Recipe

Freddo Cappuccino Recipe

Name: Freddo Cappuccino Recipe
Prep time: 10 min
Total time: 10 min
Yield: 1 glass
Cuisine: Coffee
Ingredients: 18 g Coffee beans (Brew Ratio 1:2.5); 1 tsp Sugar syrup (optional); 200 g Ice cubes; 100 ml Skimmed milk (max. 0.5%)

Learn how to make a Freddo Cappuccino and enjoy a refreshing Greek-style iced cappuccino on hot summer days. Invented in Greece, this coffee classic reaches a whole new level when prepared with specialty coffee. All you need is a cocktail shaker, if you don’t already have one, to make it at home.

Joscha Gewinner

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Last updated on July 3, 2026

At a glance

Time10 minutes EffortEasy Caffeine126 mg CategoryIced coffee

Ingredients for one glass

Coffee beans (Brew Ratio 1:2.5)18 g

Sugar syrup (optional)1 tsp

Ice cubes200 g

Skimmed milk (max. 0.5%)100 ml

Caffeine and nutrition

Caffeine126 mg

Energy36 kcal

Fat0.2 g

Carbohydrates5.0 g

Protein3.4 g

Values per glass. Values exclude optional ingredients. Add approximately 12–17 kcal for each teaspoon of sugar syrup.

What do I need for a Freddo Cappuccino?

Besides your espresso machine setup, you’ll need a cocktail shaker, a spindle mixer (with a rotating disc at the end of the shaft) and a bar spoon to gently pour the ingredients into the glass. If you don’t have a spindle mixer, you can also use a handheld milk frother to create cold milk foam.

The right beans for it

Guji Megadu Espresso

Tasting notes: strawberry, cherry, orange.

View the coffee

Method

How to make freddo cappuccino

Julia, die Beanwatch Barista, steht der ZURIGA E2-S Espressomaschine zugewandt in der rot-orangen Beanwatch-Küche und hält den Walnuss-Siebträger, während ein goldener Espressostrahl in zwei Edelstahlkännchen fließt – Schritt eins des Freddo Cappuccino.

Grind fresh and pull the espresso

Always grind your coffee beans fresh before brewing, as pre-ground coffee quickly loses its freshness and aroma. Prepare and tamp the portafilter as you would for any espresso. Brew a double espresso into a small pitcher or cup so you can easily pour it into the shaker afterwards.

If you'd like to sweeten your Freddo Cappuccino, now is the time to do it while the espresso is still hot. Add the sugar syrup directly to the hot espresso and stir until it has fully dissolved.

Tip: Use high-quality coffee beans with a light to medium roast, and you may not need any sugar syrup at all.

Extract the espresso into a small milk pitcher so you can easily and cleanly pour it into the shaker afterwards

Julia, die Beanwatch Barista, shakt in der rot-orangen Beanwatch-Küche den Espresso mit einem Edelstahl-Cocktailshaker – Schritt zwei des Freddo Cappuccino.Julia, die Beanwatch Barista, shakt in der rot-orangen Beanwatch-Küche den Espresso mit einem Edelstahl-Cocktailshaker – Schritt zwei des Freddo Cappuccino.

Shake the espresso with ice

Fill a serving glass with ice cubes.

Add two or three ice cubes to a cocktail shaker, then pour in the freshly brewed espresso.

Shake vigorously until the espresso is cold and covered with a fine layer of foam. Shaking incorporates air, creating the signature smooth and creamy crema that makes a Freddo Cappuccino unique.

Shaking cools the espresso while incorporating air, giving it its signature light and creamy texture.

Julia seiht den geshakten Espresso durch ein feines Sieb in ein eisgefülltes Glas – Schritt drei des Freddo Cappuccino.

Strain the espresso into the glass

Strain the chilled, airy espresso through a fine mesh strainer into the glass with the ice cubes.

Strain the shaken espresso through a fine mesh strainer into a glass filled with ice.

Julia gießt kalten Milchschaum aus dem Spindelmixer-Becher über einen goldenen Barlöffel in das Freddo-Cappuccino-Glas mit Espresso und…Julia, die Beanwatch Barista, gießt kalten Milchschaum aus dem Spindelmixer-Becher über einen goldenen Barlöffel in das Freddo-Cappuccino-Glas mit Espresso und Eiswürfeln – Schritt vier des Freddo Cappuccino.

Top with cold milk foam

For a Freddo Cappuccino, we use cold frothed milk. Don't use the steam wand on your espresso machine.

This is where a spindle mixer comes in. It creates a dense, silky cold milk foam with a fine texture.

Finally, pour the cold milk foam gently over a bar spoon into the glass so the espresso and milk remain beautifully layered.

Tip: If you don't want to buy a spindle mixer, a handheld milk frother is an affordable alternative for making cold milk foam.

Why use skim milk? Skim milk produces a more stable cold foam than whole milk because its lower fat content (0.5% instead of 3.9%) allows the proteins to stabilise the air bubbles more effectively.

Learn more in our article about milk foam.

The bar spoon lets you gently pour the cold milk foam into the glass, creating the Freddo Cappuccino's signature layered appearance.

Variations

Freddo Espresso: the same shaken espresso without milk foam, just over ice.
With oat milk: works, but needs a barista version, or the foam collapses.
Sweeter: add the sugar syrup to the shaker, so it dissolves completely.

Per serving

Caffeine and nutrition

126 mg Caffeine

36 kcal Energy

0.2 g Fat

5.0 g Carbohydrates

3.4 g Protein

Values per glass. Values exclude optional ingredients. Add approximately 12–17 kcal for each teaspoon of sugar syrup.

Frequently asked questions

What does Freddo mean?

Freddo Cappuccino literally means "cold cappuccino". The word freddo is Italian for "cold" and comes from the Latin word frigidus. Despite its Italian name, the Freddo Cappuccino was invented in Greece and Cyprus.

When and where was the Freddo Cappuccino invented?

The Freddo Cappuccino traces its origins to Yiannis Iosifidis, founder of Kafea Terra, the Greek distributor of the Italian coffee brand illy.

He introduced the Freddo Espresso in 1991 as an alternative to the Café Frappé, which had long been made in Greece with Nescafé instant coffee and dominated coffee consumption during the summer, hurting sales of espresso beans across the industry.

What is the difference between a Freddo Cappuccino and an Iced Cappuccino?

The two drinks are very similar but differ in both preparation and texture. For an Iced Cappuccino, hot espresso is brewed directly over ice before warm frothed milk is poured on top. In a Freddo Cappuccino, both the espresso and the milk foam are served cold.

Another key difference is the texture. For a Freddo Cappuccino, the espresso is shaken vigorously with ice in a cocktail shaker, incorporating air and creating a smooth, foamy consistency. The milk is frothed cold with a spindle mixer or a handheld milk frother and is never heated.

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