Coffee Lover's Egg Cream Recipe
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Our recipe for a coffee lover's egg cream takes the old-school soda fountain treat and gives it a caffeinated twist. It's got all the nostalgic charm of the original, along with rich espresso flavor and a wholly grown-up bitter kick.
Despite its name, a traditional New York egg cream has neither eggs nor cream. Instead, it's got sticky-sweet chocolate syrup, milk, and seltzer water for a drink that has body, sweetness, and a tall head of frothy bubbles. For many New Yorkers, an egg cream is a treat deeply embedded in memories of the good old days, something they might have grabbed at a Brooklyn diner or ice cream parlor on their way to catch the bus or subway. According to Ksenia Prints from My Mocktail Forest, our adaptation bridges the gap between the classic American egg cream recipe and the culture of modern coffee appreciation, as we elevate the simple drink with a hit of caffeine and complexity of flavor from cocktail bitters.
The beauty of this drink lies in how quickly it comes together. With a short prep window, easy-to-find ingredients, and only the need for a bit of vigorous stirring, you can prepare yourself a wistful treat with a modern, bold edge.
Gather the ingredients for this coffee egg cream
To make our coffee-loaded egg cream, you'll need a good chocolate syrup — we recommend Fox's U-Bet – a chilled, strongly brewed espresso, whole milk, and your favorite seltzer. A dash of cacao bitters and a sprinkle of cocoa powder complete our grown-up coffee adaptation.
Step 1: Add the chocolate syrup
Add the chocolate syrup to a chilled glass.
Step 2: Add the espresso
Top with the strongly brewed espresso.
Step 3: Add the whole milk
Add the whole milk and stir with a whisk or a frother.
Step 4: Add the bitters
Add the cacao bitters.
Step 5: Add the seltzer
Slowly pour seltzer down the side of the glass to preserve the foam. Stir gently with a bar spoon to incorporate.
Step 6: Garnish with cocoa powder
Garnish each glass with a dusting of cocoa powder.
Step 7: Serve the egg cream
Serve immediately.
What can I serve with this egg cream?
Coffee Lover's Egg Cream Recipe
Our recipe for a coffee lover's egg cream takes the old-school soda fountain treat and gives it a caffeinated twist with espresso and cacao bitters.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons chocolate syrup
- ½ ounce (1 tablespoon) strongly brewed espresso, chilled
- 1 ½ ounces (3 tablespoons) whole milk, chilled
- ¾ cup seltzer, well chilled
- 1 dash cacao bitters
- Cocoa powder, for garnish, optional
Directions
- Add the chocolate syrup to a chilled glass.
- Top with the strongly brewed espresso.
- Add the whole milk and stir with a whisk or a frother.
- Add the cacao bitters.
- Slowly pour seltzer down the side of the glass to preserve the foam. Stir gently with a bar spoon to incorporate.
- Garnish each glass with a dusting of cocoa powder.
- Serve immediately.
Nutrition
| Calories per Serving | 132 |
| Total Fat | 1.4 g |
| Saturated Fat | 0.8 g |
| Trans Fat | 0.0 g |
| Cholesterol | 4.3 mg |
| Total Carbohydrates | 29.1 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 0.0 g |
| Total Sugars | 26.3 g |
| Sodium | 62.4 mg |
| Protein | 1.4 g |
What is the history of an egg cream?
There are plenty of opposing stories as to the origins and history of the egg cream, and the truth may never become truly evident. But one thing is for sure — this iconic drink has left its mark on the childhood and memories of several generations of New Yorkers.
A common story traces the roots of the egg cream to the Jewish immigrant delis and candy shops of the late 1800s, and specifically to that of Louis Auster of New York City's Lower East Side. One theory claims that the name "egg cream" is an interpretation of the Yiddish phrase echt keem, which roughly translates to "pure sweetness." Another espouses the idea that earlier versions of the drink did use egg whites for the foam.
Whatever its origins, the egg cream definitely rose to popularity among the candy stores and soda fountains of Brooklyn, and became especially popular during the Great Depression and in the lean years that followed. With its cheap ingredients and easy prep, the drink cost next to nothing to buy, and kids to adults alike would flock to it for a sweet break. By the mid-1950s, the drink became a symbol of New York culture, appearing in movies, comic books, and literature.
What kind of chocolate syrup should you use in an egg cream, and why does it matter?
The gold standard for making an egg cream remains Fox's U-Bet chocolate syrup, which originates from Brooklyn. Many purists claim that it gives the drink its signature taste and that without it, the drink loses something of its original flavor. It allegedly also has the right balance of flavor and consistency for an egg cream, being not too sweet and not too viscous, with just enough chocolate intensity to balance the milk and seltzer, and just enough body that it stirs into the drink easily. It also helps create that characteristic foam when mixed with milk. You can get this syrup in plain and vanilla varieties, allowing you to play with the flavor of your egg cream just a bit.
If you can't get your hands on Fox's syrup, then other commercial syrups like Hershey's or Nesquik will work. However, they produce a sweeter, slightly less complex flavor that doesn't have the slight bitterness of the original. If your syrup is too heavy, it also might not incorporate as well with the other ingredients.
So if you don't have the original, try a few different syrups before landing on one you really like. Or go for broke and order the OG of chocolate syrups, and then use it on everything else, from vanilla ice cream to your morning pancakes.