Cinnamon-Infused Cold Brew Coffee

Cold brew coffees are known for being wonderfully smooth and flavorful. They’are also typically brewed in a concentrated form, so that you can easily use them as a base for flavored iced coffee drinks without ending up with something watery. I loved the idea of adding some additional flavor to my cold brew, but decided that I wanted to add the flavor before the coffee was brewed, rather than waiting to add it to my finished drinks. This Cinnamon Cold Brew Coffee is infused with cinnamon right from the start, resulting in a coffee that is rich, smooth and has a delicious spice to every sip.

The coffee starts out with freshly ground coffee. I prefer to use a medium-dark roast for most of my cold brews, but you can use a lighter roast if you like your coffee to be a little bit milder. Since this recipe has a lot of flavor added, it is actually a good choice for a lighter roast coffee. Once the beans are ground, add in two whole cinnamon sticks, broken in half. Like the coffee grounds, the whole cinnamon sticks will slowly infuse flavor into the coffee as it brews. They will also be much easier to filter out after brewing, unlike ground cinnamon. After 12-16 hours, filter your coffee and you’re ready to enjoy it. I typically dilute mine with a 1:2.5 coffee-to-water ratio.

This cold brew is delicious, especially if you’re already a fan of spicy drinks like chai tea, because it has a great cinnamon flavor. It isn’t sweet on its own, but the warmth of the cinnamon blends beautifully with the smooth, chocolaty-notes of the cold brew coffee. You can drink it black to get the full effect of the cinnamon or pair it with a splash of my Homemade Vanilla Coffee Creamer for a sweeter finish.

Cold brew coffee is brewed cold to produce a smoother finished cup of coffee. I typically serve this over ice, however you can actually also warm it up in the microwave for a drink that will warm you up. The cinnamon aromas really come out when the coffee is heated, so that is an excellent way to enjoy this brew, too.

Cinnamon-Infused Cold Brew Coffee
2 cups whole bean medium-dark roast coffee
2 three-inch cinnamon sticks
4 1/2 cups water, cold or at room temperature

Grind the coffee to a medium grind and pour grounds into a large pitcher. Break cinnamon sticks in half and add to grounds. Pour in water and stir a few times to ensure that the grounds are evenly moistened.
Cover pitcher and place in the refrigerator. Allow mixture to steep for 12-16 hours, then filter out the grounds and cinnamon sticks using a large coffee filter. Store in the refrigerator until ready to use.
When serving, dilute with a 1:2.5 ratio of coffee-to-water.

Serves 6-8

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