Blueberry Cloud Coffee

When TikTok first came out, I wasn’t keen to sign up for an account … until I learned that creators were sharing recipes—then it was game over for me. From the infamous baked feta pasta to cowboy butter, I’ve tried them all. This blueberry cloud coffee is my take on the latest viral TikTok recipe sweeping social media. If you’re unfamiliar with cloud coffee, it’s an updated version of Dalgona whipped coffee. But instead of milk, the base of the drink is cool, hydrating coconut water.

My version also adds a fruity spin to the original whipped drink with a homemade blueberry syrup. The syrup is made with fresh blueberries simmered on the stovetop with sugar until a sweet, thick syrup forms. Once cool, the syrup is added to a glass with ice and then layered with the coconut water and whipped coffee to create a stormy, lavender-hued coffee shop drink that’s perfect for summer.

One of my favorite things about blueberry cloud coffee is the unique marriage of flavors. Coffee and coconut have always been a tasty combo (if you need reminding, try a coconut cold-brew latte), while adding blueberry offers a tasty, unexpected addition that pairs great with the refreshing, tropical taste of coconut. Additionally, the sweet flavor offers a nice balance to the slight bitterness of the coffee.

Blueberry Cloud Coffee Ingredients

• Blueberries: We used fresh blueberries to make our syrup. Or, you can turn this into a frozen blueberry recipe if that’s what you have on hand.
• Sugar: Sugar is added to the blueberries to both sweeten the syrup and act as a thickening agent to give the homemade syrup body.
• Water: Water helps thin the syrup to ensure proper consistency. If you use frozen berries instead of fresh, reduce the water in the saucepan to 1/4 cup. Then, add more as needed if the syrup appears too thick.
• Ice: A cloud coffee is best enjoyed chilled over ice. Grab some ice from your freezer or fill up a cool ice cube tray for some added pizzazz.
• Coconut water: Coconut water is key to giving a blueberry cloud coffee its signature cloud-like appearance. Unlike coconut milk, coconut water is clear, so it makes the cold foam appear as if it’s floating over thin air.
• Heavy cream: Use heavy cream to make a thick, rich and creamy whipped coffee cloud.
• Vanilla syrup: Vanilla and blueberries taste heavenly together, so we opted to sweeten our coffee cold foam with a splash of vanilla syrup. The sweetener also helps stabilize the whipped coffee.
• Cooled espresso: For supreme coffee flavor, our blueberry cloud coffee cold foam is made with freshly brewed espresso cooled to room temperature. Don’t use hot espresso or your fluffy cloud of foam will deflate.

Directions

Step 1: Make the blueberry syrup

In a small saucepan, combine the blueberries, sugar and water. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat. Simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Step 2: Strain the syrup

Pour the mixture through a fine mesh sieve into a small glass measuring cup, mashing the berries as you strain the mixture. Discard the pulp leftover in the strainer.

Step 3: Add the syrup, ice and coconut water to a glass

Add 2 tablespoons of the blueberry syrup to a tall glass, then add ice to fill the glass about halfway. Slowly pour the coconut water over the top, leaving about an inch of room for the cold foam.

Editor’s Tip: A gentle hand and a slow pour are key to maintaining the layers of color in this drink.

Step 4: Make the coffee cloud cold foam

In a small glass Mason jar, beat the heavy cream and vanilla syrup with a milk frother or electric hand mixer until the mixture begins to thicken, almost to soft peaks. Add the cooled espresso.

Continue to whip until the mixture resembles a thick, fluffy cold foam.

Step 5: Spoon the foam over the top

Gently spoon or pour the cloud coffee over the top of the blueberry coconut water drink. Refrigerate the remaining blueberry syrup for another use.

Editor’s Tip: Add a straw to the glass, then stir and sip.

Blueberry Cloud Coffee Variations

• Make a matcha cloud: Omit the brewed espresso and substitute 2 teaspoons (about 4 grams) of matcha powder. Sift the matcha powder into the sweetened cream and then whip using a milk frother or hand-held electric mixer until it doubles in volume and resembles a thick cold foam. Serve over the coconut water and blueberry syrup, stir and enjoy.
• Use other syrup flavors: If you don’t enjoy blueberry, you can make a homemade syrup using the same method but swap in raspberries, strawberries, blackberries or pitted cherries for the blueberries.
• Substitute the sweetener: If you don’t keep vanilla-flavored coffee syrup stocked at home, you can sweeten the whipped coffee cloud with maple syrup, granulated sugar, simple syrup or another sweetener alternative. Just keep in mind that you may need to adjust the amount. Other sweeteners may be more or less sweet than vanilla syrup.

How to Store Blueberry Cloud Coffee

Blueberry cloud coffee is best enjoyed as soon as it is prepared for the best taste and texture. If you have extra whipped coffee or blueberry syrup, they should be stored in airtight containers (Mason jars work great) and kept refrigerated. Extra coconut water should be stored in its original container and used within two days of opening.

Can you make blueberry cloud coffee ahead of time?

While we don’t recommend assembling this coffee recipe in its entirety ahead of time, you can prep the individual components and store them until you’re ready to enjoy. The blueberry syrup may be refrigerated for up to two weeks. You can also prepare the whipped coffee cloud ahead, if desired. Prepare it as directed and store it for two to three days. However, it will likely lose some of its volume as it sits, so you may need to rewhip it to make the “cloud” fluffy again.

Blueberry Cloud Coffee Tips

Can you use cold brew or instant espresso for blueberry cloud coffee?

If you don’t own an espresso machine or a Moka pot, you can make a blueberry cloud coffee using instant coffee or espresso powder instead. Omit the heavy cream and follow the classic Dalgona coffee formula, using 1 tablespoon each of hot water, sugar and instant coffee. Combine in a glass and beat until the mixture thickens. We don’t recommend using cold brew (unless it is very strongly brewed). It won’t flavor the cloud of cold foam with quite enough coffee punch.

Why didn’t my coffee cloud become fluffy?

Making a cloud coffee using brewed espresso is a little trickier than making it with instant espresso. To get it right, it’s all about having the proper ratios and temperatures. If your coffee is not whipping, it could be that you didn’t whip the cream and sweetener for long enough before adding the espresso. Alternatively, your espresso may still be too hot, or you may be adding more than an ounce. Adding too much espresso will thin the heavy cream too much, making it difficult for it to remain thick, fluffy and stabilized. For the best results, measure accurately and use espresso that is completely cooled.