- Medium
- 30–45 minutes
- 3D shape
- about 2.2 × 2.8 in (5.6 × 7.2 cm)
This cute 3D coffee paper squishy looks just like a cozy café to-go cup, complete with forest-green stripes, a stitched kraft sleeve, a smiling kawaii bean, and a white sip-hole lid. Grab the free printable PDF in US Letter and A4 with 3 versions: full color, a coloring page, and a blank design. Pair your finished cup with an iced coffee squishy or a sweet pink drink paper squishy to build a whole paper coffee shop!
What you need
How to make it, step by step
1Print the template
Print your coffee cup sheet at 100% on plain printer paper and make sure “fit to page” is turned off. Check the scale bar in the top corner: it should measure 2 inches on US Letter or 50 mm on A4. Using the coloring page or blank version? Color the sleeve, beans, and stripes with markers or colored pencils right now before any tape goes on.
2Tape the motif
Lay strips of wide clear packing tape across the entire printed coffee cup net, making sure to cover both circles and every yellow glue tab too. Smooth each strip down from the middle outward without stretching the tape so the curved cup wrapper stays flat and glossy.
3Cut it out
Cut carefully along the solid black outer line all the way around the cup wrapper, the top sip lid, and the bean-patterned bottom circle. Keep both circles attached to the wrapper at their narrow hinges, and never cut along the dashed fold lines.
4Pre-fold every tab
Run an empty pen along a ruler over all the dashed lines to score them—along the top and bottom curves, the side tab, and both circle hinges. Fold every yellow tab and both circle hinges inward toward the white back once, then unfold them again so they bend smoothly later.
5Snip the bottom tabs
Take your scissors and snip only the short solid lines between the yellow tabs along the narrower bottom curve, stopping right at the dashed fold line. Leave the top tabs along the wider green rim uncut for now so they stay out of your way.
6Roll the wrapper
Curve the coffee cup wrapper into a tapered tube with the smiling bean illustration on the outside. Put a dab of glue on the long yellow side tab, press it inside the opposite edge to line up the green stripes, and seal the entire vertical seam from the outside with clear tape.
7Glue the bottom on
Fold the bottom tabs inward. Dab glue onto their outer yellow sides (which are now facing up), then swing the bean-patterned bottom circle closed onto those tabs and press it down firmly so the base of your cup sits round and even.
8Tape the bottom
Since glue alone will pop right off tape-covered paper, reinforce the bottom of the coffee cup with regular clear tape. Wrap overlapping strips all the way around the curved bottom rim so the base is completely sealed.
9Snip the top tabs
Now snip the short solid lines between the yellow tabs along the wider top rim of the cup, cutting right up to the dashed fold line so each tab can bend inward cleanly along the curve.
10Stuff it
Stand your coffee cup upright on its base and fold the attached sip lid back out of the way. Push small pieces of plastic bag or fluffy fiberfill through the open top, stuffing lightly so the tapered cup walls stay smooth and round without bulging.
11Glue the lid on
Fold the top tabs inward over the stuffing and apply glue to their yellow outer faces (now facing up). Swing the white coffee lid down onto the sticky tabs, lining up the dark sip hole with the front coffee bean logo, and press it down firmly.
12Tape the lid
Glue only holds the lid in place while you work, so seal the top rim with overlapping strips of clear tape all the way around the edge. Press the tape smoothly over the gray rim stripe to lock the lid down for good.
13Squish!
Your 3D coffee cup squishy is ready to brew up some fun! Give the cup a gentle squeeze and watch it puff right back into shape. If you want a slower rise, prick one tiny pinhole into a seam so the air escapes gradually.
Free Coffee Cup Squishy Template
- Color
- Coloring page
- Blank, design your own
- Step-by-step guide
One free PDF: the template in three versions (pages 1–3) and the step-by-step guide (pages 4–7). Print the template at 100% on plain printer paper.
Tips for the perfect squish
- Keep the cup rim round. Score the curved dashed lines along the top and bottom edges thoroughly with an empty pen and a ruler before folding. This helps the tapered coffee cup roll into a smooth circle instead of bending into blocky corners.
- Lid seam popping open?. Glue never holds on laminated paper for long, especially around the curved sip lid. Put a new strip of clear tape along the whole seam around the top rim to lock the lid tight.
- Avoid a lumpy coffee sleeve. If the kraft sleeve looks distorted, there is too much filling inside. Pull a little stuffing out so the tapered sides of the cup stay sleek and even.
- Wrinkle-free gloss on the bean. Use shorter pieces of wide packing tape and lay them down from the center without pulling. That keeps the cute coffee bean face smooth and bubble-free.
Questions
How do you make a coffee cup paper squishy without the seams opening?
Use glue only as a temporary helper to tack the yellow tabs down while you shape the cup. Because glue won’t stick permanently to packing tape, you must seal the vertical side seam, the bottom circle, and the top lid from the outside with overlapping strips of regular clear tape.
What paper works best for this coffee paper squishy template?
Standard plain printer paper (80–100 gsm / 20–24 lb) works best for rolling the tapered coffee cup shape. Heavy cardstock gets way too stiff once covered in packing tape and won’t squish nicely.
What can I use to stuff my coffee cup squishy?
Plastic grocery bags give a fun crinkly, light feel, while polyester fiberfill makes a super soft, plush cup. Whichever you pick, stuff the cup lightly so the round sides don’t bulge out of shape.
How big is the finished coffee cup, and can I make it larger?
Printed at 100%, the finished coffee cup measures about 2.2 × 2.8 in (5.6 × 7.2 cm). Since the wrapper, lid, and base are all connected in one single piece, you can easily print the page larger on a bigger sheet of paper and everything will still fit together.
Can I make these paper squishies with a class or a group?
Yes, this template is great for groups and takes about 45 minutes. Print one sheet per person and cut tape strips in advance so kids can color their own coffee sleeve designs while you help with scoring and taping the round rims.
More paper squishies to make
Pin this tutorial
Save it to your craft board so you can find the free template again.