Korean Matcha Dalgona: The Viral Recipe Everyone Is Copying
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Korean Matcha Dalgona: The Viral Recipe Everyone Is Copying
Dalgona coffee conquered the world in 2020. Its Korean matcha version is more beautiful, smoother, and aromatically far more interesting.
In 2020, the world discovered dalgona coffee: a creamy foam made by whisking instant coffee, sugar and hot water, then spooned over cold milk. Born in South Korea and launched into the stratosphere by TikTok and Instagram, it became one of the most viral culinary trends of the decade.
Since then, the matcha version has taken over in the trendiest cafés of Seoul, Tokyo and Paris. For good reason: Korean matcha foam has a spectacular emerald green colour, a vegetal and lightly sweet aroma, and an even silkier texture than the coffee version. It is also, by a considerable margin, the most photogenic of the two.
1. The history of dalgona: from coffee to matcha
The word "dalgona" (달고나) originally refers to a popular Korean street confection: a kind of puffed caramel made from sugar and baking soda, sold on Korean streets since the 1960s. The Netflix series Squid Game (2021) made it famous worldwide through its honeycomb candy cutting game.
Dalgona coffee was popularised in South Korea in early 2020, largely attributed to a segment on the Korean television programme Morning Special. The recipe then spread on TikTok at extraordinary speed, becoming one of the most shared culinary trends of the pandemic period.
The matcha version followed in its wake and is now on the menu at many premium Korean cafés including Osulloc Tea House in Seoul, generating thousands of Pinterest posts each month, especially since Korean matcha cafés began attracting an international following.
2. Which Korean matcha to choose for dalgona
The matcha dalgona recipe operates on a different principle to dalgona coffee: matcha cannot be whipped into foam the way instant coffee can. Instead, you prepare a very concentrated matcha paste, then create a foam separately using cream or egg white, which is spooned over the milk.
The choice of matcha is therefore critical: a matcha that is too bitter or too coarse will produce a harsh paste that throws everything off balance. Korean matchas from Jeju, recognised for their natural softness and absence of bitterness, are ideal for this recipe.
3. Classic recipe: Iced Matcha Dalgona
- Korean matcha (Gossi Farm or Danongwon)3g
- Hot water at 70°C20 ml
- Very cold heavy cream60 ml
- Icing sugar (for the foam)1 tsp
- Oat milk or whole milk, cold200 ml
- Ice cubesone tall glass
- Sift the matcha into a small bowl. Add water at 70°C and whisk in small circular movements until a smooth, lump-free, glossy paste forms.
- In a separate chilled bowl, whisk the cream with the icing sugar to a soft whipped cream: it should hold its shape but remain supple, not stiff.
- Gently fold the matcha paste into the whipped cream using a spatula, preserving the volume. The foam should become a uniform pale green colour.
- Fill a tall glass with ice cubes. Pour in the cold milk.
- Spoon the matcha foam over the surface. Do not stir: the two-layer green/white effect is the visual signature of matcha dalgona. Stir just before drinking.
4. Advanced recipe: Hot Matcha Dalgona
- Ceremonial Korean matcha (Magpie & Tiger)3g
- Hot water at 70°C20 ml
- Whole milk, warm (not boiling)200 ml
- Milk foam (steam wand or frother)40 ml
- Prepare the matcha paste: sift, add water at 70°C, whisk until smooth.
- Heat the milk to 65°C without boiling. Create a dense foam using a milk frother or steam wand.
- Pour the warm milk into a preheated cup.
- Spoon the matcha paste onto the surface. Add the milk foam on top.
- Finish with a light dusting of matcha through a fine sieve.
5. Variation: Mugwort Dalgona (Ssuk)
The major trend in Korean cafés through 2024 and 2025: replacing matcha with ssuk (쑥), Korean mugwort powder. The result is a foam of a deeper, darker green, with a herbaceous and lightly earthy aroma that is distinctly more complex than standard matcha.
- Mugwort Matcha Magpie & Tiger3g
- Water at 70°C20 ml
- Whipped cream60 ml
- Soy or oat milk, cold200 ml
- Ice cubesone glass
- Same process as the classic matcha dalgona, replacing the matcha with mugwort matcha powder.
- Note: mugwort powder is denser, add a touch more water if needed to achieve a fluid paste.
- The foam takes on a deeper khaki-green colour, highly photogenic.
6. Tips for a perfect foam
The success of matcha dalgona depends on a few simple but non-negotiable technical points.
Water temperature for the matcha paste is critical: at 70°C, matcha dissolves perfectly without cooking. Above 80°C, the volatile aromatics disappear and the colour turns a dull grey-green. A kitchen thermometer or variable-temperature kettle resolves the issue definitively.
For the foam, the cream must come straight from the refrigerator, into a chilled bowl. Room-temperature cream will not whip properly. If using egg whites, they should be at room temperature, with no trace of yolk or grease in the bowl.
7. Our Maison Boseong matcha selection
🍵 The Baristas' Choice Danongwon Premium Korean Matcha, 100g The official matcha of Seoul's top cafés. Balanced, easy to work with, ideal for recipes. → ✨ Premium Version Magpie & Tiger Ceremonial Matcha, 40g First spring flush. Floral and umami notes. For an exceptional dalgona. →To explore our full Korean matcha range, visit our Matcha collection. For more summer recipes using Korean green tea, our Iced Nokcha guide offers four more cold preparations.
About the author:Nico Lesage is the founder of Maison Boseong. An expert in Korean teas, he has lived in Seoul since 2011. Every year, he travels to the peninsula’s tea gardens to source exceptional harvests directly from local producers.