Despite whipped coffee effectively popping up out of nowhere, the drink has actually been around for a long time. The creamy, four-ingredient concoction is native to South Korea, where locals have been brewing it as an alternative for iced coffee and iced tea. In its home country, whipped coffee is actually known as Dalgona coffee, or ppopgi in Korean, which loosely translates to “honeycomb toffee”. Many Koreans remember Dalgona coffee as a treat from their childhood, as it is readily sold by street vendors and small shops. Dalgona sold on South Korean streets resembles large lollipops and is usually assembled in familiar shapes, such as stars or hearts. The aim is to eat the Dalgona around the outline without breaking the shape in the middle.

Last year, whipped coffee made the rounds on social media thanks to the coronavirus lockdown. The craze first kicked off in late January 2020, before exploding in popularity towards the end of February. It all started when a Korean YouTuber posted a now-viral, ASMR-style video of how to make the creamy drink. The hypnotic clip has racked up more than 3.5 million views online, cementing whipped coffee in every contemporary cookbook. Since then, anyone and everyone have been hitting up TikTok to share their attempts at the iced beverage. In fact, there are so many videos on the platform, it’s now being referred to as TikTok coffee.

Whipped coffee is the opposite of a latte. Rather than spooning frothy milk on top of espresso, you whip the coffee and pour it on top of milk. One of the major reasons why whipped coffee is so famous online is because it is quick and easy to make. Unlike other coffee options, you don’t need a coffee machine, barista qualification or chemistry degree to figure this one out. In fact, you don’t even need real coffee beans.

If you want to make the best TikTok coffee out there, there are a few things you should try. Most importantly, be sure to use granulated sugar, rather than sugar alternatives or natural sweeteners. Granulated sugar will dissolve more consistently, making it easier to mix. At the same time, you could definitely make whipped coffee without sugar, however, the process is very time consuming and involves a lot more whipping. The sugar version will maintain its fluffiness for hours, whereas the non-sugar variation will fall quite quickly.