Vietnamese Iced Coffee With Condensed Milk

Renowned for being super strong and sweet, Vietnamese iced coffee with condensed milk is so refreshing and perfect to enjoy on hot Summer days.

While Vietnamese coffee (known as cà phê sữa đá in Vietnam) is becoming easier to find in Cafes these days, this iced coffee with sweetened condensed milk is one you can easily make at home.

So with a simple Vietnamese coffee filter and a few ingredients, let me show you how to make Vietnamese iced coffee at home.

What Is Vietnamese Iced Coffee?

Coffee was first introduced to Vietnam by the French in the 1800s.

Coffee is a popular drink in the country and is enjoyed throughout the day in homes and at roadside Cafes, like the one where I tried Vietnamese iced coffee in Vietnam for the first time.

Vietnamese coffee is most commonly prepared with local coffee beans using a small slow drip coffee filter called a phin.

As coffee beans grown in the country are typically dark roasted Robusta beans, they tend to have an intense, highly caffeinated, and often bitter flavor.

Due to the humid hot climate and problems with regular supplies of fresh milk in the 1800s, the French introduced sweetened condensed milk and the rest they say, is history!

Local coffee was blended with the sweetened condensed milk to create a unique and totally delicious Vietnamese coffee drink.

Why You’ll Love This Iced Coffee Drink

The flavors of this drink is what really sets it apart from other coffee drinks recipes. The strong, dark and nutty flavors of the brewed coffee are offset by the super sweet and creamy condensed milk to produce an iced coffee drink like no other.

And while many other sweet iced coffee drinks take a little time to make, this Vietnamese coffee is so quick and easy to put together. With just two ingredients, you can enjoy a glass of iced coffee in under 5 minutes!

If you love trying coffees from around the world, try my Greek frappe, this fun Japanese coffee jelly, or my boba coffee drink.

What You Need To Make My Iced Vietnamese Coffee Recipe

There are just a few pieces of coffee gear and ingredients to make Vietnamese ice coffee. They are easy to source online or at your local Asian grocer.

Vietnamese Phin: The most important thing you need to make this recipe is a Vietnamese coffee filter, also known as a phin.

These small stainless steel coffee filters come in a range of sizes. The traditional size is 4 oz but you can also find them in larger sizes. I use a 4 oz filter for this recipe.

If you don’t have a phin, you can find them in most Asian grocery stores or online at Amazon and they are very affordable.

Iced Coffee With Condensed Milk Ingredients

There are just two main ingredients needed to make my sweetened condensed milk iced coffee!

• Ground coffee: Try and source Vietnamese coffee for a true flavor (see my notes below).
• Sweetened condensed milk: Any brand will do, but there is a favorite (see my tip below).
• Ice

Vietnamese Ground Coffee

Local Vietnamese coffee is made from Robusta beans and Vietnamese coffee beans are typically dark roasted (also known as a French roast).

So to achieve a traditional Vietnamese coffee flavor in this drink you should try and use one of the Vietnamese coffee brands like Trung Nguyen.

If you don’t have Vietnamese ground coffee, the best alternative is a dark roast coffee blend with a mix of Arabica and Robusta coffee. Ensure it is a ground to a medium-coarse grind.

Condensed Milk For Vietnamese Coffee

The most common sweetened condensed milk brands are Splenda and Nestle.

However many Vietnamese coffee aficionados think these brands are too sweet and the most popular condensed milk to use in Vietnamese coffee drinks is one called Longevity Brand.

Longevity Brand is not as sweet as other condensed milks and has a rich creamy texture. You can find it in your local Asian grocer and also online. If you cannot source Longevity Brand, use what you have at home – it will still be great!

How To Make Vietnamese Iced Coffee At Home

Outlined below are the steps for how to make Vietnamese ice coffee. For the full ingredient list and steps, scroll down to the recipe card.

If you’ve never tried Vietnamese coffee with condensed milk before, be assured it really couldn’t be simpler.

Step 1: Prepare the coffee filter. Preheat the filter by pouring a little hot water through it before adding the coffee.

Then remove the filter press from the phin and add 1-2 tablespoons of ground dark roast coffee to the chamber.

The amount of coffee you add depends on the size of your phin. I use 1 tablespoon of coffee in a 4 oz phin in this iced coffee with condensed milk recipe. Return the filter press to the chamber.

If your phin has a central threaded shaft you can gently screw the press on. Otherwise simply place the press back into the chamber on top of the grounds.

Step 2 – Brew your coffee. Fill your glass with ice and place the phin on top of your glass.

Pour a small amount of hot water over the grounds. Leave for 30 seconds to allow the coffee to bloom. This enhances the flavor of the brew.

Next, slowly fill the filter with hot water. You can replace the lid, but I find it easier to keep the lid off to watch the progress of the drip process.

The coffee will slowly drip into your glass over ice. This instantly cools the coffee as it is brewed, which I find enhances the taste of the coffee and results in a much smoother brew.

Brewing Tip: If the water passes through the coffee too fast you will have a weak tasting brew. If you ground your own beans, make the grind a little finer – go for a medium grind.

If your phin allows you to screw the filter in place, tighten it a little to help compress the coffee and slow the brewing time.

Step 3 – Add condensed milk. Once all the water has passed through the filter into your glass, carefully remove the filter and add sweetened condensed milk to your glass.

I prefer to add the sweetened condensed milk at the end so it is not as heat affected by the hot coffee, but you can add it to your glass first if you love a layered iced coffee drink.

I have suggested adding 2 tablespoons of condensed milk, but it is really to taste. Stir to combine and enjoy!

Vietnamese Iced Coffee Recipe Variations

When making Vietnamese coffee, it is most commonly served over ice but there are several variations you can try:

• Served black over ice without sweetened condensed milk for a very easy iced coffee recipe.
• You can serve without ice or sweetened condensed milk for a hot Vietnamese coffee drink.
• If you prefer sweet Vietnamese hot coffee, add condensed milk to the brew, but no ice. It’s similar to a Spanish Cafe Bombon.

Vietnamese Coffee FAQ

How To Make Vietnamese Coffee Without A Filter

If you don’t have a Vietnamese coffee filter, you can still enjoy a Vietnamese style iced coffee. Simply brew strong coffee using another method (espresso or stovetop coffee work well), and then mix your coffee with condensed milk and ice.

How Much Caffeine Is In Vietnamese Iced Coffee?

Vietnamese coffee brands typically use 100% Robusta coffee beans, which have almost twice the caffeine (2.7%) of Arabica beans (1.5%).

So an iced coffee made with Vietnamese coffee will have a higher caffeine content than one made with Arabica coffee beans more commonly found in the West.

More Iced Coffee Recipes

If you loved my Vietnamese iced coffee recipe with condensed milk you may like these iced coffee recipes too:

• My iced mocha with chocolate milk is so easy and tastes delicious!
• An iced vanilla latte is similar with less sweetness than the Vietnamese coffee.
• If you have leftover condensed milk you could try this Italian sweet cream creamer recipe.

Find more iced coffee recipes or browse all my coffee recipes.

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