HOW TO MAKE HOMEMADE ESPRESSO POWDER FOR BAKING: IT’S EASY!

Espresso powder is the secret ingredient in many sweet and savory recipes, and you can easily make it at home!

You’ve probably heard that espresso powder is the trick that takes your brownies or chocolate cake from good to outstanding. But if you’re anything like me, that’s where your knowledge ends. 

What is espresso powder? Is it just finely ground coffee? Is it the same as instant coffee? Can you make it at home?

Today, I’ll clear up the confusion around this popular ingredient and take you through a simple espresso powder recipe to try for yourself.

What Is Espresso Powder?

Two different products can be sold as espresso powder. While they have some of the same uses, they’re not the same, and one can’t always be used as a substitute for the other.

The first is instant espresso powder, which is just instant coffee but with a more intense flavor to simulate an espresso shot. Regular instant coffee is made from brewed and then dehydrated coffee beans to create water-soluble granules. Due to the machinery needed, it’s not practical to make at home.

The second style of espresso powder is made from espresso beans or espresso grounds that have been used to brew coffee and then dried. Unlike instant coffee granules, it won’t dissolve in water, but it’s great for baking. This is the type that I’ll show you how to make today. 

In both cases, “espresso” refers to the coffee roast, not a particular type of bean. Traditionally, storebought espresso powder has a relatively dark roast. 

How To Make Espresso Powder At Home

Believe it or not, making dried espresso powder takes a few simple steps and no special equipment. You don’t need a fancy espresso machine or dehydrator. Here’s how.

What is the best coffee for espresso powder? 

My recipe starts with whole coffee beans, but you can substitute an equal amount of pre-ground coffee if you don’t have a grinder. If you make shots of espresso at home, you can also use the spent coffee grinds from your knock box – a great cost-saving option!

You can make this recipe with your favorite beans, regardless of whether they’re labeled coffee or espresso. I’d suggest a medium or dark roast, as these tend to have a natural caramel sweetness and hint of bitterness that plays nicely with many baked goods. But there’s no reason not to explore a lighter roast powder if that’s a flavor profile you prefer.

How to Make Your Own Espresso Powder

Are you ready to learn how to make espresso powder? This simple recipe has step-by-step details.

1. Roast your coffee

First, preheat your oven to 170°F. If your oven will not go this low, just use the lowest temperature available. The aim is to dry out the grounds, not to cook them. Spread your grounds out as evenly as possible over a baking sheet. It’s best to use a baking sheet with a rim so that there’s no spillage as you place the grounds in the oven. If you’re using whole beans, make sure they’re in a single layer.

The bake time will depend entirely on what kind of coffee you’re starting with. Whole espresso beans or unbrewed grounds can take as little as one hour, while pre-brewed espresso grounds will take around 2 hours. The best idea is to check regularly after the first hour, making sure they don’t stay in too long.

For grounds, you want them to be dry to the point that they have a “crunchy” texture. This is a little harder to test for beans, but they should have a very brittle feel to them.

2. Get grinding

After removing your grounds from the oven, leave them to cool for 5-10 minutes on the baking sheet.

Transfer your grounds to the coffee grinder. Depending on how much powder you are making, you might want to do this in batches. Then you’re just going to grind until you have a fine powder. You want this to be as close to something like cocoa powder or as you can get it – this will ensure you get a smooth texture in your food.

While we normally recommend a burr coffee grinder for grinding your beans, a blade or spice grinder works just as well in this instance. We’re not trying to get a consistent grind at a particular size, just getting it as fine as possible. If you don’t have a coffee grinder, you could use a mortar and pestle or even a blender for this step. However, if you’re starting with whole beans, a grinder is recommended. 

3. Store your homemade espresso powder

Add your fresh ground espresso powder to an airtight container and out of direct sunlight, just as you would for coffee beans or grounds. You might not be brewing coffee with this stuff, but you still need it to taste good!

Espresso powder has a shelf life of around six months, but be aware that the flavor and taste will deteriorate over time. Contact with oxygen will not only cause the espresso powder to lose its flavor but can also affect the coffee’s natural oils, leading to a rancid taste (4). And just as with coffee or spices, humidity and heat can also impact the freshness. This means no storing it in the fridge, or on the counter next to the stove. The best place for it is in a cool, dark cupboard.

Storing your espresso powder correctly is vital to maintaining the taste, so you may want to consider a specialized spice container or coffee canister with a one-way valve. 

Final Thoughts

With these simple steps, you can create your own batch of espresso powder at home, ready for adding to cakes, drinks, and savory recipes. Not only will this save you money, but it also gives new life to your used coffee grounds.