that cold foam makes almost any cold brew coffee so much better! It adds a decadent and creamy touch that blends so perfectly with coffee's bitter notes.

    If you've been following along in our coffee series, chances are you love finding new ways to drink your morning coffee. This guide is going to help you explore a whole new way to drink coffee with cold foam.

    What Is Cold Foam?

    Cold foam is a popular dairy product typically poured on top of cold brew coffee. It creates a dramatic effect on not only the appearance of the drink but also the flavor.

    If you've ever had cold foam from Starbucks, it was likely made from nonfat milk then whipped up in a blender. There are also other variations of this type of cold foam, like the sweet cream cold foam made with heavy cream and 2% milk.

    The key to any cold foam is creating good texture. Through each of these methods we discuss today, you will achieve various level of air, bubbles, and creaminess. It's up to you to decide which ingredients and equipment creates the cold foam you like best!

    How To Make Cold Foam At Home

    Up first let's chat through three ways to make cold foam without a frother. Each of these methods will get you very different results depending on what type of dairy you use.

    Mason Jar

    Grab a mason jar. Add 3.5 ounces (100 milliliters) of your dairy product of choice (options below) and 2 pumps (½ ounce) of simple syrup.

    Shake the jar for a full 60 seconds, then pour over cold brew coffee.

    Whisk

    Add 3.5 ounces (100 milliliters) of your dairy product of choice (options below) and 2 pumps (½ ounce) of simple syrup to a metal or glass bowl. Be sure not to use ceramic dishes as the whisk may scratch them up.

    Hand whisk for 45 seconds, then pour over cold brew coffee.

    Blender

    Grab your favorite high powered blender. Add 3.5 ounces (100 milliliters) of your dairy product of choice (options below) and 2 pumps (½ ounce) of simple syrup.

    Blend on high for 45 seconds, then pour over cold brew coffee.

    As you can see from the photo below, each method results in a very different texture, depending on the type of dairy product you use. The cold foam in the glasses on the left is made from a mason jar, in the middle from a hand whisk, and on the right from a blender.

    various types of dairy cold foam
    From left to right: Made with a mason jar, hand whisk, then blender.

    What Ingredients Do I Need?

    While the Starbucks cold foam is generally made with nonfat milk, I wondered what results I would get from various dairy products. Since we aren't using a frother to achieve the perfect consistency, I wondered if the traditional nonfat milk would be the best option.

    In order to find the perfect cold foam at home, I wanted to test three different ingredients using each of the methods listed above - with a mason jar, hand whisk, and blender.

    For this experiment, I tested out:

    • Nonfat milk
    • 2% milk/heavy cream
    • Heavy cream

    Below, you'll find a photo result of each experiment, as well as the ingredients used.

    Nonfat Milk

    • 3.5 ounces (100 milliliters) nonfat milk
    • 2 pumps (½ ounce) of simple syrup

    From this test, the blender option achieved the consistency most like Starbucks. It was creamy, smooth, and had the perfect number of bubbles.

    The mason jar and whisk resulted in too many bubbles and not enough creaminess. These were a fail in my opinion.

    nonfat milk made into cold foam

    2% Milk and Heavy Cream

    • 1.5 ounces (50 milliliters) 2% milk
    • 1.5 ounces (50 milliliters) heavy cream
    • 2 pumps (½ ounce) of simple syrup

    The additional fat in this recipe helped achieve better results than the nonfat version, in my opinion. Each of the methods nicely incorporated air into the 2% milk and heavy cream mixture. The result was a light, smooth and airy texture for the cold foam no matter what type of equipment you use.

    The combination of 2% milk and heavy cream was my personal favorite taste and texture for the experiment of how to make cold foam without a frother.

    2% milk and heavy cream made into cold foam

    Heavy Cream

    • 3.5 ounces (100 milliliters) heavy cream
    • 2 pumps (½ ounce) of simple syrup

    Last, but not least, I tested out heavy cream. To my surprise, the hand whisk resulted in my favorite cold foam. Though, all the options were good, the hand whisk had a slightly different texture that combined the right amount of air and cream.

    I noticed that each of cold foams made with heavy cream seemed more thick than the milk versions. This is due to the higher fat in heavy cream.

    heavy cream made into cold foam

    Overall Results

    Depending on what ingredients and equipment you have on hand, you can make very different types of cold foam. Here is an overall chart with a description for each type of cold foam discussed above.

    While everyone has different taste preferences, I've marked the fan-favorites (based on taste and consistency) in the chart below.

    Nonfat Milk2% Milk & Heavy CreamHeavy Cream
    Mason JarLight layer of bubblesCreamy and silky smooth
    (fan favorite)
    Thick and airy
    WhiskVery bubblySmooth but airyCreamy and silky smooth
    (fan favorite)
    BlenderCreamy and silky smooth
    (fan favorite)
    Fairly smooth but still airyThick and creamy

    More Coffee Recipes

    If you've enjoyed learning about this coffee topic, here are some recipes you should try:

    • Starbucks-Style Pumpkin Cold Foam
    • Iced Brown Sugar Oatmilk Shaken Espresso
    • Salted Caramel Cold Brew (6 Ingredients)
    • How to Make Vanilla Coffee Syrup (3 Ingredient Recipe)
    « How To Make Sweet Cream Cold Foam Like Starbucks
    How To Make Cold Brew Espresso »

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    Hi, I'm Jessica! Here, you'll find delicious & fresh recipes that will help you learn to master a new skill in the kitchen!

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