Rhode Island Coffee Milk Recipe – Authentic Taste of Rhode Island

If you love coffee, then this is one of those drinks you will definitely wanna try at home. Rhode Island Coffee Milk Recipe is simple, creamy, and sweet. 

It’s not iced coffee, it’s not a latte, it’s literally coffee syrup stirred into cold milk, just like how you would mix chocolate syrup into milk.

This drink is actually the official state drink of Rhode Island since 1993, and it’s a big part of their food culture. 

Families have been drinking this for decades, and even kids grow up with it the same way some kids drink chocolate milk. 

The difference is, this one gives you a coffee kick along with sweetness.

 

How to Make Rhode Island Coffee Milk

Rhode Island Coffee Milk is a sweet drink made. It’s made by mixing cold milk with coffee syrup. 

It’s almost the same concept as chocolate milk, but instead of chocolate syrup you will have to add coffee flavored syrup.

Ingredients

These are the main ingredients that you will need to make one serving of coffee milk. I will also talk about substitutes and options so you can make it in the USA easily.

• 1 cup cold milk (8 oz / 240 ml): Whole milk will give the richest, creamiest flavor. You can use 2% or skim milk, but it will make it lighter. If you are vegan or lactose free, go for oat milk or almond milk. I like oat milk because it will give you a smooth body, closer to dairy.
• 2 tablespoons coffee syrup: The most popular one is Autocrat Coffee Syrup. That’s the classic Rhode Island brand you’ll find in grocery stores there. Another one is Eclipse, which is a little less sweet and more coffee bold. If you don’t find either, you can make your own coffee syrup at home (recipe below). You can also try Dave’s Coffee syrup if you want something more natural, made with cane sugar.
• Ice cubes (optional): Not traditional, but if you want to drink it chilled on a hot day, a few cubes will keep it cold.

That’s all you need. Just three things. But the fun is in the details, how you stir, how you choose syrup, and how you customize it.

Homemade Coffee Syrup Recipe (Easy Substitute)

If you don’t have Autocrat or Eclipse, you can easily make the Rhode Island coffee milk syrup recipe at home. It will take only a few minutes and will last you a couple of weeks.

You’ll need:

• 1 cup water
• 1 cup sugar
• ¼ cup instant espresso powder (you can also use regular instant coffee, but espresso will give you a stronger flavor)
• A pinch of salt
• ½ teaspoon of vanilla extract (it’s optional, but you can have it for more flavor depth)

How to make syrup:

1. You will need a saucepan, add water and sugar to it. And then, stir it over medium heat until the sugar dissolves.
2. Once you have dissolved the sugar, lower the heat and add instant espresso powder. Keep whisking until it is smooth and no lumps remain.
3. Simmer for 2 to 3 minutes, don’t let it burn or boil too much.
4. Add a pinch of salt and vanilla extract if you want. Stir.
5. Remove from heat, cool completely, and pour into a bottle or jar. Store in the fridge for up to 3 weeks.

This syrup will give you a strong, sweet coffee base. And honestly, once you make it at home, you can adjust sugar and strength however you like.

Instructions

Here is the simple step-by-step process you have to follow.

Step 1: Get your milk ready

Take a tall glass and pour 1 cup of cold milk. Whole milk will give it the creamiest flavor. 

If you’re using oat milk or almond milk, just make sure it’s unsweetened so the syrup sweetness balances properly.

Step 2: Add coffee syrup

Now add 2 tablespoons of coffee syrup into your milk. 

If you’re using homemade syrup, start with 1½ tablespoons and taste before adding more because homemade ones can be stronger.

Step 3: Stir properly

You wanna stir it really well. Use a spoon or a small whisk and keep mixing until the syrup is fully combined with milk. 

If you don’t stir enough, the syrup will sit at the bottom, and the flavor won’t be balanced.

Step 4: Adjust taste

Take a sip. If you want more coffee punch, add ½ tablespoon more syrup and stir again. 

If you want it less sweet, stick with 1½ tablespoons only.

Step 5: Serve cold

Drink it directly or add a couple of ice cubes. 

That’s it. Now you’ve made the best Rhode Island coffee milk recipe at home.

Pro tip: You shouldn’t add syrup to hot milk. It’s meant to be cold milk. If the milk is warm, the texture and sweetness will feel off.

 

Variations to You Try

 

The classic version is just milk and syrup, but you can try so many twists. Here are my favorites:

1. Classic Rhode Island Coffee Milk

Whole milk + Autocrat syrup = the original. No changes, no add-ons. 

This is the one that has been served for decades.

2. Vegan Coffee Milk

Replace dairy milk with oat milk. Use homemade syrup with cane sugar, and make sure to avoid condensed milk or cream. 

It will give you a smooth and creamy vegan version.

3. Mocha Coffee Milk

Add 1 teaspoon of cocoa powder or 1 tablespoon of chocolate syrup along with coffee syrup. It will give you a sweet mocha flavor. 

I once paired this with bakery-style oatmeal chocolate chip muffins, and it tasted like a coffee shop drink.

4. Coffee Cabinet (Rhode Island Milkshake)

This is a very popular Rhode Island variation. Add 1 cup milk + 2 tablespoons coffee syrup + 1 scoop vanilla ice cream. 

Blend everything until smooth. 

It will give you a milkshake-style drink, known locally as “coffee cabinet.” You can top it with whipped cream and a drizzle of syrup, just like the Starbucks peppermint white chocolate mocha.

5. Spiced Coffee Milk

Add a small pinch of cinnamon or nutmeg to your milk after mixing the syrup. 

It gives warmth and makes it taste like a fall drink.

6. Iced Coffee Milk

Prepare your coffee milk as usual, then pour it over a glass filled with ice cubes. 

Top with a splash of cold foam or whipped cream. 

This one will feel close to iced white chocolate mocha with strawberry cold foam, but in coffee milk style.

7. Dessert Coffee Milk

Drizzle coffee syrup over ice cream, brownies, or pancakes. Besides this, it will taste very good with oatmeal (you can pour it over it). 

I also tried pouring it over chocolate fudge with marshmallow fluff, and it was a sweet coffee-chocolate combo.

 

Pairing Suggestions

Coffee Milk tastes great with so many foods. It’s sweet, smooth, and creamy, so it balances salty and baked snacks perfectly. Here are my suggestions:

• Breakfast: Toast, bagels, croissants, muffins. Even a slice of banana bread will work. Moreover, you can also make easy banana bars without frosting.
• Snacks: Donuts, cookies, biscotti, chocolate chip cookies.
• Desserts: Brownies, cakes, cheesecakes. I love it with crumbl semi-sweet chocolate chip cookies.
• Salty pairings: Chocolate Pretzels, Chocolate popcorn, or even something like cinnamon rolls. Sweet + salty combo works so well.

 

Storage Tips

• Coffee Milk Drink: You shouldn’t store it after mixing. It’s best when made fresh; otherwise, the syrup will settle, and the texture will change.
• Coffee Syrup: You should store homemade syrup in an airtight jar and keep it in the fridge. It will be safe for up to 3 weeks. However, don’t freeze it because freezing can make it crystallize.
• Coffee Cabinet (Milkshake): Drink immediately after blending.

 

Nutrition (Approx. per glass, 1 cup milk + 2 tbsp syrup)

• Calories: 180–220
• Sugar: 22–28 g
• Fat: 4–8 g
• Protein: 6–8 g
• Caffeine: 30–40 mg (depends on coffee syrup strength)

If you want to cut calories, use low-fat milk and reduce syrup to 1½ tablespoons. For protein lovers, you can mix in ½ scoop vanilla protein powder, similar to how I make mango and chocolate protein smoothie.

 

Conclusion

This was my Rhode Island coffee milk recipe with coffee syrup. It is one of the easiest and most comforting drinks you will ever make at home.

You don’t need espresso machines, you don’t need fancy barista skills; all you need is milk and syrup. 

And if you don’t have Autocrat coffee syrup, you can make your own coffee syrup at home in just a few minutes.

It will give you a creamy, sweet, and coffee-flavored drink that is unique to Rhode Island, but you can enjoy it anywhere in the USA. 

You can also make it vegan, decaf, mocha style, or even turn it into a coffee cabinet milkshake.

So now, grab your syrup, pour your milk, and stir up your own glass of Rhode Island Coffee Milk today.

 

FAQs About Rhode Island Coffee Milk

Here are a few questions and their answers:

What is Rhode Island coffee milk?

Rhode Island coffee milk is a drink made with cold milk and coffee syrup. It’s like chocolate milk.

But instead of chocolate syrup, you will mix coffee syrup. It’s the official state drink of Rhode Island.

What does Rhode Island coffee milk taste like?

In taste, Rhode Island coffee milk is creamy, sweet, and smooth. Plus, it has a mild coffee flavor. 

It doesn’t taste bitter like black coffee; instead, it will remind you of a dessert drink, almost like mocha milk but lighter.

How to use Rhode Island coffee syrup?

You can stir 2 tablespoons of coffee syrup into 1 cup of cold milk to make coffee milk.

You can also drizzle the syrup on ice cream, pancakes, or even use it in milkshakes like a coffee cabinet.

Why is coffee milk only in Rhode Island?

Coffee milk started in Rhode Island back in the early 1900s, when Italian immigrants used coffee grounds with sugar to make syrup.

Gradually, it became popular at soda fountains and spread locally, but it never expanded nationwide. 

That’s why it stayed as a Rhode Island specialty and later became their state drink.