Making French coffee? Warm and creamy recipe!

Looking for a warm coffee cocktail with a touch of luxury? French coffee combines strong coffee with cognac and a creamy layer of whipped cream. Perfect for a quiet evening moment or as the finishing touch to a dinner.

Yet French coffee often turns out too strong, too sweet or rather flat in flavour. With the right coffee and a good balance between alcohol and cream you get a smooth, full coffee cocktail with character.

In this recipe you will learn step by step how to make French coffee yourself, which coffee works best and how to serve the drink beautifully in layers.

What is French coffee?

French coffee is a warm coffee cocktail with strong coffee, cognac or orange liqueur and a creamy layer of whipped cream. The drink is often served as an after dinner coffee and is known for the smooth combination of coffee, alcohol and cream.

Unlike Irish coffee, which usually uses whisky, French coffee often has a slightly softer and more refined flavour. Cognac and liqueur give the coffee warm notes that pair well with the creamy topping.

The cocktail is traditionally served in a heat-resistant glass, so the layers stay nicely visible. This gives French coffee not only plenty of flavour, but also a luxurious appearance.

Recipe information & Ingredients

For 1 glass you will need the following:

Recipe information

• Preparation time: 10 minutes
• Quantity: 1 glass
• Category: Coffee recipe / Coffee cocktail

Ingredients

• 120 ml strong coffee or espresso
• 30 ml cognac or Grand Marnier
• 1 teaspoon brown sugar
• 30 ml lightly whipped cream
• Optional: orange zest or chocolate shavings to garnish

What you need

• Heat-resistant glass
• Spoon
• Whisk or milk frother

Preparation instructions

1. First brew a strong coffee or espresso. The more powerful the coffee, the better it holds up next to the cognac and whipped cream.
2. Briefly warm a heat-resistant glass with hot water and then pour it out. This keeps the French coffee warm for longer.
3. Pour the coffee into the glass and stir in the brown sugar until it has dissolved.
4. Next, add the cognac or Grand Marnier and stir briefly.
5. Whip the cream lightly. The cream should still be pourable and not become too stiff.
6. Pour the whipped cream gently over the rounded side of a spoon onto the coffee, so that a beautiful layer of cream forms.
7. Garnish if you like with some orange zest or chocolate shavings for extra flavour and presentation.

Serving tips and variations

French coffee is not only about flavour, but also about atmosphere. So serve the coffee cocktail in a nice glass and drink it straight away while the coffee is still warm and the cream layer stays firm.

A few tasty variations:

With orange

Add a small amount of orange zest or orange liqueur for a fresh twist that pairs well with cognac.

With chocolate

Sprinkle some chocolate shavings or cocoa powder over the whipped cream for a fuller and warmer flavour.

Extra creamy

Use slightly thicker whipped cream or add a splash of cream liqueur to the coffee.

Without alcohol

Leave out the cognac and optionally add a little vanilla syrup for a smooth alcohol-free variant.

More coffee flavour

Use a double espresso instead of regular coffee for a more powerful French coffee.

That way you can easily give your own twist to this classic coffee cocktail.

Which coffee do you use for French coffee?

The coffee largely determines how your French coffee tastes. If you use a coffee that is too mild, the flavour quickly disappears behind the cognac and whipped cream. A powerful coffee therefore works best.

For French coffee these types of coffee are very suitable:

• Espresso
• Strong filter coffee
• Dark roast coffee beans

Dark roasts with notes of chocolate, nuts or caramel pair perfectly with cognac and cream.

Preferably use freshly ground coffee beans. This gives you more aroma and a deeper flavour in the glass.

Want a milder French coffee? Then choose a medium roast coffee. Acidic, fruity coffees are usually less suitable, because they combine less well with cream and strong spirits.