Coffee Flour – Superfood for 2022?

Coffee flour? When you mention flour, people usually picture wheat, corn or some of the usual crops. But it is a genuine product and not just that. It might be the next best thing in the coffee universe after the invention of the French press. So let us walk you through these new superfood facts.

What is coffee flour and how do you make it?

Most of you already know that coffee is a plant. A nice one, the kind you can grow in your apartment. Coffee fruit is called cherries, and inside every cherry is a coffee bean. We make our coffee from coffee beans, right. But what happens with cherries? They are a byproduct, and they were considered garbage. So, tons of them were left to rot every year. That is a crying shame because coffee cherries are healthy and nutritious fruit. So, a million-dollar idea emerged: making flour from cherries. 

Not flour in the traditional sense, of course. This one comes from the fruit, dehydrated and finely ground. So, it is a cross between spice, coffee, and flour. But it has the texture and usability of regular flour, spiked with fruity taste and caffeine. Perfect.

Who makes flour from coffee?

Guys, meet Dan Belliveau. Electrical engineer, working on robotics and automation for large companies. While working at Starbucks, Dan saw the issue with discarding coffee cherries. So, he invented a product he called coffee flour and started a company called The Coffee Cherry Co. (The level of imagination is equal to us naming our page Estonia Coffee). If you want to take a look at his patent, here is a link for that, too.

The company is doing fine, especially with global recognition. Dan is now one of the leading innovators changing the future of food and saving our planet from climate change. In the long run, Dan wants to keep 30% of his product in the countries where it was made. That would significantly improve the nutrition of third-world countries.

What are the benefits of coffee flour?

Eco-friendly

Before making coffee flour, most cherries were left to rot somewhere in the forest. Or worse, they ended up in water sources, rivers or the sea. Surely, some of the farms used coffee cherries as a natural fertilizer, but not enough to solve the issue. Most coffee farms are in undeveloped countries, so that made issue just worse. But now, using simple processes – drying and grinding – the number of coffee cherries left to rot is rapidly decreasing.

Additional income for farmers

Most coffee farmers are struggling to survive. Yes, that is the sad truth about our favourite drink. However, now the farmers have new materials for production and export. That means new jobs, new factories and a new revenue stream for them. The best part is they don’t need to invest in pricy tech. Just good old sun and mills for grinding.

Health benefits

We don’t have to mention that coffee is vegan, right? Let’s look at more reasons why coffee flour is a new superfood:

  • Low-calorie
  • Cholesterol-free
  • Low-fat
  • Sugar-free
  • Gluten-free
  • Sodium-free

These properties make coffee flour an excellent choice for vegans, vegetarians, and just anyone else who tries to add a pinch of health into his nutritious plan. I mean, just look at this chart.

Coffee flour nutritious chart
That nutritious.

How do you use coffee flour?

Coffee flour cannot be used as the regular one. It has a fruity taste, so you cannot use it for all your baking recipes. It is an excellent choice for making cookies, brownies, pastry, desserts and drinks. Beginners should try substituting up to 15% of regular flour with coffee flour. 

You can find tons of recipes with coffee flour here, including my favourite – Pumpkin swirl pie. It has everything a guy needs: coffee, sweets and pumpkin taste.

You can add it to your favourite smoothie or a milkshake, to add that extra healthy boost. Everyone needs more fibre and fewer carbs in a dieting plan.

PROS and CONS

Pros
  • Environment-friendly
  • Helps coffee farmers
  • Gives your desserts a boost of healthy ingredients
  • Excellent source of nutrients
Cons
  • Requires some learning and experimenting with different ratios
  • Not fit as a 100% substitute for flour
  • Can surprise you with caffeine amount

Where to buy coffee flour?

And now, the hard part. This amazing product is still not widely available. So, online shops are your usual choice. Your best bet would be Amazon.

coffee flour - picture from Amazon
Coffee flour – picture from Amazon

You can always try in your local shops that specialized in healthy or organic food. I had no luck finding coffee flour in Estonia.

How to make coffee flour at home – step by step guide

To make coffee flour at home, you will need:

  • Fresh coffee cherries
  • Baking tray
  • Spice grinder
  1. Remove the seeds from your cherries
  2. Spread your coffee cherries on a baking sheat in a thin layer. Leave them to dry for a few days. Optionally, you can dry them using the oven or a fruit dehydrator.
  3. Use a spice grinder or flour mill to dry your cherries. The end result must be the same texture as regular flour.
  4. Store your flour in a mason jar, and keep it away from water, heat and sun.

FAQ

How much caffeine does coffee flour have?

Although caffeine is mainly stored in the beans (not in cherry), coffee flour has a decent amount of caffeine. One tablespoon of coffee flour has roughly 60 mg of caffeine. Not great, not terrible.

Is coffee flour the same as cascara?

No. Cascara is a traditional drink made of dried coffee cherry skins. 

Can coffee flour fully replace gluten-containing flour?

Unfortunately, no. Coffee flour has a gentle, fruity/citric flavour and is not suitable for most recipes.

Conclusion

Coffee flour is definitely a great product. It has a huge influence on raising the income of poor coffee farmers and creating more jobs in underdeveloped countries. It is also a great source of fibre and iron. No doubt it will bring a new life to your recipes, and you should try it if you have a chance. Low carbs and high fibres make it a good choice for your health.