Cardamom Coffee Recipe: Indian Elaichi Coffee in 5 Minutes

Elaichi coffee (cardamom coffee) is coffee with elaichi: you mix coffee, sugar and crushed green cardamom with a little hot water, then top it with frothed milk. The cardamom adds a warm, sweet smell to a plain cup. It is ready in 5 minutes.

Elaichi coffee is one of those drinks that every Indian home makes a little differently. My grandmother used to crack whole cardamom pods with the back of a spoon. She dropped them right into the boiling milk. My version is quicker. I mix the cardamom into the coffee base and froth the milk on its own for a cafe-style foam. The smell alone is worth the extra 30 seconds. Here is exactly how I make it.

Can You Add Elaichi (Cardamom) to Coffee?

Yes, you can add elaichi to coffee. Use up to 1/4 teaspoon of cardamom powder, or 2 crushed green cardamom pods, for one cup. Mix it with the coffee and sugar before you add the hot water or milk. It works in milk coffee, in black coffee and in South Indian filter coffee.

Cardamom and coffee are an old pair. The American Culinary Federation notes that in the Middle East, green cardamom powder is a traditional flavouring in coffee and tea. It describes the taste as ginger and cinnamon, with a cool note like mint. A little goes a long way, so start small.

Ingredients

• Coffee powder — 2 teaspoons (instant or filter)
• Sugar — 1 teaspoon (adjust to taste)
• Cardamom powder — 1/4 teaspoon, or 2 green cardamom pods (crushed)
• Milk — 200 ml
• Hot water — 30 ml (about 2 tablespoons)

Step-by-Step: How to Make Cardamom Coffee

1. Crush the cardamom. If using whole pods, lightly crush 2 green cardamom pods with the flat side of a knife or the back of a spoon. Remove the outer shell and use the small black seeds inside. If using pre-ground cardamom powder, skip this step.
2. Mix the coffee base. In your mug, combine 2 teaspoons of coffee, 1 teaspoon of sugar, and the crushed cardamom seeds (or 1/4 teaspoon cardamom powder). Pour 30 ml of hot water over the mixture and stir well until everything dissolves. The hot water draws the cardamom flavour into the coffee.
3. Heat the milk. Warm 200 ml of milk on the stove or in the microwave until it is hot and steaming. Do not let it boil. Very hot or boiled milk gives a weaker foam.
4. Froth the milk. Use your InstaCuppa milk frother to whip the hot milk for 15-20 seconds. Tilt the cup slightly and keep the whisk just below the surface to pull in maximum air.
5. Combine and pour. Pour the frothed milk slowly into the mug over the cardamom coffee base. Let the foam rise to the top naturally.
6. Garnish. Dust a pinch of cardamom powder on top of the foam. This adds a beautiful speckled look and an extra burst of aroma with every sip.

Tips & Variations

• Fresh pods vs powder: Freshly crushed pods taste stronger than ready cardamom powder. Cardamom keeps best in the pod, because ground seeds lose their flavour fast. If you have whole pods, use them.
• Add more spice: For a masala coffee variation, add a tiny pinch of cinnamon and a sliver of fresh ginger along with the cardamom. This creates a warming chai-coffee hybrid that is incredible in winter.
• South Indian style: Use strong filter coffee decoction (60 ml) instead of instant coffee and skip the hot water. The decoction with cardamom and frothed milk tastes like a cup from a good Bangalore cafe. See our filter coffee in a moka pot method.
• Cardamom coffee powder: You can brew the elaichi in. Put 2 crushed pods in with the coffee powder in your filter or French press. The cardamom and coffee then brew together. Use a little less if your coffee is mild.

Black Coffee with Elaichi (No Milk)

Black coffee with cardamom is just as easy. Mix 1 to 2 teaspoons of coffee with a pinch (up to 1/4 teaspoon) of cardamom powder, or 1 to 2 crushed pods. Pour in 150 ml of hot water and stir. Let it sit for one minute, then sip. Skip the sugar if you like. For the brew itself, see how to make black coffee.

Which Frother to Use

The InstaCuppa Rechargeable Frother (Rs 999 on 4 October 2026) is my pick for spiced coffee recipes. It has 4 whisks and 3 speeds, and it charges with a USB cable. Start slow to blend the cardamom into the milk, then switch to high speed for thick foam. If you prefer something simpler, the InstaCuppa Battery-Operated Frother (Rs 999 on 4 October 2026) does the job in one speed with zero fuss. It comes with 4 steel whisks and a steel stand, and runs on 2 AA batteries (not included).