Creamy, silky smooth coffee jello is the perfect dessert for any coffee lover. Drizzle with chocolate syrup and this coffee jello recipe with condensed milk is a match made in coffee heaven.
Where are all my coffee lovers?! I am a massive coffee drinker (see this salted caramel cream cold brew recipe) and love anything coffee flavored (see also these Toffee Nut Latte Cupcakes or this Mocha Roll Recipe). So when I heard about coffee jello, I was ALL about it.
While this is the first time I’ve made this combination in jello dessert form, it is not the first time I’ve put sweetened condensed milk in my coffee. My mother-in-law introduced me to this phenomenon as it is a common occurrence in Indian coffees.
She would make strong, instant coffee (Bru), sweeten it with sweetened condensed milk, and then aerate and blend it by pouring it between two cups. It’s pretty impressive.
This recipe takes the flavors of that coffee and puts it in a silky smooth, creamy dessert form. One of the best ways to partake in coffee if I might say so. 😉
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Silky smooth texture: Even though this is made with gelatine, the texture is more like a set custard or pudding. It’s definitely firmer than the pudding used in these 4 Ingredient Banana Pudding, Chocolate Trifles, or Nutella Banana Cream Pie.
Bursting with coffee flavor: If you like coffee, you need to try this recipe! The coffee flavor blends perfectly with the creaminess of the sweetened condensed milk.
Easy to make (only 4 simple ingredients): This easy treat only has about 5 minutes of “hands-on” prep time. It spends the rest of the time chilling in the refrigerator. Plus, this dessert costs under $5 to make.
Fun, Unique Dessert: I had never had coffee jello or coffee jelly before researching this recipe and man was I missing out. These are delicious! They are a great size as you can make them in individual servings, have an amazing flavor, and have a fun wobble when you move them. 🙂 Your sweet tooth will thank you!
Jump to Recipe
Ingredient Notes
Gelatine Powder: You’ll need 2 packets of gelatin powder for this recipe that will need to bloom in ½ cup of water before using. I found that using two packets allows the coffee jello to hold its shape inside the molds, while still keeping a soft, creamy texture. (No rubber texture here.)
Sweetened Condensed Milk: Sweetened condensed milk provides both the sweetness and the creaminess of the dessert. You can play around a bit with the amount you put into the jello. I used 8oz (a little over half a can) for this recipe because I really want the flavor of the coffee to come through. (If you have leftover condensed milk, you can use it in this Russian Buttercream recipe.)
Brewed Coffee: The star of the show! Because this is the main ingredient, you’ll want to make sure you either use a bold roast or stronger coffee beans (or make your coffee a bit stronger than usual) in order for the coffee flavor to cut through the milk.
I tested with both the Dunkin’ Donuts brand and Bru instant coffee (an Indian brand of strong coffee made with roasted chicory). You could taste the coffee flavor in both, but the strong, Bru coffee was more potent.
Variations & Substitutions:
Coffee: As I mentioned, I tested two different ways of making strong coffee. Also, feel free to use decaf coffee for this recipe if you don’t want a caffeinated dessert.
Milk: This recipe uses sweetened condensed milk to take care of the sugar and cream. However, if you aren’t a fan of it or want to use less sugar, you could use evaporated milk and a few tablespoons of sugar.
Jump to RecipeStep By Step Instructions for Making Coffee Jello
Step 1: Place half a cup of cold water in a small bowl. Sprinkle the gelatin powder on top and let it “bloom” for 5 minutes. As the gelatin blooms, it will absorb the water and have a firmer texture.
Step 2: Once bloomed, pour the very hot coffee over the gelatin and stir until completely dissolved.
Step 3: Pour the sweetened condensed milk over the coffee mixture and stir until combined.
Step 4: Pour into the molds (I used silicone molds, but any individual serving cups will do) and refrigerate for four hours.
Step 5: Pop out of the molds, top with chocolate sauce, and enjoy!
Yield
This recipe produces 12 servings of coffee jello if using cupcake liners or individual cups. You can also pour it into an 8×8 pan and slice it into cubes.
Storage Options
As they are jello, these must be refrigerated at all times. Keep the coffee jello in an airtight container for 3-4 days.
Freezer option: Once the jello has set, place them into freezer bags and store them in the freezer. You do not need to keep them in their molds once they have set.
Frequently Asked Questions
Coffee jelly is now most commonly found in Asian recipes (mainly Japanese recipes). I guess this coffee jelly recipe used to be popular in the United States and Britain (I had never heard of it).
It is simply jelly made with black coffee and gelatin. Japanese coffee jelly is cut into cubes of jelly and served over cold condensed milk (vs. being made with milk like this recipe).
This is already a pretty sweet dessert on its own, but I like to drizzle chocolate sauce over the top to give it a mocha flavor. You could also top it with whipped cream or serve it with ice cream if you want to take it up a notch.
Or try cuting them into cubes and placing them in iced coffee to add another delicious element to your afternoon treat.
Coffee Jello with Condensed Milk
Equipment
- 12 cupcake silicone molds
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups brewed, hot coffee
- 2 packets Gelatine
- 1/2 cup cold water
- 8 oz sweetened condensed milk
- drizzle of chocolate syrup
Instructions
- In a small bowl, sprinkle the gelatin packets into the cold water. Set aside and let bloom (aka become firm and jello-like) for 5 minutes.
- Once bloomed, add the hot coffee and stir until the gelatin is dissolved. Then add the sweetened condensed milk and stir until smoth.
- Pour into molds*, place on a baking tray (or cupcake tin) and refrigerate for 3-4 hours until firm. Enjoy!
Notes
- If you don’t have silicone cupcake molds/liners, you can use an 8×8 pan. Pour the jello into the pan, cover with plastic wrap and chill. Slice into cubes to serve.
