Café de Olla Recipe (Mexican Spiced Coffee)

This Mexican spiced coffee, better known as Cafe de Olla, is made with Mexican ground coffee, cinnamon, and raw dark sugar that we call "Piloncillo". This is a traditional Mexican drink recipe that has been enjoyed by many generations!

There’s one thing that you would always find in my grandma’s kitchen right next to the woodstove: the large enamel blue pot with coffee, no matter the time of day or the season of the year.

You will always find coffee.  

Why? I don’t know, but that old pot was there for as long as I can remember, and it would always welcome the visitors with a warm cup of coffee.  

Those times are long gone but the memories are still there, especially on a cold day when a good cup of coffee from México with cinnamon and piloncillo will warm you up.  

I especially love making this coffee when we go camping. The firewood smoke gives an extra flavor to the coffee like the one sold in some of the Mexican small-town road restaurants!

Frequently Asked Questions About Café de Olla

Before I share my coffee recipe, here are a few questions I've been asked about this Café de Olla.

What does cafe de olla mean?

Cafe de Olla literally means "pot coffee" or "coffee from a pot". This is because it was traditionally made in a large clay pot or an enamel pot. It is still made that way in some areas.

Where do you find Café de Olla o Café de la Olla?

You can find this popular drink in Mexico in places like roadside eateries, small mom & pop diners, as well as in restaurants that sell Traditional Mexican food. People also make it at home, especially during wintertime. It is also served at the Christmas Celebrations (Posadas), and even it is served at some funerals.

What does cafe de olla taste like?

This Mexican spiced coffee is actually sweet, with a hint of spice from the cinnamon. The primary ingredients added to the coffee are cinnamon and piloncillo (a dark sugar with a taste that resembles molasses). Less commonly, some people might also add orange peel and star anise.

Is Mexican coffee strong?

I've found that coffee from Mexico typically has the strength of a medium to dark roast. The two most popular varieties of coffee in Mexico are the Planchuela and Caracolillo varieties. When using these types of coffee to make Café de Olla, the addition of cinnamon and piloncillo will help to balance out the flavors.

Can I add milk?

You can, but it honestly takes away from café de olla and you really don't need it. If you are looking to enjoy a cup of coffee with milk, then I recommend trying my recipe for cafe con leche instead.

Café de Olla Recipe

Here is a list of ingredients you will need:

• Water
• Piloncillo/panela (dark brown sugar)
• Mexican cinnamon stick
• Ground coffee (it would be better if you could get a dark Mexican coffee)

Please note: For exact measurements of the ingredients listed above, scroll down to the recipe card located at the bottom of this post!

JUMP TO FULL INSTRUCTIONS

How To Make Café de Olla: Step By Step Tutorial 

To make things easier for you, I am going to breakdown the directions to this recipe step by step.

• In a medium saucepan, place the water, cinnamon, and piloncillo.
• Turn the heat down and simmer until the piloncillo is dissolved.

• When the water starts boiling, add the coffee, turn the heat off and stir.

• Cover the pot and let it steep for 5 minutes.
• Pour through a strainer to serve.

• If you would like to add some spirits, a Coffee Liqueur-like Kahlúa is a good choice!

What To Serve With Café de Olla

Depending on what time of the day you are drinking this Mexican coffee, there are a few options as to what to eat alongside this cafe de olla.

If you decide to have a mug early in the morning, I prefer to enjoy it with some:

• Creamy oatmeal topped with cinnamon 
• Gorditas de harina
• Huevos Motuleños (eggs Motul-style)

If I have a cup in the evening, say for dessert (with a shot of Kahlua), some of my go-to desserts to serve with it are: 

• Traditional Mexican conchas
• Mexican polvorones (Sevillanos-style)
• Homemade churros dusted with sugar and cinnamon 

More Mexican Drinks To Enjoy

If you enjoyed this recipe for cafe de olla, take a look at some of these other authentic Mexican drink recipes:

• Café con Leche
• Sweet Corn Atole
• Lechitas Frías
• Mango Agua Fresca Recipe
• Agua De Chaya With Pineapple and Orange

I hope you make this recipe for cafe de olla! If this recipe was of any help to you, come back to let me know your experience. Please leave us a comment done below and tell us all about it! You can also check our recipe in Spanish.

📖 Recipe

Café de Olla Recipe

Mely Martínez

Those times are long gone but the memories are still there, especially on a cold day like this when a good cup of coffee from México with Cinnamon and Piloncillo will warm you up. I love making this coffee when we go camping. 

4.98 from 48 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook Time 10 minutes mins

Total Time 15 minutes mins

Course Drinks

Cuisine Mexican

Servings 4

Calories 77 kcal

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• ▢ 4 cups of water
• ▢ 3 oz. Piloncillo/Panela or dark brown sugar about ⅓ cup
• ▢ ½ a stick of Mexican Cinnamon
• ▢ 4 Tablespoons of ground Coffee it would be better if you could get a Dark Mexican Coffee.

Instructions

 

• In a Medium saucepan, place the water, cinnamon, and Piloncillo (or brown sugar). Turn heat and simmer until the piloncillo is dissolved. About7 minutes.
• When the water starts boiling, add the coffee, turn the heat off and stir.
• Cover the pot and let steep for 5 minutes. Pour through a strainer to serve.

If you would like to add some spirits, a Coffee Liqueur-like Kahlúa is a good choice.

Video

Notes

*This is the most common version of Café de Olla, sometimes you will find it with the addition of cloves or anise seeds.

* When buying piloncillo/Panela, make sure to look for the pure version, like in the picture above. There is a look-alike version in some stores that are just plain sugar in a cone shape lacking the flavor and nutrients of the real Piloncillo.

* To easily cut the piloncillo, warm it up first. This will soften the piloncillo.

* Mexican Coffee is easily available online nowadays, try to look for it. Mexican Coffee is considered as a Gourmet Coffee and is Natural Organic Fair Trade Harvested. The Mexico Coffee Industry is ranked number 6th overall out of the top 20 Coffee Producing countries.

Nutrition

Serving: 4cupsCalories: 77kcalCarbohydrates: 18gSodium: 12mgSugar: 18gCalcium: 18mgIron: 0.2mg

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!