Normal black coffee with milk, cappuccino and other coffee drinks are clearly not vegan. However, many coffee shops offer plant milks like oat, soy and almond, opening up a world of coffee possibilities for vegans.
Coffee has many health benefits, thanks to its antioxidants which neutralise free-radicals in the body. It’s also a great mood booster and the caffeine can give us a much-needed energy boost in the morning.
But if you’re growing bored of the same old coffee each day, take a look at these fun vegan coffee ideas which you can try at home…
1. Coffee with chicory
Coffee with chicory, also known as café noir, is a chicory-added coffee that adds a chocolatey caramel flavour without milk products, sugar and unnecessary calories. It’s naturally vegan and is a wonderful way to change your usual black coffee. It also has less caffeine in it. You can achieve a softer flavour or french press for a sharper flavour.
2. Gingerbread latte
This festive gingerbread latte has a wonderful scent thanks to grated ginger and black molasses. Use a soluble espresso or two servings of real espresso for a strong drink that will be your new favourite mid-day drink. Cinnamon adds another shade to your already fragrant coffee, and creamy almond milk makes it soft. Use a creamy, non-dairy alternative, such as oatmeal or cashew, or try fatty coconut milk. Add vegan whipped cream and enjoy!
3. Cold coffee
Use cold coffee as the basis for all types of vegan coffee drinks. When brewed cold, coffee grounds remain at room temperature for up to 24 hours. The concentrated coffee can then be diluted with water and used for cold coffee drinks. Add spices, vegan sweeteners, dairy products and other ingredients for extra flavour.
Some cold coffee ideas:
- Add oat milk with coconut sugar
- Use vanilla syrup
- Use cold coffee to bake a coffee-flavoured pie
- Add ice and any liqueur, and get a drink for a summer party
4. Irish coffee
Enjoy your dairy-free coffee with this vegan version of the classic Irish coffee cocktail. Make it with vegan whipped filling instead of whipped cream and use Irish whiskey to flavour the drink. Ideal for cool evenings, this coffee can be made in five minutes and is the perfect end to any festive dinner.
Irish coffee can be a bit tricky to get right, so here’s one Dublin barman’s advice about how to make it like a pro: ‘How to Make The Perfect Irish Coffee‘.
5. Coffee liqueur
Homemade coffee liqueur takes time to prepare, but the results are worth it. To make it, you will need instant coffee, vanilla, water, sugar and rum if you imitate Tia Maria or vodka if you imitate Kahlua.
It will take ten days of infusion for the liqueur to acquire the necessary flavour. Drink it on ice or use it in baking recipes or cocktails. You could buy glass bottles with sealed caps and use your liqueur as a festive gift.
6. Turkish coffee
Turkish coffee is usually served sweet or bitter (unsweetened) without milk, so it is naturally vegan. But you can add ingredients such as almond extract, cloves or vanilla. This allows you to achieve additional flavour tones and experience an exquisite pleasure that has no extra calories from the milk. Serve without any sweetener to just enjoy the spices.
7. Dalgona matcha
Dalgona coffee is made by whipping coffee, sugar and hot water until it becomes creamy and then adding milk. Matcha is a type of green tea. If you like both of these you’ll love dalgona matcha. To make your vegan dalgona matcha froth up, you’ll need to also add aquafaba (chickpea liquid) to create that lovely creamy foam.
Get the dalgona matcha recipe here.
8. Turmeric latte
A great alternative to coffee in the morning is a turmeric latte. Made with plant milk, turmeric, ginger, cardamom, black pepper, nutmeg and coconut oil, this drink is healthy, vegan, paleo and keto.
Get the turmeric latte recipe here.
Conclusion
As we see, no animal products are needed for coffee preparation, so vegans can enjoy any of these fine coffee drinks. Vegan coffee fans do not need to deny themselves the pleasure of enjoying their favourite drink.