Café de Olla
User Reviews
4.8
Café de Olla
Description
The Café de Olla recipe features a blend of ingredients steeped together to make a deeply aromatic coffee. Water is heated with piloncillo (or dark brown sugar), cinnamon sticks, cloves, and star anise until the sugar dissolves and the mixture boils. The pot is removed from heat, and dark roast ground coffee is added to steep, allowing the coffee to absorb the spiced, sweetened water over 6 to 8 minutes, depending on the preferred brew strength.
The result is a coffee with a smooth, robust base sweetened naturally by piloncillo and perfumed with cinnamon, cloves, and star anise, which add subtle sweetness and spice warmth. The coffee is strained to remove grounds and spices before serving. This traditional method emphasizes blending the flavors to create a comforting and layered cup.
Café de Olla is served hot, often enjoyed as is or with the addition of milk for a café con leche style. It pairs well with sweet pastries or as a warming morning or afternoon beverage. The use of piloncillo offers a complex sweetness that differs from granulated sugar.
Notes include that piloncillo can be substituted with dark brown sugar for medium sweetness, and sweetness can be adjusted with extra sugar if desired. While Mexican cinnamon sticks are preferred for authenticity, regular cinnamon sticks work as well. Star anise adds distinctive flavor but may be omitted if unavailable without losing the overall character of the coffee.
Ingredients
- 8 cups water
- 4 ounces piloncillo (or 1/2 cup dark brown sugar), plus more to taste*
- 2 cinnamon stick Mexican cinnamon sticks preferred
- 2 clove whole
- 1 star anise pod
- 9 tablespoons coffee dark roast, ground
Instructions
- In a medium olla or pot, add water, piloncillo, cinnamon sticks, cloves and star anise pod.
- Place over medium-high heat and stir often until the piloncillo completely dissolves and the water comes to a boil.
- Remove the pot from the heat. Add the ground coffee, stir to combine, and cover. Let the coffee steep for 6 minutes for regular strength coffee or 8 minutes for extra-strength strength coffee.
- Pour the coffee through a fine mesh strainer or cheesecloth into a coffee mug and serve.
- Enjoy as is or add some milk for a cafe con leche.
Notes
- Piloncillo provides a rich, natural sweetness and can be substituted with ½ cup dark brown sugar for medium sweetness.
- You may adjust sweetness further by adding 1-2 tablespoons more piloncillo or sugar if preferred.
- If Mexican cinnamon sticks are unavailable, regular cinnamon sticks work as a substitute.
- Star anise adds a unique flavor but can be omitted without greatly altering the recipe.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 8cups
Amount Per Serving
Calories 73 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Serving | 1cup | |
| Calories | 73kcal | 4% |
| Carbohydrates | 19g | 6% |
| Protein | 1g | 2% |
| Fat | 1g | 2% |
| Saturated Fat | 1g | 5% |
| Sodium | 17mg | 1% |
| Potassium | 24mg | 1% |
| Fiber | 1g | 4% |
| Sugar | 18g | 36% |
| Calcium | 34mg | 3% |
| Iron | 1mg | 6% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.8
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