Oma’s Holiday Spiced Coffee Recipe
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At A Glance
Spiced coffee that tastes like winter in a mug. You’ll stir ground cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves into your coffee grounds and brew a deliciously spiced cup of morning brew you’ll make again and again. Keep it black or add milk and sweetener (which I highly recommend!). I included two easy brew options, make-ahead ideas, and simple fixes for grit so every cup pours smoothly.
If you love a good cup of coffee during the holidays, then spiced coffee is the way to go. To be honest, I don’t know whether this is truly a Christmas-spiced coffee or a German-spiced coffee. All I know is that my Oma made it during the holiday season, and I’ve made it that way for as long as I can remember.
Personal Note
In honor of my Oma and all the memories I have with her, I thought I would share this simple holiday spiced coffee recipe that she always made this time of year. It’s a mildly spiced coffee that gives just enough flavor to be a little different this time of year.
Table of Contents
Ingredients For Spiced Coffee
- Coffee grounds
- Ground cinnamon
- Ground nutmeg
- Ground cloves
- Hot water
- Optional: dairy or unsweetened almond, oat, or cashew milk
How To Make Spiced Coffee
- Add the water to the coffee maker.
- Add the coffee and spices to the filter and brew as usual.
- Serve with a little sweetener and some milk.
Brew Options For Christmas Spiced Coffee (Equipment)
Coffee Maker With Paper Filter
You can only use a coffee maker if it has a paper filter. Anything without a paper filter will clog your machine.
French Press
Add spices to the press with grounds. Pour hot water, steep as usual, then plunge. For a cleaner cup, pour through a paper filter placed in a funnel or dripper.
Spiced Coffee Recipe Variations
- Add a hint of vanilla extract to the mug.
- Whisk 1 tsp. unsweetened cocoa powder into warm milk, and add.
- Use decaf coffee if needed.
- Toss a small, fresh strip of orange peel in the coffee grounds with the spices.
Pro Recipe Tips
- A medium grind is best.
- Warm milk before adding it. While it’s not critical, it always seems to make a difference in the overall flavor.
- A tiny pinch of fine salt brightens the sweetness you add. (Very tiny! We aren’t drinking salty coffee here.)
- Cinnamon-only or nutmeg-only – works if you prefer a simpler flavor.
Troubleshooting
- Gritty cup – If you have grittiness in your cup, you’ll want to strain your coffee a second time. Paper filters work best for this.
- Bitter coffee – This can taste extra bitter if your coffee grind is too fine or if you add too much clove.
- Not enough flavor – Make sure you stir the spices into the grinds well. You can sprinkle on more cinnamon after brewing for extra flavor.
- Milk separation – If your milk separates, try warming it first. It tastes better anyway! (In my humble opinion…). Pour the milk in slowly as you stir.
FAQs About Spiced Coffee
Can I make it dairy-free?
Yes. Use Almond, oat, or cashew milk, or a combination of them. I love oat and almond (half and half of each).
How sweet should it be?
Start with 1 tsp. of sweetener in your cup and adjust to taste from there.
Can I use only one spice?
You can, but the trio of cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves gives the classic holiday profile. If you really only want to use one, I recommend either the cinnamon or the nutmeg. Clove won’t add a very nice flavor on its own.
Make-Ahead and Storage
- Make the dry spice mix ahead of time. Whisk your three spices together and keep them in a small jar by the coffee maker for quick mornings.
- Brewed coffee is best fresh. If needed, refrigerate for one day and reheat gently on the stove or in the microwave until hot but not boiling.
How To Serve Spiced Coffee
- Sprinkle a little cinnamon on top.
- Use a cinnamon stick for stirring.
- Pair with biscotti or a cookie.
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More Cozy Coffee Recipes
Oma’s Holiday Spiced Coffee Recipe
Equipment
- 1 coffee maker that uses paper filters OR
- 1 French press
Ingredients
- ½ cup coffee grounds (This is a stronger brew. Feel free to adjust to your liking.)
- 3 cups water
- 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp. ground nutmeg
- ¼ tsp ground cloves (Oma used honey!)
- any sweetener you like
- any milk you like (almond milk adds a wonderful flavor!)
Instructions
- Add the water to the coffee maker.
- Add the coffee and spices to the filter and brew as usual.
- Serve with a little sweetener and some milk.
Notes
Nutrition
From the Gracious Pantry® archives, originally posted on 10/8/16.
sounds great Tiffany but maybe instead of putting the spices through a Keurig etc you put the spices in the cup and then do the coffee? Just a thought. This our thanksgiving weekend in Canada and I have much to be thankful for. You and your blog are on my list.
Anne – Ya, as I mentioned, this will only work in a machine with paper filters or a french press. I don’t recommend it for a keurig. The spices would clog things up pretty fast. But you could certainly try putting them in the cup and then straining them out. I just haven’t tried it myself, so it’s hard for me to say if it’s as effective.
Happy Thanksgiving!! And thank you for reading my blog Anne! 😀
I Love putting spices in my coffee! I often put in cinnamon but I’ve never tried cardamom!
AZ – Give it a try! It’s yummy! 🙂
i use a percolater type coffee maker. first they truly make some of the best coffee hands down. second you can add spices right in. i do it all the time when making coffee. 🙂
i loved the story of your grandmother and how cozy her home and your time with her sounded.
Laura – Thanks for the input! I definitely had some very special moments with my Oma. She was an incredible lady.
Wonderful stories…first time to your blog…won’t be my last!
Regarding the spices, I make French Press coffee each day and add spices directly to my cup.
With a frother I blend coffee, spices, sweetener and butter then enjoy! Spices are healthy as well as flavourful ?
Janford – So happy to have you here! And yes, absolutely! I typically strain mine out because I don’t like the texture of them in my coffee. But if you don’t mind that, then yes! Enjoy!