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Warm, aromatic and perfect for the holiday season, Christmas coffee combines a bold dark roast with cozy holiday spices for a seasonal upgrade to your usual cup. Brown sugar rounds out any bitterness while cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves infuse every sip with fabulous, festive fragrance. It’s quick to prepare and works in a drip coffee maker, French press or Moka pot. Serve with whipped cream for a touch of indulgence, or keep it simple for a more classic approach. Either way, it gets you energized for the day ahead and feels like happy holidays in a coffee mug.
Why You’ll Love It
Brew a festive Christmas coffee with dark roast, brown sugar and warm spices. Serve this seasonal sip with whipped cream or keep it simple for a cozy holiday drink.
Festive aroma: Cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves make your kitchen smell amazing.
Customizable: Enjoy it plain or add whipped cream and liqueur.
Pairs well: Complements cookies, pastries and all your favorite holiday desserts.
Easy prep: Mix spices with coffee grounds and brew as usual. Prep time is minimal.
You might also like a cinnamon dolce latte, Santa’s hat rum cocktail, iced brown sugar oat milk espresso, or slow cooker pumpkin spice latte.
Spiced Christmas Coffee Ingredients
A complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
Ground dark roast coffee: Provides a bold, rich base that stands up to the sweetness and spice.
Brown sugar: Adds caramel depth and softens the bitterness of the coffee.
Ground cinnamon: Brings warm, sweet spice that feels unmistakably festive.
Ground nutmeg: Adds a subtle nutty note that pairs beautifully with coffee.
Ground cloves: Intensifies the aroma with a rich, slightly sweet depth.
Whipped cream: Crowns the cup with creamy indulgence and a touch of luxury.
How to Make Christmas Coffee
For more detailed instructions with weights and measurements, jump to the printable recipe card.
Mix the spices: Combine brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves in a small bowl.
Prepare the ground coffee: Add the spice mixture to the ground dark roast coffee in a coffee filter.
Brew coffee: Use your preferred coffee machine style, following its instructions, to brew your coffee from coffee beans, instant or ground coffee.
Serve and garnish: Pour your hot coffee into coffee mugs (I used these!) and top with homemade whipped cream, adding a sprinkle of cinnamon to your mug of Christmas cheer too, if liked.
Substitutions and Variations
Sweetener swap: Replace brown sugar with honey, maple syrup or powdered sugar in your cup of coffee.
Alcoholic twist: Add a splash of Baileys, brandy or Kahlúa for a boozy Christmas coffee.
Extra flavor: Stir in vanilla extract before serving.
Gluten free note: This recipe is naturally gluten free as written.
Dark roast coffee: I like strong coffee, so made mine with dark roast. You can substitute medium roast coffee though, if preferred. The flavor will be slightly lighter but it still pairs well with the spices. Another option is decaf coffee.
Another spice: You might like to steep a star anise pod in your coffee for an extra dimension to the flavor.
Add milk: Not a fan of black coffee? Add a splash of whole milk, half and half, oat milk, or your preferred milk or creamer, to make your Christmas morning mug perfect.
Serving Suggestions
With something savory: Enjoy Christmas coffee with your breakfast, perhaps corned beef hash, a fried egg sandwich or a breakfast burrito, or as a Christmas Eve treat with some puff pastry Christmas trees.
With a sweet treat: Enjoy it with a Christmas tree cupcake or marshmallow pop for a festive sweet treat I bet you’ll absolutely love. You could also add peanut butter cup Christmas trees to the platter!
How to Store Christmas Coffee with Warming Spices
Store: This Christmas coffee blend is best prepared and served fresh, otherwise the whipped cream will deflate into the coffee.
Freeze: I don’t recommend freezing this.
Top Tips
Grind fresh: Use freshly ground beans for the fullest flavor.
Mind the water: Use filtered water to avoid off flavors.
Adjust sweetness: Taste before serving and add more sugar if needed.
Serve hot: Enjoy right after brewing for the best aroma and flavor.
Garnish smart: Sprinkle cinnamon or nutmeg over whipped cream for a pretty finish.
Spiced Christmas Coffee FAQs
You can pre-mix the coffee and spices, then store in an airtight container until brewing.
Yes. It won’t affect the flavor but will reduce the caffeine.
Yes. Just keep the same spice-to-coffee ratio for balanced flavor. When I first tried this recipe I just knew it would be a crowd-pleaser!
Spiced Christmas Coffee Recipe
Christmas Coffee
Equipment
- Espresso Machine or Coffee Maker or French Press or Moka Pot
- Whisk Small
Ingredients
- 1 Cup ground coffee, I like dark roast
- 2 Tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 Teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ½ Teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ Teaspoon ground cloves
- 8 Cups water
- whipped cream, for topping
Instructions
- Add ground coffee to a paper coffee filter and set aside.
- Whisk brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves in a small bowl until combined.
- Add spice mixture to ground coffee.
- Prepare coffee as instructed on the style coffee maker you use.
- Pour coffee into mugs.
- Top with whipped cream and a sprinkle of cinnamon, if you like.
Notes
Mind the water: Use filtered water to avoid off flavors.
Adjust sweetness: Taste before serving and add more sugar if needed.
Serve hot: Enjoy right after brewing for the best aroma and flavor.
Garnish smart: Sprinkle cinnamon or nutmeg over whipped cream for a pretty finish.
Nutrition
Few things feel more festive than the wonderful aroma of spiced coffee drifting through the house. This recipe mixes coffee grounds with a blend of brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves for an easy yet flavorful drink that brings plenty of holiday cheer to your taste buds. You can make this recipe for Christmas coffee as is, top with whipped cream or spike with a splash of liqueur for an adult twist. This Santa coffee recipe is quick to make and customize and just perfect for sharing during the holidays or enjoying a morning cup to energize you for the day ahead.
Other Recipes to Try
Bella Bucchiotti
Bella Bucchiotti is a Canadian-based syndicated food, travel, and lifestyle writer, photographer, and creator at xoxoBella. She founded xoxoBella in 2015, where she shares her love for food, dogs, sustainability, fitness, crafts, outdoor adventures, travel, and philanthropy to encourage others to run the extra mile, try new recipes, visit unfamiliar places, and stand for a cause. Bella creates stress-free and family-friendly recipes for weeknight dinners and festive feasts.
