What Is Café de Olla? Traditional Mexican Spiced Coffee Recipe

Café de olla — literally “coffee from the pot” — is a traditional Mexican coffee brewed with piloncillo (raw cane sugar), canela (Mexican cinnamon), and ground coffee, all simmered together in a clay pot. It’s sweet, spiced, and deeply aromatic — nothing like drip coffee, and very different from espresso. The name is straightforward: café = coffee, de olla = from the clay pot. The clay pot isn’t just tradition — the earthen material (barro negro) imparts a subtle minerality that enhances the coffee’s flavor. But you don’t need a clay pot to make it at home. ...

April 26, 2026 · 7 min · Barista At Home