How to make a frappe with instant coffee

Frothy iced coffee in an instant.

Why It Works

• The concentrated solids in instant coffee help make a stable and thick foam.

Greek café culture revolves around this frothy iced coffee drink. Instant coffee is shaken up into a thick foam and then topped off with a splash of water for a creamy and refreshing drink.

• 1 tablespoon instant coffee (see note)
• sugar, to taste (optional)
• evaporated milk, to taste (optional)

1. In a cocktail shaker or jar, add 2 tablespoons of water, the instant coffee, and sugar (if using). Cover and shake vigorously for 30 seconds.

2. Add 1 cup of ice cubes to the shaker or jar. Cover and shake again for 30 seconds. Pour the foam and ice into a tall glass. Add more water, ice, and milk if desired. Serve right away.

Special equipment

Cocktail shaker

Notes

There's no need to add sugar if you're using a spray-dried instant coffee, such as Nescafé. However, if your instant coffee was produced through freeze-drying you will need to add at least 1 teaspoon of sugar to the coffee in step 1.

This Recipe Appears In

• Hello, Frappés: How to Make the Frothy Iced Coffee Drink

Jump to Recipe

There’s nothing quite like a frosty drink on hot days. Also referred to as an iced cappacino (or iced capp) this Nescafe frappe is a cold coffee recipe that’s quick & easy to make at home with a blender.

As someone who prefers just black coffee without lots of sweeteners and addins, I like that this frothy iced coffee recipe appeals to all coffee drinkers.

The amount of sugar can be adjusted to be just right for your sweet tooth, or even omited all together if you prefer it to be less sweet with a stronger coffee flavor.

What is a Classic Greek Frappe?

I first had this drink when I was visiting a high school friend on a hot Summer day. She served this drink to me in her cozy kitchen and I immediately asked for the recipe.

It was titled “Iced Cafe au Lait”.

As I did some research on this drink, I realized it fits under the definition of a greek frappe as well.

By definition, a greek frappe is instant cofee (like Nescafe), water, ice, and milk mixed together to make a frothy iced coffee drink. You can use a greek frappe mixer or a small electric drink mixer to make this, but I just use my Ninja blender and love how it comes out with small chunks of crushed ice. It’s the ideal refreshment for hot Summer days!

• QUICK TO MAKE– Requiring just a few ingredients, this can be whipped up in just minutes.
• SAVES MONEY – Making your own iced capp at home saves lots of money from the fancy coffee shop drive throughs!
• NO FANCY EQUIPMENT REQUIRED – I love how this drink can be made without an electric or handheld milk frother or frothing the milk. It just whips all up together in a blender and tastes amazing!

Ingredients

(For your convenience, a printable recipe card is located at the bottom of this post.)

• 1-2 Tablespoons granulated sugar (adjust the amount for your preference. We like 1 1/2 tablespoons.)
• 1 teaspoon Nescafe instant espresso powder
• 1 Tablespoon boiling water
• 10 ice cubes
• 1/3 cup 2% cold milk
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Step by Step Instructions for this Blended Homemade Greek Frappe

1. In a blender, combine the instant espresso powder, sugar, and boiling water. Place the lid on tightly and blend.
2. Add the ice cubes. Place the lid on tightly again and pulse the blender until they are crushed into medium chunks.

1. Pour in the milk and vanilla, and pulse until combined.

1. Pour into a tall glass or cappacino mug and enjoy!

Substitions

• Really, any brand of instant coffee would work for this recipe. For this particular frappe recipe I was able to find Nescafe brand espresso powder. However you can substitute a teaspoon of instant coffee of any brand for a similar flavor.
• For a richer drink, heavy cream can be substituted for the milk. And some people prefer to use oat milk or almond milk instead of regular milk.
• You can serve this drink in any tall cup – even a mason jar or water glass will work. I sometimes stick a straw in it so I can stir it around as I drink it.
• For a fancy presentation, you can squirt whipping cream on the top of the glass before serving. A drizzle of chocolate sauce would make a wonderful soft coffee mocha flavor.

Special Equipment for this Recipe

I love how this recipe doesn’t require wild specific tools. It does use a blender, though, and I absolutely love my Ninja blender. I also use my electric kettle to boil the water quickly, but you can boil it any way you choose.

Be sure to check out my Amazon Shop for all kinds of recommendations for your kitchen & home.

Tools you’ll need

Other Refreshing Drink Recipes

Frozen hot chocolate is another refreshing drink that can be made in a blender.

And, head over to my friend Shirley’s blog today for her Southern Sweet Tea recipe!

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Ingredients

• 1-2 Tablespoons granulated sugar (adjust the amount for your preference. We like 1 1/2 tablespoons.)
• 1 teaspoon Nescafe instant espresso powder
• 1 Tablespoon boiling water
• 10 ice cubes
• 1/3 cup 2% cold milk
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Instructions

1. In a blender, combine the instant espresso powder, sugar, and boiling water. Place the lid on tightly and blend.
2. Add the ice cubes. Place the lid on tightly again and pulse the blender until they are crushed into medium chunks.
3. Pour in the milk and vanilla, and pulse until combined.
4. Pour into a tall glass or cappacino mug and enjoy!