Keto Salted Caramel Dalgona Coffee
Published March 31, 2020 • Updated March 13, 2026
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My take on whipped coffee with a salted caramel twist, inspired by Starbucks' cold brew with salted cream foam. I've tested this with three different milks and the foam ratio is dialed.
I started making classic keto dalgona coffee back when everyone was whipping instant coffee during lockdown. It was good, but I kept thinking it needed something more. That’s where the salted caramel version came from. A few drops of sugar-free caramel syrup folded into the foam, a sprinkle of salt on top, and suddenly this went from a fun trend to something I actually crave.
The ratio matters more than people think. I tested different amounts and landed on 2.5 tablespoons of instant coffee to 2.5 tablespoons of powdered sweetener. Less than that and the foam won’t hold its structure. You need those ribbons forming when you pull the whisk out. That’s how you know it’s ready. If you chill the mixing bowl before you start, the whole process goes faster. I picked that up after making this dozens of times and noticing the foam whips tighter in a cold bowl.
For the milk base, I’ve gone back and forth. Macadamia nut milk is my go-to for richness. It has this subtle creaminess that pairs with the caramel without competing. But I’ve also made it with coconut cream after one of my readers (Luz) mentioned she’d been doing it every morning. She was right. Coconut cream holds the layered effect longer than any other milk I’ve tried. The foam sits on top and each sip hits differently depending on how far down you are. If you go the coconut cream route, chill the glass first or the cream warms up and the layers collapse fast. Almond milk works too. The foam comes out a little lighter but it still does the job.
I make this as a low carb alternative to the Starbucks salted cream cold brew, and it honestly gets closer than I expected. The keto version has that same salty-sweet foam layer over cold milk, but you control the sweetness. No hidden sugars. If you’re into coffeehouse drinks, this sits right alongside my keto caramel macchiato and keto cold brew coffee as a rotation favorite.
One thing I want to flag: add the caramel syrup right after whipping, while the foam is still fresh. If you wait too long, the syrup can cause the foam to deflate or get clumpy. Fold it in gently with a spoon, not the mixer. You can also try the keto mocha dalgona coffee if you want a chocolate twist on the same base.
This makes two servings, so it’s already sized for sharing. I’ve scaled it up for a group by doubling everything and letting guests pour their own milk. The foam holds surprisingly well sitting in a bowl. James from the comments made a batch for brunch and two people asked if he’d ordered it.
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Ingredients
2.5 tablespoons instant coffee or espresso -
2.5 tablespoons powdered monkfruit or erythritol
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4 teaspoons hot boiling water
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2 tablespoons sugar-free caramel syrup
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2 cups unsweetened macadamia nut milk or other nut milk
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sprinkle of salt
Step by Step Instructions
Step by Step Instructions
Combine ingredients
In a small bowl, add coffee, sweetener and hot water.
Whip the coffee
Using an electric mixer, mix until smooth, frothy and ribbons form at the top when pulling the whisk out of the mixture. You can whisk by hand too, but this will take around 10 minutes.
Add the caramel
Lightly mix in caramel syrup.
Pour nut milk
Pour 1 cup of cold or hot nut milk into a glass. Top with half of the Dalgona coffee foam and sprinkle with salt.
Nutrition disclaimer
The nutrition information provided is an estimate and is for informational purposes only. I am a Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.); however, this content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult your physician or other qualified health provider before making any lifestyle changes or beginning a new nutrition program.
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Get My Macros + Recipes →Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use ground coffee instead of instant coffee?
No, it has to be instant. I've had readers ask this and I tested it myself. Regular ground coffee won't whip. It just sinks to the bottom and you get gritty water. The 2.5 tablespoons of instant is specifically what produces that thick, ribbon-forming foam on top.
What is the best sugar-free caramel syrup brand to use?
I use Jordan's Skinny Syrups salted caramel. It folds into the foam cleanly without thinning it out and the flavor is strong enough that two tablespoons actually comes through. Torani sugar-free caramel works too, but I find it a little more artificial tasting in cold drinks.
How long does the foam hold up before it deflates?
In my experience, the foam stays stiff for a solid 15-20 minutes sitting on top of the milk. One of my readers made a batch for brunch and said it held the entire time his guests were pouring. The key is getting those stiff ribbons when you whip. If your foam is loose, whip it longer.
Can I make a hot version of this dalgona coffee?
I've done it both ways. Pour heated milk into the glass instead of cold, and spoon the foam on top. The foam melts into the hot milk faster so you get more of a blended drink than a layered one. I actually prefer the keto version hot on cold mornings. The salted caramel flavor comes through stronger when it's warm.
What happens if I wait too long to add the caramel syrup?
I learned this the hard way. If the foam sits for more than a couple of minutes before you fold in the caramel, it starts to set and the syrup clumps instead of incorporating smoothly. Fold it in right after whipping while the foam is still loose and glossy. Gentle spoon strokes, not the mixer.
Which milk makes the creamiest base?
I've tested macadamia, almond, and coconut cream. Macadamia nut milk is my favorite for everyday richness. But coconut cream holds the layered effect the longest, each sip tastes different depending on where you are in the glass. Almond milk works fine, just lighter. If you want something closer to a keto white mocha level of creaminess, go coconut cream.
Can I batch this for a group?
I've doubled and tripled the foam recipe for groups. Whip the full batch of foam in one bowl and let guests spoon it over their own milk. The foam holds well sitting in a bowl for at least 20 minutes. I pour the milk options into a pitcher and set everything out, almost like a coffee bar. Works great for brunch or a weekend morning with friends.
Can I make this recipe decaf?
I've made it with decaf instant coffee using the exact same 2.5 tablespoon ratio and the foam whips up identically. If you're looking for something warm and cozy without caffeine, my keto hot chocolate and keto frappuccino are also solid options.
I’m obsessed with Starbucks’ cold brew with salted caramel cream foam, and this whipped coffee captures that exact flavor.
Dalgona coffee is about 2/3 milk topped with 1/3 velvety coffee foam. I flavor the foam with sugar-free caramel syrup and a sprinkle of flaky salt.
Most of the drink is milk. I use 
An electric mixer whips the foam in a few minutes. You can do it by hand, but expect 8-10 minutes of whisking.
More whipped coffee ideas to try:
My boyfriend took one sip and immediately asked why we're still paying for Starbucks when I can make this at home (valid, honestly). The foam is where it's at, I kept sneaking spoonfuls before it even hit the macadamia milk, though I ended up doubling the salt sprinkle because I wanted that contrast a little louder.
Double salt is right, the recipe amount is conservative. I always go heavier when I want that contrast to actually punch through. And eating the foam before it hits the milk is basically step one at this point.
Before I went keto I used to stop at Starbucks almost every morning for one of their salted cream cold brews, and giving that up was genuinely one of the harder parts of the first few months. Made this on a whim last Sunday and the first sip stopped me cold. Not exactly the same thing, obviously, but the macadamia milk with the salt sprinkled over the caramel foam gets you so close it kind of hit me sideways. I sat there in my kitchen for a minute just holding the glass. The whipping step takes some patience but watching those ribbons form is weirdly satisfying. Grateful doesn't really cover it, but I'll go with that.
Macadamia took me three rounds to stop second-guessing. That's what got it there.
One thing I figured out after my third batch: if the instant coffee isn't dissolving cleanly, your water isn't hot enough. I was getting grainy foam until I started using water that was actually at a rolling boil, not just warm from the tap. Also swapped in Torani dark caramel syrup for a slightly smokier flavor, and it pairs really well with the salt sprinkle at the end. The macadamia nut milk is worth hunting down if you haven't tried it yet, the creaminess is different from almond milk and it really shows in the foam texture. This takes about 5 minutes start to finish with a hand mixer, which makes it my go-to for weekday mornings when I want something better than plain coffee.
Yeah the rolling boil thing is real, warm tap water just doesn't cut it. Dark caramel Torani is smokier than the regular sugar-free, I might actually switch for this one. Macadamia nut milk converts everyone who tries it.
Tried this with canned coconut cream instead of macadamia milk and I'm not going back. The foam sits on top way more dramatically and the whole thing tastes like something from an actual coffee shop. I did add a tiny extra pinch of salt because the coconut cream mutes it a bit, but that's a 5-second fix. Four stars for the original, probably five if you go the coconut cream route.
Yeah coconut cream mutes everything a bit, not just the salt. Extra pinch is exactly right. The foam on coconut cream is in a different category.
Having people over Saturday and want to prep these ahead. Can the whipped foam hold up if I make it a few hours early and refrigerate it, or will it lose texture by then?
The foam holds in a bowl in the fridge for a couple hours, I've done it for brunch. Just don't spoon it over the milk until you're ready to serve or it'll start sinking. Let guests do it themselves at the table.
Made a batch for brunch last weekend and left it out for guests to pour themselves. Two people asked if I'd ordered it. Foam held up the whole time, which surprised me.
Ha, you made it into my FAQ. That brunch hold time was the thing I needed to hear to finally add the tip to the page.
I've made dalgona coffee plenty of times and kept skipping the macadamia nut milk because I assumed it would taste thin and watery under all that foam. Not even close. The whipped layer holds up better than it does over heavy cream, and the caramel syrup pulls everything together into something that actually competes with the Starbucks salted cream cold brew it's based on. Warm version is happening this weekend, I can already tell.
Macadamia holds the foam better than heavy cream does, I've tested both. For the warm version, the foam melts in faster. More like a blended coffee than a layered one. Still worth it.
Swapped the macadamia milk for coconut cream and the layers actually hold for a while before the foam starts sinking in. Each sip hits different depending on how far down you are, which I didn't expect from a coffee drink. If you go this route, chill the glass first or the cream warms up fast and the whole thing collapses in like two minutes. Been making this every snow morning this month and I'm freaking obsessed.
Coconut cream holds the layers longer than macadamia, I noticed that too. Chill the glass, yes. Learned that one the hard way.
Swapped macadamia nut milk for almond milk and it works fine, less rich but still does the job. Cold bowl before whipping cuts the time down a lot if you're impatient like me.
Cold bowl trick works. Almond milk is fine, the foam just comes out a little lighter. Macadamia is my preference for the richness but it's not a dealbreaker.
I don't have instant coffee but I do have regular ground coffee - can I use that or does it need to be instant to whip up properly?
Has to be instant. Regular ground coffee won't whip, it just sinks. The 2.5 tablespoons of instant is what gives you that thick foam layer on top.