Coffee jelly is a simple dessert that can be served in various ways. Make a batch while you decide which way you’ll serve it.
Have you tried our bubble coffee yet? It’s our take on bubble tea, also known as boba tea.
In our version, we put the tapioca pearls aka the bubbles in coffee that’s sweetened with sweetened condensed milk. You drink the liquid (coffee in our case) along with tapioca pearls through a wide straw.
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Coffee jelly is kind of the same thing. Except instead of tapioca pearls, it’s jello.
And unlike tapioca pearls, the jello actually has coffee in it. Plus, coffee jelly is a bit more versatile. You can shape it however you want and as we’ll see here, you can serve it in various ways.
What is coffee jelly?
It’s basically jello made with coffee. All you need to make it are sugar, water, coffee and gelatin. If you don’t eat gelatin, you can also replace it with agar agar, which is a vegan substitute.
You can make coffee jelly two ways – with instant coffee or brewed coffee. Instant is a lot faster. But if you prefer to use coffee beans and freshly brewed coffee over instant coffee, you can opt for that version. Or try both!
You also have options when it comes to how you’ll serve and eat it.
After cutting the jelly into cubes, just eat the cubes on its own.
Or top it with whipped cream.
And furthermore, you can make it into a drink. I’ve also provided ideas for how to make it into a drink below.
Click here to skip to the recipe.
Coffee Jelly Ingredients
Instant Coffee Version
- ¼ cup sugar
- 1 ½ cup water
- 3 tablespoons instant coffee (I used Nescafe Clasico)
- 1 tbsp gelatin
The instant coffee version is the fastest way to make coffee jelly. You don’t need to take the extra of brewing the coffee. Instead, you’ll just need to dissolve the coffee granules while dissolving the sugar in water.
I used Nescafe Clasico, which I tend to use for my coffee flavored desserts. It’s a bold, dark roast coffee so you can still taste the coffee flavor through whichever sweetening and other flavors you’re using in your desserts.
Brewed Coffee Version
- ¼ cup sugar
- 1 ½ cup brewed coffee
- 1 tablespoon gelatin
Use the brewed coffee version if you do not have instant coffee on hand, or just prefer to use brewed coffee over instant. The great part about this version is that you can use any of your favorite coffee beans.
I would make the coffee as concentrated as possible so you can get a bold coffee flavor in your coffee jelly instead of watered down gelatin. To do so, I would use espresso.
To make espresso, you’ll need an espresso machine. But don’t worry if you don’t have an espresso machine at home. You can make espresso using a moka pot, French press or Aeropress. Check out our guide to making espresso without an espresso machine.
How to Make Coffee Jelly
- If using brewed coffee, start by brewing the coffee of choice. I recommend using espresso or the most concentrated coffee you can make.
- Bloom the gelatin by placing it in 2 tablespoons of water.
- Place brewed coffee and sugar in a pot. If using instant coffee, add water and instant coffee. Heat over medium heat to dissolve sugar.
- Add bloomed gelatin.
- Pour liquid into a pan.
- Refrigerate for at least 2 hours or until jelly is firm.
- Cut into cubes and enjoy with whipped cream or in coffee or other milk mixture.
- Top with whipped cream or make it a drink.
Step 1
Bloom the gelatin by covering the powder with about 2 tablespoons of water.
Step 2
Place water (or brewed coffee), sugar and instant coffee in a pot over the stovetop on medium heat.
Step 3
Pour mixture into a baking pan or loaf pan.
Step 4
Leave in the refrigerator for 2 hours or until the mixture becomes firm.
Step 5
Cut the jelly into squares and serve with whipped cream on top or make it into a drink.
Serving Options
There are two ways you can eat this (other than just eating the jelly cubes on its own.)
If you want to make a coffee jelly dessert…
- Top with whipped cream
- Mix 1 part half and half with 1 part sweetened condensed milk. Pour over the coffee jelly. This will be a sweet, heavy and creamy mixture to enjoy over the coffee jelly.
If you want to make a coffee jelly drink:
- Place cubes of coffee jelly in a cup. Pour regular milk or a milk alternative without any sweeteners.
- Make the same base that our iced bubble coffee recipe uses, coffee mixed with sweetened condensed milk and milk. If you’ve had bubble tea before, this is basically the same thing with tapioca pearls, but using coffee as the drink instead of tea. You can use the same base for the coffee jelly.
- I used one cup of oat milk with an ounce of cold brew concentrate.
Coffee Jelly Recipe
Coffee Jelly
Coffee jelly is a simple dessert that can be served in various ways. Make a batch while you decide which way you’ll serve it.
Materials
Instant Coffee Version
- ¼ cup sugar
- 1 ½ cup water
- 3 tablespoons instant coffee (I used Nescafe Clasico)
- 1 tbsp gelatin
Brewed Coffee Version
- ¼ cup sugar
- 1 ½ cup brewed coffee
- 1 tablespoon gelatin
Instructions
1. Bloom the gelatin by covering the powder with about 2 tablespoons of water.
2. Place water (or brewed coffee), sugar and instant coffee in a pot over the stovetop on medium heat.
3. Pour mixture into a baking pan or loaf pan.
4. Leave in the refrigerator for 2 hours or until the mixture becomes firm.
5. Cut the jelly into squares and serve with whipped cream on top or make it into a drink.
Notes
Options to make it a Coffee Jelly Dessert:
- Top with whipped cream
- Mix 1 part half and half with 1 part sweetened condensed milk. Pour over the coffee jelly. This will be a sweet, heavy and creamy mixture to enjoy over the coffee jelly.
Options to make it a Coffee Jelly Drink:
- Place cubes of coffee jelly in a cup. Pour regular milk or a milk alternative without any sweeteners.
- Make the same base that our iced bubble coffee recipe uses, coffee mixed with sweetened condensed milk and milk. If you’ve had bubble tea before, this is basically the same thing with tapioca pearls, but using coffee as the drink instead of tea. You can use the same base for the coffee jelly.
- I used one cup of oat milk with an ounce of cold brew concentrate.
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