There’s nothing quite as tasty first the morning as a cup of coffee with cream but have you ever wondered, can you froth cold milk?
The foam capping a cappuccino is tasty, but chilled might taste even better, especially if you’re partial to an iced coffee from your favorite coffee shop.
Cold foam is a delicious addition to your cold brew, serving as a cooling substitute for ordinary milk or cream.
You can mix it with sugar or simple syrup to add a bit of sweetness or use it on its own as a chilled top to your coffee.
Frothing cold milk creates a thick, rich foam that can complement various coffee beverages. By utilizing specific ingredients and the right equipment, such as a handheld milk frother, you can achieve a cold foam rather easily in the comfort of your kitchen.
Can You Froth Cold Milk?
Scalding hot milk typically yields the traditional-style foam found in most hot coffee drinks.
So, while you might think your milk needs to be hot to create good foam, that’s not always the case.
Frothing cold milk adds a delicious element to your favorite cold brew, and you can even top your hot coffee with a cold foam to cool down your drink.
Why Froth Cold Milk
If you’re a fan of cold foam, you already know the benefits of frothing cold milk are practically endless.
However, if you’re still new to this treat, there are a few other reasons you should consider giving it a try.
No Machine Required
Since you can froth cold milk without a steaming wand, you don’t need access to a big, expensive cappuccino machine to enjoy some cold foam.
Instead, you can froth with a French press, hand frother, or even in a mason jar.
Perfect for Cold Brew
Your morning cold brew can only get better with the addition of cold foam.
Instead of simple iced coffee with milk, cold foam allows you to have the perfect iced cappuccino.
Since it’s so simple to froth your milk, it won’t take you more than a few minutes to have the perfect coffee drink.
Good Alternative to Whipped Cream
Whipped cream is one of the sweetest additions you can add to your coffee-based beverages.
However, it also happens to be packed with sugar and fat.
So, if you want a healthier alternative to whipped cream for your coffee, cold foam should be your first choice.
How To Froth Cold Milk
Coffee shops have popularized cold foam on top of their cold brews. But purchasing your iced coffee every day can begin affecting your weekly budget.
So, if you want to save yourself some time and money, making it yourself at home is an economical solution.
When you think of cold foam, you might ask yourself, can you froth cold milk in a blender? Or, can you froth cold milk in a French press?
Believe it or not, you can use both. You can also try a couple of other methods to get the perfect foam for your coffee, including a hand frother or a mason jar.
When frothing cold milk, the vital thing to remember is to use nonfat milk.
Skim milk foams far better than whole or even low-fat milk. Once you have your skim milk ready to froth, you can use any following methods to make cold foam.
Tip: If your store is out of skim milk, choose 1% milk over 2% or whole.
French Press
French press coffee is a favored choice among coffee drinkers, so it’s no surprise it can also produce some delicious cold foam.
If you want to try making cold foam in a French press, simply pour your nonfat milk into the press.
Then press and release the plunger repeatedly until you have your foam.
Hand Frother
A quick and easy way to froth cold milk is by utilizing a hand frother.
You can purchase small battery-operated frothers from many grocery or big-box stores.
These devices require very little skill to use and provide you with tasty cold foams in under thirty seconds.
Simply dip the frother into your milk, let it do its thing, and pour over your favorite coffee beverage.
Tip: Always remember to turn your frother on after you’ve submerged it in the milk.
Blender
Frothing milk in a blender is adequate, although it might take longer than using a simple hand frother.
Once you pour your milk into the blender, gradually increase the speed until you have the right consistency.
Mason Jar
You can make cold foam by shaking your milk in a mason jar. You have to pour the milk and flavorings into the jar and shake vigorously.
Once it’s reached your desired consistency, pour it on top of your coffee and enjoy.
Tip: Don’t overshake your milk, as it could cause your foam to collapse.
Cold Foam: What Not To Do
Frothing cold milk is easy to do, but there are a few dos and don’ts you should keep in mind if you want to get your cold foam just right.
Skip the Whisk
Don’t use a whisk to make your foam because it won’t achieve your desired results.
Although it might seem logical to use a whisk to get a nice, frothy consistency, it’ll do the opposite.
Instead of giving you stiff foam peaks, you’ll just have bubbly milk.
Don’t Use a Wand
The handy frothing wand on your cappuccino machine might be tempting when you want a bit of cold foam, but don’t turn on your appliance just yet.
Frothing wands use steam to froth your cappuccino’s milk, ending with hot foam instead of cold.
Note: Some cappuccino machine models offer a cold foam option, yielding desirable results.
Keep it Simple
Some coffee shops offer sweet cream cold foam, which consists of nonfat milk combined with a sweetener, such as simple syrup or sugar.
Although sweetened cold foam is delicious, you want to avoid adding too many flavorings to your cold foam.
Too much sugar or syrup can weigh down the foam, leaving you with a milky mess instead of a frothy treat.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you still have questions about creating the perfect cold foam in the comfort of your kitchen?
Here are a few commonly asked questions about frothing cold milk.
Can You Use Non-dairy Milk to Make Cold Foam?
You can froth cold, non-dairy, or plant-based milk.
The best non-dairy options for cold foam are coconut or oat milk because they foam easily at any temperature.
However, you won’t be able to get the same density or fluffiness you would with cow’s milk.
Why Does Nonfat Milk Froth Better than Whole Milk?
Cow’s milk has a lot of protein and fat molecules. The proteins help it get to a nice frothy consistency.
However, the fat molecules can weigh down the proteins. If you use whole milk, the abundance of fat molecules will cause your foam to collapse more quickly.
Can You Froth Milk More than Once?
If you didn’t use up all of your frothed milk with your first beverage, rest assured you can froth it again.
As the frothed milk sits, it’ll “deflate” back to its normal state. Then, you can froth it up a second time with no problems.
Read Next: Does Green Tea Taste Good with Milk?
Final Thoughts
So, can you froth cold milk? Yes, you can, and it’s not nearly as complicated as you might think.
You can complete the process at home quickly and easily by using any of the methods above to create your cold foam in just a few minutes.
With a bit of time and effort, you will master the art of producing a perfect, decadent iced coffee drink.