How To Make Cold Foam With Almond Milk Like A Pro Barista

Learning how to make cold foam with almond milk is so easy that you will likely perfect it the very first time that you make it.

To get the best results, use the best ingredients. Quality ingredients make quality coffee!

Keep reading as I get detailed with the instructions for a very simple recipe.

How To Make Cold Foam With Almond Milk

Making cold foam with almond milk is a delightful and healthy choice as well as a tasty one!

It’s easy to make and goes well with a number of coffee, tea and refreshers too.

Keep reading to get the details!

Read: How to make cold foam for coffee

What Is Cold Foam?

It is highly probable that you already know exactly what cold foam is, but for those that don’t let’s get to the details.

Cold foam is a sweet and creamy topping on cold coffee drinks like cold brew coffee and iced coffee drinks like an iced latte, iced cappuccino, iced mocha and iced tea, iced chai latte, iced matcha latte and more.

Simply adding it to an espresso is pretty amazing!

Despite being popular and associated with a cold coffee drink, they can also be added to hot coffees and make them a little more decadent. In fact, the very first drink that Starbucks added a cold foam topping to was a hot caffe Americano.

It’s made with nonfat milk or any alternative milk of your choice such as almond milk, oat milk, coconut milk or soy milk.

In fact, and to be absolutely clear, any type of milk can be used be it 2% milk, nonfat milk, heavy cream, half-and-half or whole milk.

The best way of making the foam is to use a hand held milk frother, second best is to use a bladeless milk frother like a Starbucks Verismo or Nespresso Aeroccino.

Equipment I don’t recommend using is a whisk be it a manual or electric whisk as it produces bubbles that are too large, and thus your cold foam will be of a lesser quality, less stable.

Even though you have these devices, a regular blender, mason jar and French press can and will work well.

Whatever method you want to use, start by first mixing your ingredients well manually to ensure a better quality distribution of the flavors, creaminess and sweetness.

Talking of sweetness, a cold foam can be sweetened with any liquid sweetener of your choice be it agave, simple syrup, honey, or maple syrup. Liquid sweeteners are better than regular sweeteners due to producing an even and better quality distribution of the sweetness.

You can also flavor your cold foam and add vanilla, salted caramel, pumpkin or any flavor you desire. Vanilla sweet cream cold foam is made by adding vanilla syrup to your cold foam.

Why Use Almond Milk For Cold Foam?

Almond milk is a healthier choice than regular milk and is a great option in terms of flavor even if you are not using almond milk or non-dairy milk due to being vegetarian or vegan.

Let’s compare almond milk with regular milk for a moment to get a better picture of why it is a healthier choice and may be a better one for you:

• Regular Milk Calories: 100 calories.
• Almond Milk Calories: 60 calories.

What about the fat content?

• Regular Milk: 5 grams.
• Almond Milk: 2 grams.

And the calcium content?

• Regular milk: 30 mg.
• Almond Milk: 300 mg.

Calcium is important for your bone and heart health. It is also good for neutralizing acid and making your body slightly less acidic. Considering half of all American adults are calcium deficient, it is a good idea to get more calcium in your diet.

Almond milk is also a rich source of magnesium and vitamin E which are both good for your immune health and heart health too.

While regular milk is great, almond milk is healthier.

What Is Cold Brew Coffee And Why Is It Different?

Cold brew coffee is coffee that has its own specific coffee brewing technique and should not be confused with cold coffee or iced coffee.

It is coffee that is brewed in cold water, usually at room temperature, to specifically extract the low temperature flavor compounds. The result of this is a cup of coffee that is not bitter, well-rounded and very balanced with 60% less acidity than regular coffee.

It is different due to being brewed with cold water, other coffees are brewed with hot water.

In my opinion, cold brew coffee is best made with iced cold mineral water in an opaque airtight container that is stored in your fridge while your coffee is extracting.

How To Make Cold Foam With Almond Milk

Making cold foam with almond milk is easy. The process is the same as you would use with other types of milk; only you are switching out the nonfat milk for a non-dairy alternative.

If you are not sure if you will like it or not, head to your local Starbucks and request a cold brew coffee with an almond milk cold foam topping. It’s much better to sample it by their expert baristas and know how it should taste and if you will enjoy it or not than to go to the effort of buying all the ingredients making it and finding out that you don’t like it!

As it is with all recipes that we have at Latte Love Brew, we highly encourage you to buy the best ingredients to get the best results.

Start by pouring your almond milk into a large wide brimmed bowl. If it is possible, use a cold bowl, ice-cold as ice-cold equipment helps to make a better quality foam with stiffer peaks and greater consistency.

Add the sweetener of your choice if you need to. Simple syrup, liquid stevia, honey and maple syrup are great choices.

Mix your ingredients well for about a minute and transfer your almond milk to a tall glass. Fill to no more than half full and insert your handheld electric milk frother to the bottom.

Start frothing your milk and move your milk frother through your milk from bottom to top and back again slowly and evenly.

When you have a nice, thick and even consistency, pour your almond cold foam onto your beverage and enjoy.

It really is that easy!

Read: How to make cold foam

Almond Milk Cold Foam In Blender

If you are using a blender, the technique is the same. A hand blender is like a giant milk frother. Mix your ingredients before you blend to get a high quality mix of your ingredients. Blend for 25 to 35 seconds.

When your almond cold foam is ready, pour or scoop it into your drink.

With a regular blender, it’s a great option for making large batches. Add your ingredients and blend well at a high speed for 25 to 35 seconds and then pour and scoop into your coffee drink.

How To Make Sweet Cream Cold Foam With Almond Milk

Making sweet cream cold foam with almond milk is very easy and only requires an additional step and a little more care than making cold foam with almond milk.

To make it a sweet cream cold foam, add simple syrup to sweeten the topping and froth it for a significantly reduced amount of time.

The level of consistency that you are looking to achieve is the same as melted ice cream. With a sweet cream cold foam the goal is to have your topping cascade into your coffee and not have it sit on top of your coffee drink.

Frequently Asked Questions About How To Make Cold Foam With Almond Milk

Can You Use Almond Milk In Cold Foam?

Yes, almond milk is great for using in cold foam and for steaming and frothing. It can froth very well without a special almond milk frother too. For coffee, I strongly recommend the use of a specialist brand, Barista, who specialize in non-dairy milk for gourmet coffee drinks and for steaming and frothing.

Unfortunately plant-based and nut-based milks can be difficult to steam, froth and make cold foam with and can become lumpy, uneven and curdle easily. Some brands can be good, others terrible. It’s very hit-and-miss which is why I and coffee shops like Starbucks and costa use this brand for their non-dairy milks.

Can You Make Milk Foam With Almond Milk?

Yes, you can make milk foam and milk froth with almond milk. If you are a big fan of frothed milk, use almond milk that is as cold as you can get it and use cold equipment to help it froth better.

What Can I Add To My Almond Milk To Make It Froth?

Lecithin powder is great for making your almond milk froth better.

Lecithin contains both hydrophilic and hydrophobic groups (water loving and water hating) and helps to create a quality emulsion while helping to avoid your almond milk from separating into two separate layers.

Gellan gum or powder works well too. Avoid Xantham gum: you’ll just end up with a thick solid, mess.

Why Is My Almond Milk Not Frothing?

Almond milk has a high fat content and a low protein content. Frothing requires a perfect ratio of fat and proteins, which not all milks have. It’s challenging, but can be done.

The easy solution is to add a scoop of protein powder and mix it well. The even easier solution is to use a Baristas almond milk which is specifically designed for frothing and steaming.

Can You Whip Up Almond Milk?

Yes, you whip almond milk, and it is a great alternative to heavy whipping cream. Whipped cream made from almond milk is better and much healthier than store bought regular whipped cream.

Does Almond Milk Froth Better Than Oat Milk?

While both oat milk and almond milk are good for steaming, oat milk is the better of the two options for frothing as it is easier to froth and steam than almond milk and creates a better quality froth due to being creamier naturally.

Final Thoughts – How To Make Cold Foam With Almond Milk

If you have read this far, you will have learned how to make cold foam with almond milk and how to make it as perfect as you can get it. A neat addition is to add a little sprinkle of cinnamon to your recipe.

Add this topping to your coffee drinks for a neat health boost and enjoy the benefits of the vitamin E, magnesium and calcium as well as the reduced calories and fat content!

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Derek Marshall

Derek Marshall, a certified barista by the Specialty Coffee Association possesses over two decades of experience in specialty coffee shops. He holds professional certifications for coffee brewing and barista skills. Derek is also an author with authoritative books covering various coffee topics including specialty coffee, sustainability and coffee, coffee brewing, coffee recipes, coffee cocktails and books focusing on Brazilian coffee, Vietnamese coffee, Indonesian coffee and Malaysian coffee. As a barista for over two decades, Derek Marshall has worked in specialty coffee shops across the United Kingdom, Spain, Thailand, Malaysia, Cambodia, Indonesia, and Vietnam. His expertise extends to the distinct coffee cultures, specialty beverages, and brewing techniques of each nation. Functioning as a coffee consultant, Derek charges US$50 per hour. To learn more about Derek Marshall and Latte Love Brew, visit his About Me Page. For coffee inquiries, contact him at +34-639-410-375 or Derek@LatteLoveBrew.com, mentioning your name and location