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Deliciously rich, homemade Coffee Extract
Who knew coffee extract could be such a handy and delicious addition to your kitchen pantry!
Coffee extract may be a bit obscure, but it should be moved to the front of the pantry right behind that big bottle of vanilla. This full-bodied extract will enhance just about any recipe but especially all things chocolate. Our extract is also a great replacement for espresso powder in all your sweet or savory recipes.
Unfortunately, this magical elixir is hard to find in the grocery stores, but you can order it on Amazon, of course! I say why bother buying it when you probably have everything you need to make it right at home.
What special ingredients are needed to make this simple extract?
You don’t need anything special to make homemade coffee extract. Two simple ingredients and a week at room temperature and you’re done. This DIY extract uses just 1/4 cup of your favorite whole coffee beans. Lightly crush the beans using a mortar and pestle or rolling pin, then place in a clean jar with a tight fitting lid.
Pour 1 cup of your favorite vodka over the crushed coffee beans and swirl to combine.
Seal the jar and place in a cool dark location for a week. Once a day or so, swirl or shake the jar to mix the beans with the vodka.
How long does it take to make coffee extract?
After a week of swirling and shaking you’ll have a beautiful, luscious black extract that can be used immediately or stored in a cool, dark location indefinitely. This extract enjoys a very long shelf life, so you’ll probably use it up before you start to wonder how old it is. Our easy method is very similar to the process used to make homemade vanilla extract.
Pour the mixture through a fine mesh sieve to remove the beans. Line the sieve with cheesecloth before straining if you think it needs it, but it’s not necessary. A little coffee bean dust is fine!
What kind of recipes are best for using coffee extract?
There’s no limit to the way you can use this magic elixir. It’s great as a one-to-one substitute for vanilla in all your baked goods. Add a teaspoon to a chocolate milkshake for a mocha rich treat or a heaping tablespoon to a steak marinade or beefy gravy. Use coffee extract in place of espresso powder in recipes. One teaspoon is about the same as 1-teaspoon espresso powder.
Mix 1 teaspoon with 1/4 cup hot water for 1/4 cup of brewed coffee. No need to turn on the coffee maker or brew a pot for a quick little pick-me-up.
Sweet or savory, I bet you’ll find plenty of ways to use your coffee extract. Divide a batch into small jars and share with the coffee lover in your life. They’ll love this thoughtful homemade gift!
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Helpful kitchen tools for making homemade Coffee Extract:
Once you have a mortar and pestle in your kitchen, you’ll wonder how you ever lived without one! It’s perfect for many small tasks like cracking coffee beans for homemade Coffee Extract, or for crushing herbs, spices or even pills. We use ours frequently and find it very effective.
Is it possible to have too many measuring cups with a spout? I think not! These inexpensive kitchen tools are very helpful in our everyday life.
Click on the photos for more information or to purchase from Amazon.
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PRINT THE RECIPE!
Coffee Extract Recipe
Ingredients
- ¼ cup whole, fresh coffee beans
- 1 cup vodka
Instructions
- Lightly crush or crack the coffee beans using a rolling pin or mortar and pestle. Transfer the beans to a small jar with a tight fitting lid. Add the vodka and seal the jar. Place in a cool, dark location for at least a week, swirling or shaking daily to mix.
- Strain the coffee extract to remove the crushed coffee beans. Discard the beans. Seal the extract and store in a cool, dark location.
Recipe Notes
- 1 teaspoon coffee extract = about 1 teaspoon espresso powder
- Substitute coffee extract for vanilla extract in baked goods. It's great added to most chocolate recipes and enhances the chocolate flavor.
Nutrition
Finally, here are a few recipes you might also enjoy:
Luscious Irish Cream Breakfast Cake
Fun Irish Coffee Cupcakes
Bite the Sky says
Just bought the vodka to try this out. I have a cotton candy business and ill be using this in a few of my seasonal flavors. Ill let you know how it turns out! Most of my other extracts are alcohol based so there shouldn’t be an issue.
Tricia Buice says
How fascinating! I can’t wait to hear how this turned out. My husband and daughter both love cotton candy. Good luck!
shelly says
Thanks for this recipe. My extract keeps losing liquid volume. Do you find that the beans end up soaking in the vodka? It is also bubbling just a bit. What do you think?
Tricia Buice says
Hi Shelly. I’m not sure about the bubbling. Mine does not do that. The liquid reduces a little, but not too much. Make sure you’re using a tightly sealed jar so you don’t lose as much. My beans don’t really get soft so they aren’t soaking up a lot of vodka. Great questions and I hope using a well sealed jar helps. Thanks for taking the time to comment!
Phyllis says
I made the coffee extract mainly to use for a White Russian however I don’t know how much to add to make this drink. If you can tell me I would greatly appreciate it. I tried equal amounts of the extract with vodka and cream and the coffee extract was way to bitter tasting.
Thank you
Tricia Buice says
Hi Phyllis. The coffee extract is concentrated so I don’t think you need much. Maybe a tablespoon in one drink? I would experiment starting with just a little bit and add more until you reach the desired flavor. Good luck and thanks!
Alison says
I found this recipe too late – I need the coffee essence in 2 day’s time. Do you have any quicker alternatives to make coffee essence? Will try this recipe next time.
Tricia Buice says
Hi Alison. I might try mixing a very small amount of espresso powder with vodka. Or, check a well stocked grocery store and see if they have it in the baking aisle. Otherwise, just add a little espresso powder and water in place of the essence. Good luck!
CHRISTINE says
THANK YOU SO MUCH! I followed this recipe as written! PERFECT! I made some dynamite chocolate cookies and used this….WOWZA!
Tricia Buice says
Thank you Christine! So happy you enjoyed the extract. Thanks for the feedback!
Skylar says
I made this and we love to add it to our chocolate frosting for cakes! I even made ice cream with it and it was perfect!
I’m wondering if you have any suggestions for the coffee beans once they’ve been strained out.
Tricia Buice says
Thanks for trying the extract Skylar. So glad you are enjoying it! The bean should be discarded once soaked in vodka. Unless you want to roast and dry them out, I don’t think you can use them for anything.
Bobby Alderson says
I have six qt IC maker what amount of coffee extract would you add for that also would you do a combo of vanilla and coffee?
Tricia Buice says
Hi Bobby. I would add 1/2 teaspoon per 1 quart of ice cream to start. Double check the flavor and go from there. Yes, I would still add a normal or slightly less amount of vanilla. Enjoy!
Kat says
Throw them in a garden bed or in a potted plant. 🙂
Emily says
I feel like all I could taste was something like bitter vodka when I tried using mine to make shortbread cookies. What did I do wrong? Does the quality of vodka matter? I’m going to try it again with better vodka.
Tricia Buice says
Hi Emily. I don’t think you need to use really expensive vodka. If you would drink it, then it should be fine. Make sure you don’t over-crush the coffee beans and that they are fresh. It’s not sweetened so if you taste it not mixed into anything, it may taste bitter. I hope it didn’t make the shortbread cookies taste bad. Hope it turns out better next time and thanks for the feedback.
Holly Hockett says
OMG, this sounds divine, I’m going to make it tonight! How long does it keep? Not that it’ll stick around very long, but if I give any away, I’d like to pass along the knowledge 😉
Tricia Buice says
Hi Holly – if kept well sealed in a cool, dark location, it should keep as long as vanilla or other extracts. Enjoy!
Judy says
Hi Tricia,
Can I use my coffee grinder, or woukd that make the grounds too fine?
Tricia Buice says
Hi Judy. I don’t recommend using a coffee grinder but am fine with using a rolling pin! If the grounds are very fine, they’re very hard to strain out of the extract. Hope that makes sense. Good luck and enjoy!
Diane says
We make vanilla extract and the next project will be the coffee extract. We use coffee filters to strain the beans from the liquid if we choose not to retain the beans.
Tricia Buice says
Enjoy!
Francis Mathews says
Should I roast the coffee beans to make coffee essence?
Tricia Buice says
Hi Francis. Coffee beans we purchase in the stores are already roasted. No need to roast again. Let me know if I misread your question. Thanks!
Pippa says
This may be a silly question but does it retain the alcohol? Or would you never use enough for it to affect you? Thanks!!
Tricia Buice says
Not a silly question at all Pippa. Just like some vanilla and other extracts, there is a little alcohol. You cannot taste it, nor will the tiny amount cause you to be tipsy. For those that need to avoid alcohol all together, I don’t recommend having this around. Enjoy!
Susan says
Pinning this to try, Tricia. Thank you!
Tricia Buice says
Thank you Susan!
Chris Scheuer says
What a wonderful idea, Tricia, and SO easy. I love it!
Tricia Buice says
Thanks Chris!
John / Kitchen Riffs says
What a great recipe! We keep espresso powder in our freezer, but this looks much more versatile and flavorful. Great idea! Will be trying this — thanks!
Tricia Buice says
Thanks John!
Savannah says
I’m so pumped about this… I mixed this up last weekend and pulled it out today (from right next to my still extracting vanilla and lemon extracts!) and am straining it right now. I know with some other extracts you can do them double-fold (twice as much of what you’re extracting – ie, vanilla beans, etc – with the same amount alcohol as if you hadn’t doubled the other ingredient) or you can do two rounds of extraction in the same alcohol (like with my lemon extract, i extracted a full jar of peels and have removed them and plan to fill it up with another round of peels). Can you/is it recommended to ever do this with coffee extract? Or is it specifically not recommended? I haven’t been able to find any info on that!
Tricia Buice says
Hi Savannah. That’s a really great question! I’ve not tried making it with double the ingredients. I would be most concerned with the flavor being a bit too bitter. If you try it let us know but I would think it might be more like espresso than coffee. Sounds like you really have a great thing going with the lemon and vanilla extracts. Good for you!
sue | the view from great island says
So cool, I love making my own extracts and this is one I haven’t tried. What a great way to add a jolt of caffeine to a cake, or ice cream, or…the possibilities are endless! Pinning 🙂
Tricia Buice says
It’s great in everything Sue. Thanks so much!
angiesrecipes says
This is even better than vanilla extract! Really cool, Tricia. I wonder if it will work with espresso powder..
Tricia Buice says
Thanks Angie – you must give it a try!
Jennifer @ Seasons and Suppers says
Such a great idea! Would be so handy to have in the pantry for all sorts of things. Can’t wait to try this 🙂
Tricia Buice says
Thanks Jennifer! We have some recipes coming up that use Coffee Extract – hope you find one that is a must make 🙂