Homemade espresso powder is a fine powder made from dried, used coffee grounds that are ground until smooth and uniform. The powder is then used in baking recipes to add a subtle coffee flavor.
A great way to recycle your coffee grounds and make a baking ingredient that adds just the perfect touch to many baked chocolate recipes.
Espresso powder
Have you ever found recipes that call for espresso powder? It's often added to chocolate cakes, brownies, or other baked goods. Usually, just a teaspoon or two is added to a recipe, especially one with chocolate. The espresso powder enhances the chocolate flavor. It's a great trick to take your baked goods up a notch!
Lately, I've been trying to find espresso powder, and it's not always the easiest to find. I did finally find it at one of my local grocery stores, and I didn't buy it because the cost was really high! A three-ounce jar was over $10!
I found a method from the blog, The Pudge Factor, on how to make homemade espresso powder. Not only was it easy, but it was essentially free because you actually use the ground coffee that you used to make your morning coffee!
Talk about a great use for your leftover coffee grounds! We also use our leftover grounds in our garden. We sprinkle them around our blueberry bushes and add them to our compost, but I love being able to turn them into an actual baking ingredient!
Ingredients
Use leftover coffee grounds that you use for brewing your regular cup of coffee. I saved my grounds from my drip coffee maker for three days and then started the process.
The richer or deeper roast coffee you use, the richer your espresso powder will be.
You can use any amount you'd like. This process takes a few hours so I decided to make certain I had enough to make it worth my while.
Keep in mind, the more coffee grounds you use, the longer the process will take.
Steps to making espresso powder
- Preheat your oven to the lowest setting it will go to. I set my oven to 170°F.
- Place parchment paper on a baking sheet and spread coffee grounds on top
- Put in oven until coffee grounds are fully dry and feel slightly crunchy (this took about 3 hours for me). Stir coffee grounds every hour.
- Remove from oven and cool grounds
- Place a small amount in a coffee grinder and grind until very fine
- Store espresso powder in an airtight jar or container
Recipe tips
- Actual time will vary depending on the amount of grounds you are using, how wet your grounds are, and the temperature of your oven.
- I used my fingers to stir the coffee grounds so I could feel how dry they were. When the grounds were still wet, they stuck to my fingertips, and it looked like I had been playing in the dirt. When the grounds were dry, they no longer stuck to my fingers.
How to use espresso powder
- Use in any recipe calling for espresso powder
- Add 1-2 teaspoons to any chocolate baking recipe. You will not taste the coffee, but the espresso powder will enhance the chocolate flavor.
- For a stronger burst of coffee, add 1-2 tablespoons to your favorite chocolate cookie recipe, like in these espresso chocolate chip cookies!
Chocolate baking recipes
These recipes can be enhanced by adding 1-2 teaspoons of espresso powder. Just mix it in along with the flour.
If you make this recipe, I’d love to hear about it! Leave a comment below and snap a picture and tag me on Instagram @beyondthechickencoop
Be certain to check out all my delicious baking recipes!
Homemade Espresso Powder
Equipment
- Cookie Sheet
- Parchment paper
- Coffee Grinder
Ingredients
- 3-4 cups coffee grounds (leftover from making coffee)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to the lowest setting it will go. I set my oven to 170°F.
- Place parchment paper on a baking sheet and spread coffee grounds on top3-4 cups coffee grounds
- Put in oven until coffee grounds are fully dry and feel slightly crunchy (this took about 3 hours for me). Stir coffee grounds every hour.
- Remove from oven and cool grounds
- Place a small amount in coffee grinder and grind until very fine
- Store espresso powder in an airtight jar or container
Notes
- Yield will vary depending on how many grounds you begin with
- Actual time will vary depending on the amount of grounds you are using, how wet your grounds are and the temperature of your oven.
- I used my fingers to stir the coffee grounds so I could feel how dry they were. When the grounds were still wet, they stuck to my fingertips and it looked like I had been playing in the dirt. When the grounds were dry, they no longer stuck to my fingers.
Nutritional Disclaimer:
Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and should only be construed as an estimate rather than a guarantee. To obtain the most precise nutritional information in a provided recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the exact ingredients you are using when preparing the recipe using your preferred nutrition calculator.
Cathy says
Storing in a glass container, how long will this last?
Kathy says
I've had mine in a glass jar in my pantry for almost 2 years.
Nigel Russell says
Hi Kathy
I've just come across your recipe which is really helpful. Any thoughts about using an air fryer to reduce time
Kathy says
Hi Nigel,
I'm afraid I don't have any experience with an air fryer. If you have one and know how to adjust time and temp, I'd give it a try. Just keep an eye on the grounds while they are drying so you know when they are done.
Let me know how it works.
Kathy
EmmiBakes says
I am testing your homemade espresso powder out today.
I’ve been saving the grounds from my leftover coffees for the past Week or so.
I stored them on the counter top until I accumulated enough to bake off.
Roughly 2 - 3 cups of Used Coffee grounds. After being exposed on the counter for that time in a big bowl, the coffee grounds were ‘Significantly Dry’ however;
They still were Clinging to my bare finger pads.
So then I followed the Steps here to begin making homemade espresso powder.
Any suggestions for me ?
Kathy says
Hi,
I'm so glad your trying this recipe! I did the same thing with saving the grounds in a big bowl on the counter. You'll still want to dry your grounds in the lowest temp oven until they are totally dry and feel brittle. Once dry you'll process in your coffee grinder until very finely ground. If you run into any issues or have other questions, just let me know!
Kathy
Linda says
I'm looking forward to trying this recipe. I'm wondering if I might just put this in a dehydrator? So I don't have to heat up the oven (it is summer and very hot here).
Kathy says
Yes! A dehydrator will work. I sometimes even put my dehydrator outside when it's really hot. Just dry until the grounds are completely dry.
Enjoy! 🙂
Linda says
Thank you!
Valentina says
Kathy, I'm so excited about this. I always have instant espresso powder in the house, specifically for baking (and sometimes I add some to a smoothie). I've never made my own and would never have thought to do so . . . until now. Can't wait to try this. Thank you! 🙂 ~Valentina
Kathy says
Thank you!
David @ Spiced says
Say what!? This is perfect! I love espresso powder, and I always try to keep some in the pantry...but you're right that it can be rather expensive. I had no idea that you could make it at home. And not only that, but it uses leftover coffee grinds! We have plenty of those. 🙂 As soon as I run out of my espresso powder that I have now, I'll be making a batch!!
Kathy says
I'll be keeping a few jars in my pantry to always have on hand!