Coffee is one of the most popular beverages worldwide. In many countries, it is a cultural phenomenon.
If you are a coffee lover, you know that it goes beyond a delicious drink. It’s an art, a ritual, and an event that you look forward to daily or even several times a day. You can’t just drink your coffee; you have to enjoy it.
To make your coffee taste that much more interesting, you might be wondering if you can add heavy cream to your coffee.
I’m here to tell you that you can, and in this article, I’ll go over the different ways that you can incorporate heavy cream in coffee. Let’s get started:
Heavy cream in coffee, what you need to know
There’s a lot of debate on whether or not to add heavy cream to coffee. Some people say it makes the coffee taste better, while others say it makes it too thick and rich.
Here’s what you need to know about adding heavy cream to your coffee:
- You can stir it in or whip it into whipped cream and then serve.
- If you’re looking for a richer, more decadent coffee drink, adding whipped cream is a good way to go. Just be careful not to add too much, or your coffee will become overly sweet and thick.
- If you’re trying to cut down on calories, avoid adding heavy cream and instead use milk or nonfat milk substitutes.
Below, I’ll go in-depth about the taste of heavy cream in the coffee, how you can combine it with your daily cup of coffee, and if it’s better than adding milk.
Does heavy cream in coffee taste good?
Yes, heavy cream in coffee tastes good to many people because it gives the coffee a rich, creamy flavor and mouthfeel. Some people also like the slightly sweet taste that cream provides.
However, not everyone likes the taste of cream in their coffee. Some find it too overpowering or “heavy”. Others may not enjoy the sweetness that cream brings to coffee.
It has a high-calorie count and a high-fat content, so it can be difficult to consume in large quantities. But for those who enjoy the taste, heavy cream can be a delicious addition to coffee.
More on the number of calories further down, first, let me show you the different ways of adding heavy cream to your daily coffee:
How do you add heavy cream to coffee?
There are a few ways that you can incorporate heavy cream in your coffee:
- You can pour the heavy cream into your coffee
- Or, you can whip the heavy cream and serve on hot or cold coffee (whipped cream)
Adding one or two tablespoons (15 to 30 ml) of heavy cream into an 8-ounce cup will give your coffee a well-balanced flavor.
You can add more or less depending on how much you want to dilute your coffee, but this is a good amount to start with for most people.
If you’d like to first whip the heavy cream, you can choose to sweeten it slightly, or you can keep it sugar-free by whipping it until stiff peaks form. You can do this with an electric mixer or by using a whisk.
Whipped cream is often served on top of iced coffee to make it richer and more flavorful, and it’s also common to add whipped cream to hot coffee for extra richness.
I’ve made multiple iced coffees that include whipped cream, as it’s just such a great way to make the coffee a bit sweeter and creamier without overdoing it.
Below, I’ll go over some of my favorite coffees to which you can add heavy cream.
To which coffee can you add heavy cream?
There are no specific types of coffee that pair better with cream than others. Some people do prefer a creamier, richer cup of coffee and will add cream to all types, while others may only like to add it to dark roasts or espresso-based drinks.
It’s really up to personal preference! Some of my favorite coffees with heavy cream are listed below:
- If you love espresso-based drinks, you can try an Espresso con Panna.
- Do you love a bit of sweetness and roundness in your morning coffee? Try your hand at a hot coffee with whipped cream.
- Do you love making iced coffee? Try adding some whipped cream to it!
Adding heavy cream is especially delicious with a dark roast. The cream will add a rich and creamy flavor that pairs perfectly with the boldness of the roast.
Therefore, espresso-based drinks are my favorite to add a bit of heavy cream to. I find that the lighter coffee roasts don’t need any add-ins, as they are generally sweeter and less potent in flavor compared to a darker roast.
Is heavy cream better than milk in coffee?
You can serve a standard cup of coffee with 2% milk (or whole milk, depending on your preference).
However, heavy cream makes your coffee taste so much better. Many people love to drink a hot cup of coffee with a small amount of heavy cream. It tastes so good and creamy it’s hard not to drink it.
Unlike adding milk to your coffee, which will dilute your coffee without adding much flavor, heavy cream will add some roundness that most people appreciate.
On the downside, heavy cream is much higher in calories, which I’ll go over further down.
My favorite coffee recipe that has milk added is an Americano with milk. You can also choose to switch out the milk for heavy cream for a fuller-tasting coffee.
How many calories are in coffee with heavy cream?
Heavy cream is great for adding richness and a creamy texture to coffee. Plus, it’s a good source of healthy fats. Just make sure to watch your calorie intake if you’re trying to lose weight.
A tablespoon of heavy cream has about 50 calories. In comparison, milk has between five and ten calories for a tablespoon.
If you’re whipping the heavy cream into whipped cream, you might be adding a bit of sugar to it as well, which increases the number of calories.
Conclusion
The cream adds a richness and depth of flavor to your morning coffee that you’ll love. I hope this article has helped answer any questions about adding heavy cream to your daily cup of joe.
Personally, I love adding a dollop of whipped cream to my daily cup of joe and have seen great results. Give it a try and see for yourself how much better your coffee can taste!
If you love customizing your coffee, you might be interested in checking out some more coffee add-ins that I’ve listed below.
The private Facebook group is an amazing community of coffee lovers to discuss coffee recipes and trends, ask questions and collaborate. Check out the group on Facebook!