When you think of the word, coffee, maybe you think a latte or a cappuccino, and while those hot drinks are delicious on their own, there’s something unexpectedly tasty about adding coffee to food. We’ve tried coffee on barbeque, and coffee in dessert, and its versatility is often underestimated. Whether it’s a traditional coffee ice cream or a rub for your roast our best ways to cook with coffee will have you wanting to pour your morning cup of joe into all your dishes.
This recipe treats iced coffee like a cocktail, adding peach nectar and lime juice to amp the beans’ citrus and other fruit notes. Get the recipe for Gone in 60 Seconds »
In this riff on the hot eggnog-like classic, Rachael Thompson of Chicago’s Violet Hour perks up the traditional rich base of egg batter and cognac with two New Orleans favorites: the anise-y liqueur Herbsaint and a coffee-chicory syrup, a nod to the coffee at Café du Monde. Get the recipe for Tom and Jerry Cocktail »
Strong coffee accentuates the dark, fruity notes of currants and brown sugar in this chutney. Try it on top of scones or a slice of banana bread. Get the recipe for Currant and Molasses Chutney »
Roasted Cauliflower
Coffee’s sweet, earthy flavor is perfect for ribs. Incorporate it into an otherwise traditional dry rub by finely grinding the beans. Get the recipe for “A Little Jolt” Dry Rub »
The small flap of meat between the chuck and the rib eye in Wagyu is called the zabuton, meaning “cushion” in Japanese. Nicely marbled with intramuscular fat, the little-known cut—sometimes dubbed a Denver steak—is buttery and rich. Get the recipe for Braised Zabuton with Coffee Beans »
Espresso powder adds a jolt to this sleepy soda bread. We love it as toast for a breakfast sandwich or to mop up rich sauces alongside a dinner roast. Get the recipe for Irish Coffee Soda Bread »
This rich, multilayered dessert of angel food and devil’s food cake, peanut butter mousse, and milk chocolate ganache should be frozen before icing is added and refrigerated before it’s sliced. Get the recipe for Heaven and Hell Cake »
A smooth, spicy-sweet barbecue sauce gets even richer thanks to the inclusion of a small amount of chocolate. We love it basted onto chicken as it grills, or painted atop a classic meatloaf. Get the recipe for Ricotta and Coffee Mousse »
