I Tried TikTok’s Viral Cracking Latte—Here’s My Honest Review

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PHOTO: GETTY IMAGES

If you have been scrolling through TikTok recently, you may have seen the latest recipe trend that’s ideal for hot summer days.

Meet the cracking latte: a DIY iced latte surrounded by a hard chocolate shell. It sounds delicious, and it’s so satisfying to hear the *crack* of the shell when gently squeezing the plastic cup it’s in.

When I saw this trending drink, I knew I had to try it. Does the chocolate even flavor the iced coffee, or is it just for show? Here’s how to make the cracking latte, and read my honest review below.

This recipe calls for a plastic cup, and since I don’t typically buy plastic cups, I headed over to my local coffee shop and asked for a large empty cup and lid which they willingly gave me for free. Otherwise, I already had all of the ingredients on hand: semi-sweet mini chocolate chips, milk and coffee.

I started by adding about a cup of the chocolate chips to a bowl. This was more than enough—I’d recommend using ⅔ to ¾ cup if you’re trying this at home. To melt, I microwaved the chocolate in 5 second intervals, gently stirring between each one until it became a smoothe consistency. Be sure to not overstir it as the chocolate can become seized.

I then evenly coated the inside of the plastic cup with the melted chocolate. Once the chocolate fully covered the cup’s interior, I put the cup in the freezer to let the chocolate fully harden. This took about 10 minutes.

The rest was simple: After adding ice in the cup, I grabbed my milk of choice (almond milk) and my coffee of choice (Dunkin’ Original Iced Coffee) and poured an even ratio of each into the cup, respectively. Is this technically a latte? No, since a latte includes shots of espresso and frothed milk, so the name is deceiving in that way. But the flavors will be similar due to the milk-coffee ratio, and you could add frothed milk to the top if you choose—I decided to follow the trend, so I did not.

Once closed up with the lid, it was time to test out the “cracking” part of the name. I gave my cold drink a squeeze, and to my surprise, it worked. The satisfying snapping sound filled the room, and I watched the chocolate shell break apart through the clear plastic. The more I squeezed the cup, the more the chocolate mixed into the coffee.

The trend worked, but as for the taste, it was very mild. I mostly just tasted the coffee and milk and not much of the chocolate. I could see this working if I was out in the sun, and the chocolate slowly melted into the coffee for a delicious mixture. As someone that only adds about a half teaspoon of sugar in her coffee each morning, I didn’t mind the subtle flavor, but it’s definitely something to keep in mind if you’re a mocha fan.

As for the nutrition, there are simple ingredients in this beverage that can be easily included in a healthy eating pattern. Just be mindful of the amount of calories and added sugar in the chocolate you use if you’re looking to add this to your daily ritual. At EatingWell, we think any food or drink can be enjoyed in moderation, so if it’s an occasional sip, use up your favorite chocolate for a cafe-like experience. But if you want this drink more regularly, we suggest using less chocolate or opting for a smaller cup.