Do you love sweet coffee? Like brown sugar? Cinnamon? Well then this Mexican coffee recipe is for you. It’s a sweet and tasty alternative that is bound to switch things up if looking for something new. It also happens to be a great recipe if serving friends or family, as you can batch make it to scale how ever many people needed.
It’s full of interesting flavors, sweet, and a great treat for brunch or after dinner.
In this article, I’ll go over the ingredients and processes needed to make this coffee. I also made a video that shows the process, so feel free to use this article and the video together to make things easier.
What Is Mexican Coffee?
Mexican coffee is a traditional coffee beverage that uses dark roast coffee, cinnamon and either piloncillo or brown sugar. For those curious, piloncillo is an unrefined whole cane sugar.
Mexican coffee is traditionally known as Cafe de’ Olla. It is traditionally made in a clay pot, and the drink is typically served in mugs made of the same type of clay for it’s famous taste. Since we don’t have that, I have a method down below that gets us pretty close.
What Is In Mexican Coffee?
Mexican coffee is made with:
- Dark roast coffee
- Brown sugar or piloncillo
- Cinammon sticks
Regarding the coffee beans you use, any dark roast is going to work well with this drink. I like Peet’s Major Dickason’s dark roast, but anything will do so long as it isn’t flavored already.
Dark roast coffee is known to be less acidic and well balanced. Since we’re using a steeping method to brew the coffee in a saucepan, it is similar to making French press coffee. That is why I would use medium to medium-coarse coffee. It keeps the surface area of the coffee down, which will help stave off bitterness and over-extraction.
Regarding the piloncillo, you can use any unrefined sugar you may have in the cabinet. I had brown sugar, and it still works well.
The cinnamon works best as sticks so avoid over powering the coffee. It’s just a hint of the flavor that makes it work well together.
If you’re a coffee drinker that likes to use milk, you can add a splash. I think the sweetness of the sugar more than makes up for the typical kick, and don’t feel it’s necessary.
How To Make Mexican Coffee Step By Step:
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Ingredients
- 9-10 ounces of water
- 1/2 cinnamon stick
- 2 Tbsp brown sugar or piloncillo
- 1 Tbsp dark roast coffee
Instructions
If grinding whole bean coffee, do it first as it takes longer than the water takes to boil. Use a medium-coarse setting.
- Start by measuring out 9-10 ounces of filtered water and place it into a saucepan on high heat.
- While the water heats to a boil, measure out 2 Tbsp of brown sugar or piloncillo.
- Break a cinnamon stick in half.
- Once the water is boiling add the brown sugar, and add 1/2 cinnamon stick.
- Stir the water until the brown sugar is fully dissolved.
- Add 1 Tbsp of dark roast coffee. Stir well. Remove from heat.
- Cover the saucepan and set a timer between 4-10 minutes. The longer the timer, the stronger the coffee will be. I like it somewhere at 4-5 minutes.
- Pour the saucepan through a cheesecloth or a coffee filter into your mug.
- Enjoy!
Conclusion
This method of brewing coffee is easy to do and can be done with any type of coffee, making it a versatile option for coffee lovers.
The combination of cinnamon and brown sugar or piloncillo creates a unique flavor profile that is both sweet and spicy, with hints of caramel and earthy undertones. The warm and comforting aroma of cinnamon makes Mexican coffee an ideal choice for a cozy morning or a cold winter day.
Overall, Mexican coffee is a great way to switch up your coffee routine and try something new. With just a few ingredients and a little bit of time, you can enjoy a delicious and flavorful cup of coffee that will warm you up and brighten your day.
