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    Home » Recipes » Mexican Drinks » Cafe De Olla

    Café De Olla Recipe

    Published: October 6, 2022 by Sangeetha Vel | Updated: October 13, 2022 Leave a Comment

    8 shares
    Jump to Recipe

    Café De Olla is a sweet, strong, and mildly spiced traditional Mexican Coffee beverage. It is usually made with Mexican coffee grounds, Piloncillo/Panela (dark brown sugar), cinnamon sticks, star anise, and cloves. The recipe I have shared here shows you how to make the authentic Café De Olla with easy step-by-step instructions for you to try and enjoy at home.

    I have also shared a detailed video of this recipe to make the process visually clear and simple. This spiced Mexican Cafe De Olla is usually served in the morning along with breakfast, evening, during Christmas, and especially in winter months to make the body warm from the inside out.

    Cafe de Olla in glass coffee cups with few ingredients and biscuits around.
    Jump to:
    • What is Café De Olla?
    • Ingredients
    • How to make Café De Olla?
    • Substitution
    • Tips
    • Calories
    • Storage Suggestions
    • Serving Suggestions
    • Related Recipes
    • Café De Olla Recipe Video
    • 📖 Recipe
    • FAQ

    What is Café De Olla?

    Cafe De Olla is a classic and traditional Spiced Mexican Coffee. The term "Cafe De Olla" refers to "coffee from a pot" in English. Since the coffee is traditionally made in a Mexican clay pot called Olla De Barro, it is called so. This Cafe De Olla is usually sweetened with Mexican dark cane sugar and spiced up with cinnamon, cloves, and star anise.

    Making this coffee in an olla or clay pot gives you authentic earthy and rustic flavors. It makes the coffee different from other coffees. Also, spices added while brewing gives you a warm, mildly spicy taste and flavor to your drink. Although the medium roast coffee grounds give you a strong coffee flavor, it is usually balanced out by dark cane sugar and spices.

    This Cafe De Olla is one of the traditional drinks of Mexico and is usually found in streetside eateries, authentic Mexican restaurants, and also in Mexican households. It is also common to find this drink in cold winter months and in celebrations.

    Ingredients

    The ingredients you will need to make this Cafe De Olla are basic Mexican Pantry elements. All the ingredients are easily available in most Mexican grocery stores around. If some of them are not handy, then feel free to check out the substitution section for alternatives.

    Café De Olla recipe Ingredients placed on a grey table.
    • Mexican Coffee Grounds - Choose any medium-roast Mexican coffee grounds that are available to you
    • Piloncillo/Panela - Dark cane sugar to sweeten the coffee
    • Spices -  Cinnamon sticks, star anise, and cloves to spice up the coffee
    • Water - Filtered water to make the perfect drink

    For the detailed ingredients list please check out the recipe card below.

    How to make Café De Olla?

    The recipe I have shared here is the authentic Cafe De Olla, popular Mexican Coffee. It is usually made with a Mexican clay pot for achieving an earthy and rustic flavor. Since it is not easily available to everyone feel free to use the regular saucepan or pot as I have done here.

    Cafe de Olla in glass coffee cups with few ingredients and biscuits around.

    Following are the high-level instructions to make this drink but for detailed step-by-step instructions with photos and video, please check out the recipe card below.

    • Add - Add In a saucepan, pour 4 cups of water, and then add cinnamon sticks cloves, star anise, and piloncillo (dark brown sugar)
    • Melt - Bring the mixture to a boil until the dark brown sugar melts. Since I have used crushed brown sugar, it took only 2 to 3 minutes to melt completely. But if you add whole Piloncillo/Panela then it might take some time
    • Close and Steep - Now switch off the heat and add the ground coffee. Give it a good stir. Close the saucepan with its lid and steep the coffee for 3 to 5 minutes
    • Strain - Remove the coffee from heat, and filter it using a fine mesh strainer into a serving glass
    • Serve - Serve this Cafe De Olla (Mexican Spiced Coffee) along with breakfast, or to refresh yourself in the evening

    Substitution

    • Piloncillo/Panela  - You can use Jaggery or palm sugar a similar ingredient that is usually found in Indian grocery stores
    • Mexican Coffee Grounds - You can use any medium roast coffee grounds for the similar results
    • Spices - In most cafe de olla you may find only cinnamon sticks, so feel free to skip or use star anise and cloves

    Tips

    • Olla De Barro - Olla De Barro is a nothing but Mexican Clay pot. The authentic drink is made in a clay pot for achieving an earthy flavor. However, you can use a regular saucepan or pot for brewing this spiced coffee like me, if the authentic pot is not handy for you
    • Piloncillo/Panela - It is an unrefined dark brown cane sugar that delivers a sweet and molasses-like flavor. The same stuff is also called jaggery or palm sugar in Indian cuisine.
    • Spices - You may find Mexican Cinnamon stick alone ins some versions while in others you may also find star anise and cloves. Here I have added all three spices for authentic flavor and taste
    • Mexican Coffee - For the best and most authentic Cafe De Olla, I would recommend using Mexican Cofee grounds but if that's not handy feel free to use medium roast coffee grounds for similar results
    • Steeping Time - The steeping time of the coffee varies on how strong you need your coffee to be. For mild to moderate strength, I recommend steeping them for 3 to 5 minutes. For strong to Extra strong steep it for 5 to 8 minutes.

    Calories

    This Cafe De Olla that I have shared here contains 56 calories per serving and it is an estimation by the nutrition calculator. The calorie count may change if you have extra add-ins. You could also find detailed nutritional information in the recipe card below.

    Storage Suggestions

    Cafe de Olla is best served hot, so I recommend making a fresh batch whenever you feel like drinking this coffee. However, you can store the leftover in the refrigerator for 2 days. Serve the chilled coffee over ice to enjoy it as a cold brew coffee.

    Serving Suggestions

    Serve this Mexican Spiced Coffee along with breakfast in the morning, or as a refreshing drink in the evening. It is usually served as a comforting winter drink to warm up the body from cold weather.

    Related Recipes

    You could also find similar coffee recipes below and more in winter drinks recipes.

    • Cold Brew Coffee
    • Vietnamese Coffee
    • Mocha Coffee
    • Dalgona Coffee
    • Iced Coffee
    • Black Coffee

    More Mexican drinks recipes.

    • Mexican Hot Chocolate
    • Horchata
    • Atole
    • Agua De Jamaica (Hibiscus Tea)
    • Aguas Fresca

    Café De Olla Recipe Video

    I have also shared a detailed video of this Cafe De Olla Recipe below that I hope will help you make a comforting Mexican drink at home. You could also find this recipe in a story format.

    📖 Recipe

    Cafe de Olla in glass coffee cups with few ingredients and biscuits around.

    Café De Olla

    Café De Olla is a sweet, strong, and mildly spiced traditional Mexican Coffee beverage. It is usually made with Mexican coffee grounds, Piloncillo/Panela (dark brown sugar), cinnamon sticks, star anise, and cloves. This spiced Mexican Café De Olla is usually served in the morning along with breakfast, evening, during Christmas, and especially in winter months to make the body warm from the inside out.
    5 from 1 vote
    Author: Sangeetha Vel
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    Course: Coffee, Drinks
    Cuisine: Mexican
    Prep: 5 mins
    Cook: 5 mins
    Adjust 4 servings

    Ingredients
     
     

    • 3 tbsp Ground Coffee, medium roast, use Mexican coffee grounds for authentic taste
    • ¼ cup Dark Brown Cane Sugar, piloncillo/panela (I have used crushed dark brown cane sugar here)
    • 1 Mexican Cinnamon Stick
    • 2 Cloves
    • 1 Star Anise
    • 4 cups Water
    More on Measurements & Conversions »
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    Instructions
     

    To make Cafe De Olla

    • In a saucepan, pour 4 cups of water and then add Mexican cinnamon sticks cloves, star anise, and piloncillo (dark brown sugar)
      Adding Mexican cane sugar to the water with spices.
    • Bring the mixture to boil until the dark brown sugar melts. Since I have used crushed brown sugar, it took only 2 to 3 minutes to melt completely. But if you add whole Piloncillo/Panela then it might take some time
      Cane sugar and spice water mixture boiling in a saucepan.
    • Now switch off the heat and add the ground coffee. Give it a good stir
      Adding Mexican Coffee ground to the cane sugar spice water.
    • Close the saucepan with its lid and steep the coffee for 3 to 5 minutes
      Steeping the coffee with lid closed.
    • Remove the coffee from heat, and filter it using a fine mesh strainer into a serving glass
      Filtering the Cafe De Olla into a serving glass.

    To Serve

    • Serve this Cafe De Olla (Mexican Spiced Coffee) along with breakfast, or to refresh yourself in the evening
      Cafe De Olla served in a mug.

    Video

    Notes

    • Olla De Barro - Olla De Barro is a nothing but Mexican Clay pot. The authentic drink is made in a clay pot for achieving an earthy flavor. However, you can use a regular saucepan or pot for brewing this spiced coffee like me, if the authentic pot is not handy for you
    • Piloncillo/Panela - It is an unrefined dark brown cane sugar that delivers a sweet and molasses-like flavor. The same stuff is also called jaggery or palm sugar in Indian cuisine.
    • Spices - You may find Mexican Cinnamon stick alone ins some versions while in others you may also find star anise and cloves. Here I have added all three spices for authentic flavor and taste
    • Mexican Coffee - For the best and most authentic Cafe De Olla, I would recommend using Mexican Cofee grounds but if that's not handy feel free to use medium roast coffee grounds for similar results
    • Steeping Time - The steeping time of the coffee varies how strong you need your coffee to be. For mild to moderate strength, I recommend steeping them for 3 to 5 minutes. For strong to Extra strong steep it for 5 to 8 minutes.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1serving | Calories: 56kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 0.1g | Fat: 0.1g | Saturated Fat: 0.01g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.01g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.03g | Sodium: 4mg | Potassium: 27mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 13g | Vitamin A: 4IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 22mg | Iron: 0.3mg
    Tried this recipe?Mention @yellowchilis or tag #yellowchilis!

    FAQ

    What is Cafe De Olla?

    Cafe De Olla is a classic and traditional Spiced Mexican Coffee. The term "Cafe De Olla" refers to "coffee from a pot" in English. Since the coffee is traditionally made in a Mexican clay pot called Olla De Barro, it is called so. This Cafe De Olla is usually sweetened with Mexican dark cane sugar and spiced up with cinnamon, cloves, and star anise.

    Can I make this Mexican coffee without a clay pot?

    Olla De Barro is nothing but a Mexican Clay pot. The authentic drink is made in a clay pot for achieving an earthy flavor. However, you can use a regular saucepan or pot for brewing this spiced coffee like me, if the authentic pot is not handy for you

    What can I substitute for Piloncillo?

    You can use Jaggery or palm sugar a similar ingredient that is usually available in Indian grocery stores.

    How many calories are there in Cafe De Olla?

    This Cafe De Olla that I have shared here contains 56 calories per serving and it is an estimation by the nutrition calculator. The calorie count may change if you have extra add-ins. You could also find detailed nutritional information in the recipe card above.

    I hope you enjoyed the recipe that I have shared here and I would love to hear from you about how it turned out for you. Please let me know.

    If you have any other questions, feel free to post them in the comment section below and I will try to get back to you as soon as possible.

    Enjoy!

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    Hi, I'm Sangeetha Vel! the author, recipe researcher, creator, and cooking hands behind Yellow Chili's. A realistic, friendly, empathetic, and enthusiastic foodie who loves to share authentic, easy, quick, healthy, instant, and kids-approved recipes.

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