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A glass jar with coffee extract steeping inside. There is a glass jar with gorund coffee in the background.
Nico

How To Make Homemade Coffee Extract (Simple Recipe)

This coffee extract recipe will help you easily add the flavour of coffee to baked goods, ice cream, or even pancakes. It uses only two ingredients and is simple to make.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Additional Time 42 days
Total Time 42 days 15 minutes
Servings: 1 Pint
Course: Easy Extracts
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Equipment

  • Clean glass jar (pint mason jar with lid works well) - I use these
  • Small bottles or jars for storing extract - here are amber glass extract bottles
  • Cheesecloth, coffee filter, or fine mesh sieve - I like to use both when straining off coffee extract to make sure all of the ground coffee is removed. - I like these unbleached cheesecloth
  • A small funnel
  • A coffee grinder or mortar and pestle - If you are using whole coffee beans.

Method
 

  1. If you’re using whole beans, use a coffee grinder or mortar and pestle to grind up the beans.
  2. Add the beans to a clean jar. I use a pint glass mason jar and fill the jar ¼ full with ground coffee.
  3. Pour 80-proof alcohol over the ground coffee until it is fully submerged.
  4. Add a lid and shake the jar to make sure everything is covered.
  5. Label and date the extract so you don’t forget when you made it. Set it in a room temperature, dark place (like a cupboard) for 4-6 weeks (I like to leave mine for the full 6 weeks for a more full-bodied extract). Try to remember to shake it every few days so everything remains covered by the alcohol.
  6. After 6 weeks, use cheesecloth, coffee filter, or strainer to strain off the extract. I like to strain it off twice, to make sure the grounds are completely removed from the extract. I do the first strain using a strainer and the second time using cheesecloth. 
  7. Store the resulting liquid in a glass airtight container away from sunlight. And that’s it - a tasty extract made from only a few simple ingredients. I hope this recipe gives you the confidence to try making your own coffee extract.

Notes

How much coffee extract to use?

I use the same amount that I would use vanilla extract (by the way, you make homemade vanilla extract in the same way - it’s so simple!). For most recipes, this would be around a teaspoon of coffee extract but double-check the recipe that you’re making.

How long does coffee extract last?

If the coffee has been strained out of the extract completely and it’s stored away from direct sunlight, it will have a very long shelf life. It may lose some flavour after a year or so.

Tried this recipe?

Let us know how it was!