Vietnamese Cold Brew Recipe with Sweetened Condensed Milk

Vietnamese cold brew is a chilled coffee drink made by steeping coarse-ground coffee in cold water, then serving the concentrate over ice with sweetened condensed milk. It borrows the familiar bold coffee-and-milk pairing of Vietnamese iced coffee, while using a slower, no-heat brewing method for a smooth, easy-to-make variation.

Ingredients

1 cup (100 g) coarsely ground coffee, preferably a medium-dark or dark roast
2 1/2 cups (590 ml) cold, preferably filtered, water for brewing
1/4 cup (75 g) sweetened condensed milk
1 cup (240 ml) cold water for diluting the concentrate
4 cups (about 560 g) ice cubes

Instructions

Combine the coffee and brewing water. Add the coarse coffee grounds and 2 1/2 cups (590 ml) cold water to a clean jar or covered pitcher. Stir gently until all of the grounds are wet. The mixture will look cloudy and may form a floating layer; that is normal. Cover the container.
Steep for 14 hours. Refrigerate the covered mixture for 14 hours. This makes a fairly strong concentrate for serving over ice and milk. Avoid leaving it at room temperature for this long, and do not extend the steep by several extra hours expecting a better result; an overly long steep can taste woody or harsh.
Strain the coffee. Set a fine-mesh sieve over a clean pitcher and line it with a coffee filter or a few layers of clean, damp cheesecloth. Pour the coffee through slowly. Let it drain without pressing or squeezing the grounds, which can push fine particles into the drink and make it muddy. If you can still see sediment, strain the liquid a second time through a fresh filter. The yield varies with the grind, but it should be enough for four drinks at about 100 ml (a scant 1/2 cup) of concentrate each.
Mix the condensed milk. Stir the sweetened condensed milk in its container if it has separated or thickened. For a smooth drink, whisk the 1/4 cup (75 g) condensed milk with 2 tablespoons of the strained coffee until loose, then stir that mixture back into the remaining coffee. You can instead leave the milk separate and add it to each glass for a layered presentation.
Build four drinks. Fill each glass with about 1 cup (140 g) of ice. Add 100 ml (a scant 1/2 cup) coffee concentrate, 1/4 cup (60 ml) of the cold dilution water, and about 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of condensed milk. Stir until the drink is evenly mixed and taste. Add a little more water for a lighter coffee or more condensed milk for a sweeter one. Serve promptly, while the ice is still firm.

Tips

Use a coarse grind. Grounds should look like coarse sand or breadcrumbs, not powder. A fine grind is harder to filter and can make the finished coffee cloudy, gritty, or bitter. If buying coffee already ground, choose a coarse setting intended for cold brew or French press.
Choose coffee to suit your taste. A medium-dark or dark roast gives the drink a deep, roasted flavor that stands up to condensed milk. Vietnamese robusta coffee is a classic choice when available; a robusta-Arabica blend also works. If you use a lighter Arabica roast, expect a gentler, often more floral or fruity cup rather than the same intense roast character.
Adjust sweetness after dilution. Condensed milk tastes especially sweet on its own, but ice and water change how the drink tastes. Start with 1 tablespoon per glass, stir well, and add more in small amounts. If the milk is stubbornly thick, loosen it with a spoonful of coffee instead of adding hot water to a cold drink.
Keep the filter clean and be patient. A paper filter or fine cheesecloth catches the small particles that make a cold brew feel dusty. Do not wring the filter to hurry the process. If it drains very slowly, the grind may be too fine; next time, use a coarser grind rather than forcing the coffee through.

Serving Suggestions

Serve the coffee in a tall glass over plenty of ice, with a spoon or straw for stirring the condensed milk through the dark concentrate. A clear glass shows the contrast if you pour the coffee first and drizzle the milk down the side just before serving. For a richer, less diluted drink, use large ice cubes or coffee ice cubes made from leftover brewed coffee; regular small cubes melt faster and soften the flavor.

This drink pairs well with a small breakfast or snack, such as a buttered pastry, a plain roll, or a lightly sweet baked treat. Since the coffee is concentrated and the milk is sweet, it can be satisfying in a smaller glass too. For guests, set out the concentrate, dilution water, ice, and condensed milk separately so everyone can choose a stronger or sweeter ratio. Keep the pitcher of concentrate cold while people serve themselves.

Variations

Make it dairy-free: Replace condensed milk with sweetened condensed coconut milk in the same quantity. It gives the drink a coconut aroma and a slightly different sweetness. Alternatively, use 1 tablespoon (15 ml) maple syrup or simple syrup per glass with 2 tablespoons (30 ml) of oat milk or another creamy plant milk. That alternative is less thick and less sweet than condensed milk, so adjust to taste.

Make it less sweet: Start with 1 to 2 teaspoons (5 to 10 ml) condensed milk per serving, then add more only if needed. For a drink with no added sweetener, omit the condensed milk and use a splash of plain milk or cream. This leaves the coffee flavor more prominent and is not the classic sweetened style.

Make a stronger glass: Use 120 ml (1/2 cup) concentrate and reduce the dilution water to 30 ml (2 tablespoons). Keep the amount of ice and condensed milk the same, then taste before adding extra milk. The drink will be bolder and can seem more bitter if the coffee was steeped too long or ground too finely.

Add a gentle spice note: Stir a small pinch of ground cinnamon into the condensed milk before mixing it with coffee. Use only a pinch so it does not overwhelm the roasted coffee. Avoid adding spices directly to the grounds unless you are comfortable filtering them out; fine spice particles can pass through a coarse sieve.

Storage and Reheating

Refrigerate the strained, undiluted coffee concentrate in a clean, covered container within 2 hours of making it. For the best flavor, use it within 3 to 4 days. Keep it separate from the ice, dilution water, and condensed milk until serving; this prevents the coffee from becoming watery and gives you control over sweetness. If the concentrate smells unusual or has been left out for more than 2 hours, discard it.

A drink already mixed with condensed milk can be covered and refrigerated, but it is best the same day because the ice melts and the flavor becomes diluted. If you need to keep a prepared serving, remove the ice before storing and use it within 1 to 2 days. Stir before drinking, since the milk may settle. This recipe is served cold, so reheating is not recommended; warm coffee can be made from the concentrate separately if desired, but heating changes the intended chilled drink.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Vietnamese cold brew the same as Vietnamese iced coffee?
Not exactly. Vietnamese iced coffee is commonly made by brewing strong coffee through a small metal phin filter and serving it with sweetened condensed milk and ice. This recipe uses cold-steeped coffee instead, so it is a cold-brew variation with a similar coffee-and-milk flavor pairing, not the same brewing method.

Can I use a phin filter to make this recipe?
A phin is designed to brew hot coffee through a compact bed of grounds, rather than to strain a full jar of cold brew. Use a fine-mesh sieve lined with a paper coffee filter or cheesecloth for this recipe. You can, of course, use a phin to make a separate traditional-style hot brew and pour it over ice with condensed milk.

Can I steep the coffee for less than 14 hours?
You can, but the result may be lighter and less concentrated. If you need a shorter steep, try 12 hours and taste a small amount after straining. Grind size, roast, and water temperature all influence extraction, so use the recipe’s 14-hour timing as a dependable starting point rather than assuming every batch will taste identical.

Why does my cold brew taste bitter or weak?
A bitter or drying flavor can come from a fine grind, an unusually long steep, or squeezing the grounds during straining. Use a coarse grind, steep for 14 hours, and let the liquid drain on its own. A weak drink may need less dilution, a stronger coffee-to-water ratio next time, or a longer steep within the suggested range.

Can I make the concentrate ahead for guests?
Yes. Strain it and refrigerate it in a covered container, then serve it within 3 to 4 days. Keep the ice, water, and condensed milk separate until each glass is made. This is more convenient than preparing every serving in advance and helps each drink stay cold and balanced.

More recipes to cook

Safety notes: safe minimum internal temperatures from USDA FSIS; raw and undercooked fish guidance from the U.S. FDA. Food safety notes

Spotted an error? Tell us and we will correct it (corrections policy).