Cascara Tea Recipes: How to Brew Coffee Cherry Tea Hot, Iced, and Mixed

The basic cascara recipe is one heaping tablespoon of loose cascara, or one sachet, per cup of water just off the boil, around 200°F, steeped 4 to 5 minutes and strained. That is the whole starting point. Everything below is a variation on it, from a cold brew you leave overnight to a latte, a syrup, and a spritz.

Cascara is the dried fruit that grows around the coffee bean. It brews like tea and tastes like cherry and raisin, not coffee. It is forgiving, so you can adjust the strength by steep time and by how much you use. Here are the ways worth knowing.

The basic ratio

Start here and adjust to taste:

• Cascara: 1 heaping tablespoon loose, or 1 sachet, per 8 oz cup
• Water: just off the boil, around 200°F
• Time: 4 to 5 minutes, then strain

Want it stronger? Add more cascara rather than steeping much longer. Long steeps pull more tartness; more cascara gives you more body and sweetness.

Hot cascara tea

The simplest cup. Put your cascara in a mug, teapot, or French press. Pour water just off the boil over it, around 200°F. Steep 4 to 5 minutes, then strain out the fruit. Drink it as is, or add a little honey if you want it sweeter. A French press makes straining easy for loose cascara.

Iced cascara tea

Brew it hot and a little strong, using a heaping tablespoon and a half per cup, then pour it straight over a glass of ice. The ice dilutes it, so the extra cascara keeps the flavor from thinning out. A slice of lemon or orange plays well with the natural cherry and hibiscus notes.

Cascara cold brew (the sweetest way)

This is the method most people end up loving. Put loose cascara in a jar with cold water, roughly one tablespoon per cup, cover it, and leave it in the fridge for 12 to 24 hours. Strain and serve over ice. Cold water pulls out the sweetness slowly and leaves most of the tartness behind, so the result is rounder and softer than a hot brew. Make a batch on Sunday and pour it all week.

Cascara latte

Brew a strong hot cascara concentrate first: two tablespoons per 6 oz of water, steeped 6 minutes, then strained. Pour that into a mug and top with steamed or frothed milk, about half and half. Oat milk is a good match because its own sweetness sits nicely next to the cherry and raisin. Add a small spoon of honey or maple if you want it dessert-like. No espresso needed, though you can pull a shot into it if you want more body and caffeine.

Spiced cascara, qishr style

In Yemen, the coffee cherry has long been brewed as qishr, a spiced version. To make a simple one, brew cascara hot as usual and add a few thin slices of fresh ginger and a small piece of cinnamon stick to the steep. Some people add a crack of cardamom. Strain after 5 to 6 minutes. The spice sits well with the dried-fruit sweetness and makes a warming winter cup.

Cascara syrup

A cascara syrup lets you add the flavor to sodas, cocktails, iced lattes, and pancakes. Combine equal parts strong brewed cascara and sugar in a small pot, warm gently until the sugar dissolves, then cool and bottle it. Keep it in the fridge and use it within two weeks. A tablespoon in sparkling water makes an instant cascara soda.

Cascara spritz (mocktail or cocktail)

Fill a glass with ice. Add 1 oz cascara syrup and top with sparkling water for a bright, cherry-sweet mocktail. For an adult version, add 1.5 oz of a light sparkling wine or a splash of aperitivo in place of some of the soda, and finish with an orange twist. It reads like a fruit spritz with a little tartness at the edge.

Tips for better cascara

• Do not oversteep a hot cup. Past about 6 minutes it turns more tart than sweet.
• Adjust with cascara, not just time. More fruit gives sweetness and body; more time gives tartness.
• Store it sealed and dry. Keep cascara in an airtight container away from light and heat, like you would coffee or tea.
• Save the grounds question for another day. Spent cascara can go in the compost, which keeps the zero-waste story going.

Frequently asked questions about cascara recipes

How much cascara do I use per cup?
About one heaping tablespoon of loose cascara, or one sachet, per 8-ounce cup. Use a little more for iced or latte versions since they get diluted.

What water temperature is best for cascara?
Just off the boil, around 200°F. You do not need a thermometer; let a kettle rest about 30 seconds after it boils.

Can you make cascara in a French press?
Yes, and it is one of the easiest ways. Add cascara and hot water, steep 4 to 5 minutes, then press and pour.

Which cascara recipe is the sweetest?
Cold brew. Steeping in cold water for 12 to 24 hours brings out the sweetness and leaves most of the tartness behind.

Can I add milk to cascara?
Yes. Brew a strong concentrate and top with milk for a cascara latte. Oat milk is a good match.

Try our first batch of Cascara Coffee Cherry Tea

Every recipe here works with our Cascara Coffee Cherry Tea, the other half of the coffee plant: the fruit around the bean, dried and steeped into a soft, cherry-sweet tea you can drink any time of day. This is a small first batch, so grab it while it lasts. New to it? Start with what cascara tea is and how much caffeine it has.

Shop Cascara Coffee Cherry Tea →

This article is for general information and is not medical advice. Cascara Coffee Cherry Tea is a food, not a dietary supplement, and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.