Greek Frappé: How to Make the Iced Coffee of Greece

A Greek frappé (φραπές) is a foamy iced coffee made from instant coffee. Instant coffee, a little water and sugar are shaken or whisked into a thick foam. Then cold water, ice and milk if you like are added. It is drunk slowly through a straw, often over a long conversation.

Frappé is not made with Greek coffee

Traditional Greek coffee is powder-fine ground coffee simmered in a briki. Frappé uses instant coffee, which dissolves and foams when shaken. Greek coffee will not dissolve or foam like instant coffee, so it won’t make a frappé. See Greek coffee vs instant coffee.

How to make a Greek frappé

For one tall glass: 1–2 heaped teaspoons of instant coffee, sugar to taste, a splash of cold water, ice, cold water to top up, and milk (optional).

• Put the instant coffee and sugar in a shaker, jar or tall glass with a splash of cold water, about 2–3 tablespoons.
• Shake hard, or use a hand frother, until a thick, pale foam forms.
• Pour into a tall glass with ice. Top up with cold water and milk, if using, so the foam rises to the rim.
• Serve with a straw.

How sweet?

Frappé is ordered like Greek coffee: unsweetened (sketos), medium (metrios) or sweet (glykos), with or without milk (me gala). Add sugar before shaking so it dissolves into the foam.

Frappé, freddo espresso and freddo cappuccino

• Frappé: instant coffee, shaken, with a thick foam.
• Freddo espresso: espresso shaken with ice, served over fresh ice.
• Freddo cappuccino: freddo espresso topped with cold, frothed milk.

Greek frappé: frequently asked questions