How to Make an Affogato

An affogato is a traditional Italian dessert made with coffee (espresso) and ice cream. It is so good. If you like frozen lattes, you’ll love affogatos, in my opinion. It’s usually served as a dessert, but when I make one for myself, I often prepare it in the late afternoon as a treat.

Affogato means “depressed” in Italian, which is the perfect name for this dessert as it is ice cream drenched in espresso.

Affogato is also an impressive yet easy dessert for a dinner party when your guests are enjoying an after-dinner espresso. You can also add a dash of liquor (such as amaretto) to take this dessert to the next level.

Related: Learn to make an espresso martini or whipped coffee. Plus, here’s how to make an epic affogato dessert bar at home!

Affogato ingredients:

ice cream
Espresso – one or two shots

directions:

Brew the espresso. Depending on your espresso machine or method, you can use one to two shots, or the equivalent amount for a single serving.

In a cup or small bowl, add a scoop or two of ice cream.

Pour the hot espresso over the ice and serve.

Tips and Substitutions:

I like to freeze ice cream in these little milk jars that I have saved. I have a set of four and freeze the ice so that it runs up the sides of the glass leaving a hole in the center for the espresso shot to pour. I keep them in my freezer so I can make an affogato anytime.
You could also prep these cups for a dinner party and then just add the espresso shots and I prepare them to serve.
Use a flavored ice cream as an upgrade! I like mint chocolate chips, but cookie dough sounds pretty good too.
Instead of ice cream, you can use gelato, sorbet, or frozen custard. Anything that goes well with espresso (or dark chocolate) will be delicious.
Add sundae-like toppings for an unusual twist: sprinkles, caramel syrup, sea salt, crushed Oreo cookies, etc.

Home espresso machines:

We’ve tried many espresso machines over the years, and here are our favorites at different price points and different skill levels:

Cafe Automatic Espresso Machine – My current machine. Any whole beans are used. So if you use high-quality beans, you will get a high-quality espresso. It automatically prepares espresso shots (no barista skills required) and features a milk frothing wand for heating and frothing milk. We’ve used this machine almost every day since we got it seven months ago and we love it! It is available in three colors.
Stovetop Espresso – This is the most affordable way to make espresso at home. It’s more labor intensive, and you’ll also need a way to grind your beans for best results. But this is a classic method that works great when done well.
Breville Barista Touch – We bought this once for a good friend as a wedding gift and they said they love it. It’s a high-end machine and you’ll need some barista skills to operate it, but it’s an excellent espresso machine for home use.
Nespresso Vertuo – For those looking for a pod espresso machine, this is my favorite. Depending on which pad you use, you can prepare espresso or coffee.

Grab this guide to see our top 25 recipes of all time!

Get the recipes

Press

Get the recipe

an Italian dessert with espresso and ice cream

yield 1

Preparation 2 protocol

In total 2 protocol

instructions

Brew the espresso.
In a cup or small bowl, add a scoop or two of ice cream.
Pour the hot espresso over the ice and serve.

Remarks

I like to freeze ice cream in these little milk jars that I have saved. I have a set of four and freeze the ice so that it runs up the sides of the glass leaving a hole in the center for the espresso shot to pour. I keep them in my freezer so I can make an affogato anytime. You could also prep these cups for a dinner party and then just add the espresso shots and I prepare them to serve.
Use a flavored ice cream as an upgrade! I like mint chocolate chips, but cookie dough sounds pretty good too.
Instead of ice cream, you can use gelato, sorbet, or frozen custard. Anything that goes well with espresso (or dark chocolate) will be delicious.
Add sundae-like toppings for an unusual twist: sprinkles, caramel syrup, sea salt, crushed Oreo cookies, etc.
Add a dash of liquor, like amaretto, to this dessert to make it “sassy.”

Nourishment

nutritional information

How to make an affogato

amount per serving

% Daily Value*

*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Note: Nutritional values are automatically calculated using Spoonacular for your convenience. Where appropriate, we recommend using your own nutritional calculations.

How to Make an Affogato