Can You Froth Cold Milk? – Milk Frothing For Beginners

Last updated on May 28th, 2024 at 10:43

I saw this question: “Can you froth cold milk?” Being asked in one of my favorite coffee forums, the question can be answered by switching around the first two words – you can froth cold milk, and in a number of different ways as I’ll demonstrate.

If you are new to milk frothing, pay attention to the sections detailing milk frothing for beginners.

Keep reading for an awesome guide about how to froth cold milk with and without a frother.

Can You Froth Cold Milk?

Yes, cold milk is great for frothing as a matter of fact the colder you milk and the fresher it is, the better it will froth. It doesn’t matter what type of milk you use, be it nonfat milk, whole fat milk, oat milk, coconut milk, almond milk, soy milk, or any plant based milk it will froth better when cold and fresh.

You can froth cold milk using any method of your choice or convenience be it a handheld frother, a manual milk frother like a pump frother or a whisk, an electric milk frother, a mason jar, French press, a food blender or a steam wand and get great quality frothy milk

If you are looking to froth plant based milk and nut based milk, you must use one that has a gellan gum or an oat milk base.

The reason you need these is that they simply froth better than the regular versions due to some regular non-dairy milks having too low a fat content to form the protective later over the frothy bubbles as you produce them.

The oat milk base provides the fats needed while the gellan gum in other versions acts as a stabilizer and emulsifier. Barista is the brand that I use and recommend. All the top coffee shops use their alternative milk.

There is no special technique for frothing cold milk, all the methods of frothing are the same be your milk hot or cold.

Read: Milk frother recipes

Cold Milk Frothing For Beginners

Let’s talk about milk frothing for beginners tips for making a high quality frothy milk for types of milk and coffee drinks.

Best Practices For Frothing Cold Milk

If you are a beginner and new to frothing, start with a 360 ml (12 oz) pitcher. It’s a good size for frothing larger lattes and easy to handle. Entry-level home espresso machines have enough power to steam milk in a milk jug of this size.

Start with your milk of choice being as cold as it possibly can be. Cold milk takes air better than warmer milk and is easier to froth and gives you more time to work with it.

Fill with milk to about an inch below the start of the spout. This should use 150 to 180 ml (5 to 6 ounces) of milk. You must leave space for the milk to expand.

Before you start to steam, double-check your machine and make sure your espresso machine is up to steam temperature. Some home machines may require you to press or flick a switch and may take a minute or so to reach the correct temperature.

While you are waiting, clean, wipe and purge your milk steaming wand and dry it with a towel. Always clean after (and before every use). It only takes a minute and will keep your steam wand nice and clean and will prevent it from getting any baked on dried milk that just looks ugly.

The Temperature

Before we get to the steaming technique, let’s talk about the milk temperature. The whole concept of frothing and steaming milk is to create a sweet and creamy texture that is rich and has a velvet-like mouthfeel.

When you heat milk, you increase the sweetness. If you are a beginner to steaming and frothing milk you might be thinking of boiling it to the same temperature as coffee.

Never do that. Steaming your milk has nothing to do with boiling it; if you boil, you spoil.

The ideal temperature range for steaming milk ranges from 57C to 66C (135 to 150F). A digital thermometer or a color-changing temperature tag stuck to your milk jug will help you monitor the temperature. With experience, you will be able to do it by eye or feeling. Hold the outside of the jug – as it gets too hot to hold you have the ideal temperature.

As your temperature gets higher it loses sweetness, get too high, and you will scald the milk and spoil the fats, you end up with a coffee that is fatty and oily.

Read: How to steam milk in microwave

The Frothing Technique

Let’s talk about the frothing technique. The technique is about finding the proper position of the tip of your steaming wand in relation to your milk.

Too high, and you’ll get too much air in your milk and create mess. Too low, and you won’t get enough air into your milk, and you will not create enough foam.

Start by dipping your tip just below the surface of your milk and have your milk jug tilted at a slight angle. Half an inch to an inch is enough. Then start steaming. Adjust the depth of your wand, so you hear an occasional hiss. This hissing sound is the air entering the milk.

The beginning of the process is the same regardless of what type of froth you want to make be it an airy froth for a cappuccino or a very fine microfoam for a latte. Get the air into your milk as early as you can as milk, regardless of which type takes air better when it is cold.

If you are making froth for a latte, all the air should be in your milk by the time you start to feel the outside of the pitcher getting warm. At this point, dip the tip of your frothing wand a little deeper, only a little. When you see a vortex/whirlpool forming, you have hit the sweet spot.

The whirlpool helps to break up and turn larger bubbles into your milk and create a rich and uniform texture.

If you are making a cappuccino, continue to make the hissing for a little longer to make more bubbles for your cappuccino. Judge by your eyes and the expansion of milk in your pitcher. Once you have enough, dip the tip of your wand a little deeper to create a whirlpool that turns the larger bubbles into your milk. When your milk reaches the desired temperature, it is time to stop steaming and frothing.

Once finished (at this very point) wipe your wand and purge (blow out) milk on the tip by blasting a little bit of steam out of it. Dry the wand.

Pour your milk and top with froth.

How To Froth Milk At Home Without A Frother

If you don’t have access to a frother or milk steaming you still have numerous solutions for frothing your milk.

How To Froth Milk With A Whisk

This technique is nice and easy and requires little of the cool old school technique of making frothy milk.

• A manual stainless steel whisk.
• Milk of your choice.

The method is great if you are feeling nostalgic or your electronic frothing whisk has broken. It’s great for your morning coffee!

Instructions

• 1. Pour your milk into a bowl.
• 2. Start to whisk with vigor and strength using a circular motion until your milk is entirely frothed.
• 3. When your froth is ready, pour it into your coffee while holding back the bubbles with a spoon. Scoop your bubbles onto your coffee using a tablespoon.

Read: How to steam milk at home

Froth Your Cold Milk Using Your French Press Or A Hand Pump Frother

A hand pump frother works much better and more efficiently than a French press and will save you from damaging your press should you enjoy this method and want to use it regularly.

Here is what you will need:

• A French press coffee maker or a hand pump frother.
• Whole fat milk or the milk of your choice.

Instructions

• 1. Pour your cold milk into your hand pump frother or French press.
• 2. Raise the plunger and ensure the lid is closed. Hold your French press or hand pump milk frother firmly with one hand and push the plunger up and down with speed and energy for 30 to 60 seconds.
• 3. Pour your frother milk into your coffee or London fog latte while holding back the bubbles with a tablespoon. Scoop the froth onto your drink with a tablespoon.
• 4. Serve and enjoy your drink.

Frothing Your Cold Milk Using A Mason Jar

A mason jar, just like all the techniques used that don’t require a milk frother is easy, requires no skill and can be performed in the great outdoors.

This method works best when your mason jar (or cocktail shaker) is ice cold.

Here is what you will need:

• A mason jar or cocktail shaker.
• The milk of your choice.

Instructions

• 1. Pour your milk into your mason jar or cocktail shaker.
• 2. Screw the lid on.
• 3. Shake with vigor and energy for 30 seconds to a minute or how long it takes for your milk to double in volume.
• 4. Pour your frothy milk into your coffee and scoop the froth on to the top of it.

How To Froth Milk For Cappuccino

Frothing milk for a cappuccino is best done with a handheld milk frother or food blender if you don’t have a milk steamer.

Here is what you will need:

•  A handheld milk frother or blender.
• The milk of your choice.

The Method

• 1. Pour your milk into a tall glass or tall container, fill to no more than one third full.
• 2. Insert your handheld frother or blender and froth at a low speed for 30 seconds. Mover your milk frother or blender slowly up and down through your milk. Then start to blend at a high speed for 30 seconds and move your frother or lender through your milk.
• 3. Pour your milk into your cappuccino while holding back the froth with a tablespoon and then scoop the bubbles on top.
• 4. Decorate with a powdered cacao.

How To Make Foam For Coffee Without Frother – How To Froth Milk For Latte

A great technique for making foam for coffee without a frother is to use a countertop blender. The quality is great for your latte. It’s a very simple process with will create high quality froth in a matter of minutes.

How To Froth Milk For Latte Without A Frother

What you will need:

• A countertop blender.
• The milk of your choice.

The Method Of Frothing Milk For A Latte With A Blender

• 1. Pour your milk into the pitcher of your blender.
• 2. Froth your milk at a low speed for a minute at a low speed. Forth at high speed for one minute more.
• 3. When frother pour your milk into your coffee while holding off the bubbles. Scoop the bubbles onto your coffee for a tasty latte.
• 4. Decorate with a sprinkling of cinnamon or cocoa (optional).

Frequently Asked Questions About Can You Froth Cold Milk

Can You Make Froth With Cold Milk?

Yes, you can froth cold milk with any milk frother, handheld blender, whisk, mason jar, French press and a few other items and get high quality foamy bubbles. Cold milk foam can be created in 45 seconds to a minute using a handheld milk frother.

You can froth hot milk, cold milk, warm milk and any kind of milk with various fat content be it nonfat milk, full fat whole milk, skimmed milk, heavy cream and whole variety of alternative milks like almond milk, oat milk and make amazing and delicious coffee drinks that you see in popular gourmet high street coffee shops.

Does Cold Milk Froth Better?

Yes, fresh cold milk froths better than warm milk. Also, the colder your milk is, the better it will steam.

To be more exact, cold milk froths better than skimmed milk and non-dairy milk.

Can You Froth Milk Without Heating It?

Yes, you can froth milk without heating it. Pour your milk into a mason jar and fill the jar to no more than 1/3d full and screw the lid on. Shake the jar and milk with vigor and strength for 45 seconds to a minute until the milk has doubled in volume.

How Do You Froth Cold Milk For Coffee?

Frothing cold milk for coffee is just the same as frothing hot milk or warm milk. Add your fresh milk to a tall narrow glass and add simple syrup if you wish to sweeten it. Switch on your frother to a low speed and insert your manual milk frother into your glass of milk to the bottom and slowly move it up and down and through your cold milk. Froth for 20 to 25 seconds and then start to froth for a further 20 to 25 seconds at a high speed.

Why Does My Cold Frothed Milk Collapse?

When you let your drink sit, the milk starts to drain from the foam, which causes the lighter air bubbles to rise. Since air has a lower density to both water and milk, it will gradually rise and float to the surface. At the same time, the liquids in your foam will sink.

Can You Make Cold Foam Without A Frother?

Yes, there are a few techniques that you can use to make cold foam without a frother. Using an ice-cold mason jar, an ice-cold French press or a handheld manual milk frother.

When your gear is cold, ice-cold, the cold foam that you make will froth better and be more stable.

So, if you want to make a great cold brew coffee with a great cold foam topping, you don’t need to worry if you have no frother or if your frother has broken.

Final Thoughts – Can You Froth Cold Milk?

That question, can you froth milk?, has been answered in great detail with more than a few techniques shared for frothing cold milk and why cold milk is important and best for frothing.

What I like best, and one that lovers of the great outdoors will enjoy, are the methods that don’t need a frother as you can use them while camping.

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