How To Make Instant Coffee Taste Better

A complete guide on How To Make Instant Coffee Taste Better and make it coffee shop style at home.

If you want the best-tasting coffee ever without spending a small fortune on an espresso machine or constantly buying it at coffee shops - keep reading to find out how to make coffee taste good.

How Do You Make Instant Coffee Taste Better

In this section, We will answer the question of How To Make Instant Coffee Taste Better.

You will also find out the importance of getting the basics right to make good coffee shop-style coffee at home without a machine.

How To Make A Good Cup of Instant Coffee Straight From The Jar

This section may not be for you if you are a seasoned instant coffee drinker and know how you like your coffee - scroll down to our section called Perfecting the Instant Espresso Shot.

However, if you are new to instant coffee or can not make a good coffee using instant coffee - keep reading.

Making instant coffee can be as easy as putting coffee into a cup and adding hot water with a splash of milk. 

But this does not always guarantee the best-tasting instant coffee.

The secret to making the perfect cup is finding a brand you like, how much to use, and what you put in it.

Start with finding a coffee you like

Finding a good quality instant coffee brand you enjoy can make all the difference to a good-tasting instant coffee.

Our personal favorites include Moccona freeze-dried coffee granules and Nescafe instant coffee powder.

They use Arabica coffee beans, the same beans used to make most brewed coffee.

When testing out different coffee brands, try different roasts and strengths until you get a brand you like.

How Much Instant Coffee Per Cup

The amount of instant coffee you add to your cup will vary from the amount we use because it all comes down to personal taste, the type of coffee you use, and the type of milk or sweeteners you add.

You can experiment with different coffee brands and make coffees of various strengths until you find one you like.

Start by using the same teaspoon, coffee cup, and a similar amount of hot water. And if you like to have milk (or whiteners) or sweeteners, add these to the coffee every time you make it.

Tips for finding good instant coffee

• When making each cup, vary the strengths using a heaped or level teaspoon of coffee with or without milk or sugar.
• Keep adjusting the strengths by reducing or increasing the amount of coffee and milk you add to your cup until you find the strength and flavor you like.
• You might also like to experiment by adding a little cold tap water or milk to the coffee granules before adding hot water and see if that makes a difference to the taste.

Once you have found a brand of coffee you like, take it to the next level and make some delicious hot coffee shop-style coffees at home. 

Below find out how to make an espresso, cappuccino, mocha, flat white coffee, and coffee latte using instant coffee. 

They are quick and easy to make when you get the basics right.

So, keep reading.

Perfecting The Instant Espresso Shot

Here's how to make coffee taste good at home.

Just about every good coffee shop coffee starts with a shot or two of espresso. 

So, finding your preferred strength with instant coffee is essential to making a good cup.

You might be thinking, can I substitute instant coffee for espresso powder?

Yes, you can get something similar to an espresso shot, but if it is not the correct strength, you will be disappointed with the results.

What is an espresso shot?

An espresso shot is a strong black coffee made by forcing water through tightly packed ground coffee beans in an espresso machine. 

The extraction produces a shot of coffee with a small layer of foam known as crema on the top.

If you have instant espresso granules, you can easily make a shot of espresso with one teaspoon mixed in hot water, 

But if you do not have instant espresso granules, you can achieve something similar using instant coffee powder.

How To Make Espresso From Instant Coffee

If you enjoy espresso or just want to make a strong black coffee for baking or desserts like tiramisu, you can make something similar to the espresso at home with instant coffee dissolved in a little hot water.

How to make one shot of espresso with instant coffee

Mix 1 - 2 heaped or level teaspoons of instant coffee with 30 ml/grams of hot water. 

If you find this too strong or weak, increase or decrease the amount of instant coffee to get the strength and flavor you like.

How to make a double espresso with instant coffee

To make 2 shots of espresso with instant coffee - add 2 - 3 teaspoons (level or heaped) of instant coffee into 60 ml/grams of hot water. 

Admittedly instant coffee is not like brewed coffee from a machine. But it is a good alternative if you do not have a coffee machine. 

Now that you know how to make instant coffee taste better and how to make espresso with instant coffee, it is time to show you how to make coffee-shop coffee at home.

Making Instant Espresso For The Best Coffee At Home

If you do not drink espresso, you may find the coffee strengths above disgusting, but it is the essential base for making good barista-style instant coffee at home.

Coffees like cappuccino, mocha, lattes, and flat whites are made with milk and require an intense coffee base for the flavor to come through the milk.

We can only guide you on how much instant coffee to use for your instant espresso shots because, as you already know from the previous sections above, instant coffee brands and personal tastes vary.

Achieving the correct espresso strength

Depending on the strength of your instant coffee and the cup size, you may have to add an extra teaspoon or two for the correct coffee strength.

For example, we enjoy coffee but do not like it too strong. 

We make our regular everyday coffee with a 1-level teaspoon of instant coffee, but this is not strong enough to make good-tasting milk froth-based drinks like a cappuccino or flat white.

When making a cappuccino, we make a single espresso shot of instant coffee with 2 level teaspoons of coffee mixed with 30 ml/gram (1 ounce) of hot water into a 250 ml/gram (8.45 ounces) cup.

If we use a 475 ml/gram (16 ounces) mug, we make a double espresso shot by using 4 level teaspoons of coffee to 60 ml/gram (2 ounces)of hot water, which is strong enough for a good taste of coffee when mixed with the milk. 

Working out your ideal strength

To work out your ideal instant coffee espresso shot, start by making it 1 ½ to 2 times stronger than you would for your regular cup of instant coffee.

Then use that instant coffee shot to make a coffee from the list further down the page, taste it, and if you find it too weak or too strong, use less or more coffee for the next coffee shot you make.

Now that you know how to make espresso with instant coffee, you will need to make a good milk froth for your coffee shop-style coffees.

The Secret For Making A Thick And Velvety Milk Froth Without A Frother

To turn instant coffee into coffee shop coffee, you need a velvety thick, and smooth milk foam, similar to what you get from coffee machines.

How do you get the perfect milk froth?

Start with the frothing tool. 

We have found using a French press (coffee plunger) to be the best milk frother ever! 

A French press is better than trying to froth milk in a mason jar or using an immersion blender because they do not make good milk foam.

Milk froth comparison

Frothing milk in a mason jar produces very little milk foam and has to be done with caution because the mason jar can be too hot to handle without a cloth. 

Also, if you do not have the lid fitted correctly, hot milk can escape and burn you when you shake the jar. 

Frothing milk with an immersion blender - This method produces a small amount of milk foam which is more suited to a coffee latte where you only need a small amount of milk foam on top. 

Frothing milk with a French press produces a thick, smooth, dense foam that rises well and is almost like steamed milk from a coffee machine.

The reason why a French press works so well is because of the fine mesh on the plunger. 

The milk is forced through the mesh when it is plunged vigorously up and down into the milk, creating tiny air bubbles to make a smooth and dense milk foam that holds well.

The reason why a French press works so well is because, the plunger has a fine mesh on it.

The milk is forced though the mesh when it is plunged vigorously up and down into the milk.

This plunging action creates tiny air bubbles in the milk to form a smooth dense milk foam that doesn’t collapse on itself.

What Size French Press To Use

You do not need an expensive French press, but it should be medium size and hold about 4 cups.

We do not recommend anything smaller than this because you need the size to handle the amount of milk foam it produces.

The image below shows the amount of froth made with a French press. We heated 150 ml (5 ounces) of milk, and after a few seconds of vigorous plunging ended up with almost half a jug full of frothed milk.

The Best Milk For Frothing

We tested this frothing method with whole and skim milk, and they both frothed up nicely.

However, we have not tested this frothing method with almond milk, oat milk, or soy milk, but assume they will work. After all, these kinds of milk are frothed for coffee every day in cafes.

Make A Super Creamy Froth

If you like a rich and creamier coffee, replace a small quantity of whole milk with cream.

The extra fat from the cream helps to produce a better milk foam and is super smooth and frothy.

For our taste, we like to replace about ⅕ of the milk with cream.

How Hot Should The Milk Be?

To make the best-tasting coffee at home, you need to get the correct coffee strength, and the milk needs to be at the right temperature.

In a café, a good barista only warms the milk to between 50 – 60°C (122 - 140°F) to make the perfect coffee.

At home, the milk and be heated on the stovetop or in the microwave oven. 

For the stovetop - bring the milk to just before boiling point, removing it from the heat when you see milk bubbles form around the inside edge of the pot.  

Or use the microwave oven to heat the milk - our preferred method.

Why use the microwave oven to heat milk? 

We have found that microwaving milk is the best method because it is quick, and you can set the timing so that the milk just heats and does not come to a boil.

Warming Milk For Coffee In The Microwave

We pour the milk into the jug of our coffee plunger because it has a plastic frame and can be put straight into the microwave oven without the metal plunger for heating.

We heat 150 ml/grams (5 ounces) of milk for about 1 minute and 30 seconds and 240 ml/grams (8 ounces) of milk for about 2 minutes in our 850-watt microwave oven.

Alternatively, if your French press has a metal frame or is not microwave safe, you can warm the milk in a microwave-safe jug and pour the warmed milk into the French press for frothing.

Warming Milk For Coffee Without A Microwave

full boil.

We have found that using milk that has come to a rolling boil spoils the taste of the coffee.

Here is how to heat milk on the stove for coffee. 

Bring the milk to just boiling point and remove it from the heat when the milk starts to steam and tiny little bubbles begin to form around the inside edges of the pot.

How to Make Coffee Shop Coffee With Instant Coffee

How Much Milk To Use

Before we cover the all-important part of making coffee shop coffee at home with instant coffee, I want to go into the cup sizes.

Coffee cup capacity 

It is important to know the capacity of the cup you are using because it will allow you to work out how much milk to use and the number of espresso shots you need to make.

We selected two different-sized cups to use as examples:

• one 240 ml (8.11 ounces) small cup.
• the other is a 475 ml (16 ounces) large mug.

You can do something similar or start with your favorite coffee cup and work out its capacity.

The best way to find out how much liquid a cup holds is to weigh it filling it with water. 

• To do this, place an empty cup onto the kitchen scales, then zero the scales. Next, fill the cup to the very top with water and write down the weight of the water in the cup.
• If you don’t have kitchen scales, fill the cup with water and then pour the water into a measuring jug and write down how much liquid it holds.

Once you know how much liquid the cup holds, you can work out the number of espresso shots needed for a cup that size.

How many Espresso Shots Per Cup

All the coffees listed below will start with a single or double shot, depending on the cup size.

As a guide, you could start with the ones listed below, selecting the one closest to your cup capacity.

• For a small cup of around 240 ml/grams (8.11 ounces), use a single shot of espresso made with 30 ml/grams (1 ounce) of hot water.
• For a large cup of around 475 ml/grams (16 ounces), use a double shot of espresso made with 60 ml/grams (2 ounces).
• For a cup size in between, you might be better off using a double shot of coffee instead of a single shot because it could end up being too weak.

You can refer back to “How to make an espresso shot with instant coffee” to help you get your shot strengths right.

Next, work out how much milk you will need for your chosen coffee, which we will explain below, along with instructions on how to make the coffee:

How To Make A Cappuccino At Home Without A Machine

A cappuccino is a coffee made with about ⅓ of a cup of milk foam and lightly dusted with cocoa powder before serving.

This cappuccino recipe makes 1 cup.

Time to make - less than 4 minutes.

Ingredients for a cappuccino

Milk

You will need two-thirds of a cup of whole milk based on the capacity of the cup used.

To work out two-thirds cup capacity, divide the capacity (the weight of the liquid measure you got from the cup you measured in the previous section) into three, then multiply by 2 to get two-thirds. 

For example:

• For a small cup with a capacity of 240 ml/grams (8.11 ounces), ⅔ will be 160 ml/grams (5.4 ounces). So, you would use 160 ml/gram (5.4 ounces) of milk.
• For a large cup with a capacity of 475 ml/grams (16 ounces), ⅔ will be about 320 ml/grams (11 ounces). So, use 320 ml/grams (11 ounces) of milk.
• If your cup size is different, measure ⅔ of your cup to get the required milk.

Espresso shot made with instant coffee

• For the small cup (240 ml / 8.11 ounces), make a single shot of espresso with 2 teaspoons of instant coffee (or to taste) mixed with 30 ml/grams (1 ounce) of hot water.
• For the large cup (475 ml / 16 ounces), make a double shot of espresso with 3 - 4 teaspoons of instant coffee (or to taste) mixed with 60 ml/grams (2 ounces) of hot water.
• If your cup size is different, use a single or double shot depending on its size, or make the coffee shot to taste.

Sugar - optional.

Chocolate or cocoa powder for dusting - optional.

How to Make A Cappuccino

Pour the milk into the French press if it is microwave safe, or put it into a microwave-safe jug. 

Heat the milk in a microwave oven for about 1 ½ - 2 minutes until it is hot but not boiling. 

Or heat the milk to just boiling point on the stovetop.

While the milk is heating, prepare the coffee shot.

Make the espresso shot in your coffee cup, add sugar if using and mix well.

How to froth and pour the milk for a cappuccino

1. Place the warm milk into the French press and insert the plunger.
2. Hold the lid down with one hand, and use the other hand to vigorously move the plunger up and down into the milk, using short sharp bursts. Do this for about 15 - 20 seconds or until it has more than doubled in volume.
3. Remove the plunger insert.
4. Hold the coffee plunger jug by the handle, and firmly tap the base onto the bench several times to break the large bubbles on top of the milk foam.
5. Then swirl the milk by moving the jug in a circular motion while the base of the coffee plunger jug is still on the bench. Swirling makes the foam even smoother. 
6. Allow it to stand on the bench undisturbed for about 30-40 seconds - the milk and foam will separate into layers. 
7. Next, use a tablespoon to hold back the foam as you pour the milk into the cup and fill it to about halfway with milk. 
8. Remove the tablespoon and allow the foam to flow into the cup until it reaches the top.
9. Once the cup is full, hold back the foam again, and top up with a bit more milk to make the foam rise slightly above the rim. 
10. Dust with cocoa powder before serving.

Drink and enjoy on its own or with a buttery pineapple cookie, a slice of mixed berry cheesecake, delicious lamingtons, or something savory like these ham and cheese pizza scrolls.

Mocha With Instant Coffee

Mocha coffee is similar to a cappuccino with the main difference being the addition of cocoa powder to the espresso shot giving it a chocolate flavor.

Mocha is sometimes decorated with cocoa powder, chocolate drizzle, or whipped cream.

This recipe for mocha coffee makes 1 cup.

Time to make - less than 4 minutes.

Ingredients for a mocha

Milk

You will need two-thirds of a cup of whole milk based on the capacity of the cup used.

To work out two-thirds cup capacity, divide the capacity (the weight of the liquid measure you got from the cup you measured in the previous section) into three, then multiply by 2 to get two-thirds. 

For example:

• For a small cup with a capacity of 240 ml/grams (8.11 ounces), ⅔ will be 160 ml/grams (5.4 ounces). So, you would use 160 ml/gram (5.4 ounces) of milk.
• For a large cup with a capacity of 475 ml/grams (16 ounces), ⅔ will be about 320 ml/grams (11 ounces). So, use 320 ml/grams (11 ounces) of milk.
• If your cup size is different, measure ⅔ of your cup to get the required milk.

Espresso shot made with instant coffee and cocoa powder

• For the small cup (240 ml / 8.11 ounces), make a single shot of espresso with 2 teaspoons of instant coffee and 1 heaped teaspoon of unsweetened cocoa powder (or to taste) mixed with 30 ml/grams (1 ounce) hot water.
• For the large cup (475 ml / 16 ounces), make a double shot of espresso with 3 - 4 teaspoons of instant coffee and 1 ½ heaped teaspoon of unsweetened cocoa powder (or to taste) mixed with 60 ml/grams (2 ounces) hot water.
• If your cup size is different, use one of the above and pick one that’s closest to the cup you are using or make a shot to taste.

Sugar - optional

Chocolate, cocoa powder, chocolate sauce, or whipped cream, optional

Instructions

Pour the milk into the French press if it is microwave safe, or put it into a microwave-safe jug. 

Heat the milk in a microwave oven for about 1 ½ - 2 minutes until it is hot but not boiling. 

Or heat the milk to just boiling point on the stovetop.

While the milk is heating, prepare the coffee mocha shot.

Make the mocha espresso shot in your coffee cup, add sugar if using and mix well.

How to froth milk for a mocha

1. Place the warm milk into the French press and insert the plunger.
2. Hold the lid down with one hand, and use the other hand to vigorously move the plunger up and down into the milk, using short sharp bursts. Do this for about 15 - 20 seconds or until it has more than doubled in volume.
3. Remove the plunger insert.
4. Hold the coffee plunger jug by the handle, and firmly tap the base onto the bench several times to break the large bubbles on top of the milk foam.
5. Then swirl the milk by moving the jug in a circular motion while the base of the coffee plunger jug is still on the bench. Swirling makes the foam even smoother. 
6. Allow it to stand on the bench undisturbed for about 30-40 seconds - the milk and foam will separate into layers. 
7. Next, use a tablespoon to hold back the foam as you pour the milk into the cup and fill it to about halfway with milk. 
8. Remove the tablespoon and allow the foam to flow into the cup until it reaches the top.
9. Once the cup is full, hold back the foam again, and top up with a bit more milk to make the foam rise slightly above the rim. 

Optional: Dust with cocoa powder or drizzle on some chocolate sauce, or serve with a dollop of cream before serving.

Drink it by itself or enjoy it with a delicious slice of banana bread, some chocolate cornflake cakes, or a chunk of rocky road or these yeast-free cinnamon scrolls.

Instant Coffee Latte

A latte is a coffee made with milk, with about 1-2 cm of milk foam with or without latte art.

This coffee latte recipe makes 1 cup.

Time to make - less than 4 minutes.

Ingredients for a coffee latte

Milk

You will need to subtract the coffee shot from the total amount the cup holds and subtract another 20 ml/grams (7 ounces) more – to allow for a small amount of milk foam on top of the coffee. 

For example:

• For a small cup with a capacity of 240 ml/grams (8.11 ounces), subtract 50 ml/grams (1.76 ounces) - this is equal to a single shot of 30 ml/grams (1 ounce) plus 20 ml/grams (0.7 ounces) - making it 190 ml/grams (6.7 ounces) of milk to use.
• For a large cup with a capacity of 475 ml/grams (16 ounces), subtract 80 ml/grams (2.82 ounces) - this is equal to a double shot 60 ml/grams (2 ounces) plus 20 ml/grams(0.7 ounces) - making it 395 ml/grams (14 ounces) of milk to use.

Espresso made with instant coffee for a coffee latte

• For the small cup (240 ml / 8.11 ounces), make a single shot of espresso with 2 teaspoons of instant coffee (or to taste) mixed with 30 ml/grams (1 ounce) of hot water.
• For the large cup (475 ml / 16 ounces), make a double shot of espresso with 3 - 4 teaspoons of instant coffee (or to taste) mixed with 60 ml/grams (2 ounces) of hot water.
• If your cup size is different, use a single or double shot depending on its size, or make the coffee shot to taste.

Sugar – optional.

Instructions

Pour the milk into the French press if it is microwave safe, or put it into a microwave-safe jug. 

Heat the milk in a microwave oven for about 1 ½ - 2 minutes until it is hot but not boiling. 

Or heat the milk to just boiling point on the stovetop.

While the milk is heating, prepare the coffee shot.

Make the espresso shot in your coffee cup, add sugar if using and mix well.

How to froth milk for a coffee latte

1. Place the warm milk into the French press and insert the plunger.
2. Hold the lid down with one hand, and use the other hand to vigorously move the plunger up and down into the milk, using short sharp bursts. Do this for about 15 - 20 seconds or until it has more than doubled in volume.
3. Remove the plunger insert.
4. Hold the coffee plunger jug by the handle, and firmly tap the base onto the bench several times to break the large bubbles on top of the milk foam.
5. Then swirl the milk by moving the jug in a circular motion while the base of the coffee plunger jug is still on the bench. Swirling makes the foam even smoother. 
6. Allow it to stand on the bench undisturbed for about 30-40 seconds - the milk and foam will separate into layers. 
7. Next, use a tablespoon to hold back the froth as you pour the milk into the cup and fill it to about 2 cm below the rim. 
8. Remove the tablespoon and allow the froth to flow into the cup. When the foam has reached the top of the cup use the tablespoon again to hold it back and pour more milk if needed.

Enjoy hot with or without a delicious treat like these Greek cookies with powdered sugar, or these Cinnamon sultana potato loaf, or these mini cream horns or Nanaimo bars.

Flat White With Instant Coffee

A flat white is a coffee that should have very little or no milk froth. Although when you buy from a coffee shop and depending on the Barista, it may come with some froth.

This flat white recipe makes 1 cup.

Time to make less than 4 minutes.

Ingredients for a flat white coffee

Milk

You will need to subtract the coffee shot from the total amount the cup holds and subtract another 10 ml/grams (0.35mounces) more – this will allow for some space between the coffee and the top of the cup.

For example

• For a small cup with a capacity of 240 ml/grams (8.11 ounces), subtract 40 ml/grams (1.41 ounces) - this is equal to a single shot of 30 ml/grams (1 ounce) plus 10 ml/grams (0.33 ounces) - making it 200 ml/grams (7.05 ounces) of milk to use.
• For a large cup with a capacity of 475 mg/grams (16 ounces), subtract 70 ml/grams (2.46 ounces) - this is equal to a double shot 60ml/grams (2 ounces) plus 10 ml/grams(0.33 ounces) - making it 405 ml/grams (14.28 ounces) of milk to use.

Espresso made with instant coffee for a flat white coffee

• For the small cup (240 ml / 8.11 ounces), make a single shot of espresso with 2 teaspoons of instant coffee (or to taste) mixed with 30 ml/grams (1 ounce) of hot water.
• For the large cup (475 ml / 16 ounces), make a double shot of espresso with 3 - 4 teaspoons of instant coffee (or to taste) mixed with 60 ml/grams (2 ounces) of hot water.
• If your cup size is different, use a single or double shot depending on its size, or make the coffee shot to taste.

Sugar – optional.

Instructions

Pour the milk into the French press if it is microwave safe, or put it into a microwave-safe jug. 

Heat the milk in a microwave oven for about 1 ½ - 2 minutes until it is hot but not boiling. 

Or heat the milk to just boiling point on the stovetop.

While the milk is heating, prepare the coffee shot.

Make the espresso shot in your coffee cup, add sugar if using and mix well.

How to froth milk for a coffee latte

1. Place the warm milk into the French press and insert the plunger.
2. Hold the lid down with one hand, and use the other hand to vigorously move the plunger up and down into the milk, using short sharp bursts. Do this for about 15 - 20 seconds or until it has more than doubled in volume.
3. Remove the plunger insert.
4. Hold the coffee plunger jug by the handle, and firmly tap the base onto the bench several times to break the large bubbles on top of the milk foam.
5. Then swirl the milk by moving the jug in a circular motion while the base of the coffee plunger jug is still on the bench. Swirling makes the foam even smoother. 
6. Allow it to stand on the bench undisturbed for about 30-40 seconds - the milk and foam will separate into layers.
7. Next, use a tablespoon to hold back the foam as you pour the milk into the cup and fill it to about 1 cm from the top. There should be very little foam on top.

Drink hot and enjoy with hot cheese and bacon scones or a savory Zucchini slice or something sweet like these Earl Grey macaroons.

That’s it for my guide on how to make instant coffee taste better. Which coffee are you going to make today? Let me know by leaving a quick comment below.

You might also like these coffee recipes an easy coffee whipped cream use this to decorate cakes or drinks or make Dalgona coffee made with instant coffee it is a great cold summer drink.