Rose Coffee

How to Make It

This rose coffee recipe is pretty easy once you track down the right ingredients. The rosewater took me a few tries, after which I had luck at an Indian grocery store.

The first step is pulling a shot of espresso, or in my case, using a Moka pot to make one. I know, I know, not quite an espresso shot, but for my less refined coffee palette, I’m fine satisficing here.

I like mixing my sweetener into the hot espresso so that it can dissolve fully. Same goes for the cardamom and rosewater, and they can mellow out in this hot tub as well.

If you’re not familiar with my drink recipes, I always add a pinch of salt, whether it’s something with coffee like a cookie butter latte, or a matcha latte layered with rose-flavored milk. The salt helps bring out all the flavors so you don’t have to keep dumping in sugar.

The last step is putting everything together. A glass gets half filled with ice, and the flavored espresso as well as some milk gets poured over the ice.

Give it a good stir once you’re done admiring the way that the milk drips and swirls through the coffee, then enjoy.

Taste

This drink is a good balance between coffee and flavorings, so you can taste everything without one ingredient dominating the rest.

The coffee is strong, but it’s countered with a teensy hint of rose and a little something something from the cardamom.

Is rose good in coffee?

I’m a little biased here since I am posting a rose coffee recipe, so I’m going to say yes (in moderation). If you don’t like the flavor of rose or rosewater, then you probably won’t like it in coffee either.

Might I recommend this matcha espresso or coffee milk tea if you don’t want to give the final rose to this beverage?

Variations

Iced vs Hot

I’ve written this recipe to be served iced and photographed it that way. However, if you’re in the mood for something warm and cozy, this can definitely be made hot!

The only difference is heating the milk gently (in a pot, in the microwave, whatever floats your boat) and omitting the ice. Ta da, you have a hot rose latte.

Ingredient Substitutions

If you can’t find or don’t like cardamom, you can certainly omit it. It’s not necessary, though I do like the gentle spice and warmth it adds.

Because rosewater and cardamom are both pretty powerful players, I would recommend starting with ⅛ teaspoon each. If you find the flavors too subtle for your taste, you can add a little more of each at a time until your tastebuds are satisfied.

This is best made with your favorite coffee beans (Red Bay is my current go-to). That being said, if you lean towards the instant coffee route (no judgement, you can’t beat the convenience), that works too.

I like using soy milk since I usually have some on hand, but whole milk or any non-dairy milk (oat, almond, etc) is tasty as well! If you use coconut milk, I would suggest using low fat, or a smaller amount if you’re using full fat coconut milk since that can be really rich.

I used granulated white sugar here since it’s easy. You can use whichever sweetener you like though, especially since brown sugar or maple syrup would go well with the cardamom.