Vietnamese Coconut Coffee

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If you love coffee that’s strong, smooth and tropical flavours, Vietnamese Coconut Coffee (Cà Phê Cốt Dừa)is about to become your new favourite. It’s an irresistible mix of robust Vietnamese coffee, coconut milk, sweetened condensed milk, and ice, all blended into a thick, frosty drink that’s as rich as a milkshake but with a bold caffeine kick.

Whether you’re sipping it on a hot afternoon or serving it as a unique after-dinner treat, this drink delivers a perfect balance of bitterness, sweetness, and creaminess, making it one of Vietnam’s most beloved modern coffee creations. Here I will show you how to make it easily at home in about 10 minutes.Intro paragraph

What is Vietnamese Coconut Coffee

Vietnamese Coconut Coffee (or Cà Phê Cốt Dừa) is a chilled, creamy beverage made with strong Vietnamese coffee, coconut milk or cream, and sweetened condensed milk, usually served over crushed ice or blended into a slushy texture.

It’s part coffee drink, part dessert and 100% amazing. The combination of bold, dark-roasted Vietnamese coffee and naturally sweet, nutty coconut milk creates a layered flavour that’s refreshing yet deeply satisfying.

The typical recipe involves:

Brewed Vietnamese coffee (usually made using a traditional Vietnamese phin filter)
Coconut milk or cream
Sweetened condensed milk
Crushed or shaved ice

The coconut milk, condensed milk and slushy ice are either poured over hot or chilled coffee. The result? A drink that’s silky, sweet out of this world delicious.

Ingredients

Get all your ingredients together before you start. Vietnamese coconut coffee only takes about 10 minutes to make so it is a good idea to get all your ingredients together. You will find the ingredient measures in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this page.

See recipe card for quantities.

Coconut milk
Sweetened condensed milk
Ice cubes
Coffee grounds
Hot water
Coconut flakes or desiccated coconut

Step by step photos

Check out these step by step photos to see just how easy it is to make homemade Vietnamese coconut coffee at home.

Pouring the condensed milk and coconut milk into a blender

Step 1: Pour the coconut milk and condensed milk into a blender.

Step 2: Add the ice. Adding a couple of cubes will make it cold. Adding a couple of handfuls will make it thick and slushy. You can decide which you prefer.

Blending the coconut milk, condensed milk and ice until smooth.

Step 3: Blend it all until smooth. Set aside.

The slushy coconut and evaporated milk on a spoon.

Step 4: If you use a lot of ice like I do, your coconut topping with be slushy like this.

Adding ground coffee to a coffee filter for brewing.

Step 5: To make the coffee, spoon 4 tsp of ground coffee into a phin filter or similar.

Pouring water over the coffee grounds that are sitting in a filter above a glass.

Step 6: Add a drop of hot water to the coffee grounds to wet them and let it sit for a few seconds. then pour the remaining 120ml (1/2 cup) hot water over the coffee and let it drip through the filter into a glass or cup.

Adding the iced coconut mixture to the coffee.

Step 7: When serving a cold coffee like this, you can make the coffee a day ahead of time. I find that it chills right up when the icy coconut mixture is added so it's not necessary to start with cold coffee.

Topping the coconut coffee with coconut flakes.

Step 8: This step is optional but a nice touch. You can sprinkle freshly grated coconut or desiccated coconut over the top if you like. Enjoy.

Popular Variations

There are many delicious ways to customise Vietnamese coconut coffee. Here are some of the most popular:

1. Coconut Coffee Smoothie

Blend the coconut coffee mixture with a frozen banana for a breakfast-style smoothie that’s energising and naturally sweet.

2. Iced Coconut Mocha

Add a teaspoon of cocoa powder or chocolate syrup to the mix for a chocolatey twist.

3. Coconut Coffee Frappé

Add extra ice cubes and blend longer for a thicker, frozen drink — like a tropical frappuccino.

4. Coconut Egg Coffee

Combine this drink with whipped egg yolks and condensed milk for a rich, custardy texture similar to the famous Hanoi egg coffee.

5. Coconut Matcha Coffee

Add a layer of whisked matcha on top for a trendy two-tone drink that combines earthy green tea with robust coffee.

6. Coconut Affogato

Pour hot Vietnamese coffee over a scoop of coconut ice cream — simple, decadent, and irresistible.

Useful Equipment

While you can make Vietnamese iced coconut coffee with standard tools, the right equipment will help you achieve authentic results:

Vietnamese phin filter – for brewing traditional strong coffee
Blender or milk frother – to create the creamy, icy coconut blend
Tall glass or mason jar – for serving
Spoon or straw – to stir and enjoy every layer
Measuring cup – to balance the coconut milk and condensed milk ratio

Optional:

Coffee grinder – if you’re using whole Vietnamese coffee beans
Ice crusher – for that fine, café-style texture

What do you serve with Vietnamese Coconut Coffee?

You don't have to serve anything with a good coconut coffee. It's delicious and nice any time of day, especially when it's hot outside. You might like to serve your amazing coconut coffee as part of a Vietnamese feast and I've got just the recipes for you!

Vietnamese Mains: There are a lot of main course recipes that might be new to you. Famous dishes like Shaking Beef, Bo Kho - Spicy beef soup, Cha Ca - Fried fish with Dill, Vietnamese Tofu with Pork Stuffing, Bun Cha - Grilled Pork Patties in Sauce and Vietnamese Rotisserie Chicken are among my favourites!

Pho: Pho is by far the most famous dish to come out of Vietnam and you really should try my Beef Pho which takes a while to make but it's worth all the effort! If time isn't on your side, try Chicken Pho or Duck Pho. Both are delicious.

Snacks and starters: There are a lot of them! And just like these crispy rice paper dumplings, all are worth trying. Give these a go soon! Beef Congee, Vietnamese Grilled Scallops, Vietnamese Chicken Wings, Ban Xeo - Crispy Vietnamese Pancakes and Pork and Lemongrass Skewers

Drinks: If you like this Vietnamese coconut coffee, you might also like to try the infamous egg coffee too.

Storing the Coconut Base:

You can make the coconut mixture (without ice) in advance and keep it in the fridge for up to 2 days. Shake or stir well before using.

Avoid freezing the drink.

Coconut milk can separate or become grainy when frozen, so it’s best to make it fresh each time.

Top Tip

Use Vietnamese coffee if possible. Robusta beans have a naturally bold, nutty flavour that stands up beautifully against the richness of coconut milk.

FAQ

Can you use coconut cream instead of coconut milk?

Absolutely. Coconut cream gives a richer, thicker texture, perfect if you like your drink more decadent.

Can you serve coconut coffee hot?

Definitely! That is a popular option. Simply omit the ice cubes and heat the coconut milk mixture in a saucepan over a medium heat. Pour it over hot brewed coffee for a hot alternative.

What does Vietnamese coffee taste like?

It’s creamy, nutty and sweet with deep roasted coffee notes. It’s like a tropical latte with the intensity of expresso.

If you're making coconut coffee, why not make some of these popular Vietnamese starters too?

Vietnamese Main Courses

Cook up a good starter and then make one of these famous Vietnamese main courses!

Have you tried this coconut coffee recipe?

If yes, please give it a star rating in the recipe card below and leave a comment. I love receiving your feedback and I’m sure other readers of my blog do too. Thank you.

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Yield: 2

Vietnamese Coconut Coffee

Hot, cold, smooth, creamy, sweet and slushy... this Vietnamese coconut coffee is to die for. It's really easy to prepare at home too. Ready in about 10 minutes.

Prep Time 10 minutes

Total Time 10 minutes

Ingredients

400ml (16 fl oz) coconut milk
6 tbsp sweetened condensed milk
Ice cubes
8 tsp coffee grounds
240ml (1 cup) hot water
Optional: Coconut flakes

Instructions

Pour the coconut milk, condensed milk and ice cubes into a blender. You can add as many ice cubes as you like. I add a lot because I like it really slushy.
Blend until smooth and slushy and set aside.
In a Vietnamese phin filter or another similar coffee filter, add 4 tsp of coffee grounds per serving.
You need 120ml hot water per cup/glass.
Drizzle a drop of the water in the filter to wet the grounds and let it sit for a few seconds. Then top it up with the remaining hot water and let it slowly pass through the filter into a glass or cup. Glasses, in my opinion are better because you can see the different layers inside.
When all the coffee is in the glass or cup, spoon the iced coconut mixture over the coffee until the glass is full to the top.
Sprinkle each coffee with grated or desiccated coconut if you like. Powdered cocoa is also a good option here.