Café de Olla is a delicious and aromatic traditional Mexican coffee beverage that has captivated coffee enthusiasts around the world. Made with ground coffee, cinnamon and piloncillo that creates a drink rich in flavor.
Café de Olla stands out for its exceptional blend of ingredients, setting it apart from other coffee drinks. The key ingredients include freshly ground coffee beans, cinnamon sticks, piloncillo (unrefined cane sugar), and sometimes orange peel. This combination creates a delicious balance of flavors, resulting in a truly unique beverage.
This coffee is made in a Mexican olla de barro (clay pot), served as is or with a splash of milk in the morning. De olla means, referring to the original vessel used to brew this coffee, and that’s the inspiration for the warm flavors of this coffee. It warms you right up at first sip, and the deep sweetness complements chilaquiles, tamales or pan dulce.
A fair warning: once you add cinnamon and piloncillo to your coffee, it’s hard to return to your regular pot without cinnamon!
Why you’ll love this recipe
- Don’t have a clay pot? No worries! Use any pot you have! The flavors will still be amazing!
- A unique flavor: The combination of the piloncillo and cinnamon in the coffee is like no other.
- Crowd pleaser: café de la olla is classically made in one big batch to serve family and friends.
History
Some historians say coffee arrived in Mexico in the 18th century and originated in Ethiopia. It is said that Café De Olla emerged at the time of the Mexican Revolution when The Adelitas made coffee in a clay pot with cinnamon, piloncillo, and other spices.
Since then, Café de Olla has been recognized as a traditional Mexican drink and a historical part of the country’s coffee culture. 💕
Ingredients
You only need 3 main ingredients:
- Your favorite ground coffee (do not use instant coffee).
- Cinnamon stick
- Piloncillo or dark brown sugar
Popular Variations and Recipes
While the traditional recipe for Café de Olla remains beloved, there are also numerous variations and creative recipes to explore. Some variations include adding chocolate for a mocha twist or infusing the coffee with different spices like anise and cloves to create a unique.
Also, instead of using piloncillo, you can use agave syrup to sweeten it.
How To Make Café De La Olla
The traditional brewing process involves simmering the ingredients in water over a low flame. This slow and careful preparation allows the flavors to meld together, creating a rich and aromatic brew.
- In large olla or saucepan, combine 8 cups (2 L) of water, the cinnamon stick, and piloncillo. Stir to combine, cover and bring to a boil.
- Once the piloncillo has dissolved and the water is boiling, add the ground coffee and remove from the heat. Allow to steep for 5 minutes.
- Strain the coffee through a double-mesh strainer to serve or allow for the coffee grounds to sink to the bottom of the pot and serve carefully so they don’t come to the surface.
- Add a splash of milk if you like or enjoy just as is.
Tips and Notes
- Make sure not to over cook it. A few minutes of boiling goes a long way.
- Enjoy right away so that you don’t keep reheating as the flavor profile may change. You can easily half the recipe to have less servings.
- Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator covered.
- To reheat simply warm up in a pot or microwave making sure not to bring it to a boil standpoint it again.
Serving Suggestions
When it comes to serving Café de Olla, there are no hard and fast rules. However, traditionally, it is served in small earthenware cups known as “jarritos”.
- Serve with a side of pan dulce (sweet bread) or traditional Mexican pastries.
- Serve with your favorite Mexican breakfast like Huevos Con Chorizo, Quesadillas, or Chilaquiles.
- Enjoy with Tamales Verdes or Pastel De Elote.
FAQs
The flavor of café de olla is often described as bold, earthy, and aromatic. These spices add a touch of sweetness and complexity to the coffee, complementing the natural bitterness of the coffee beans.
Additionally, the piloncillo, with its molasses-like flavor, adds a deep and caramelized sweetness to the coffee. This sweetness is not overpowering but rather provides a balanced and nuanced taste that enhances the overall experience.
While piloncillo is traditionally used in this recipe for its unique flavor, you can substitute it with regular sugar if needed. However, be aware that the taste might differ slightly.
The traditional recipe does not include dairy. However, some variations or personal preferences may involve adding milk or cream. It’s a matter of personal taste.
More Hot Drinks
I hope you like this recipe! Share it, or leave a rating and comment below. For questions that need an answer right away, please contact me and I’ll get back to you asap. Gracias!!!! xx, Ana
Print Recipe:
Mexican Café De Olla
Equipment
- Clay pot or a heavy bottom small to medium pot
Ingredients
- 4 cups water (1 liter)
- 1 small to medium cinnamon stick
- ½ cone (3 oz) piloncillo or ⅓ cup brown sugar
- ½ cup ground coffee (do not use instant coffee)
Instructions
- In large olla or saucepan, combine 4 cups (1 L) of water, the cinnamon stick, and piloncillo. Cover and bring to a boil.4 cups water (1 liter), 1 small to medium cinnamon stick, ½ cone (3 oz) piloncillo or ⅓ cup brown sugar
- Once the piloncillo has dissolved and the water is boiling, add the ground coffee and remove from the heat. Allow to steep for 5 minutes.
- Pass the coffee through a double-mesh strainer or cheesecloth to serve or allow for the coffee grounds to sink to the bottom of the pot and serve carefully so they don't come to the surface.
- Add a splash of milk if you like or enjoy just as is.
Muy Delish Notes:
- 1 tablet mexican chocolate.
- 1 star anise.
Add Your Own Private Notes
Whenever you come back to this recipe, you’ll be able to see your notes.
Nutrition
The nutritional information and US conversions are calculated automatically. I cannot guarantee the accuracy of this data. If this is important to you, please verify with your favourite nutrition calculator and/or unit conversion tool.
I love this, but is it 8 cups (2L) of water or 4 (1L)? In the “How to” section it has 8 cups (2L), while the recipe says 4 (1L). I used 8 cups water & 1/2 c of coffee.
I live in a family of coffee enthusiasts and they would love this drink! Coffee flavored with cinnamon and brown sugar sounds heavenly.
I made this cade de olla this morning instead of my usual coffee and WOW! It was the perfect way to start my day!
My first attempt at making cafe de olla! I’ve always loved it but hadn’t tried it at home – your version was so delicious and instructions made it so easy!
Enjoyed this with breakfast this morning and started my day off right! Quick, bold and refreshing; Easily, a new favorite drink!
I already made this recipe of cafe de olla and is delicious and authentic. Just like my grandmother would make it in Mexico. Thanks Ana, always your recipes are the best!!!
You inspired me to try this for my afternoon cup! Very sweet with delicious notes of cinnamon. Thank you!