The Retro-Inspired Coffee Drink You Can Make With 5 Trader Joe's Items

Mention the egg cream — a beverage popular in the New York City area in the first half of the 20th century that contains neither eggs nor cream — and you'll probably bring a nostalgic smile to the faces of anyone over the age of 60 who remembers enjoying them with a Brooklyn- or Lower East Side-born parent. Made with old-fashioned seltzer (the type that came in reusable glass bottles with a metal siphon head), whole milk, and chocolate syrup (preferably Fox's U-Bet, which dissolved well in milk), you can still get egg creams in a handful of places. 

Whether it's because those old-fashioned seltzer bottles are harder to come by, or because you're not on the East Coast, finding a good approximation can be challenging. Fortunately, one Reddit user and a Trader Joe's fan came up with the recipe for the "coffee cream," a close approximation of the original using products only found at Trader Joe's.

The Trader Joe's version is made with store-brand whipping cream, plain seltzer, cold brew coffee concentrate, Midnight Moo chocolate syrup, and vanilla ice cream. The poster made the drink in a double-walled glass, but any tall glass you have at home will work. The key here is to start the whipping cream and then pour in the seltzer, creating the classic egg cream foam on top. The cold brew concentrate, chocolate syrup, and vanilla ice cream follow in that order.

Your parents or grandparents may not approve of your fiddling with an original like the egg cream but you could try some boozy alternatives. For example, add Kahlua to the "coffee cream" instead of the coffee concentrate or just add vodka for a creamier take on a White Russian. Of course, you could keep it in the Trader Joe's family with the store's beloved pre-mixed espresso martini. Or to keep it closer to a traditional egg cream but with an Irish twist, just add Bailey's Irish Cream to the standard recipe.

If you're tastes are, say, a little more vanilla, you can skip the chocolate syrup and whipping cream and try Trader Joe's Vanilla Cold Foam Creamer or one of its dairy and non-dairy coffee creamers instead. Look for seasonal flavors like gingerbread and cinnamon bun to put a complete switch on the original. For some boozy flavor without the alcohol, add a teaspoon of Trader Joe's bourbon vanilla bean paste. If you want to keep the chocolate flavor but go with a s'mores twist, try the "coffee cream" version with a pump or two of Torani toasted marshmallow syrup or opt for Amoretti's caramel syrup. Whatever the flavor, keep in mind that true success comes from using a seltzer that approximates the original. Club soda or sparkling water just won't do.