Learn • Bert’s Recipes

Easy Affogato — Espresso Over Ice Cream

Affogato is one of our favorite “I didn’t plan dessert” moves: hot coffee or espresso poured over cold vanilla ice cream. It tastes fancy, takes five minutes, and lets your coffee do the talking while everyone thinks you’re a genius.

Difficulty: Very easy Total time: ~5 minutes Best with: Fresh espresso or strong coffee Style: Coffee-forward dessert
Affogato dessert with espresso poured over vanilla ice cream in a small glass
Hot coffee, cold ice cream, zero stress dessert.

Ingredients

Two scales: a single “treat yourself” serving and a small crowd version for when friends magically appear after dinner.

Single Serving

  • 1 generous scoop (about 1/2 cup) vanilla ice cream or gelato
  • 1 shot (25–30 ml) hot espresso
    or 2–3 Tbsp very strong hot coffee
  • Optional: chocolate shavings, cocoa powder, or crushed cookies
  • Optional: pinch of flaky salt on top

Friends & Family (4–6 Servings)

  • 1 pint (about 2 cups) vanilla ice cream or gelato
  • 4–6 shots hot espresso
    or about 1 cup very strong hot coffee
  • Optional: toppings for the table (chocolate chips, nuts, cookie crumbs)
  • Small cups or glasses that can handle hot + cold together
Coffee choice: Any coffee you love straight will work here. A chocolatey espresso, a rich medium roast, or a slightly fruitier single origin all bring a different mood to the same simple dessert.

Equipment

  • Espresso machine, moka pot, AeroPress, or another way to make strong coffee
  • Small cups, bowls, or heat-safe glasses
  • Spoon for serving and swirling

Step-by-Step

  1. Chill your serving glasses. If you have a few minutes, pop your cups or glasses into the fridge or freezer. It helps keep the ice cream happy for a bit longer.
  2. Portion the ice cream. Add a scoop of vanilla ice cream or gelato to each glass or bowl. Keep them in the freezer while you brew the coffee.
  3. Brew your espresso or strong coffee. Pull fresh espresso shots or brew a small amount of very strong coffee. You want it hot, concentrated, and ready to pour.
  4. Pour over “to order.” Right before serving, bring everything to the table. Pour the hot espresso or coffee directly over the ice cream in front of your guest (or yourself). That moment is half the fun.
  5. Add toppings if you like. Finish with a sprinkle of cocoa powder, chocolate shavings, crushed cookies, or a tiny pinch of flaky salt.
  6. Serve immediately. Affogato lives in the overlap: not fully melted, not fully solid. Hand it off and enjoy that “coffee float” window while it lasts.
Heads up: Because you’re mixing hot and cold, serve in smaller portions. It looks elegant and keeps everything from turning into lukewarm soup too quickly.

Easy Tweaks & Variations

  • Chocolate twist: Use chocolate or stracciatella ice cream instead of vanilla.
  • Caramel mood: Drizzle a little caramel sauce over the ice cream before the coffee pour.
  • Decaf dessert: Make it with decaf espresso so it can be a true late-night treat.
  • “Affogato float” for heat waves: Serve over extra ice in a slightly bigger glass and add a splash of cold milk to stretch it into a slow-sipping drink.
  • Kid-friendly version: Swap the coffee for a splash of chocolate milk or cold-brewed cocoa for a “not coffee yet” version.

Pair This with Coo Coo’s Coffee

As we build out more dessert-style recipes, this will stay our base affogato approach: simple, flexible, and built to show off whatever coffee you’re excited about right now.