Cafe Liegeois (French Coffee Ice Cream Sundae)

Nov 3, 2026 · By VanillaGoods

Dessert Ice cream frozen desserts Vanilla: Extract Easy

Cafe Liegeois (French Coffee Ice Cream Sundae)

A cold dessert of strongly brewed sweet coffee and coffee ice cream, topped with a swirl of sweet whipped cream. It is served in a tall glass with a long spoon. Makes 4 glasses in about 1 hr 15 min.

Prep 15 min

Cook —

Cooling 1 hr

Total 1 hr 15 min

Yield 4 glasses

Diet Gluten free

Ingredients

Adjust yield

glasses

1 cup (8 fl oz)strong brewed coffee, cooled
1 ½ tbsp (20 g)granulated sugar
2 ½ cups (20 fl oz)coffee ice cream
¾ cup (200 ml)heavy whipping cream, cold
2 ½ tbsp (20 g)powdered sugar
½ tsp (3 ml)vanilla extract
½ tsp (1 g)instant espresso powder, for dusting

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Instructions

Stir the sugar into the hot coffee until dissolved, then chill the coffee in the refrigerator until very cold, about 1 hour.
Chill 4 tall glasses in the freezer for 15 minutes.
Whip the cream with the powdered sugar and vanilla until it holds soft-firm peaks.
Put a scoop of coffee ice cream into each glass, add a few tablespoons of cold coffee, then a second scoop.
Add more coffee to come about halfway up the ice cream.
Top with a generous swirl of whipped cream, dust lightly with espresso powder, and serve immediately with long spoons.

Tips

Make the coffee strong; the ice cream dilutes it.
Chill the glasses so the ice cream melts slowly.
Serve right away for the best contrast of cold and creamy.
Good with espresso.

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Recipe FAQ

How long does it take to make cafe liegeois (french coffee ice cream sundae)?

Plan on 15 minutes of prep, plus 1 hour to chill. The recipe makes 4 glasses.

How should I store cafe liegeois (french coffee ice cream sundae)?

Serve immediately; chilled coffee keeps 3 days in the refrigerator.

Can I make cafe liegeois (french coffee ice cream sundae) ahead?

Best made just before serving. Serve immediately; chilled coffee keeps 3 days in the refrigerator.

Can I use a different form of vanilla?

Yes. This recipe uses 0.5 tsp vanilla extract (3 ml). Each teaspoon of pure vanilla extract can be swapped for 1 teaspoon of vanilla bean paste, the seeds of half a vanilla bean, or 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla powder. Paste and seeds add the classic dark specks.

Serve it with espresso.

Estimated · per serving

Nutrition

Per serving = 1 of 4 servings this recipe makes.

381 Calories / serving

26.9g Fat

31.4g Carbs

4.1g Protein

28.7g Sugar

Whole recipe (4 servings): ~1524 cal · 108g fat · 126g carbs · 16g protein · 115g sugar

Estimated values per serving, calculated from standard ingredient data. Not verified Nutrition Facts; actual values vary with brands, measurements, and preparation.