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Café de Olla

Café de Olla

Café de Olla is a warmly spiced, lightly sweet Mexican coffee made with coarsely ground dark roast, a cinnamon stick, and dark brown sugar or piloncillo for a deep caramel note. It comes together on the stovetop in about 15 minutes, making it ideal for cozy mornings or pairing with sweet pastries.
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Prep Time:5 minutes
Cook Time:5 minutes
Total Time:15 minutes
Course: Beverage
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: Café de Olla, cinnamon, coffee, piloncillo

Equipment

  • medium saucepan
  • fine mesh strainer
  • cheesecloth

Ingredients

  • 4 cups water
  • 1/3 cup dark brown sugar or piloncillo, if available
  • 1 stick cinnamon
  • 4 tablespoons dark roast coffee coarsely ground

Instructions

  1. Combine the water, dark brown sugar (or piloncillo), and the cinnamon stick in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves.
  2. Once boiling, reduce the heat and simmer for 5 minutes to infuse the cinnamon flavor.
  3. Remove the saucepan from the heat, add the coarsely ground dark roast coffee, and stir to combine.
  4. Cover the pot and let the coffee steep for 5 minutes.
  5. Strain the coffee into cups through a fine mesh strainer or cheesecloth to remove the grounds and cinnamon pieces.

Notes

Use piloncillo for a more traditional, deeper caramel flavor — break or grate it so it dissolves more easily. Use a fine mesh strainer or cheesecloth to remove fine grounds; if you prefer a stronger brew, steep a few minutes longer but taste to avoid excess bitterness.