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Traditional café de olla served in a rustic clay mug, filled with dark Mexican coffee and topped with a cinnamon stick, steam rising on a wooden table.

Café de Olla

Joe- The Half Jalapeño
Café de olla is a traditional Mexican coffee brewed with cinnamon and piloncillo. Warm, gently sweet, and aromatic, it’s the classic morning drink served with tamales and breakfast plates across Mexico.
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Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Course Breakfast
Cuisine Mexican
Servings 4 Cups
Calories 65 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 4 cups water
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 3 ounces piloncillo chopped (or ¼ cup dark brown sugar)
  • ¼ cup coarsely ground coffee

Instructions
 

  • In a saucepan or clay pot, combine the water, cinnamon stick, and piloncillo.
  • Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the piloncillo fully dissolves, about 5 minutes.
  • Remove from heat and stir in the ground coffee.
  • Cover and let steep for 4–5 minutes.
  • Strain the coffee into mugs and serve hot.

Notes

  • Do not boil the coffee after adding grounds — steeping keeps it smooth.
  • Adjust piloncillo to taste for sweetness.
  • A clay pot mellows bitterness, but any saucepan works.
Keyword café de olla, mexican cinnamon coffee, piloncillo coffee, traditional mexican coffee