How to Make Cold Foam at Home

By Best Pick Guide Editorial Team · Updated October 22, 2026

Cold foam is the thick, velvety topping on coffee shop cold brews. It's easy to make at home in a couple of minutes.

The basic recipe

For one drink:

• About 3 to 4 oz (90 to 120 ml) of cold milk. Skim or low-fat milk makes the thickest foam.
• Optional: a teaspoon or two of syrup, sugar or a splash of vanilla.
• Optional: a splash of cream for a richer, softer foam.

Keep everything cold. Cold milk straight from the fridge foams best.

Method 1: electric frother

1. Pour the cold milk and any syrup into the frother, below the foam line.
2. Choose the cold foam setting.
3. Wait until it stops, usually a minute or two.

Frothers with foam levels, like the Instant Pot MagicFroth, let you choose how thick it gets.

Method 2: French press or plunger frother

1. Pour cold milk into a French press or manual frother, no more than a third full.
2. Pump the plunger up and down quickly, about 30 to 60 times, until it's thick.

The Bodum Latteo is made for this.

Method 3: jar

1. Pour cold milk into a jar with a tight lid, no more than half full.
2. Shake hard for about a minute.

The foam is lighter and less fine than the other methods, but it works.

Putting it together

1. Fill a glass with ice and pour in cold brew or iced coffee, leaving about an inch at the top.
2. Spoon or pour the cold foam on top.
3. Drink it as it is, or stir it in slowly.

Flavor ideas

• Vanilla: a little vanilla syrup.
• Salted caramel: caramel syrup and a pinch of salt.
• Brown sugar: brown sugar syrup and a dash of cinnamon.

For five frothers compared on cold foam settings, see our milk frother for cold foam comparison.