Can You Put Ice Cream In Coffee?

Last updated on September 20th, 2022 at 01:13 pm

Ice cream is one of those desserts that is a favorite for many. Its sweet, creamy goodness melts in your mouth in a delightful burst of flavor. 

You can have your pick from among so many varieties of the frozen treat. There is vanilla, chocolate, chocolate chip cookie dough, and many, many more yummy flavors. 

Ice cream is pretty much frozen milk and sugar which make it great for pairing with other desserts as well as drinks. What about coffee? 

The sound of rich coffee and sweet ice cream just seems to go together. So, can you put ice cream in coffee?

You can definitely put ice cream in coffee. Since most people add milk and sugar to their coffee to help it taste better, you can take a spoonful of the ice cream and plop it into your coffee.This can be a delicious twist to your regular everyday coffee.

When you add some ice cream to coffee or espresso it is called an affogato. Put ice cream in coffee when you want to add some sweetness to the drink. 

Or, if you run out of milk or creamer for your coffee but have a tub of ice cream in the freezer, put some in the coffee and enjoy! Ice cream can turn a plain cup of coffee into a delicious treat. 

Just take a spoonful of the ice cream and plop some into your mug of coffee. The hot beverage will slowly melt the ice cream resulting in a creamy and sweet float topping. 

You can even add some caramel, chocolate, or even vanilla extract into the coffee before adding the ice cream for extra flavor. If you have chocolate or caramel ice cream already, then even better. 

Try ice cream in your coffee for sweet and creamy flavor enhances the taste of the rich, bitter coffee.

What Ice Cream Flavor Goes Well With Coffee?

Ice cream and coffee sound like a delightful combination especially to those who love sweets and coffee. If this describes you, then you are going to enjoy this wonderful drink. 

With every sip you can experience the strong and bitter flavor of coffee with a sweet, creamy taste that just goes perfectly together. 

Before you head out to get some ice cream to add into that mug of hot coffee, you probably are wondering what ice cream flavor goes well with coffee?

Some of the most common flavors of ice cream that go well in coffee include chocolate, caramel, or mint chocolate chip. But you aren’t limited to just these. Have fun trying all ice cream flavors in your coffee to find what is your favorite.

“At its most basic, an affogato is a shot of espresso – freshly pulled, of course – poured over a scoop of premium vanilla ice cream, served in a small cup or bowl. The drink contrasts sweet with bitter, creamy with dry, and cold with hot to create an amazing blend that highlights the best of all those flavors…” says the article, Coffee Plus Ice Cream – A Dozen Ways to Enjoy an Affogato.

Ice cream plus coffee/espresso equals affogato and affogato equals sweet and creamy coffee-flavored deliciousness. The flavor of ice cream you choose to put in your coffee is entirely up to you. 

Common ice cream flavors that are great in coffee are chocolate, caramel, mint chocolate chip, etc. But there are so many kinds of ice cream to choose from and you can decide what is best.

You will likely want to avoid any ice cream that is fruit based but anything with chocolate, caramel, etc. will taste great. 

Can You Turn Vanilla Ice Cream Into Coffee Ice Cream?

So, we have discussed that you can put ice cream into coffee for a sweet and wonderful treat. Doing this can make a strong and bitter cup of coffee taste better. 

We also explained what flavors of ice cream mix well in coffee like chocolate or carmel. Even vanilla extract will taste good in the affogato drink. 

But now, let’s reverse the recipe a little. Instead of putting ice cream in coffee, what if we put coffee in ice cream? Would this turn it into coffee ice cream?

You can turn vanilla ice cream into a coffee-flavored ice cream by simply adding in coffee grounds. It is said that the coarser the grind,the better as it will give the ice cream a nice crunch. This will result in a yummy caffeinated treat.

If you are craving some coffee-flavored ice cream and can’t make it to the store to pick some up, make your own! 

Have some leftover vanilla ice cream in your freezer? Just take a pinch of coffee grounds and sprinkle it into the frozen dessert. You can use leftover coffee ground from your morning brew or grab some fresh. 

If you grind your own beans it is recommended that you don’t grind them smooth but leave them coarse to add a crunchy texture to your ice cream. If you prefer a smoother texture then grind the coffee bean smooth.

According to the article, The Real Reason You Should Add Coffee Grounds To Your Ice Cream, “The grinds, in a small dose, add a delightful crunch. Velvety ice cream benefits from the foil of a textural element…the coarser the grind, the better…maybe try a dusting of espresso for rich coffee taste without the added texture. If you opt for instant coffee, beware that it will melt on contact due to the fact that it’s water-soluble.”

Final Thoughts

Back to our question, “can you put ice cream in coffee?”, the answer is yes. Called an affogato, ice cream in coffee can also be made with espresso. 

You can definitely put ice cream in coffee for a sweet and creamy taste. Many ice cream flavors pair well with coffee but you can experiment with different ones to find which you like the best. 

You can also put coffee grounds in vanilla ice cream for a caffeinated and flavorful bowl of the frozen dessert. Coffee and ice cream just go well together. 

So, give it a try and enjoy the bursts of sweet ice cream and rich coffee all at once.