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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!
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.
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
- 1 cup Cacao nibs
- 2 cups Boiling water
- 1/2 teaspoon collagen peptides
- coconut oil, melted, just a splash
- cinnamon powder, just a pinch
Recently, I started drinking this coffee substitute that is DIVINE! It’s herbal coffee with all the taste and none of the caffeine.
Cacao Coffee Recipe
There is nothing like a hot cup of cacoa coffee which is so easy to make.
Ingredients
- 1 cup Cacao nibs
- 2 cups Boiling water
- 1/2 teaspoon collagen peptides
- coconut oil, melted, just a splash
- cinnamon powder, just a pinch
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 275 degrees.
- Place the cacao nibs in a thin layer on a baking sheet.
- Place in the oven and let cook for 15 - 18 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and let cool. Store in an airtight jar.
- To make a cup of Cacao coffee, you will need 1 tablespoon of Cacao nibs per 1 cup of boiling water.
- 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.
- Let seep for 5 to 8 minutes.
- In your cup add your gelatin and splash of cold water and stir with spoon.
- Pour in your cacao coffee and add coconut oil and cinnamon.
- 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:
2Serving Size:
gAmount Per Serving: Calories: 335Saturated Fat: 19gSodium: 2mgCarbohydrates: 10gFiber: 7gProtein: 8g
Oh that sounds GOOD
It is so good Kim!
Wow, that is way easier than I was expecting. Even I would be willing to do that!
Yep, easy peasy 🙂
Interesting idea, but does it end up just tasting like hot cocoa?
It is very similar, more like hot chocolate water. The neat thing is your can save your “grounds” and dry them out in the oven again and use them in baking.
@Kelly Bejelly, so after you use the cocao beans to drink. You dry them out in oven and can be used in recipes?
You can, but the flavor will be less strong as it’s spent.
Brilliant!
I can’t wait to try this! I have Cocoa Nibs in my pantry. Adorable mug!
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?
I would reduce the roasting time to 10 -12 minutes if you know your stove runs a little hot. I hope you like them. I didn’t have an issue with my stove.
Oh yummmmm. Do you think this would work without the gelatin?
I love your whole blog!
Thanks Alicia 🙂 Yes, you can totally skip the gelatin.
The recipe calls for melted coconut oil, but the instructions say coconut milk. Which is correct?
Whoops, honestly you could use either. I changed it to oil though.
I already have the cacao powder and I don’t have a coffee press…..Can this coffee be doable??
Hrmm. . I don’t think that it would work hun. You can try?
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!
Thank you Ann! I am sending you have a virtual hug 🙂 God bless you and I wish you joy on your journey!
Can I add it to my coffee?
Yes, of course hun.
Hi! What brand do you recommend to grind the cacao nibs?
This one hun http://amzn.to/2xpaFdH
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
You won’t get the same flavor if you don’t roast them and yes, you can just put them in the boiling water.
I never knew you can make coffee with cacao, but sounds amazing! I’ll be trying it soon.
Omg I have cacao nibs in my cupboard.. and given I’m currently preggers and drinking mostly decaf my coffee could use the pick me up. This is perfect!
Wow, I’m super excited to try this! Being a coffee addict who loves chocolate!
I don’t drink coffee, so this is right up my alley!
This cacao coffee is a hug in a mug! Smooth herbal coffee and that delicious chocolate flavor! Yum!
Wow, Kelly, this is super innovative and such a delicious recipe! Thank you for this great idea and how-to!
I’ve had to cut out coffee but really miss it so this is perfect. Thanks!
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!!!
I haven’t but that’s a great idea. I would try the lowest temp and give check on them every 5 minutes to make sure they don’t burn.
Would love to know how to use the cacao grounds for baking flour such as where to get recipes?
I don’t Jan but you can play around with the recipes.
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!
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!