Mexican Café de Olla
Cinnamon, piloncillo and orange peel simmered with coffee in a clay pot.
Café de olla is a traditional Mexican coffee, simmered in an earthenware pot with cinnamon and piloncillo, unrefined cane sugar, and sometimes orange peel, cloves or anise. Sweet, spiced and warming, it is strained into clay mugs.
Sensory profile
You should taste
How it unfolds
Where it sits
That is 86 mg in one serving (8 oz cup (240ml)), a concentration of 35.8 mg per 100 ml. The scale above ranks whole servings, and servings differ in size, so a larger drink can sit further right while being weaker cup for cup.
Editorial estimate, not a laboratory measurement
Related gear
| Brewing method | Stovetop Brew in a Clay Pot |
|---|---|
| Coffee-to-water ratio | 1:17 |
| Dose & yield | 18g → 300g |
| Grind size | Medium-coarse |
| Water temperature | 199°F / 93°C |
| Target brew time | 5 minutes steep off the heat |
| Serving | 8 oz cup (240ml) |
What you need
- 18 g freshly roasted coffee, ground medium-coarse
- 300 g filtered water
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 30 g piloncillo, or dark brown sugar
- 1 strip of orange peel, optional
Required gear
- Clay pot (olla de barro) or small saucepan
- Fine strainer
- Clay mug or cup
- Scale accurate to 1 g
Step-by-step protocol
- 0:00Put 300 g of water, the cinnamon stick, 30 g of piloncillo and the orange peel in the pot and heat gently until the sugar dissolves and the water is simmering.
- 4:00Take the pot off the heat and stir in 18 g of coarsely ground coffee.
- 4:15Cover the pot and let the coffee steep for five minutes.
- 9:15Strain into a mug and serve hot.
Troubleshooting
What it may be good for
The caffeine count
We list about 86 mg for an 8 oz cup.
If you have no clay pot
Any small saucepan will do, though a clay pot gives the coffee its traditional flavor. Heat gently, do not boil hard, and strain well.
What to watch out for
- Caffeine affects everyone differently. If you are pregnant or nursing, sensitive to caffeine, or have been told to limit it, check with your doctor about how much is right for you.
Café de olla is a traditional Mexican coffee, simmered in an earthenware pot with cinnamon and piloncillo, unrefined cane sugar, and sometimes orange peel, cloves or anise. Sweet, spiced and warming, it is strained into clay mugs.
Origin & Story
Café de olla means pot coffee, and the pot is the point: a traditional earthenware clay pot, the olla de barro, which is said to give the coffee a special flavor. It is a traditional Mexican drink, most at home on cold mornings and in the countryside, and it is served in clay cups that match the pot.
The basic recipe is just ground coffee, cinnamon and piloncillo. Piloncillo is unrefined cane sugar pressed into a cone, dark and deeply sweet, with a hint of molasses. Cooks often add more: a strip of orange peel, a few cloves or a star anise, which brings warmth and a little citrus.
Making it is slow and gentle. The water is heated with the cinnamon and piloncillo until the sugar dissolves, the coffee goes in, the pot comes off the heat, and it steeps for a few minutes before it is strained. The grind is coarse enough to strain out, and the coffee is never boiled hard.
In the cup it is sweet and spicy: cinnamon and piloncillo up front, a little orange peel, and coffee underneath. It is a drink to hold in both hands.
For one large mug, simmer 300 g of water with a cinnamon stick, 30 g of piloncillo (or dark brown sugar) and a strip of orange peel until the sugar dissolves. Take it off the heat, stir in 18 g of coarsely ground coffee, cover, and let it steep for five minutes. Strain into a mug.
Reading the Flavor Profile
| Axis | Score |
|---|---|
| Sweetness | 86/100 |
| Acidity | 60/100 |
| Bitterness | 34/100 |
| Body | 78/100 |
| Aroma | 90/100 |
These values are comparative editorial positions within our own catalog, calibrated so entries can be ranked against each other. They are not laboratory measurements.
How much caffeine is in Mexican Café de Olla?
One serving, 8 oz cup (240ml), contains approximately 86 mg of caffeine.
What temperature should I use for Mexican Café de Olla?
Heat the water with the spices to a gentle simmer, then take the pot off the heat before adding the coffee. The target is around 93°C (199°F); a hard boil scorches the coffee.
How long should Mexican Café de Olla be extracted?
Timing: 5 minutes steep off the heat. Method: Stovetop Brew in a Clay Pot. Ratio: 60g/L (18g coffee to 300g water). Grind or leaf format: Medium-coarse.
Why does my Mexican Café de Olla taste bitter?
Simmered coffee turns bitter if it boils hard or steeps too long. Take the pot off the heat before adding the coffee, steep for about five minutes, and strain it on time.
What is piloncillo?
It is unrefined cane sugar pressed into a cone, common in Mexico. It is dark, deeply sweet and tastes of molasses. Dark brown sugar is the usual substitute.
Why is café de olla made in a clay pot?
The earthenware olla de barro is traditional, and it is said to give the coffee a special flavor. The drink is also usually served in clay cups.
Who should avoid Mexican Café de Olla?
Caffeine affects everyone differently. If you are pregnant or nursing, sensitive to caffeine, or have been told to limit it, check with your doctor about how much is right for you. This information is educational and is not medical advice. If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, managing a cardiac or gastrointestinal condition, or taking prescription medication, discuss caffeine and botanical intake with a qualified healthcare professional before making changes.
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