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Cloud Coffee Is the Latest Caffeinated Beverage Trend—Here’s How to Make It at Home

Introducing cloud coffee: A frothy, layered drink that’s easy to make and totally customizable for your morning pick-me-up.
ByCaLea Johnson|
Cloud coffee has gone viral.
Cloud coffee has gone viral. | Jonathan Knowles/GettyImages

From jiggly soufflé pancakes to adorable cake pops, novelty foods have a way of turning heads and pleasing taste buds. There are plenty of drinks that also belong in this category. One of the latest buzz-worthy beverages is cloud coffee—a twist on a cup of joe that looks as good as it tastes.

  1. What Is Cloud Coffee?
  2. How to Make Cloud Coffee at Home

What Is Cloud Coffee?

This trend has been circulating on TikTok and other corners of the internet recently. In short, cloud coffee typically consists of a mixture of espresso, coconut water, and cream or milk. However, many people add their personal touch to the beverage according to their taste preferences. The drink is meant to appear frothy and layered, with the espresso “cloud” floating on the coconut water base, which is likely how it earned its name. 

How to Make Cloud Coffee at Home

Luckily, cloud coffee is easy to make. You can start by using a milk frother to mix fresh espresso with the milk or cream of your choice until the drink becomes foamy. Next, fill another cup with ice, pour coconut water over it, and add in the espresso mixture. If you don’t have a frother at home, pour all liquids into the glass and mix everything as the final step. Consider adding maple or vanilla syrup to your cloud coffee to satisfy your sweet tooth.

The drink is the caffeinated child of two previous trends: dalgona coffee (also known as whipped coffee) and the coconut water americano. According to Food & Wine, the former gained traction on social media during the COVID-19 lockdowns of 2020. To make dalgona coffee, you must first whip together instant coffee, hot water, and sugar until a thick foam appears. The mixture is then poured over iced milk. People debate the drink’s origin, but it most likely started in Macau. The coconut water americano saw its popularity peak earlier this year. It’s also a lot simpler than its trendy new iteration, only needing espresso poured over iced coconut water.

On the less appealing side of coffee, there’s a mix that includes broccoli. Thankfully that one never became a full-blown trend after surfacing in 2018.

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