Adding Spices To Your Coffee Grounds? Don't Forget These Tips
Coffee can have a major impact our brains. The potent brew is a beloved early morning ritual for many people that extends beyond the dose of caffeine. Coffee preferences are just as unique and multi-faceted as the people who drink this popular beverage. While some swear by tried-and-true black coffee, others add all kinds of fixings like milk, cream, sugar, non-dairy add-ins, and even butter in some cases. Surprisingly, spices also make a great addition to coffee — provided you take the right steps. That's why Mashed consulted two titans of spice and coffee to get their takes.
These exclusive answers come courtesy of "Spice Master" and chef Lior Lev Sercarz, author of Mastering Spice: Recipes and Techniques to Transform Your Everyday Cooking (plus three other spice-inspired books) and owner of the global spice brand La Boîte. We also spoke with two-time barista champion Heather Perry, CEO of Klatch Coffee and former president of the Specialty Coffee Association, to get her insight.
Both experts advocate for incorporating select spices into coffee, including cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, nutmeg, and allspice among others. They were also kind enough to offer some tips on how to best add spice to coffee as well as practices you should avoid to preserve the quality of your cup and prevent any damage to your brewing equipment. This comprehensive guide ensures that moving forward, you can flavor your coffee with both flair and aplomb.
Best spices to incorporate into coffee
It must be true that great culinary minds think alike, as our experts offered a few of the same spice suggestions for sprucing up coffee. According to Heather Perry and Lior Lev Sercarz, cinnamon, cardamom, and ginger are all wonderful selections. Of cinnamon, Perry says, "If you enjoy beverages with flavor profiles and warmth like some of those from Mexico — think Champurrado and Mexican hot chocolate — you'll likely enjoy cinnamon with your coffee as well." She also recommends incorporating fresh ginger into coffee or using cardamom to "add a fragrant flavor reminiscent of Middle Eastern cuisine."
When it comes to "some of the best [spices] for a coffee drink," Lev Sercarz suggests clove, allspice, and surprisingly, black pepper. Clove, which is often combined with cinnamon, is beloved for its balance of mild sweetness and palatable bitterness, while allspice combines flavor notes from spices like cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg. Black pepper might seem like an unlikely choice, but it actually works wonderfully in coffee thanks to its complementary bitter notes.
Perry had an equally surprising recommendation for coffee. The champion barista suggests adding salt to "reduce perceived bitterness" of your cup. Perry admits that "salt is technically a mineral, not a spice," but it can sometimes pep up a lackluster brew nonetheless. "High-quality, fresh-roasted specialty coffee shouldn't need salt, but if you happen to have something less 'special' on hand, it could be worth experimenting," Perry says. However, she cautions against incorporating too much salt, lest you end up with an undrinkable beverage.
Lior Lev Sercarz's tips for adding spices
Spice Master Lior Lev Sercarz explains, "Here at La Boîte, we think the best way to combine spices with your coffee is to sprinkle ground spices into your brewed beverage [versus] in the grinds." He adds, "This method ensures you're getting the most fresh flavor our of the spices. You would leave behind the great flavors and aroma the spices provide if you add it directly to the grinds."
As for how much of a given spice (or spices) you should add, Lev Sercarz recommended taking a "taste as you go" approach. If you're the type of person who feels most comfortable making culinary creations by following instructions, consider that our cinnamon coffee recipe calls for 2 teaspoons of cinnamon for every 5 tablespoons of ground coffee. If you want to try Lev Sercarz's recommendation and incorporate black pepper into your brew, 1 teaspoon of black pepper per 1 cup of coffee is a great starting point. In general, use a light hand when adding a potent spice to your beverage.
How Heather Perry mixes spices with coffee
Heather Perry takes a slightly different approach when mixing spices with coffee. According to the CEO of Klatch Coffee, adding spices directly to the grounds is her preferred method when making drip and pour-over coffee. "If you're preparing drip coffee with a paper filter, we don't have concerns about clogging our equipment," Perry says. Similarly, this method works well with pour-over coffee, as "you have a much thicker filter that will allow for you to add spices to your heart's desire."
If you're lucky enough to have a fancy espresso machine at home, Perry recommends using a method that's more in line with Lior Lev Sercarz's instructions. "For espresso," the champion barista explains, "avoid adding anything other than ground coffee to the portafilter. Instead, add the spices directly to your cup after pulling the shot." Even if you don't own an espresso maker, you're likely at least somewhat familiar with portafilters, small cups with long handles where ground coffee is placed. The cup is then fitted into the espresso machine, which distributes hot water over the grounds to brew them. Consider that home devices can range from $200 to an exorbitant $2,000, so you'll definitely want to proceed with caution. However, Perry states that it's possible to add a small amount of spice to a portafilter without causing major damage, provided that you only do so in moderation.
Tips for experimenting with spice blends
Spice blends exist in many cuisines all over the world, but is a mixture of spices suitable for flavoring coffee? From Lior Lev Sercarz's perspective, the answer is a resounding yes. "Blending is a great way to discover new flavor profiles," the Spice Master says, highlighting the importance of experimenting with different mixes. "Just like with adding spices and seasoning to food, just think of the flavors you enjoy, and consider them for your brewed coffee beverage," the chef recommends. You may also want to take a bit of inspiration from La Boîte's "Yemen blend," which consists of allspice, cinnamon, and ginger.
Heather Perry is also an advocate for trying out different flavor blends in your coffee. "Experiment!" the coffee aficionado exclaims, stating, "There are many ways to enjoy coffee and it takes time to discover your preferences." If you're unsure where to start, the barista encourages the use of flavors that already complement one another, while also being conscious of any milk or syrup you might add to your coffee. Just be careful when mixing different spices together, as "there's no 'undo' once you mix them!" In this case, Perry suggests separating the spices in your mixture as you develop the perfect portions, and only incorporate the different spices into a single blend once you're pleased with the flavor.
How to perfect spiced coffee (and practices to avoid)
Ground spices make flavoring your coffee easy, but Heather Perry offers some alternative methods. "You might use whole cinnamon sticks or cardamom pods instead," Perry explains, "which can simply be discarded along with the grounds." Additionally, "You can add a fresh slice [of ginger] while brewing." Grinding your own spices is another option, as this method ensures that both your spices and coffee have the same course texture. And while many spices work beautifully as coffee enhancers, Perry singles out a few that might not pair well. "Pungent, intense flavor families are probably best avoided," she says, highlighting onion, chili pepper, and garlic as potentially problematic flavors. Although strong spices are tasty in all sorts of recipes, they will likely overwhelm your coffee and throw off the flavor balance.
As for Lior Lev Sercarz's tips, the cookbook author and owner of La Boîte states that you can also use spice to flavor common coffee additions. "If you're ambitious," Lev Sercarz states, "you can also create spiced simple syrups, make your own flavored creamer or spiced sugar with a single blend or blends, or even make a spiced rim." In the event that you want to enjoy the great flavor of coffee in new ways, La Boîte created a spice blend featuring coffee, cinnamon, and clove for the purpose of flavoring food.