Ingredients
- 4 cups water 946 ml
- 60 g piloncillo broken into small pieces; or dark brown sugar
- 1 Mexican cinnamon stick about 3 inches
- 32 g ground roasted coffee medium-coarse, about 6 level tablespoons depending on grind
Equipment
- 2-quart saucepan
- Fine-mesh strainer
- Heatproof serving jug
- Kitchen scale
Instructions
- Place water, piloncillo and cinnamon in a saucepan. Bring to a gentle boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Reduce heat and simmer gently 8–10 minutes. If using a solid cone, let it soften in the hot water and stir until dissolved rather than chopping it with force.
- Remove the pan from the heat. Stir in the ground coffee, cover and steep 4 minutes. Do not keep boiling the coffee.
- Pour carefully through a fine-mesh strainer into a heatproof jug. For less sediment, line the strainer with a paper coffee filter. Discard grounds and cinnamon.
- Divide among four small heatproof cups and serve hot. Taste before adding extra sweetener. Optional milk is served separately and is not included in the nutrition estimate.
Nutrition
Calories: 60kcalCarbohydrates: 15gSugar: 15g
Video
Notes
Nutrition is estimated for one-quarter of the strained black drink: 60 g piloncillo contributes about 240 kcal and 60 g carbohydrate to the batch; coffee and cinnamon contribute little after straining. No caffeine measurement is available; strength varies by coffee and extraction. Cost basis: coffee32g about $0.65, piloncillo60g about $0.55, cinnamon about $0.30. Local prices vary.
Instructional video by Villa Cocina, “Mexican Café de Olla Recipe | Discover a Bold Coffee Tradition!” published November 2, 2024. Her larger batch includes star anise and cloves; this four-serving version uses cinnamon alone, less sugar relative to water, and a timed off-heat coffee steep. A saucepan replaces the clay pot.