As the world’s largest coffee producer, Brazil has a rich history and cultural connection to coffee. Brazilians enjoy a strong coffee, often sweetened, and traditionally served in small cups throughout the day, known as “cafézinho”.
What is Brazilian Cafezinho?
The traditional Brazilian way of brewing coffee, known as “cafézinho,” or “little coffee” is prepared by brewing finely ground coffee with hot water, then straining through a cloth filter. This brews a rich and concentrated cup of black coffee that is often sweetened with cane sugar while brewing and enjoyed plain or with milk.
How is Brazilian Style Coffee Unique?
The cafézinho brewing process creates a smooth, strong, and often sweet cup of coffee typically served in small portions without milk. Thos method produces a rich and bold flavor profile, and the cloth filter used for traditional cafezhino coffee creates a somewhat creamy texture because it allows oils and fine grounds to pass through.
With or Without Sugar?
Many Brazilians add sugar to the water while it is heating. This creates unique sweet notes as the coffee brews with the sugar already incorporated. If you prefer sugar in your coffee, feel free to give this method a try! The recipe below includes methods for with or without sugar included while brewing. Adding sugar after brewing is also a great way to perfect the amount of sweetness for each personal cup.
What Kind of Coffee Beans to Use?
Using high-quality coffee beans is important not just for taste, but also for health. Some coffee beans are grown and harvested with more strict standards, reducing exposure to harmful chemicals from pesticides or mold contamination. Mycotoxins from mold can develop in poorly processed or stored beans and can have negative impacts on health over time (learn more about that here). Check out my favorite organic and mold free coffee brand at the bottom of this post!
How to Grind the Beans Properly
For traditional Brazilian cafézinho, the size of the coffee grounds is important for proper flavor extraction. The beans should be ground medium-fine, or similar to the consistency of table salt. This is between a fine grind (like you would use for espresso) and a course grind (used for French press). So, it’s just slightly more fine than a medium grind used for drip coffee. A medium-fine grind allows for a balanced extraction, brewing more slowly but not clogging the filter or leading to over-extraction (which can lead to a bitter, stale taste).
- If the grind is too coarse, you will have weak, under-extracted coffee.
- If the grind is too fine, the coffee may become overly bitter or too strong due to over-extraction.
For the best cup of coffee, grind the coffee beans at the time of use. I don’t recommend buying pre-ground coffee beans.
Equipment Needed
To brew traditional Brazilian-style coffee you’ll need:
- Cloth Filter: a clean, reusable natural cloth filter like a cotton or linen cloth.
- Small pot: to heat water and brew the coffee beans.
- Small sieve or cone brewer (see mine at the bottom of this post).
- Small pitcher, caraffe, or large cup: to place sieve or cone brewer over.
- Spoon: for stirring in sugar, which is often added before brewing.
- 2 small cups: this recipe makes 2 servings and is usually served in a small cup.
- Thermometer: for precise water temperature control (optional).
How to Serve Brazilian Style Coffee
Cafezinho is often served as plain, hot coffee as it is generally sweetened while brewing. Here are more ways to enjoy:
Add some milk, half and half, or heavy cream.
Add sweetener like sugar, honey, or maple syrup after brewing rather than beforehand.
Add it to hot chocolate to make a mocha.
Make a Brazilian iced coffee: add whole milk or half and half followed by ice cubes.
Serve it like an affogato with a scoop of ice cream or gelato.
How to Make Traditional Cafezinho
Add water and sugar (if using) to a small pot.
Boil water in the pot, stirring to dissolve the sugar completely (if using).
Remove pot from the heat and let rest for about 30 seconds to cool just slightly. The water to cool to about 200 degrees Fahrenheit.
Add coffee grounds to hot water in the pot and give it a quick stir. Let brew for about 3 minutes.
Place sieve or cone brewer over large cup, caraffe, or small pitcher.
Place cloth over mesh sieve or cone brewer.
After 3 minutes of brewing time, pour coffee mixture into cloth to strain.
Remove coffee cone/strainer and cloth from pitcher and discard coffee grounds.
Serve coffee into serving cups immediately, plain or with a splash of milk or cream.
Enjoy!
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My favorite mold free, organic coffee! Dark roast or medium roast would work great for this recipe.
My ceramic cone coffee brewer
Looking for More Coffee Recipes?
Check out this spicy Aztec Mocha, this refreshing Iced Blueberry Latte, or this balancing Ashwagandha Coffee recipe!
Brazilian Coffee Recipe (Traditional Cafézinho)
Equipment
- 1 small pot
- 1 small mesh strainer or cone coffee brewer
- 1 clean cotton or linen cloth
- 1 small pitcher, caraffe, or large cup
- 2 small serving cups
- 1 spoon
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups filtered water
- 25 grams freshly ground coffee beans (medium-fine grind)
- 4 teaspoons raw cane sugar or panela (optional)
Instructions
- Add water and sugar (if using) to a small pot.
- Boil water in the pot, stirring to dissolve the sugar completely (if using).
- Remove pot from the heat and let rest for about 30 seconds to cool just slightly. Let the water to cool to about degrees 200 Fahrenheit.
- Add coffee grounds to hot water in the pot and give it a quick stir. Let brew for about 3 minutes.
- Place sieve or cone brewer over large cup, caraffe, or small pitcher.
- Place cloth over mesh sieve or cone brewer.
- After 3 minutes of brewing time, pour coffee mixture into cloth to strain.
- Remove coffee cone/strainer and cloth from pitcher and discard coffee grounds.
- Serve coffee into serving cups immediately, plain or with a splash of milk or cream.
- Enjoy!
