Vietnamese Coconut Coffee – The Amazing Vietnamese Iced Coconut Coffee

Are you curious about Vietnamese coconut coffee? Well, if you, are this is the article for you as I get down and detail what is one of the stand-out coffee beverages in the Vietnamese coffee scene and give you an excellent recipe for making it at home!

Keep reading for a great recipe and get making and enjoying a refreshing and very healthy Iced Vietnamese coconut coffee!

Vietnamese Coconut Coffee – What Is Coconut Coffee In Vietnam?

In Vietnam, a country that I lived in and absolutely loved for three years, has one of the most amazing and stand-out coffee cultures in the world.

As far as coconut coffee is concerned they have two great coffees, a hot Vietnamese coconut coffee (Ca Phe Cot Dua) and the more popular, Vietnamese iced coconut coffee (Ca Phe Dua), which is more of a fantastic tropical coconut frappé.

You find both drinks at Highland coffee, which is known as Vietnam’s Starbucks and exclusively uses Vietnamese coffee. If you want an outstanding atmosphere that kicks you back to the post-industrial era, then Cong Caphe is the place to go.

You’ll also get the drink at all independent non-franchise coffee shops.

And if you are at home, you can use the recipe below to make an amazing iced Vietnamese coconut coffee.

Read: Is coconut milk good in coffee?

Vietnamese Coconut Iced Coffee Recipe

At Latte Love Brew, our religion is coffee. If you want to attain enlightenment with your coffee, use the best possible ingredients that you can afford. Using the best equipment will help you to brew better coffee also.

Ingredients Needed For Making Vietnamese Coconut Coffee

The Vietnamese love to use dark roasted coffee with a French roast and an Italian roast being great choices.

They also tend to use Robust coffee beans; however, I understand if you want to use more flavorful Arabica beans.

If you want to use Vietnamese coffee beans, the majority are Robusta. Some great Arabica beans are grown in the Central Highlands of Vietnam in Da Lat.

Ingredients Needed:

• Dark Roast Coffee.
• Filtered Or Bottled Water.
• ¼ Cup Coconut Cream.
• ¼ Cup Condensed Milk.
• Honey (Optional).
• Ice.

Authentic Iced Vietnamese coconut coffee is not made with honey. I’ve added the ingredient as it is both very tasty and adds an extra health boost to what is already a very healthy coffee.

Coconut Milk Vs Coconut Cream

Fans of coconut coffee are always debating coconut milk Vs coconut cream.

Personally, I always buy coconut cream because it is thicker, creamier and a lot richer in texture.

Also, you can make a better quality coconut milk by using coconut cream and adding coconut water.

Many brands and independent coffee shops add regular water. Adding coconut water and a good dollop of coconut oil you will end up with a richer, better and healthier coconut milk with more nutrients and healthy fats.

Coconut cream will produce a more decadent coffee with a heavier mouthfeel and silkier texture due to the greater fat content. It’s all healthy fats, so there are no health concerns.

Simply use the one that is best for you and the type of coffee that you are looking to make. Using coconut milk is perfectly fine, but if it is a Dalgona coffee or a coconut foam topping or café Breve, you will need to use coconut cream.

Read: Coconut coffee recipe

Instructions For Making Vietnamese Coconut Iced Coffee

Making a Vietnamese coconut iced coffee is easy, and you have a number of options for making the coffee base, including the traditional Vietnamese drip coffee, ca phe phin.

You can also use espresso coffee as espresso machines are very common in Vietnam.

Making Your Coffee

The classic and perhaps more traditional way of making your coffee base is to use the ca phe phin method; it’s a type of coffee itself.

Perhaps you have seen it: it’s a little individualized drip coffee brewing device that sits on top of your glass and drips into your glass.

Ca phe phin uses a coffee to water ratio of 1:2; as thus for a 4 Oz (120 ml) coffee that you will need for this recipe, use 2 ounces (60 grams) of coffee and 120 ml (4 Oz) of water.

A medium grind size is needed for phin coffee.

Simply weight your beans and grind to a medium grind and put your coffee grinds in your phin filter, add water and let it drip into your cup.

Using an espresso machine, make a double shot of espresso. Start by weighing 40 grams of whole coffee beans and grinding them to a very fine grind.

At Latte Love Brew, we encourage the original Italian metrics of an espresso of 30 ml (1 Oz) per shot and a coffee to water ratio of 1:1.5.

For this recipe, make a double espresso.

If you want to make the strong coffee using a moka pot you may do so. Alter the usual coffee to water ratio from 1:10 to 1:8.

The grind size is the same as an espresso and thus weigh 15 grams of coffee for the 120 ml (4 Oz) of coffee that you will need.

Add your coffee to your moka pot, add 120 ml of water and wait until it is ready.

Cooling Your Coffee

This is a step that is skipped over in Vietnam and is highly advised if you don’t want the ice to melt too quickly.

Add your coffee to a cocktail shaker with ice and shake with energy and vigor for a minute.

Making Your Coconut Slushy

Add your coconut cream and condensed milk to a bowl and add raw honey (optional). It is much better to use raw honey than sugar to sweeten your drinks.

Mix your ingredients well together to ensure an even distribution of flavor.

Blend your mix twice. Once without ice to get a nice thick creamy texture with a nice thick frothy texture.

Add crushed ice and blend the ice with your coconut cream and condensed milk mix.

Read: Coconut coffee

 Putting It All Together

Simply pour your coffee into the bottom of a tall glass and pour your coconut slushy on top of it.

That is exactly how it is made in Vietnam.

Expert Tips

For thicker and greater consistency, you can alter the condensed milk for heavy cream.

If your coconut milk mix is clumpy, use a handheld electric milk frother to smooth them out.

Decoration tip. Add a sprinkle of cocoa powder and coconut flakes.

Frequently Asked Questions About Vietnamese Coconut Coffee

What Makes Vietnamese Coffee Special?

Vietnamese coffee is special for a number of reasons and not just the coffee beans or the drink itself; it’s the whole experience of a country that is dedicated to its coffee and very proud of it, so much so that Vietnam has one of the most stand out coffee culture scenes in the world from the traditional Vietnamese ca phe phin dripping into your cup slowly as you kick back and watch life go past to the amazing coffee drinks that you’ll find from ca phe trung (egg coffee) to coffee with various fruits from avocado to coconut and beyond it’s really a kickback cool and almost rebellious coffee culture that break all the set rules of coffee brewing takes you back to the post-industrial age.

Their coffee is sweet, while simultaneously savory, refreshing and earthy.

Is Vietnamese Coconut Coffee Vegan?

Yes, a traditional Vietnamese coconut coffee, known as a Ca Phe Dua is vegan friendly and is also keto friendly and gluten-free.

What Is Typical Vietnamese Coffee?

A typical and traditional Vietnamese coffee drink is made with dark roasted robusta coffee beans that are strong and bitter. Despite robusta beans being less flavorsome than Arabica beans, the Vietnamese know how to use them to come up with some amazing coffee drinks.

From a shot of coffee in fruit smoothies to yoghurt, and a whole range of original coffee ideas like their famous ca phe trung, an egg based coffee!

Does Coconut Coffee Have Caffeine?

Yes, coconut coffee has caffeine, with a traditional Vietnamese coconut coffee having quite an ample caffeine content due to the use of Robusta coffee beans.

Is Vietnamese Coffee Like Thai Coffee?

No, I have the benefit of having lived in both these countries, Thailand (5 years) and Vietnam (3 years) and can tell you based on extensive personal experience and a love for coffee that Vietnamese coffee is different from Thai coffee.

That coffee is sweeter, milder and notably uses more milk and has a preference for a medium roast. Vietnamese is stronger and uses a dark roasted robusta coffee bean.

Thailand doesn’t quite have the same coffee culture or range of unique coffee beverages that can be said as being uniquely Thai, as Vietnam; this is not a slight on Thai coffee or the coffee culture in the country, it’s just Vietnam is streets ahead of every other country in the world.

Is Vietnamese Coffee The Strongest Coffee?

Vietnamese coffee is very strong and is certainly well within the category of the strongest coffee drinks due to being brewed with Robusta coffee beans which have 2.2x to 2.7x more caffeine than their Arabica counterparts.

Why Do You Put Coconut Oil In Coffee?

Coconut oil is great in coffee due to helping to achieve and maintain a state of ketosis and being full of healthy fats while giving you an energy boost.

Is Vietnamese Coffee Just Coffee With Condensed Milk?

There are many coffee drinks in Vietnam that are made with condensed milk. In fact, most milk based drinks use condensed milk instead of regular milk. This is due to a large amount of Asians being lactose intolerant and milk spoiling easily in the heat.

Not all Vietnamese coffee beverages, or Vietnamese iced coffee, are made with condensed milk.

Final Thoughts – Vietnamese Coconut Coffee

I hope you have enjoyed making the iced Vietnamese coconut coffee recipe above and tried it out with honey as a natural sweetener.

Honey is perfect with coconut milk as it adds even more nutrients and like coconut it has antiviral and antimicrobial properties.

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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