coffee with milk Instant coffee dates back to at least 1890, and has been a major industry for over a century. [1] Most consumers, however, like it for the convenience and not the taste. Learn how to leave "coffee flavored water" behind, but be prepared for trial and error. Ingredients Water (bottled or filtered might be best, depending on your local water supply) Instant coffee Milk or cream (optional) Sugar (optional) Flavorings, such as cocoa powder, vanilla, or cinnamon (optional) Flavored creamer (optional) Flavored syrup (optional) Vanilla extract (optional) Buy quality instant coffee. Almost no instant coffee brands can compete with ground, but some are pretty decent. Try to find packaging labeled "freeze-dried," which tends to produce a truer coffee flavor than "spray drying." [2] If the label doesn't specify, check the consistency: granules are more likely to be freeze-dried than powder is, though...