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Vietnamese Coconut Coffee (Cafe Cot Dua)

Vietnamese Coconut Coffee (Cafe Cot Dua) is an interesting drink that has the intensity and aroma of coffee and the subtle richness of coconut milk. This strong and velvety coffee is definitely a must-try.

Prep Time
2 mins
Cook Time
2 mins
Total Time
7 mins
Servings: 1 person
Calories: 180 kcal
Course: Drinks
Cuisine: Vietnamese

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons Vietnamese ground coffee ½
  • 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon hot water (about 190-200F)
  • 1/3 cup coconut milk
  • 2-3 teaspoons sweetened condensed milk (to taste, see Notes for dairy-free options)

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Place the cup spanner of the phin filter over your brewing glass. Add ground coffee to the filter chamber, try to spread them evenly inside the chamber. Then gently place the filter chamber over the cup spanner.
  2. Place the filter press on top of the ground coffee inside the chamber and press gently. Add 1 tablespoon of hot water to the chamber and wait for about 20-30 seconds to let the coffee bloom.
  3. Add the remaining hot water and cover the chamber with the filter cap. Wait for the coffee liquid to drip through the holes at the bottom of the filter chamber and cup spanner.
  4. Total brewing time should be around 4 minutes. If the coffee drips too quickly, press the filter press a little more to slow it down. There should be 1-2 drops at a time. Once the filter chamber is empty, remove the filter from the glass. 
  5. In a small saucepan, add coconut milk and sweetened condensed milk. Stir and warm the milk mixture over medium-low to medium heat until steams start to come out and small bubbles start to appear around the edge. Do not let the mixture boil. Turn off the stove and pour milk mixture into your serving cup.
  6. Froth the coffee by using an electric frother or shake it vigorously in a jar with a secured lid (optional step but strongly recommended).
  7. ½Pour both the coffee and all the foams over the coconut milk mixture in the serving cup. Serve immediately.

Notes

  • You can adjust the ratio of coffee to water to achieve desired strength.
  • To make this coconut coffee dairy-free/vegetarian/vegan, you can use sweetened condensed coconut milk or sugar instead of sweetened condensed dairy milk. The recipe is actually even better with sweetened condensed coconut milk.
  • If you have never made Vietnamese coffee before, you may want to read my previous post about phin filter and how to use it to brew Vietnamese coffee. In case you don't want to use this brewing method, you can just use 1/2 cup of very strong coffee (from a blend of Arabica and Robusta, ideally)
  • You can leave a small amount of coconut milk mixture in the saucepan and drizzle on top of the coffee to create pretty patterns after the final step in the Instructions section above.
  • You may find that it sounds weird to froth the coffee, and not the milk. I actually tried both ways and found pouring frothed coffee over the coconut milk mixture results in a tastier drink than pouring frothed coconut milk over the coffee. You can try both ways to see what you like more.

Nutrition Information

Calories 180kcal (9%) Carbohydrates 7g (2%) Protein 2g (4%) Fat 17g (26%) Saturated Fat 15g (75%) Cholesterol 3mg (1%) Sodium 29mg (1%) Potassium 202mg (6%) Sugar 5g (10%) Calcium 42mg (4%) Iron 2mg (11%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 1person

Amount Per Serving

Calories 180

% Daily Value*

Calories 180kcal 9%
Carbohydrates 7g 2%
Protein 2g 4%
Fat 17g 26%
Saturated Fat 15g 75%
Cholesterol 3mg 1%
Sodium 29mg 1%
Potassium 202mg 4%
Sugar 5g 10%
Calcium 42mg 4%
Iron 2mg 11%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.