Cafe Du Monde Coffee and Chicory: How to Brew a Chicory Blend

To brew a coffee-and-chicory blend like Cafe du Monde coffee, use a little less grounds than you would for plain coffee, about 1½ tablespoons (8 g) per 6 oz (180 ml) of water, because roasted chicory extracts quickly and tastes strong. It works in a drip machine, a French press or as cold brew, and it makes an outstanding café au lait when mixed half and half with hot milk. Below are exact recipes for each method, plus tips for getting a smooth, not muddy, cup.

Café du Monde’s coffee and chicory is the most famous example of this style, but many roasters and grocery brands sell similar blends, and you can also mix your own at home with a dark roast and roasted chicory root. Every method here works for any of them.

What Chicory Adds to Coffee

Chicory is the root of the chicory plant (Cichorium intybus). For coffee blends, the root is cut, roasted until dark, and ground. It contains no caffeine, so it lowers the caffeine per cup compared with straight coffee at the same dose.

In the cup, roasted chicory brings:

• A deep, woody bitterness that reads as “extra dark.”
• Body and color: chicory makes coffee look darker and feel fuller.
• Roasty, slightly sweet notes often compared to dark chocolate or caramelized sugar.

Because chicory dissolves and extracts faster than coffee, a blend can easily turn harsh if you use your usual amount or brew too long. That is the main thing to adjust. (The story of how chicory became part of Louisiana coffee culture is told in our article on New Orleans chicory coffee.)

Coffee and Chicory Ratios at a Glance

Treat these numbers as a starting point. If the cup tastes too bitter, use less grounds; if it tastes thin, use a little more.

How to Brew Cafe du Monde Coffee in a Drip Machine

A drip coffee maker is the easiest way to brew a chicory blend, and the most forgiving.

1. Place a paper filter in the basket and rinse it with hot water to remove any paper taste.
2. Add 1½ tablespoons (8 g) of coffee-and-chicory per 6 oz (180 ml) cup. For a full 10-cup pot (60 oz / 1.8 l), that is about 15 tablespoons, or roughly 80 g.
3. Fill the reservoir with fresh, cold, filtered water.
4. Brew, then remove the pot from the hot plate within 15–20 minutes. Chicory blends turn bitter fast when kept warm; move leftovers to a thermal carafe.

Tip: chicory blends are often ground fairly fine and can slow drainage. If your basket floods, use a little less coffee or switch to a cone-shaped filter.

How to Brew Coffee and Chicory in a French Press

A French press gives the blend more body and a rich, velvety texture. Because many chicory blends are finer than a typical press grind, a shorter steep keeps the cup clean.

1. Heat water to 195–200°F (90–93°C), about 30 seconds off the boil.
2. Add 3 tablespoons (16 g) of blend to the press for 12 oz (350 ml) of water.
3. Pour half the water, stir gently, wait 30 seconds, then add the rest.
4. Steep for 3 minutes, not the usual 4.
5. Press slowly and gently, then pour immediately, leaving the last bit in the press.

New to the press? Our guide on how to use a French press covers the basics and the most common mistakes.

Coffee and Chicory Cold Brew

Chicory blends make bold, chocolatey cold brew that holds up well to milk and sweetener. It is the base of what many people call New Orleans-style iced coffee.

1. Combine 1 cup (about 85 g) of coffee-and-chicory with 4 cups (950 ml) of cold water in a jar or pitcher.
2. Stir to wet all the grounds, cover and refrigerate for 12 hours. Chicory extracts fast, so you do not need the 18–24 hours some coffee cold brews use.
3. Strain through a fine mesh sieve lined with a paper filter or cheesecloth. Take your time; the fine grounds drain slowly.
4. To serve, mix 1 part concentrate with 1 part milk or water over ice. Sweeten to taste; simple syrup or sweetened condensed milk are classic.

The concentrate keeps about a week in the fridge. For more on technique, see how to make cold brew at home.

How to Make a Café au Lait With Coffee and Chicory

The pairing of chicory coffee with hot milk is the most iconic way to drink it. The milk softens chicory’s bitterness and brings out its caramel side.

Ingredients (1 large mug)

• 6 oz (180 ml) strong brewed coffee-and-chicory, hot
• 6 oz (180 ml) whole milk
• Sugar to taste (optional)

Steps

1. Brew the coffee using the drip or French press method above, leaning toward the stronger side.
2. Heat the milk in a saucepan over medium heat until steaming with small bubbles at the edge, about 150–160°F (65–70°C). Do not boil.
3. Pour the coffee and hot milk into the mug at the same time from two pitchers, or add the coffee first, then the milk.
4. Sweeten if you like and serve right away.

Variations

• Iced café au lait: mix cold brew concentrate and cold milk 1:1 over ice.
• Frothy version: froth the hot milk before pouring for a lighter texture.
• Plant-based: oat milk pairs especially well with chicory’s roasty flavor.

For the French breakfast tradition behind the drink, read our guide to café au lait.

Making Your Own Coffee and Chicory Blend

You can create a custom blend with any dark roast and store-bought roasted chicory granules:

• Mild: 80% coffee, 20% chicory, a good introduction.
• Classic: 70% coffee, 30% chicory, bold and dark.
• Strong: 60% coffee, 40% chicory, intensely roasty.

Mix the grounds thoroughly and store in an airtight container away from heat and light.

Coffee and Chicory FAQ

How much Cafe du Monde coffee do I use per cup?

Start with about 1½ tablespoons (8 g) per 6 oz (180 ml) of water, a little less than for plain coffee. Adjust up or down by taste; chicory extracts quickly, so small changes make a big difference.

Can you make espresso with coffee and chicory?

You can, though results vary because chicory blends are not ground or designed for espresso machines. A moka pot is a simpler way to get a strong, concentrated chicory coffee.

Does chicory coffee have caffeine?

Chicory itself has no caffeine, so a coffee-and-chicory blend contains less caffeine than the same amount of pure coffee. The exact amount depends on the blend’s ratio and how much you use.

Why is my chicory coffee bitter?

The usual causes are too many grounds, too long a brew or coffee left on a hot plate. Use less blend, shorten the steep in a French press and transfer brewed coffee to a thermal carafe.

Brew Your Own Dark, Rich Chicory Cup

Coffee and chicory is easy to brew once you account for chicory’s speed and strength. If you want to mix your own blend, start with a fresh dark roast: Feel Espresso’s French Roast and extra-dark Italian Roast are roasted 1–5 days before delivery and pair beautifully with chicory. For iced café au lait, our Cold Brew Coffee blend makes a smooth base.