Is Coffee Jelly Good? (Is It Worth Trying?)

Coffee jelly tastes really good. It’s a gelatin-based dessert that is very sweet and can be added to any milkshakes or drinks or eaten as it is.

The whole world is familiar with what coffee is. And most people enjoy coffee for its caffeine benefits. The kickstart energy that it gives to help you get out of your bed, the elevation of mood, and the concentrated supply of antioxidants. These are some of the goodies for drinking coffee regularly. But what is coffee jelly all about?

Is it a dessert or just plain coffee with a different name? Let’s find together.

Let’s begin.

What Is Coffee Jelly?

Boba tea

Coffee jelly is one of the most delicious jellies in the world. It is sweetened coffee that is added to agar or gelatin then enjoyed with other toppings like cream or chocolate or added in drinks.

Most people are familiar with the drink version of coffee. Everywhere you go, when you talk about coffee, it’s the liquid version that is brewed and then handed over to you no matter which coffee shop you go to. So, what’s coffee jelly?

Westerners introduced coffee to Japan, which led to the invention of coffee jelly in the year 1926. They put this newly introduced beverage to something out of the box and made this delicious dessert which had a touch of Westerner culture mixed with theirs. As a dessert or alongside liquid coffee, gelatin and coffee make a wonderful combination. Together, these two ingredients offer great health benefits too.

Health Benefits Of Gelatin

Gelatin benefits are as follows:

  • Collagen for great skin
  • Managed sugar
  • Strengthens bones
  • Aids in weight loss
  • Better gut health

This dessert is usually cut into cubes and then served with whipped cream or grated chocolate to enhance the flavors of coffee. And it’s added in milkshakes or other drinks in China and Japan.

This is just like the famous boba tea or bubble tea. Almost every cafe or restaurant serves it and sometimes even public schools serve it for lunch. You see, Japan has become very accustomed to this coffee dessert. But if you are looking for a sugar-free version, you can omit the sugar and the toppings and enjoy the true flavors of robust coffee when making it at home.

Does Coffee Jelly Have Caffeine?

Of course, coffee jelly is caffeinated because it’s made with brewed coffee. And brewed coffee definitely contains caffeine unless you made it with decaf coffee.

Coffee is among those beverages which are highly caffeinated. Whether you make an espresso shot or make Frappuccino, coffee contains caffeine. The coffee plant naturally has caffeine. It’s one of the most active compounds that are found in coffee. Even most of the benefits that are linked with coffee are because of caffeine.

roasted coffee beans in the mug

So, if you talk about coffee jelly, it too contains caffeine.

In Japan, there are instant mixes available too, which also contain caffeine and are mentioned on their respective packets about the amount.  The amount that is most probably expected in the regular version would be found in the jelly version.

The addition of gelatin to brewed coffee doesn’t affect the caffeine level. So, if you brewed black coffee, the coffee jelly will have the same amount of caffeine as in the regular black coffee.

I’ve prepared a table for different coffee caffeine levels.

Types Of CoffeeQuantityCaffeine Level
Black Coffee8 oz95 mg
Espresso 1 oz60 mg
Americano8 oz80 mg
Instant Coffee8 oz59 mg
Cold Brew8 oz96 mg

How To Make Coffee Jelly?

Coffee jelly can easily be made by brewing fresh coffee and adding it to agar or gelatin mix with sugar. Once set, cut into cubes and then top with cream and other toppings like fruits and even chocolate.

Coffee jelly is not rocket science. It’s a simple basic sweet dessert that is caffeinated and can be enjoyed as a summer treat. Though the coffee jelly mixes can be found at a convenience store or grocery store, if you want to make it fresh at home you can do that too.

a cup of coffee with latte art

All you need to get started is:

  • Instant coffee 1 cup
  • Gelatin powder unflavored 25 grams
  • Sugar 1 cup
  • Toppings of your choice
  • Water 1 liter

Here’s how to make coffee jelly at home:

  • Add 1 cup of water in a cup and add gelatin to it. Let it sit for 10 minutes.
  • Now add the remaining water to saucepan.
  • Add in the coffee powder and sugar and stir.
  • Completely dissolve the coffee and the sugar in the water and remove from the stove.
  • Now mix the gelatin water and the coffee mix and stir to make sure everything is well combined.
  • Pour the mix into a mold which is atleast 2cm deep or choose whatever mold you like.
  • Place it in the fridge for 4 to 6 hours.
  • Once done cut into cubes and top it with condensed milk, cream, fruits or chocolate sauce.

If you have leftover coffee jelly you can store it in the fridge and this should last you about 2 days. A bonus tip, add the liquid mixture into fun silicone molds like mermaids and stars. This way they are very easy to remove and will make fun shapes too.

You can watch this video about coffee jelly.

Does Starbucks Have Coffee Jelly?

Starbucks does sell coffee jelly. It was introduced in Japan in 2008. The drink that had the coffee jelly was the caramel coffee jelly frappuccino.

Starbucks Japan has previously offered coffee jelly on its menu. It was first introduced to the drinks line-up as a limited-edition Frappuccino in 2008 and it returned a few times over the years because of its popularity. Apparently, this is the most recent evolution of the blended beverage, with the custard vanilla sauce.

The bottom layer of the Starbucks Frappuccino contains the chain’s roast espresso blend and coffee jelly. A vanilla custard sauce, coffee blended with whipped cream, and coffee jelly are layered over the blended coffee, milk, and ice. It is then topped with caramel drizzle to give it an extra caramelly flavor.

So, if you want to try coffee jelly from Starbucks, you sure can.

The Bottom Line

In summary, coffee jelly is just regular coffee but in gelatin form. It can be eaten as it is or added to a dessert to enhance the overall taste and experience. They’re quite easy to make and can be done at home.

Coffee jelly was just popularized in Japan, but now it is everywhere. Even Starbucks has them in their famous Frappuccino drinks.

But make sure you consume coffee jellies in limited quantities. You know you should also consider their side effects as sugar and caffeine should not be consumed in large quantities.

Nevertheless, coffee jelly also has health benefits. So, enjoy coffee jelly in moderation and make your sweet treat more fun.

Marty

Caffeine aficionado and coffee student (if there's such a thing!). I've come to love coffee in recent years and share what I learn along the way on this website.

Recent Posts