DIY Herbal Coffee Alternative Recipe (2024)

Let me just say, I’m an herbal coffee connoisseur. As someone who isn’t able to drink coffee without a case of jitters, finding an herbal coffee alternative has been a huge blessing. I absolutely love the vibe of a coffee shop and the taste of coffee, but the drink itself does more harm than good. Let me start off to say there are a ton of wonderful pre-made herbal coffee options out in the world. To substitute, I decided to create my own DIY herbal coffee alternative. The magic and flavor note that most people experience with regular coffee, this DIY herbal coffee alternative has.

Inspiration

Let me start off to say there are so many wonderful pre-made herbal coffee options out in the world. For example, I’m absolutely in love with Rasa and all of its offerings. However, this inspiration journey began last summer.

I was visiting a dear friend in northern California and got introduced to their favorite eatery in Nevada City, CA called Heartwood Eatery. (Update: the kind & talented folks who created and source the herbal coffee blend served by Heartwood Eatery are NIUKA’S Herbal Tea Company, check them out and purchase teas!) I ordered a delicious smoked salmon sushi bowl, and while I was looking at the menu, the herbal coffee caught my eye. To be honest, I don’t usually see herbal coffee on the menu. I decided to give it a try. When they brought it out, I was super excited because they served it with a side of coconut cream. I splashed in the coconut cream, crossed my fingers and toes, and dove in. To my surprise, my taste buds lit up and my brain awakened. The drink was delicious even without any sweetener! I was sold.

When I got back from my trip, I was inspired to make my own DIY herbal coffee alternative. To have this drink accessible is a joy that I can look forward to each day. I also wanted to experiment and add a few more earthy, herbal coffee ingredients such as burdock root, and carob. For anyone who isn’t sold on herbal coffee, let’s take a look at why you’d choose herbal coffee.

Why Choose an Herbal Coffee Alternative?

There are a lot of reasons to choose herbal coffee over regular coffee. Herbal coffee is a caffeine-free alternative to traditional coffee that is made using a blend of herbs, grains, and other plant-based ingredients. Some people may choose to drink herbal coffee because they are sensitive to caffeine or because they want to reduce their caffeine intake. Others may drink herbal coffee because they enjoy the taste and aroma of the herbs and spices used in the blend. Additionally, some people may choose to drink herbal coffee because of its potential health benefits, such as improved digestion and increased energy levels.

I choose herbal coffee because I’m sensitive to caffeine and love the taste and the ritual of making tea coffee. Regular coffee gives me the jitters, increases anxiety, and leads to more discomfort than soothing feelings. While this may not be the same for everyone, I wanted to make a simple DIY herbal coffee recipe that’s accessible to those who are in the same boat. With that being said, let’s look at the ingredients and benefits.

DIY Herbal Coffee Ingredients and Benefits

The DIY herbal coffee recipe I came up with is packed with beneficial herbs and ingredients that mimic the flavor notes of regular coffee. Not only does this herbal coffee recipe taste like regular coffee, it also comes packed with health benefits.

Roasted Chicory Root

The roasted chicory root is the shining star of DIY herbal coffee. Chicory root has a rich, earthy flavor that most people find enjoyable and gives the herbal coffee a strong, nutty, coffee-like aroma. Chicory root is by nature caffeine free, which was the main goal of this recipe. It also packs in the added benefits of gut-friendly prebiotics.

Fenugreek

I added fenugreek because of its subtle sweetness, giving your herbal coffee a well-rounded taste profile. Fenugreek has a wide range of wellness benefits such as being known to lower blood sugar levels and helping to stimulate breast milk production.

Fennel Seed

The slightly sweet, almost licorice taste of fennel seeds adds some beneficial flavor notes to the herbal coffee. Fennel seeds are earthy and sweet with a hint of a licorice taste. Another added benefit is that fennel seeds help to support the digestive system.

Roasted Dandelion Root

To finish rounding out the full body, warming, and nutty flavor profile, I added Roasted Dandelion root to the recipe. Most herbal coffee ingredients include roasted dandelion root for the nutty flavor. It definitely is prevalent in this coffee blend!

A Few Other Ingredients

I decided to add a few other herbal ingredients to this DIY herbal coffee. For more grounding, and chocolatey flavors, I added burdock root and carob. Both add subtly sweet flavor notes, similar to chocolate, but without caffeine.

To spice up the drink and give it a little flair, I added cardamom, ginger, cinnamon chips, and sassafras root. These spices add those subtle flavor notes that are present in high-quality coffee. They are also very warming which you look for when drinking coffee.

How to make your own DIY herbal coffee alternative

Making your own DIY herbal coffee alternative is simple and very accessible! All you do is purchase (or harvest) your ingredients. Once you have your ingredients, add them to a jar, and mix well. You want an even distribution throughout the jar to balance out the flavor notes when you brew your herbal coffee. That’s it! Set the coffee on a shelf, out of direct sunlight, to keep it fresh for an extended period of time.

Brewing an Herbal Coffee

The preferred brewing method for herbal coffee is a french press. You want a full immersion of the herbs in hot water. If you are coming from a regular coffee background where there are literally hundreds of different brew methods, stick to the handy french press. Since herbal coffee is closer to tea, you want to make sure to slowly extract the flavor and medicinal benefits which you wouldn’t get with say a pour-over or Chemex.

To brew the herbal coffee, add 1 tablespoon of the herbal coffee blend into a french press. Pour in about a cup of boiling hot water, and steep for 5-10 minutes. Next, filter the coffee blend into a cup, and add the cream of your choice. I recommend using coconut cream or my absolute favorite is to add 1-2 tablespoons of raw cream.

Is herbal coffee safe to drink?

Herbal coffee is completely safe to drink! However, if you are pregnant or have any health concerns and/or allergies be sure to consult with a health practitioner.

More Herbal Coffee Recipes

• Chocolate and Mint Herbal Coffee
• Vietnamese Iced Herbal Coffee
• Everyday Adaptogenic Herbal Coffee Latte
• Adaptogenic Cold Brew Coffee Coconut Ice Cream

DIY Herbal Coffee Recipe

Yield: one 16 ounce jar

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Looking for a delicious alternative to coffee? Check out our DIY Herbal Coffee Alternative Recipe! This tasty recipe is made with herbs that are known for their many medicinal benefits, and it's sure to give you the energy boost you need to start your day!

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 tablespoon of roasted chicory root
• 1 tablespoon of fenugreek
• 1 tablespoon of fennel seed
• 1 tablespoon of roasted dandelion root
• 1 tablespoon of burdock root
• 1 tablespoon of carob
• 1 tablespoon of sarsaparilla root
• 1/2 tablespoon of cinnamon chips
• 1/2 tablespoon of dried ginger
• 1/2 tablespoon of cardamom

Instructions

1. Measure out herbs into a glass jar.
2. This recipe makes a jar full of herbal coffee, to make your herbal coffee measure out 1 tablespoon (1 1/2 tablespoons for a stronger brew) to one cup of water.
3. Steep for 10 minutes.
4. Pour into your mug of choice.
5. Optional things to add in, vanilla bean powder, raw cream or coconut cream, and a sweetener of choice such as maple syrup I personally love this without any sweetener yet it would be delicious either way.
6. Enjoy!

Did you make this recipe?

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