Start the day right with this rich, nutty, robust, and creamy Vietnamese Coffee! Take one sip and you will 100% begin your day with the energy needed to take on the day.
Start the day right with this rich, nutty, robust, and creamy Vietnamese Coffee! Take one sip and you will 100% begin your day with the energy needed to take on the day. This traditional Vietnamese coffee recipe is popular for a reason—it’s addictively delicious.
Vietnamese coffee is famous for being strong, sweet, and energizing.
Growing up I never thought of this coffee as “Vietnamese” coffee. To me, it was simply cà phê. My dad brewed it for himself every morning in his #1 Dad Mug I painted at Color Me Mine before driving me to school. I always watched as he carefully dropped the phin filter over the mug and poured in the boiling water to brew. The strong coffee smell enveloped the car every morning and to this day every time I brew myself a cup of Vietnamese coffee, it takes me back to those simple morning rituals.
In this recipe, I will show you how to make Vietnamese coffee. Moreover, this Vietnamese coffee recipe can be adjusted based on your sweetness preference. You can simply omit the condensed milk if you love a rich bold flavor of the coffee alone. Or you can add more condensed milk if you prefer more sweetness in your morning brew. You also make it iced or hot depending on your preference. Vietnamese coffee is super versatile, I also use it to deepen the flavor of my bakes such as my Chocolate Mini Bundt Cakes with Chocolate Ganache and Vietnamese Coffee Tiramisu Cake.
The amount of condensed milk is completely customizable for the perfect sweetness level.
Kitchen Equipment
Phin Filter: A phin filter is essential to brew Vietnamese coffee the traditional way. I love using a phin filter because it is easy to use, simple to clean, and make a perfect single serving.
Kettle: You can use whichever method you prefer for heating up the water to a boil. However, when I bought my electric Stag kettle I fell in LOVE. The design and temperature precision of this kettle is essential for perfect coffee and tea. It is also incredibly chic, the water heats up really quickly and comes in so many cute colors!
Mug or Heat Proof Glass: Try to find a glass that has a wide enough brim to hold the phin filter but not too wide where the filter will fall through.
The multi-part Phin is essential equipment for making Vietnamese coffee, we highly recommend this one.
Ingredients
Vietnamese Coffee: When I discovered Nguyen Supply’s Robusta Arabica blend I never turned back. However, there are a bunch of different brands out there. The most popular brand I’ve seen a lot of is Cafe Du Monde.
Condensed Milk: condensed milk is the staple sweetener in traditional Vietnamese coffee. It provides a rich sweetness while also adding a creaminess factor. The coffee is deep, bold and rich, and the condensed milk pairs perfectly with it.
Boiling Water: the ideal temperature to brew is 205°F or 96°C.
To get the perfect cup of coffee we recommend using an electric kettle for an exact 205°F or 96°C, like this one.
How to Make Vietnamese Coffee
Vietnamese Coffee is an incredibly simple process that yields delicious results. Once you taste this coffee it will become a staple in your morning routine!
Bring water temp to 205°F or 96°C.
Add the condensed milk to your heatproof cup of choice. If you prefer a sweeter coffee add more condensed milk, less sweet than less condensed milk.
Add 2 tablespoons of ground coffee to the phin filter with the phin plate underneath. Even out grinds, gently drop in gravity press.
For stronger coffee use 3 tablespoons, otherwise 2 tablespoons provides the perfect pour.
Place the phin filter and the plate over your heatproof cup. Pour about 1/2 inch of boiling water over the gravity press and sit to bloom for 30-40 seconds.
Pour up to 3.2 oz of water or fill water to the top of the phin filter. Place the lid on the filter and wait for the coffee to brew. The first drip should drop before 2 minutes. Finish around 5 min – 5 min 30 seconds. The phin filter will be hot so be careful when removing it.
After allowing the grounds to bloom, top off the phin with hot water, sit back, and enjoy the aromatic drip process.
Stir and enjoy!
(OPTIONAL) Foriced coffee, simply allow the coffee to cool a little bit before pouring over ice and condensed milk. Stir and enjoy!
Do you prefer hot or iced Vietnamese coffee? Let us know in the comment section below!
Storage Instructions
You can make the coffee without the condensed milk and store it in the refrigerator for up to 1 week in an airtight container.
Frequently Asked Q’s and A’s
What is Vietnamese Coffee?
Vietnamese coffee also known as cà phê is the traditional coffee that is served in Vietnam. At its simplest, Vietnamese coffee is made using medium to coarse ground dark roast Vietnamese-grown coffee with a small metal Vietnamese drip filter.
Traditional coffee in Vietnam has been really dark, nutty, robust, and bold aka a medium to dark roast. A popular way to drink Vietnamese coffee is cà phê sữa đá, which translates to Vietnamese iced coffee with sweetened condensed milk (this recipe)
What is a Phin Filter?
A phin filter is a traditional metal filter that is a cross between the pour-over and French press and brews a rich and bold coffee. The Vietnamese coffee filter gives a stronger brew than that of an American drip machine and is different than that of a French press.
The phin consists of 1) a round perforated plate, that fits over a coffee cup; 2) a brewing chamber, that sits on top of the plate; 3) a perforated filter that fits inside the chamber that pushes the grounds down, and 4) a cap that insulates the heat. Phin filters come in various sizes, usually with a handle or little knobs, so you don’t burn yourself.
Once the finely ground coffee grinds are added to the chamber, the filter insert is placed on top and packs down the coffee. Then the water is poured on top; after 45 seconds of blooming, more hot water is added. The cap helps retain the heat as the first drips descend, either into an empty cup or onto a generous spoonful of thick condensed milk.
Is Vietnamese coffee stronger than regular coffee?
Yes, Vietnamese coffee is made using Robusta beans which have double the caffeine content as the widely used Arabica beans. Although the coffee appears lighter in color than most traditional coffees, the flavor is also much richer.
Start the day right with this rich, nutty, robust and creamy Vietnamese Coffee! Take one sip and you will 100% begin your day with the energy needed to take on the day. This traditional Vietnamese coffee recipe is popular for a reason—its addictively delicious.
1-2tablespooncondensed milkdepends on your sweetness preference
1cupboiling water
crushed iceoptional
Instructions
Bring water temp to 205°F or 96°C.
Add the condensed milk to your heatproof cup of choice. If you prefer a sweeter coffee add more condensed milk, less sweet then less condensed milk.
Add 2 tablespoons of ground coffee to the phin filter with the phin plate underneath. Even out grinds, gently drop in gravity press.
Place the phin filter and the plate over your heatproof cup. Pour about 1/2 inch of boiling water over the gravity press and sit to bloom for 30-40 seconds.
Pour up to 3.2 oz of water or fill water to the top of the phin filter. Place the lid on the filter and wait for the coffee to brew. The first drip should drop before 2 minutes. Finish around 5 min – 5 min 30 seconds. The phin filter will be hot so be careful when removing it.
For iced coffee, simply pour the coffee and condensed milk over ice and enjoy!
Notes
You can make the Vietnamese coffee without the condensed milk and store it in the refrigerator for up to 1 week in an airtight container.
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