Explore Amazing Coffee Drinks From Around The World – Mexican Café De Olla

For all the coffee lovers out there, coffee is an important daily routine, for many reasons.

But there are days when even the most special routine, like the morning coffee, or an afternoon coffee time, can get boring.

If you are having the same issue, you are in the right place.

I always look for ways to elevate my coffee time, and these days I explore coffee drinks from around the world.

On the menu today – traditional Mexican coffee with spices Café De Olla!

What Is The Mexican Coffee – Café De Olla?

Coffee mug full of freshly made Mexican coffee, made with cinnamon sticks, star anise, and cloves, on a table next to a coffee beans candle. Mexican Coffee Drink. — My first very own Cafe de Olla

Café de olla, sometimes just called “Mexican coffee,” is a traditional Mexican coffee drink that has been served for a very long time.

It is traditionally made with mix of cloves, anise, and cinnamon, and a minimally-processed sugar cane called piloncillo.

Traditionally, café de olla is made in a clay pot, called an “olla,” and served in similar clay mugs.

Café de olla literally means to ‘coffee from a pot‘ in English.

What You Need Before You Start Making Café De Olla

The great thing about this Mexican coffee recipe, apart for the heavenly flavor and aroma, is that you probably have all the ingredients at home already, so it’s very easy to make.

You will need:

Olla de barro or clay pot – If you don’t have an olla de barro and would still love to make this recipe, you can! Instead of an olla, you can use any medium pot or saucepan instead.
Water – because you can’t make the coffee without it
Cinnamon sticks – You can use any type if cinnamon sticks, it worked for me just right
Star anise – you’ll need only one, but enough to bring a very balanced sweet flavor to the coffee together with the rest of the spices
Whole cloves – two little cloves to give the coffee the warmth we all need
Piloncillo / dark brown sugar – piloncillo is dark Mexican cane sugar, but you can use dark brown sugar as substitute. Worked for me well, even if I don’t really like sweetened coffees, the sugar gave more flavor.
Coffee grounds – I used coarsely ground coffee, like for French Press, and it was easier to strain after
Strainer or cheese cloth – to keep the coffee grounds out after the coffee is ready
Clay mug – for unique Mexican vibe, or just your favorite mug.

How to make Mexican coffee Café de Olla

INGREDIENTS

6 cups water
4 ounces piloncillo (or 1/2 cup dark brown sugar)
2 cinnamon sticks
2 whole cloves
1 star anise pod
9 tablespoons dark roast ground coffee

INSTRUCTIONS

STEP #1 Boil the water with all the spices

Put water in a small pot together with the sugar, cinnamon sticks, anise star pod, and cloves, on a medium heat.

Stir constantly until the sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat after it starts to boil.

How to make Mexican coffee Cafe de Olla. Step 1. Put the water in a bowl over a medium heat together with the sugar, cinnamon sticks, cloves, and star anise, and stir until the sugar dissolves completely.

STEP #2 Add the coffee

Immediately after you removed the water from the heat add the coffee, mix it and cover it.

Let the coffee steep for 6 minutes for regular strength of the coffee, or 8 for extra-strong coffee.

Step 2. Add the coffee immediately after you removed the pot from the heat, mix little bit and cover it. Let the coffee steep for 6 minutes for regular strength of the coffee, or 8 for extra-strong coffee.

STEP#3 Strain the coffee

Strain your coffee through a fine mash strainer or cheesecloth into mugs and it’s ready to serve.

As you can see, I used both, just to be sure that the coffee will be very well strained.

STEP #4 Enjoy your own Café de Olla

You can drink it as it is, or with milk, in both ways you have a delicious coffee drink to enjoy.

Useful Tips

This recipe makes big amount of coffee, so if you have any left, keep it in an airtight jar in the fridge, so you can have delicious iced cafe de olla. Just serve it over ice, with milk or without.

If you don’t have anise star, don’t worry, you’ll still have a delicious coffee drink, that will be a treat for your taste buds

Final Words From Me

I have to say I enjoyed this coffee more than I thought I would.

I have to admit, the sugar was bothering me little bit, but with practice I’ll find the ammount that’s perfect for me.

I’ve never tasted an original cafe de olla, so I can’t say how successful this first try was, but I loved as it is. Cinnamon is one of my favorite spices, and together with the cloves and the anise, the coffee tasted like heaven.

Still, the flavor was not overwhelming and I could still taste the coffee, which is the most important thing for me.

Have you tried Mexican coffee – Café de Olla before?

If you haven’t, will you give it a try?

Tell me in the comments, I’d love to hear from you. Even better, give me a suggestion for a new coffee drink from around the world.

You can read the original recipe HERE.

Enjoy Your Coffee!

And don’t forget to share this recipe with family and friends, or to tag @readytocoffee of your pictures on the social media from your very own Café de Olla.

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