Vietnamese Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients. 
Serving Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients. Cà Phê Sữa Đá (Iced Milk Coffee)
Traditional Vietnamese iced coffee with sweetened condensed milk.
Contains common allergens
In the app, Listahan checks these against your household automatically.
Good to know
- Ready in under 30 minutes
Matched from this dish's own ingredients and timing. Browse more: 30-minute meals
Instructions
6 steps- 1
Prepare the Glass: Pour the sweetened condensed milk into the bottom of a heatproof glass.
- 2
Set up the Phin: Remove the top screen of a Vietnamese metal drip filter (phin). Add the coffee grounds to the chamber. Drop the screen back in and press down gently to tamp the grounds. Place the filter over the glass.
- 3
Bloom the Coffee: Pour about 1 tbsp of hot water into the filter. Wait 20 seconds. The coffee grounds will absorb the water, expand, and release CO2 (blooming).
- 4
Brew: Fill the filter to the top with hot water and place the lid on. The coffee should drip slowly into the glass, taking about 4-5 minutes to finish.
- 5
Mix: Once the dripping stops, remove the filter. Use a long spoon to vigorously stir the dark, strong coffee and the thick condensed milk together until fully combined and light brown.
- 6
Ice it: Fill the glass to the brim with ice, stirring rapidly to chill the drink completely before serving.
Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients. Listahan Family Score™
72/100
Good fit for most families
Score reflects how well this recipe fits a typical busy household. In the app, your Family Score is personalized to your household's allergens, kids, and pantry.
Nutrition
per serving60
Calories
2 g
Protein
10 g
Carbs
2 g
Fat
Estimated per serving. Actual values depend on the brands and portions you use.
Listahan cooking guide
Chef notes & practical guide
Technique notes, ingredient swaps, serve-alongside ideas, storage guidance, and equipment for this recipe.
Cultural context
Cà phê sữa đá grew out of Vietnam's coffee culture, where strong dark roast coffee is often brewed slowly through a small metal phin. Sweetened condensed milk became part of the style because it was shelf-stable, rich, and able to stand up to the bitterness of robusta coffee.
Listahan note
This version keeps the ritual simple: a small bloom, a slow 4-5 minute drip, and a hard stir before the ice goes in. The goal is not a diluted sweet coffee, but a strong, creamy base that chills fast over plenty of ice.
Technique cues
- A phin should drip slowly, not pour. If the coffee rushes through, the grounds are too loose or the screen needs a gentler press.
- Robusta coffee is naturally bolder and more bitter than many North American drip coffees, which is why condensed milk works so well here.
- Stir before adding ice, not after. The condensed milk is thick, and it blends much more evenly while the coffee is still hot.
Kitchen flow
- Parallel prep
- Set out the ice and spoon while the phin drips; the mixing step needs to happen as soon as the coffee finishes.
- Make-ahead
- Brew and stir the coffee with condensed milk ahead, then chill the base and pour it over fresh ice when serving.
- Leftover move
- Pour extra coffee base over ice with a splash of cold milk for a softer afternoon version.
- Cleanup rhythm
- Empty the phin grounds once they cool, then rinse the filter before the condensed milk dries on the glass.
Ingredient brief
Role, handling, and swap guidance for each key ingredient.
Vietnamese Robusta coffee grounds
Strong coffee base
Purpose: Robusta gives the drink its deep, slightly bitter backbone and enough intensity to hold up after icing.
Handling: Use a medium-fine grind made for phin brewing, then level the grounds before setting the screen in place.
Adaptation: Dark roast espresso-style coffee can work, but the flavor will usually be softer and less earthy.
Sweetened condensed milk
Sweetener and creamer
Purpose: It adds sweetness, body, and a cooked-milk flavor that balances the strong coffee.
Handling: Spoon it into the glass first so the hot coffee lands directly on it and loosens it for stirring.
Adaptation: Evaporated milk plus sugar gives a lighter body; coconut condensed milk changes the drink toward a coconut note.
Crushed ice or ice cubes
Chill and dilution
Purpose: The ice cools the concentrated coffee quickly and softens the intensity as it melts.
Handling: Fill the glass generously so the drink chills before the first few sips become watery.
Adaptation: Crushed ice chills fastest; larger cubes melt more slowly and keep the coffee stronger longer.
Boiling water
Extraction liquid
Purpose: Very hot water pulls enough strength from the compact coffee bed during the short phin brew.
Handling: Let the water come just off the boil before blooming the grounds and filling the filter.
Adaptation: Slightly cooler water makes a rounder but less forceful cup; avoid lukewarm water because the drip will taste flat.
Technique notes
- Blooming with a small splash of hot water helps the grounds settle, which makes the later drip steadier.
- Press the phin screen gently. Too much pressure can stall the brew, while too little pressure can make it run thin.
- Taste after stirring and before adding ice. If it is not strong and sweet at that point, it will taste weaker once chilled.
Ingredient swaps
- Dairy-free direction
- Use coconut condensed milk for a similar thick sweetness with a noticeable coconut finish.
- Less sweet direction
- Start with 2 tablespoons sweetened condensed milk, then add more after stirring if the coffee still tastes too sharp.
- No phin shortcut
- Brew a small, strong pour-over or moka pot coffee, then stir it hot with the condensed milk before icing.
- Stronger cafe style
- Use the full 3 heaping tablespoons of robusta and let the phin take the full 5 minutes before removing it.
Serve alongside
- Bánh mì op la
- Pandan waffles
- Bánh bò
- Fresh mango with sticky rice
- Iced jasmine tea
- Soda chanh
- Cold barley tea
Serving suggestions only — check pairings for your household's allergens.
Storage & reheating
- Refrigerate the mixed coffee and condensed milk base in a sealed jar if you are not serving it right away; stir before pouring over ice.
- Reheat is not usually part of this iced drink, but the chilled base can be warmed gently for a hot, sweet coffee.
- Freeze leftover coffee base in ice cube trays and blend the cubes with a little milk for a thicker coffee slush.
Equipment
- Vietnamese metal drip filter
- Heatproof glass
- Kettle
- Long spoon
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