Cacao Coffee Recipe

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Last Updated on July 24, 2023

You’ll never believe how simple it is to make cacao coffee! Not only does it have a fraction of the caffeine that coffee is, it tastes just like hot chocolate!

cocao coffee in a cup with a fresh press and roasted cacao in the background

It’s been a good two months since I gave up coffee.  Surprisingly it was easier than I thought it would be, mind you,  I did switch to decaf a couple of months before I gave up the bitter brew.  

The only thing I miss about my morning cup of Joe is that dark bitter taste and the smell.  OMG, the smell of good freshly brewed coffee can make me curl my toes up with happiness.

I knew I had to have this feeling back and when I stumbled onto Cacao coffee at my grocery store it love at first sip.  

Bitter and pretty much caffeine free (it has tiny tiny amount of caffeine in it), I knew I was going to have to make it my own.

roasted cacao on a sheet pan to make cacoa coffee

This recipe is crazy simple. Seriously.  You just roast raw cacao nibs and then grind them in your coffee grinder.  

I added my two favorite ingredients – gelatin and heavy whipping cream and then I am in heaven for the next hour.

How to make this Cacao Coffee Recipe

Ingredients

ground cacao in a French press to make cacoa coffee

Recently, I started drinking this coffee substitute that is DIVINE! It’s herbal coffee with all the taste and none of the caffeine.

cocoa coffee
Yield: 2

Cacao Coffee Recipe

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes

There is nothing like a hot cup of cacoa coffee which is so easy to make.

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 275 degrees.
  2. Place the cacao nibs in a thin layer on a baking sheet.
  3. Place in the oven and let cook for 15 - 18 minutes.
  4. Remove from the oven and let cool. Store in an airtight jar.
  5. To make a cup of Cacao coffee, you will need 1 tablespoon of Cacao nibs per 1 cup of boiling water.
  6. Place the cacao nibs in your coffee grinder and pulse Four times for 2 seconds each. If you hold the button down you will get a powder. Remove and place in your french press and add boiling water.
  7. Let seep for 5 to 8 minutes.
  8. In your cup add your gelatin and splash of cold water and stir with spoon.
  9. Pour in your cacao coffee and add coconut oil and cinnamon.
  10. TIP: You can save your grounds and dry them out in the oven at 300 for 8 minutes and then grind them into a fine flour and use them in baking.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

2

Serving Size:

g

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 335Saturated Fat: 19gSodium: 2mgCarbohydrates: 10gFiber: 7gProtein: 8g

Did you make this recipe?

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39 thoughts on “Cacao Coffee Recipe”

  1. I can’t wait to try this! I roasted my nips this morning and will give it a try tomorrow. I’m a little concerned that the long roasting time may have burned them, though. I ended up turning off my oven for the 15 minutes. It holds heat well, so this is sometimes a trick I use. Do you have tips to keep the nibs from scorching?

    Reply
  2. Hi Kelly, I love your book, Paleo Eats! I purchased it in March and have been happily experimenting with it since then. Your coconut cinnamon cereal is a hit in my house, as well as your pizza crust. Garlic fried rice is also a winner. Thank you for sharing with us your expertise! I just found your blog, and look forward to trying cacao coffee soon. God bless you!

    Reply
  3. Can I just put cacao nibs in boiling water, just how one would do with coffee nibs? With out having to heat the cacao nibs in the oven

    Reply
  4. Hello! I am just now looking into this, I know – I know – I am way behind on this one, and I ran across your blog. I am wondering if in the years since writing this if you have tried roasting them in an Air Fryer Oven, and if so, at what temperature and for how long? I must admit to being addicted to my AFO! I like not having to heat up the house using my big oven much anymore!!!

    Reply
  5. Ok, so I’ve apparently done something terribly wrong!! I mean – my house has smelled DIVINE since I put the cacao nibs in the oven, but they’ve been out cooling now for a LOOONG time. I even tried putting the baking sheet in the fridge but the melted nibs are still moist.
    How do I ever get this to the point that I can put them in a jar and/ or grind them in a coffee grinder without making a HUGE mess?
    I followed your instructions above… but thinking perhaps you intended to type ‘250 degrees’ instead of 350… because these are truly melted together into a large moist mass of cacao!

    Reply
    • I apologize for the inconvenience. It seems there might have been a typo in the instructions. To dry the cacao nibs properly, you should set your oven to 275 degrees Fahrenheit (not 350 degrees) and bake them until they are dry and crispy. This should prevent them from melting into a moist mass. Once they are dried, you can store them in a jar or grind them in a coffee grinder as desired. Happy cooking!

      Reply

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