Here Are 18 Unexpected Ingredients to Add to Your Coffee

Even as a person who adores a black cup of joe, I sometimes like to experiment with different coffee flavours to make my mornings more exciting. After trying out various recipes, I’ve finally reached the point where I’d add the most random ingredients to my coffee. Guess what — some don’t taste as bad as I thought they would!

Also read: 15 Coffee Recipes You Can Easily Master at Home

If you’re like me (a.k.a. you want to spice up your drink but are too broke to get commercial coffee delivered and too lazy to whip out another Dalgona), try adding these unexpected ingredients to your coffee the next time you start brewing!

18 unexpected ingredients to add to coffee

1. Egg

Vietnamese egg coffee has gotten a lot of craze in the early days of the quarantine. To achieve it, you’d have to add a whisked egg mixture over your coffee. Many of my friends attest that this recipe is delicious, but I personally haven’t tried this out yet because I couldn’t be bothered to whip an egg.

If you’re like me, then here’s an option for you: Scandinavian egg coffee. All you need to do is mix in a whole raw egg — yes, shell included! — with coffee grounds and boiling water. Are you willing to try this out?

2. Salt

Have you ever tried adding a pinch of salt to coffee grounds? If you have, you’d believe that it does wonders. Adding a pinch (let me stress that it should only be a pinch) of salt lessens the acidity of your coffee.

3. Butter

Is your coffee buttered? Would you like us to assign someone to butter your coffee?

Okay, Mean Girls puns aside, butter actually acts as a coffee ingredient nowadays. Also known as bulletproof coffee, this fad has become another staple to the keto and intermittent fasting diets. Believed to energise, this drink is made simply by adding a tablespoon or two of butter to your brewed coffee.

4. Chocolate

Probably not as surprising as the rest, chocolate still makes this list because it’s a foolproof ingredient to add to coffee. And if you haven’t tried it yet, you should! Take it from me — I’m the least sweet tooth I know, and I still enjoy a cup of D.I.Y. mocha from time to time.

To make my own mocha, I sometimes melt in a chocolate bar (my fave is tsokolate tablea!) into my boiling hot brew. Other times, when I’m a bit lazier, I add in Milo or other chocolate powder instead!

5. Alcohol

Probably not the best ingredient to add to coffee in the morning. Still, adding a shot of alcohol to your brew can make your drink more exciting!

Fancier coffee shops know this drink as Irish coffee. Strictly speaking, the drink requires about three tablespoons of Irish whiskey and one tablespoon of sugar for every cup of brewed coffee. But who has Irish whiskey lying around at home?! Get creative with the liquor you already have — drink responsibly!

6. Star anise

Surprise! Star anise isn’t just for pares and humba; it can also be used as an ingredient to spice up coffee!

Because of the strong taste of star anise, this ingredient might not please everyone. According to those who’ve tried it, blending ground star anise with coffee beans makes a liquorice-like flavoured drink. You can try adding half a piece of star anise to start, and then gradually adding a little more if you enjoy it.

7. Ice cream

This might be a bit more obvious, especially to fans of coffee floats. But for those who aren’t too familiar with affogato, it’s simply vanilla ice cream drowned in a shot of espresso Perfect for hot days! Of course, you can get creative with this as well. Regular brewed coffee and ice cream will do if you don’t have an espresso maker!

8. Cinnamon

Cinnamon is amazing when you top it over cappuccino; but if you don’t have a frother, you can opt to add cinnamon powder to coffee grounds before brewing! The subtle sweetness of this spice makes it a great, healthier substitute for sugar.

9. Coconut oil

You know how fitness gurus like drinking a spoon of coconut oil to improve their metabolism? If you can’t take that, why not try adding a spoon to your coffee instead? Or if you’re feeling a bit more extra, you can also blend the coffee with the coconut oil — this method produces a seamless, tropical drink.

10. Condensed milk

The secret to an easy Vietnamese-style coffee drink? Add condensed milk to your regular brew! I especially love this for my iced coffee; I sip it with a reusable straw so that I can drink up all the sweetness.

11. Lemon

Many people believe that coffee mixed with lemon helps drinkers lose weight. A tablespoon of lemon juice should be enough for this mixture — besides its weight loss benefit, lemon also helps reduce the bitterness of coffee. (For those who don’t have lemon at home, I believe that calamansi is totally an option!)

12. Malunggay

Our backyard is sprawling with malunggay; one day, I thought to add some leaves to my coffee. I simply mixed in a spoonful of malunggay leaves with coffee grounds and brewed them together using my French press. It was a fun experiment, and the taste wasn’t so bad. The next time I did this, I added a spoonful of honey. It was yum!

13. Pineapple juice

As I was writing this article, a friend suggested that I’d add pineapple juice to the list of ingredients to add to coffee. A teaspoon, he said, is enough to flavour the whole drink; too much might leave an aftertaste.

Other sources suggest adding a whole cup of pineapple juice to half a cup of cold brew concentrate! This recipe results in a very Hawaiian-esque flavour; add in a cocktail umbrella and feel the resort vibes instantly!

14. Soda

Yes, you can mix Coca-Cola and coffee. Apparently, there isn’t any fixed ratio for this — you can mix in as much Coke as you please. Just a word of advice: Pick dark roasted coffee if you’re trying this out!

If you want to try the Japanese coffee cola style, try a cup of cola for every ¼ cup of cold brew. You can also add in a shot of espresso to a glass of Coke — this works very well with a scoop of ice cream on top. Root beer tastes good with cold brew, too.

Warning: Not for those with acid reflux.

15. Ginger

Ginger is another crazy ingredient you can add to coffee. One or two slices of fresh ginger can already spice up a cup of joe instantly. If you have ground ginger in your pantry, add a teaspoon of that to your brew. Aside from the unique taste of ginger coffee, this combination is also known for being a rich source of antioxidants!

16. Cayenne pepper

Don’t mind a spicy drink? Cayenne pepper might blow you away! A dash or two will do for a cup of coffee — to take it up a notch, you can even add melted chocolate to the mix. This combination will definitely wake you up in the morning; plus, it’s healthy, too!

Again, cayenne pepper isn’t ideal for those prone to acid reflux. But if your stomach can handle it, you have to try this one out.

17. Vanilla extract

If you’ve jumped in the baking bandwagon, you probably have some vanilla extract in your pantry. Add a few drops of this to your coffee — a healthy saccharine substitute for processed sweeteners!

Aside from its sweet taste, vanilla is also known for its benefits: It boosts mental performance and brain health. This makes it the perfect ingredient to add to your coffee if you’re working from home!

18. Cacao nibs

If melted chocolate in coffee is too sweet for your liking, try adding a spoonful of cacao nibs to coffee grounds instead. Brew them together to get a drink with just the right amount of sweetness, and an overload of nutrients!

Also read: 50 Cafés & Stores Offering Coffee Delivery & Pick-up in Metro Manila

As I’ve repeated over and over throughout this article, you’re free to be as creative as you can be with the ingredients you want to add to your coffee! You can even mix two or more ingredients together — who knows, you might discover a totally new recipe!

If you’re trying out these crazy ingredients to add to your coffee, let us know in the comments. Tag us on Instagram if you take photos, so our TripZilla community can enjoy a cup with you!