Korean Dalgona Milk (Caramel Puffed Sugar Candy Milk)

Quick answer

Total time: 10 min
Level: Medium
Servings: 2 servings
Ingredients: 6

About this dish

Dalgona milk starts with melting sugar in a small pan over low heat until it reaches a deep amber color, then adding baking soda, which causes the hot caramel to foam and aerate instantly into a honeycomb-like structure.

Once cooled, the puffed candy is crushed and dissolved into cold milk. The baking soda reaction is what gives dalgona its distinctive lightness: instead of a dense, hard caramel, the aerated structure makes it brittle and easy to break while also helping it dissolve quickly in the milk. The caramelized sugar delivers a deep, toasty sweetness with a slight bitterness at the edges, similar to butterscotch, that spreads through the milk as the pieces melt. A small amount of vanilla extract sharpens the flavor and a pinch of salt rounds it out. Keeping some crushed dalgona pieces separate and dropping them on top of the finished drink as a garnish adds a crunchy contrast to the creamy liquid beneath.

Ingredients

servings

IngredientAmountUnit

sugar6 tbsptbsp

baking soda⅓ tsptsp

milk500 mlml

ice1½ cupcup

salt⅛ tsptsp

vanilla extract½ tsptsp

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Instructions

Read the steps as a cooking flow: prep, heat, seasoning, doneness control, and finish.

6 steps

1

Finish

Line parchment paper first, then keep a spoon and 0.3 teaspoon baking soda within reach.

Caramel sets quickly after foaming, so finish this setup before heating the sugar.
2

Control

Spread 6 tablespoons sugar evenly in a small heavy pan and place it over low heat.

Do not stir at first. Tilt the pan gently as the edges melt so the syrup forms evenly without gritty clumps.
3

Season

When the sugar becomes a clear syrup and turns light amber, turn off the heat immediately.

Check the color before anything else. If it darkens too far, the drink will taste bitter instead of gently toasted.
4

Step

Add the baking soda and stir quickly for about 5 seconds, just until the caramel lightens and puffs.

Do not keep stirring after it foams, because the bubbles collapse. Pour it onto the parchment right away.
5

Step

Spread the puffed dalgona thinly and let it cool at room temperature for at least 10 minutes.

Once it is firm and brittle, crush it into small pieces. Keep some crunchy bits aside for topping.
6

Finish

Mix 500 ml milk with 1.5 cups ice, 0.5 teaspoon vanilla extract, and 0.1 teaspoon salt until the salt dissolves.

Stir in crushed dalgona to sweeten the milk, then top with the reserved pieces and serve cold.

Practical Cooking Checks

The cues that matter most while cooking.

Key technique: Baking soda reacts with hot caramel to create the honeycomb structure of the Dalgona candy.
Finish cue: Mix 500 ml milk with 1.5 cups ice, 0.5 teaspoon vanilla extract, and 0.1 teaspoon salt until the salt dissolves.
Avoid this: Stop at light amber to avoid bitterness.
Substitution: The baking soda reaction is what gives dalgona its distinctive lightness: instead of a dense, hard caramel, the aerated structure makes it brittle and easy to break while also helping it dissolve quickly in the milk.