Coffee Jelly: Yay or Nay? Let’s Find Out

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Straight Answer: Yes, coffee jelly tastes good!

For coffee enthusiasts, coffee jelly can come off as great news. Coffee for many isn’t just about fuel for the day; it’s more than a stimulant drink that fills your mind with a drive beyond explanation.

The prominent flavor and whiff of coffee give you the ecstasy you crave just after waking up.

If a component of such a vital element can bring so much joy in your life, you’d be excited to know about jellies that gear up that very excitement to a certain core.

Coffee jelly is sweet and creamy with the signature coffee flavor. However, it contains a significantly lower caffeine content compared to a regular cup of Joe. The caffeine content usually ranges around 10 mg only, but this can vary depending on how much coffee you add to the recipe.

In this post, we’ll explore almost everything about coffee jelly.

So, brace yourselves because you’re in for something interesting!

Is Coffee Jelly a Dessert?

Yes, coffee jelly is a curated gelatin-based dessert.

The dessert is made in a certain way, which can be taken raw itself or with glasses of milkshakes and latte.

Coffee jellies can certainly add fun to your drink, being a simple addition to dessert. 

Coffee jelly dessert with cream on top and chocolates to complement it!

Coffee jellies are made with dribble-sweetened cream to add a fine dimension to them. They’re not too sweet and can be adjusted as per your taste preference.

So anytime you want to fix your boring coffee, a coffee jelly can save your day for the good!

Is Coffee Jelly a Real Thing?

Coffee jelly is as real as it gets.

It was invented just after the Westerners introduced coffee to the Japanese. The Japanese discovered a new use of the coffee plant, which is coffee jelly.

The fusion of coffee and gelatin is perfect when served as dessert or sometimes with liquid coffee.

At first, I was put off by the idea of caffeine and jelly together but apparently, it is a trend in China and Japan. I remember going to a convenience store in Japan, and they give out creamer in packs, so you can make a coffee jelly sort of.

How to Make Coffee Jelly with Real Coffee?

To help you more about whether or not coffee jelly is a real thing, we’ve compiled the elements that are needed to make it.

Coffee Jelly Ingredients

  • unflavored gelatin powder
  • water
  • black coffee of any kind but brewed
  • sugar
  • whipped cream (additional)

These ingredients speak for themselves and are easily accessible. Thus, you can effortlessly make it at home with the essential ingredients mentioned.

If you don’t fancy sugar, you can also choose to make your coffee jelly with fresh coffee and a tiny amount of sugar. A teaspoon of cream would go nice with it as well.

To know more about how you can make them and use them for your daytime and nighttime cravings, here is the complete process of making them.

  1. Heat three cups of water in a sauce pot. Let it boil. 
  2. Add instant coffee to the boiled water and stir slowly until it dissolves.
  3. Take one cup of cold water in a large bowl and drizzle gelatin in it. 
  4. Wait for a couple of minutes for the gelatin powder to bloom.
  5. Add three cups of boiling coffee gradually and stir until the granules are completely diffuse.
  6. After the mixture is complete, cool it off on a separate dish.
  7. Take the bowl into a refrigerator and freeze for two to three hours.
  8. Take another dish and combine condensed milk and fresh cream to blend it well.
  9. The gelatin will form a thick setting and be cut into cubes to serve it however you wish.

This complete procedure will help you associate with coffee jellies more closely than coffee itself. The coffee dessert can even come off as a random snack on a Sunday evening.

You can also watch this short clip of a simple recipe for tasty coffee jelly.

What Is The Purpose Of Coffee Jelly?

Coffee jelly is a popular Japanese dessert made with coffee-flavored gelatin that is typically served with whipped cream or ice cream.

The purpose of coffee jelly is to provide a sweet and refreshing dessert that has a unique coffee flavor.

Coffee jelly can be served as a dessert after a meal or as a refreshing snack during hot weather.

The texture of the gelatin is similar to Jello, but with a subtle coffee flavor that adds a bit of complexity to the dish.

Learn how to make Coffee Jelly in a few simple steps.

Does Starbucks Sell Coffee Jelly?

Starbucks offers Caramel Coffee Jelly Frappuccino

Starbucks does sell coffee jelly!

They do Caramel Coffee Jelly Frappuccino made of creamy Frappuccino and blended with milk, coffee, ice, and whipped cream on top.

Sounds mouth-watering, isn’t it?

One piece of advice that I can provide is that instead of caramel sauce, you can also request chocolate shavings, sprinkles, or even a dash of cinnamon as toppings!

If the caramel coffee jelly isn’t available, you can make an identical drink with this recipe.

Coffee Jelly Nutritional Facts

For viewing pleasure, I have created this table to show the nutritional info of coffee jelly.

Standard ValuesStandard Amount
Carbs15 g
Sugar12 g
Fat0 g
Cholesterol0 g
Sodium31 mg
Protein0 g
The standard amount is based on one tablespoon of coffee jelly.

You can also go through this research to understand how compounds of coffee jelly behave.

Types Of Coffee Jelly

The best types of coffee jellies I’ve ever tasted are:

  • Keto coffee jelly
  • Lemon coffee jelly
  • Ecuadorian coffee jelly
  • Alcohol-based coffee jelly

I am particularly impressed by the Ecuadorian coffee jelly because it tastes good, mild, smooth, and not very bitter.

You can also add sugar to the coffee part. Some people say it tastes even better, but it depends on the coffee that you use.

The combination of Ecuadorian coffee and jelly brings a natural aroma and satisfying flavor.

Coffee jelly dessert served in different dessert cups and along with whipped cream.
Ecuadorian Coffee Jelly served in a glass.

Is Coffee Jelly Vegan?

Coffee jelly can be 100% vegan if made with the right ingredients.

We all know gelatin isn’t vegan, but you can replace it with agar-agar, which is derived from a type of seaweed. That way, you can come up with vegan coffee jelly.

The vegan-friendly agar-agar does not have fat or carbs and is much less in flavor.

However, I strongly suggest closely inspecting the ingredients used for your coffee jelly recipe to ensure that it is 100% vegan-friendly.

Here’s a vegan coffee jelly recipe that’s worth trying.

Is Coffee Jelly Sweet?

Coffee jelly is sweet but with a bitter taste because of the coffee.

Coffee jellies are just the same as general coffee, but with a different delicacy. The sweetness or bitterness of the coffee jelly depends on how much or less sugar you choose to put into it. 

The very mixture of cream, sugar, and gelatin gives a sweet yet milky taste.

I like adding sugar, cream, and sweetened condensed milk to make my coffee jelly taste sweeter. The combination of these ingredients is perfect, and I love it so much!

Is It OK To Eat Jelly Every day?

While the jelly is a sweet and delicious treat, it’s not recommended to eat it every day, especially in large quantities.

Most types of jelly are high in sugar and calories, and consuming them in excess can lead to weight gain, tooth decay, and an increased risk of chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes and heart disease.

Additionally, jelly does not provide many essential nutrients and is considered an “empty calorie” food, meaning it provides calories but little nutritional value.

Overall, it’s important to consume jelly and other sweets in moderation as part of a balanced diet that includes plenty of nutrient-rich whole foods like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins.

Is Coffee Jelly Good For Health?

Coffee jelly is a dessert, and like most desserts, it is not typically considered a healthy food. However, in moderation, it can be a part of a balanced diet.

The health benefits of coffee jelly will largely depend on the ingredients used to make it, E.g.:

If the recipe includes a lot of sugar or sweetened condensed milk, it will be higher in calories and sugar, which can contribute to weight gain and other health problems if consumed in excess.

Overall, coffee jelly should be consumed in moderation as part of a balanced diet. It’s important to be mindful of the ingredients used and to limit added sugars and excess calories.

What are the Benefits of Coffee Jelly?

The fusion of gelatin and coffee helps speed up metabolism, and in theory, helps you lose weight.

Gelatin can also help reduce muscle inflammation and may help you recover quickly after an injury. It can also help with joint-related problems, digestive issues, and promotes better skin health.

Moreover, the caffeine in coffee jelly can help improve cognitive functions, boosts energy levels, and may help with depression.

Of course, the agar used in this dessert also presents various health benefits such as better digestive health, promoted weight loss, and also strengthened bones.

Still, you shouldn’t be too complacent because coffee, gelatin, and agar-agar are linked to various health complications such as:

  • caffeine overdose
  • bloating
  • heartburn
  • belching
  • constipation

Final Words

There are many ways to consume coffee, and you would love to explore the many available varieties.

It can be enjoyed as a simple yet delicious dessert or even modify it to create a unique DIY method that is matched your personal preferences such as vegan, keto, lemon, Ecuadorian, or even alcohol-based coffee jelly!

Coffee jelly is one of those ways to level up your beverage and dessert list.

With readily available ingredients, you can easily create your DIY coffee jelly at home.

However, side effects should also be taken into consideration to make sure coffee jellies are consumed up to the limit that you can handle. Especially, sugar consumption is taken care of as per requirement.

Nevertheless, the pros gained from coffee jellies indeed outweigh the cons.

In my opinion, coffee jellies add much fun in a setting full of boring desserts and sweet treats. Hence, coffee jelly can be fantastic to consume when the health benefits are known.

So, coffee jelly is excellent!

You should have one now!

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