Cold Brew Coffee Recipe

I often enjoy cold brew coffee in summer. I bought an Oxo Cold Brew Coffee Maker one winter when it was on sale at Bed, Bath & Beyond. Before that, I used a nut milk bag in a jar. I like the Oxo and it gets high marks in many reviews, such as HomeGrounds or Wirecutter. It’s easy to use, easy to clean, and makes a good brew.
The only downside to making your own cold brew coffee is that you must plan ahead. You can make hot coffee in a few minutes, but cold brew takes hours.
I have used this recipe for a number of years. It makes a smooth, less acidic coffee.
ETA: See also Cold Brew Coffee Recipe for French Press.
Ingredients
- 24 fl oz water
- 6 oz fresh coarsely ground coffee. Store-bought pre-ground coffee is too fine.
This will half-fill the Oxo jar. It yields about 16 fl oz (1 pt) of cold brew coffee. You can double the quantities in the Oxo, if you like.
Instructions
- Grind the coffee beans coarsely.
- Place the ground coffee in the Oxo jar.
- Pour water through the rain sprinkler top.
- Swirl gently to ensure that all coffee grounds are wet. (I once followed a recipe that called for vigorous stirring. Never again! The grounds absorbed so much more water that I only got half the yield.)
- Some people put the jar in the fridge at this point. I don’t bother.
- Wait for the coffee to brew! Some instructions say 12 to 24 hours. I usually wait 6–8 hours.
- Put the jar on the stand. First, make sure that the switch is closed.
- Place the flask under the stand. Push the switch down to release the brew.
- Let the cold brew coffee drain. This will take 10–15 minutes.
- Refrigerate the cold brew.
- Use the coffee grounds to turn hydrangeas blue or exfoliate your skin.
Adjustments
You can vary the ratio of coffee to water, the grind, and how long you steep the mixture.
Drinks
- 2 fl oz of cold brew
- 6 fl oz milk
Fork in the Kitchen has some suggestions if you don’t have a coffee grinder or an Oxo maker.