Whipped coffee first made its debut during the pandemic and hasn’t stopped trending ever since. Simply made by mixing instant coffee and sugar into a mousse-like consistency and pouring over milk (or sometimes even iced water) before stirring to enjoy, the creamy beverage has quickly become a trendy Instagram staple and even featured at some restaurants and cafes.

Coffee-like drinks such as this oat milk drink offer many of the same health benefits, making them easy and fun to prepare at home with just three ingredients – instant coffee, sugar and hot water. Furthermore, you can customize it further to meet your personal preferences by switching up which type of milk you use – whether that be oat milk (my personal choice) or another plant-based milk (or all three!).

For best results, combine equal portions of each ingredient in a bowl and whisk by hand or stand mixer until stiff peaks form, which should only take 3-4 minutes. It is important to use as little water as possible because too much will cause coffee granules to dissolve and destroy the texture of whipped coffee.

If you prefer something other than traditional whipped coffee, why not get creative and experiment with other flavors? Add pinches of ground cinnamon, vanilla extract or caramel sauce for an amazing bite-sized experience. Drizzle some melted chocolate over it or try switching out your milk with one featuring flavors such as boba, matcha, dirty chai, peppermint mocha or pumpkin spice for something truly decadent.

One way to reduce calories when whipping coffee is switching out sugar for alternative sweeteners such as stevia or maple syrup. Unfortunately, Bruning notes it can be challenging to reduce sugar while still creating fluffy texture and airy mousse-like mouthfuls; liquid sugars don’t hold their shape well either.

Finally, to make this whipped coffee even healthier, switch out the dairy milk for plant-based options like oat milk or cow’s milk; this will significantly decrease calories and sugar while still providing that traditional coffee flavor you crave!

For optimal results, use hot water when whisking the ingredients. Although cold or room temperature water will work too, its texture won’t be quite as fluffy and it may take more time for your mixture to whip up.