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Café de Olla Guatemalteco

A traditional Guatemalan dish — Café de Olla is the spiced, sweet coffee that fills Guatemalan kitchens with the scent of cinnamon and panela.

⏱ 5 minPrep time
🔥 15 minCook time
🍽 4Servings
🏷 DinnerCategory
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Café de Olla Guatemalteco - Guatémaltèque recipe

A traditional Guatemalan dish — Café de Olla is the spiced, sweet coffee that fills Guatemalan kitchens with the scent of cinnamon and panela. Coffee grounds simmer with raw cane sugar and spices, producing a rich, aromatic brew that is more ritual than beverage. It is the perfect end to a meal of tamales or a slow morning in the highlands.

Step by stepInstructions

  1. Combine the water, panela, cinnamon, cloves, and star anise in a pot and bring to a simmer, stirring until the sugar dissolves.
  2. Simmer gently for 10 minutes so the spices infuse the water.
  3. Stir in the coffee grounds and simmer for 3 minutes more, without boiling hard.
  4. Remove from the heat, cover, and let steep for 5 minutes.
  5. Strain through a fine sieve or coffee filter and serve hot, in clay mugs if you have them.

💡 Chef tips & storage

Traditional café de olla is brewed in a clay pot, which adds a subtle earthiness — a stainless pot works, but keep the heat low. Sweeten to taste; some like it quite sweet, others barely.

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Recipe details

Prep5 min
Cook15 min
Servings4
CategoryDinner
PublishedAugust 17, 2026
Emily — the cook behind My Comfort Recipes

Hi, I'm Emily 🧡

Hi, I'm Emily — the cook behind My Comfort Recipes. Simple, tested comfort food for real weeknights, written down the way grandma would. Pull up a chair. More about me →