You guys, I’m hooked on this brew! You see, I love coffee and I love a cold caffeinated milky sipper, especially while working at my desk – but unfortunately I can only handle tiny little amounts of caffeine as it makes me shake with the jitters like a chihuahua naked and wet in antarctica, and milk? Oi. Nope.
This brew has everything you (and I) need: a nice rich cacao flavour (slightly bitter and earthy), a bit of sweetness from creamy macadamias, and a touch of spice with some added cinnamon (which is optional). Mind you, I say there’s no caffeine in this drink cuz it ain’t coffee, but cacao has it’s own “caffeine” compound called Theobromine which has different properties (that’s a whole other topic).
Cold Brew Cacao happens to be the next big thing – even Mast Brothers opened up a bar serving this bad boy. Ready for it? You’ll love it!
Hop over to the artful kitchen to get the full scoop.
So here’s the deal, basically this is a hybrid between making nut milk and cold brew coffee and all you need to do is soak your ingredients, blend, and strain. Here are a few notes before we jump into it:
*The original method uses crushed unrefined cacao which is not easy to find, if you score some then I’m jealous, but for convenience sake we will use cacao nibs which work almost as good as the “straight from the jungle” stuff.
*Make sure to get high quality cacao nibs with no sweeteners or flavourings of any kind, preferably raw. You can find them now at most health food stores (whole foods or trader joe’s).
Cold Brew Cacao Latte (Dairy & Caffeine Free)
Makes 750ml
Ingredients:
– 1/2 cup raw macadamia nuts
– 1/2 cup blanched almonds
– 1/2 cup cacao nibs or crushed unrefined cacao
– 1 cinnamon stick (optional)
– 750 ml filtered water
– 1 large jug or jar
– 1 nut milk bag or very fine mesh strainer (note: I suggest using the bag as it’ll catch as much debris as possible, but hey, if a bit of macadamia or almonds end up in your drink, not a big deal).
Instructions:
1. Start by giving a quick rinse to your nuts (teehee), just run them under tap water for a minute or so.
2. Place all ingredients in a large jug or jar and soak them for a minimum of 12 hours. Overnight does the trick. You can leave them to soak at room temp over your kitchen counter covered with a lid.
3. After soaking, place the contents of the jar in your blender and blend on high speed for 3-5 minutes until mix is very smooth.
4. Strain the mix using a nut milk bag or fine mesh making sure to press the pulp to really squeeze all the milk out. You can save the nut “pulp” and use it for cookies, smoothies or yogurt.
5. Place strained brew in the fridge for a couple hour to chill, serve cold over ice or as is – make sure to shake the jar before serving as the milk solids can separate. I like to sprinkle some extra cacao nibs and cinnamon on top, but it’s up to you.
This recipe can be changed according to your liking: if you like a stronger cacao flavour, then let it soak longer and reduce the amount of nuts.
Suggested sweeteners:
– Maple syrup: rich and wintery
– Honey: subtle floral sweetness
– Agave syrup: neutral sweetness
And hey, a touch of rum never hurt anyone…right? haha. Enjoy and let me know if you dig this brew!
Natasha | Ok, Last Bite. says
This looks nice and creamy, I dig the macadamias AND almonds in there! Sounds very intriguing, I don’t think I’ve ever tried anything of this sort!
Gabriel says
You should give it a go! It’s honestly super easy to make and probably cheaper (and healthier) than a cuppa at the coffee shop.
J.S. @ Sun Diego Eats says
Coffee makes me so shaky too! If you are sensitive to caffeine don’t ever drink 5 hour energys, they will make you feel like your heart is beating too fast and that you will surely perish.
Oh and I love that you used macadamias…and a naked chihuahua metaphor.
Gabriel says
Oh! I know! Those are THE WORST. and love that I changed your views on chihuahuas hahaha
Claudia says
Love this so much. Are there any other nuts that could be used in place of macadamias?
Gabriel says
Hi Claudia! You could use raw cashews as they’re as creamy as macadamias.
Claudia says
Thank you so much, Gabriel. I just wanted to give an update. I caved and purchased some macadamias. Then proceeded to make this cold brew as instructed. It was too acidic for me on its own, but then I poured some over my oatmeal, and it completely transformed my breakfast, taking it to a whole new level. I already have another batch soaking. Thank you for this recipe. It is a keeper for sure.
Gabriel says
Hey Claudia! YAY that’s awesome. I haven’t tried with oatmeal but now im intrigued. Happy it worked out for ya :)
Tieghan says
This is so awesome!! Cannot wait to try!
Gabriel says
I’ll think you’ll definitely dig it! :D
Agnes {Cashew Kitchen} says
I love this idea! <3
Gabriel says
Thanks Agnes :)
Kat says
Oh this sounds amazing! Any ideas on a supstitute for almonds?
Gabriel says
Hi Kat, I would use cashews, that’s a safe bet as they’re creamy when blended.
Kimberly/TheLittlePlantation says
This looks and sounds sooooo deeelish.
Plus the pictures are lovely. I find taking pictures of glass/beverages SO hard, so photos like these always inspire me.
Thanks for the gorgeous blog post.
Gabriel says
Hi Kimberly! I know, glass is super hard because it’s reflective and you gotta get the angle right. I find that a frosty glass is always easier to style ’cause it gets rid of any reflections. Thank you!
Hannah says
I don’t know about calling this a cold brew latte. It’s something, but it’s not cold brewed and it doesn’t have milk in it.
Gabriel says
Hi Hannah! It is cold brew as it doesn’t use any heating methods to extract the flavour of the cacao. It’s also a latte because it contains macadamia milk – this is definitely meant for someone who wants to try something new or for us the lactose intolerant :) Give it a go!
Eileen says
I love my coffee, but I think I love this idea even more! Sounds delicious. Do you leave the cinnamon stick in while blending? It seems like that might get super intense. ?
Gabriel says
Hi Eileen! Yes I did leave it in and blended it. It gets super soft after it soaks. I used a small stick so the flavour was quite mild, you can totally take it out though!
Sara says
Looks amazing! Confirming that you use the same water nuts were soaking in, in the final product? Meaning you don’t drain them and then add new 750ml of water? I Make almond milk with new water vs the soaking water so just wanted to make sure. Can’t wait to try it.
Gabriel says
Hi Sarah! Yep, I used the same water as it keeps the flavour from the cacao and cinnamon. Enjoy!
Erin @ The Speckled Palate says
Oh my goodness, does this Cold Brew Cacao look like a dream! I can’t drink much coffee these days — I took a break from the stuff during pregnancy, and one cup of it makes me shaky now! Definitely going to have to try this because it sounds ah-mazing!
Gabriel says
Same here! I only drink one cup on a weekend after a huge brunch haha that way i won’t pass out. Enjoy!
Kari says
What an interesting recipe!
Kari
http://www.sweetteasweetie.com
Patricia says
macadamia nut, I love it!
a super idea. I have the recipe just printed out and pinned to the fridge.
Today I will be shopping food and I will tested it tomorrow !
Thanks for the recipe!
Best, Patrica from http://blog.fancythoughts.com
Gabriel says
Hope you enjoyed it!
renee (will frolic for food) says
genius. PURE GENIUS! I’m gonna make me some of this today! well done, sir.