How To Make Café De Olla (The Real Way, With All the Good Stuff)

You wake up. It’s cold outside — maybe you’re in Chicago in January, maybe it’s just a foggy morning somewhere in the Pacific Northwest. Your drip machine is doing its thing, but you want something different today. Something that smells like a warm kitchen, like someone’s grandma has been slowly simmering spices on the stove since before sunrise.

That’s café de olla. And once you make it yourself, your regular drip coffee is going to feel a little lonely.

I first tried café de olla at a small taqueria in San Antonio, Texas. The woman behind the counter ladled it from one of those big blue enamel pots — the kind that looks like it’s been in the family for decades. One sip and I was hooked. Sweet, spicy, earthy, and somehow way more comforting than any latte I’d ever bought for $7 at a coffee chain.

The good news? It’s genuinely easy to make at home. No espresso machine. No fancy pour-over gear. Just a pot, some ingredients, and about 15 minutes. In this guide, I’ll walk you through the full recipe, explain the spice variations that most recipes skip, talk about the clay pot vs. regular pot situation, and compare café de olla to regular Mexican coffee so you know exactly what you’re making and why.

Let’s get into it.

What Is Café De Olla, Exactly?

Café de olla is a traditional Mexican coffee beverage. To prepare it, it is essential to use a traditional earthen clay pot, as this gives a special flavor to the coffee. A basic café de olla is made with ground coffee, cinnamon, and piloncillo — with optional ingredients including orange peel, anise, and cloves.

The name itself is pretty literal. “Café de Olla” means “pot coffee” or “coffee from a pot,” because it was traditionally made in a large clay pot or an enamel pot.

The interesting part is why it started. During the early days of the Mexican Revolution in 1910, soldaderas — also known as adelitas — supported soldiers by cooking, cleaning, and setting up camp. They prepared café de olla with cinnamon, piloncillo, cloves, coffee, and chocolate roasted in a clay pot, to serve as a filling drink that would help boost the soldiers’ energy throughout the day. The drink was said to be a favorite of Emiliano Zapata, the leading figure of the Mexican Revolution.

So yeah, this coffee basically fueled a revolution. You’re in good company making it.

Today, you can find this popular drink in Mexico in places like roadside eateries, small mom-and-pop diners, as well as in restaurants that sell traditional Mexican food. People also make it at home, especially during wintertime. It is also served at the Christmas celebrations (Posadas), and even at some funerals.

It’s a drink that shows up at both celebrations and grief. That’s how deeply it’s woven into daily Mexican life.

The Barista’s Ratio

Before we get into ingredients, here’s the baseline ratio I always start with. Adjust from here based on how strong you like your coffee.

This ratio gives you a balanced, gently sweet cup. If you prefer stronger coffee, bump the grounds to 5–6 tablespoons. If you want it less sweet, shave off a quarter of the piloncillo.

Ingredients

The essentials:

• 4 tablespoons of medium-to-dark roast Mexican ground coffee
• 3 oz piloncillo (dark unrefined cane sugar)
• ½ stick of Mexican cinnamon (canela)
• 4 cups cold, fresh water

Optional — but honestly, add at least one:

• 2 whole cloves
• 1 star anise pod
• 1 strip of fresh orange peel

A Quick Word on Each Ingredient

The coffee. Use a medium to dark roast. Mexican coffee from Oaxaca, Veracruz, or Chiapas is ideal — these regions grow high-quality Arabica beans with chocolatey, nutty, bright notes that play beautifully with the spices. If you can’t find Mexican coffee specifically, any good dark roast will do. Grind it medium-to-coarse, roughly the texture you’d use for a French press. Don’t use a fine espresso grind — you’ll end up with sludge.

The piloncillo. This is the ingredient people often swap out, and honestly, I get it. Piloncillo isn’t always easy to find if you don’t live near a Latin grocery store. But it’s worth seeking out. Piloncillo is unrefined raw cane sugar. As a non-centrifugal sugar, the naturally occurring molasses is left intact during production, so the minerals and nutrients — including potassium and calcium — remain present. It also has a slightly lower glycemic index (64 compared to granulated sugar’s 68). More importantly, it tastes different. Think of piloncillo as the mezcal of brown sugars — it offers a delicately smoky flavor that regular brown sugar can’t quite match. If you absolutely can’t find it, use dark brown sugar as a 1:1 swap. It’s not exactly the same, but it’ll still be good. Check King Arthur Baking’s guide to piloncillo if you want to nerd out on this sweetener.

The cinnamon. This one matters a lot, and most recipes breeze right past it. Cassia cinnamon — the thick, hard kind most commonly found in American supermarkets — contains approximately 250 times more coumarin than Ceylon cinnamon. Canela (Mexican cinnamon) is Ceylon cinnamon. It’s lighter, flakier, and way more aromatic. Ceylon cinnamon contains about 250 times less coumarin than cassia cinnamon. This chemical difference gives Ceylon a delicate, sweet flavor that enhances the coffee without overpowering it with sharp heat. If you’re adding cinnamon to your coffee every day, use canela. You can find it at any Latin grocery, most Whole Foods stores, or online. If you grab the wrong kind — that thick, hard grocery store cinnamon stick — the flavor will be sharper and more aggressive. Not ruined, just different.

Equipment

• A medium-sized pot with a lid (or an olla de barro — more on that in a minute)
• A fine-mesh strainer or cheesecloth
• A wooden spoon for stirring

How to Make Café De Olla: Step by Step

Step 1 — Build your spice base

Place the pot on the stovetop. Pour in the cold water, then add the cinnamon stick, piloncillo, and any optional spices you’re using (cloves, star anise, orange peel). Set the heat to medium-high.

Step 2 — Dissolve and simmer

Bring everything to a gentle simmer and stir occasionally. The piloncillo will dissolve in about 5–7 minutes. You’ll know it’s ready when the water turns a warm amber color and your kitchen starts to smell absolutely incredible. Like, stop-and-breathe-it-in incredible.

Step 3 — Add the coffee (with the heat OFF)

This is the most important step, and it’s where a lot of people mess up. Once you hit a rolling boil, turn the heat off immediately before adding your coffee grounds. The spiced water should reach a low boil — around 200°F to 205°F — and you must turn off the heat immediately before adding the grounds to prevent burning the beans. Boiling coffee makes it bitter. You want to steep it, not cook it.

Add the grounds and stir gently.

Step 4 — Steep

Cover the pot with its lid. Let it sit. Let the coffee steep for 6 minutes for regular strength, or 8 minutes for extra-strength. Set a timer. Don’t let it go much longer than 8 minutes or the coffee can turn bitter.

Step 5 — Strain and serve

Pour the coffee through a fine-mesh strainer into a teapot or directly into mugs. Serve hot. Traditionally it’s served black, but a splash of warm milk (café de olla con leche) is absolutely delicious.

Barista Tip: Treat It Like a French Press, Not a Drip Machine

Here’s something that took me a while to figure out. Café de olla is a steep-and-strain brew — the same basic physics as a French press or a Turkish coffee. The coffee grounds are fully immersed in hot water, and the steep time controls everything: strength, bitterness, and flavor clarity.

The single biggest mistake people make is adding the coffee to actively boiling water. Boiling water (212°F) scorches the grounds and pulls out harsh, bitter compounds fast. Turning the heat off first and letting the water drop just slightly — to that 200–205°F sweet spot — is everything. Think of it like pulling your espresso shot at the right pressure: small detail, massive difference in the cup.

Also, stir gently when you add the grounds. You want them to bloom and open up, not get violently agitated. Easy does it.

Spice Variations: Go Beyond Cinnamon

The classic café de olla is just piloncillo and cinnamon, and that’s perfect. But the traditional recipe has always had regional variations. Some regions make it sweeter, others spicier, some add orange peel or chocolate, while others keep it simple and strong. Each addition below also captures a real flavor profile worth trying — and yes, each one will bring in slightly different search intent, which is why I’m including them.

Clove variation: Add 2–3 whole cloves to the water along with the cinnamon. Cloves bring a deep, warming, almost medicinal spice note. It’s earthy and bold. A little goes a long way — seriously, don’t add five cloves. The original soldaderas’ recipe combined coffee from Mexico’s plantations, cacao, cinnamon, clove, star anise, and sugarcane, with enzymes in the cinnamon and unrefined piloncillo soothing the stomach while the coffee and cacao provided energy and vitamins.

Star anise variation: Add one star anise pod. The flavor is licorice-adjacent, but it’s subtle and sweet here — not the aggressive hit you’d get in savory cooking. Star anise lifts the whole cup and makes it smell even more like a holiday.

Orange peel variation: Peel a strip of fresh orange — about 2 inches, just the outer orange part, not the white pith. Drop it in with the cinnamon and piloncillo. The citrus brightens the whole thing. This is the Oaxacan touch. In Oaxaca, they often add a hint of orange peel, while coastal Veracruz versions might include a touch of vanilla.

Dark chocolate / cacao variation: This is the most old-school version. The original recipe combined coffee, cinnamon, cloves, chocolate, and piloncillo in clay pots to create a drink that was both comforting and energizing. Break off a small piece of Mexican chocolate (like Abuelita or Ibarra) and add it when you add the cinnamon. Or use a tablespoon of cacao powder. The result is like a mocha that never asked to be fancy.

Full spice variation (the everything version): Cinnamon + cloves + star anise + orange peel. This is what a lot of the best versions I’ve tasted in Mexican restaurants taste like. It’s complex but not overwhelming. Think of it as the spiced coffee equivalent of a great mole.

Clay Pot (Olla de Barro) vs. Regular Pot: Does It Actually Matter?

Short answer: yes, a little. Long answer: here’s why.

Traditional clay pots, known as ollas de barro, are the preferred brewing vessels because they’re made from porous clay that allows for gentle, even heating and imparts subtle earthy flavors to the coffee. These pots also retain heat well, keeping the coffee warm throughout the serving process.

The science behind it is kind of cool. Brewing in an olla de barro actually alters the chemistry of the coffee. Unglazed clay is slightly alkaline and highly porous. When the acidic coffee steeps inside the earthen vessel, the clay naturally neutralizes some of the bitter acids, creating a remarkably smooth, earthy finish that you simply cannot replicate in a stainless steel saucepan.

Clay retains heat particularly well and doesn’t cool down as quickly. That means you can brew your coffee in the olla and allow it to sit in the pot for a while without it going cold. Leaving it to sit also enhances the flavor of the spices and the earthy flavor of the pot, letting everything meld together.

So what’s the difference in practice?

Olla de barro: Slightly smoother, less acidic cup. Earthy mineral notes in the background. Heat retention is excellent — the coffee stays warm for a long time. If you’re going for full authenticity, this is the way. You can find them at Mexican grocery stores, Latin markets, or online. Look for food-safe, unglazed versions.

One note: if you have an olla de barro, be sure to use a heat diffuser and not place the clay vessel directly on an open flame. Clay can crack under direct high heat.

Regular pot (stainless steel or enamel): This is what most of us are using, and the coffee is still amazing. You lose a bit of that earthy mineral quality, but the cinnamon, piloncillo, and whatever spices you’re using will still shine. The flavor is slightly sharper, a touch more acidic. Still excellent.

Honest verdict: if you make café de olla once a week and love it, eventually get an olla de barro. The upgrade is real but subtle. Don’t let not having one stop you from making this today.

Café De Olla vs. Regular Mexican Coffee: What’s the Difference?

People ask this a lot, and it’s a fair question because “Mexican coffee” can mean different things.

Café de olla is a specific, traditional brewing method. Unlike regular brewed coffee, café de olla is infused with cinnamon, cloves, and piloncillo, creating a sweet and spiced taste. It’s slowly simmered rather than brewed quickly, allowing the spices and coffee to fully infuse for a deep, complex flavor. It’s always sweetened — the sugar is built into the brewing process, not added after. And the spices are non-negotiable.

Regular Mexican coffee (café mexicano) is a broader term. It could refer to drip-brewed coffee made with Mexican beans, or just any coffee served in Mexico. A lot of Mexican coffee shops serve espresso-based drinks just like any American coffee shop. Regular Mexican coffee has no spices and no built-in sweetener.

The practical differences break down like this:

Café de olla is more like an experience than just a method. If someone in Mexico asks “¿Te sirvo un cafecito?” — “Can I pour you a little coffee?” — and you’re in a traditional home or roadside spot, they’re probably pouring café de olla.

How to Store and Reheat

Made too much? Don’t stress. Store leftover coffee in an airtight container, such as a glass jar, in the refrigerator for up to 3–4 days. When you’re ready to enjoy it, reheat gently on the stovetop — never microwave — to preserve the spice aroma. Try to avoid reheating more than once.

Cold leftovers are also incredible over ice. Iced café de olla is having a moment at cafés in LA and Houston right now, and for good reason. Strong, sweet, spiced coffee over ice? Absolutely yes.

What to Eat With Café De Olla

Traditionally, this coffee pairs with pan dulce — Mexican sweet bread. A concha (that fluffy, shell-topped roll) dunked slightly into café de olla is one of life’s simple, perfect things. Puerquitos (those little pig-shaped gingerbread cookies) are another classic pairing, since they’re traditionally eaten with café de olla and are made with piloncillo themselves.

If you’re doing a full weekend breakfast, café de olla alongside huevos rancheros or chilaquiles is the move. Or honestly? Just a warm mug on a cold morning with nothing else. It holds its own.

Want to Explore More Mexican and Latin Coffee Drinks?

If café de olla has you curious about other coffee traditions from Mexico and beyond, check out our full roundup of different types of coffee drinks — we cover everything from café cubano to Vietnamese iced coffee. There’s a whole world past your usual drip.

If you’re thinking about which coffee to buy for this recipe, our Café Bustelo review might be a good starting point. It’s a Latin-roasted dark coffee that works well in café de olla when you can’t find Mexican beans. And for the sensitive stomachs — café de olla made with low-acid coffee beans is actually a fantastic combo, since the piloncillo helps mellow the acidity further.

FAQs About Café De Olla

Final Word

Here’s the thing about café de olla that nobody tells you upfront: it’s not just a recipe. It’s one of those drinks that changes how you think about coffee a little bit.

I’ve made it in a beat-up stainless steel pot at a campsite in the Hill Country. I’ve made it in a proper olla de barro on a slow Sunday morning with pan dulce on the side. I’ve made it with just cinnamon and piloncillo, and I’ve made it with the full spice lineup — cloves, star anise, orange peel, the works. Every single version was worth waking up for.

What I love most is how forgiving it is. You don’t need precision equipment. You don’t need to nail a 9-bar espresso extraction or nail a pour-over technique. You just need a pot, some good-faith effort, and the willingness to let things simmer for a few minutes.

If you mess it up the first time — maybe it’s too sweet, maybe it got a little bitter because you let it steep too long — just adjust. Add less piloncillo next time. Pull the lid off a minute earlier. The soldaderas figured it out over campfires with no measuring cups and no thermometers. You’ve got a kitchen. You’re going to be fine.

Make it this weekend. Tell me what variation you tried. And if someone in your life has never had café de olla, make them a cup. It’s one of the best gifts you can give someone on a cold morning — a mug of something that’s been warming people up for over a hundred years.

That’s the whole story. Now go make it.

For further reading on Mexican coffee history and tradition, Latino USA’s deep dive on the revolutionary origins of café de olla is excellent. For more on the science behind cinnamon types, Healthline’s breakdown of Ceylon vs. cassia is the most thorough resource I’ve found. And if you want to understand piloncillo before you buy it, King Arthur Baking’s piloncillo guide is clear, practical, and trustworthy.