I am a coffee lover, and café de olla is one of my favorites! The warm spices combined with sweetness and slow steeping make this a truly unique coffee.
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Why is café de olla special?
Café de Olla is more than coffee - it's a tradition carried in clay pots over wood fires, a drink that smells like home before you take a sip. Piloncillo melts slowly into simmering water with cinnamon, star anise, and cloves, releasing warmth and a scent reminiscent of Christmas markets. Served sweet and spiced, each cup connects you to generations of Mexican kitchens where family gathered around one olla, sharing stories before breakfast.
What is café de olla?
Café de olla is a traditional Mexican coffee brewed with cinnamon, clove, star anise and piloncillo (unrefined cane sugar) in a large clay pot, or olla de barro. The process typically starts with boiling water in the olla, adding the spices, and the piloncillo until it dissolved. Ground dark roast coffee is then stirred in and steeped. If you don't have an olla de barro, a standard saucepan will work just fine.
This was inspired by my Vietnamese coconut coffee on this site, and pairs well with pastelitos de guava.
What is piloncillo?
Piloncillo is an unrefined whole cane sugar. It is made by boiling down sugarcane juice into a dense syrup and then molding it into cone or block shapes. The name "piloncillo" comes from the Spanish word for "little pylon" or "small cone," describing its shape. Piloncillo has a deep brown color and a rich, caramel-like flavor with earthy and molasses-like undertones. Piloncillo, also called panela in Colombia, is very similar to jaggery made in India, Sri Lanka, and South Asia.
If you don't have piloncillo, you can substitute it with dark brown sugar or molasses for a similar flavor profile, though the result won't be quite the same.
Ingredients
Here are the ingredients to make café de olla.
- Coffee: Use a medium to coarse grind in a dark roast or medium dark roast.
- PIloncillo: Use one 8 ounce portion. Substitute dark brown sugar or jaggery.
- Water: 8 cups of water.
- Cinnamon stick, star anise and cloves: These warm spices add a nice depth of flavor.
- See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
Here are the steps to make café de olla in the traditional method. If you have a olla de barro be sure to use a heat diffuser and not place the clay vessel on an open flame. It is bit different from most brewed coffee but very simple.
- Step 1: Add the water to a saucepan and heat on medium. Add the cinnamon, star anise, cloves, and piloncillo.
- Step 2: Once the piloncillo has completely dissolved bring the water to a boil. Once it boils, turn off the heat and then add the coffee. Allow the coffee to steep for about 5-6 minutes.
- Step 3: Pour the coffee through a strainer and serve.
- Step 4: Optional: Pour into a French press, plunge the strainer, and serve.
Recipe Variations and Ingredient Notes
- Coffee: A medium roast Mexican blend works best; its nuttiness pairs perfectly with the spices.
- Cinnamon: Use Mexican canela if possible; it's milder and more floral than cassia cinnamon.
- Piloncillo: Traditional unrefined cane sugar that adds depth and molasses-like richness. Substitute with dark brown sugar or jaggery if unavailable.
- Citrus: Some regions add orange peel or lime peel for a subtle citrusy brightness that complements the spices. Add the peels during the simmering step.
- Chocolate: Add a small amount of Mexican chocolate (like Abuelita or Ibarra) to enhance the richness and create a mocha-like version.
- Alcohol: Add a splash of rum, Kahlúa, or tequila for a spiked café de olla.
- Iced café de olla: Let the brewed coffee cool, then strain and serve it over ice with a splash of milk for a refreshing summer treat.
Frequently Asked Questions
Café de olla is a traditional Mexican coffee brewed with cinnamon, clove, star anise, and piloncillo (unrefined cane sugar) in a large clay pot.
You can substitute it with dark brown sugar or molasses for a similar flavor profile, though the result won't be quite the same.
Yes, a saucepan will work fine, but the traditional method is over a fire in an olla de barro.
You can store café de olla in a sealed container for 1 to 2 days in the refrigerator, but fresh-brewed is best. To reheat, warm gently on the stovetop - never microwave - to preserve the spice aroma.
Adding pre-brewed coffee will not yield the same result. For authenticity, brew it on the stove so the spices and sugar infuse properly - a coffee maker won't capture that flavor depth.
Related recipes
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with café de olla:
📖 Recipe
Cafe de Olla - Traditional Mexican Spiced Coffee
Ingredients
- 6 Cups Water
- 8 oz Piloncillo
- 2 Cinnamon sticks
- 2 Cloves
- 1 Star anise
- 6 tablespoon Coffee
Instructions
- Add the water to a saucepan and heat on medium. Add the cinnamon, star anise, cloves, and piloncillo.
- Once the piloncillo has completely dissolved bring the water to a boil. Once it boils, turn off the heat and then add the coffee. Allow the coffee to steep for about 5-6 minutes.
- Pour the coffee through a strainer serve.
- Optional: Pour into a French press, plunge the strainer and serve.
Jen says
Thank you for sharing! Loved that this had enough flavor that I was able to drink it without adding any milk. I wasn't expecting to like the addition of the star anise but it was delicious!
Analida says
Café de olla has such a beautiful depth of flavor on its own, and I love that you were able to drink it without any milk. The star anise can definitely surprise people, but it adds that subtle warm spice that makes the cup feel extra special.
Thank you so much for trying the recipe and taking the time to share your experience! 🙌