Café de Olla Recipe
Café de Olla is a centuries-old Mexican coffee tradition — brewed in a clay pot with piloncillo, cinnamon, and orange peel for a drink that's deeply aromatic, subtly sweet, and unlike anything you'd get from a standard drip machine. We've given it an iced twist so you can enjoy all that heritage flavor on a hot day.
"Piloncillo, cinnamon, and orange peel turn a simple cup of coffee into something that tastes like it's been perfected over generations."
Ingredients
- Water: 1 quart
- Ground coffee: 6–7 tablespoons
- Piloncillo: 5 oz (or substitute brown sugar)
- Cinnamon stick: 1
- Orange zest or peel: From about half an orange
- Milk or cream: 2 tablespoons per serving
- Unsweetened cocoa powder: 1–1½ tablespoons, for topping
- Ice cubes: About 1 cup per serving
- Orange peel or cinnamon stick: For garnish (optional)
Instructions
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Bring Water to a Boil
Pour 1 quart of water into a medium saucepan and bring to a full boil over medium-high heat.
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Dissolve the Piloncillo
Add the piloncillo (or brown sugar) to the boiling water and stir until fully dissolved. Piloncillo takes a little more time than refined sugar — keep stirring and it'll melt right in.
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Add Coffee, Cinnamon & Orange
Stir in the ground coffee, cinnamon stick, and orange zest or peel. Give everything a quick stir to combine.
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Steep Off Heat
Turn off the heat, cover the saucepan, and let steep for 10 minutes. This is where all the flavor magic happens — don't rush it.
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Strain & Pour Over Ice
Using a fine mesh strainer, strain the brewed coffee into a pitcher or directly into ice-filled glasses, leaving the grounds, cinnamon stick, and orange peel behind.
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Finish & Garnish
Add 2 tablespoons of milk or cream per glass and give it a light stir. Dust the top with unsweetened cocoa powder, and garnish with a fresh strip of orange peel or a cinnamon stick if desired. Serve immediately.
Pro Tips
Medium Roast Works Best
A medium roast lets the cinnamon and orange shine without competing. A dark roast works too if you want a bolder, more bitter edge.
Taste Before You Strain
Piloncillo cones vary in size. Taste the brew before straining and adjust with a little extra sugar if needed — it's much harder to fix once it's over ice.
Peel Over Juice
Use the zest or a strip of peel, not juice. The oils in the peel give you fragrant citrus flavor without adding acidity to the brew.
Dust Right Before Serving
Add the cocoa powder dusting last, right before you hand off the glass. It dissolves quickly over ice, so timing matters for the visual and the flavor hit.
Brew It With Our Medium Roast
Our smooth, well-balanced Medium Roast is the perfect canvas for Café de Olla — letting the piloncillo, cinnamon, and orange do their thing without getting in the way.
Shop Medium Roast
