If you are Gen X, you might have been introduced to coffee through International House Coffee mixes back in the day. The metal tins of powder had a rather weak flavor, yet we loved it if someone’s mom had it in her kitchen. It was a forbidden treat for sure. My Mom did not buy it, but my friend’s mom did. I didn’t like black coffee much as a kid/teen, and this was the stopgap between that and when the latte culture hit Seattle around 1988.
Those mixes got a makeover in modern times and were rebranded as Maxwell House “Instant Café style beverage mix…and of course, in a plastic tub now. $5.99 is pretty expensive for a convenience item. Some of the flavors are pretty expensive per ounce. The mocha one, for example, is 8 servings. Still cheaper than going to Starbucks or Dunkin, even with piles of whipped cream on top, but you can do better with DIY.
But worse, they are all artificially flavored. And a hot mess of artificial creamer. Ingredients: SUGAR, NONDAIRY CREAMER (CORN SYRUP SOLIDS, HYDROGENATED COCONUT OIL, SODIUM CASEINATE [FROM MILK], DIPOTASSIUM PHOSPHATE, MONO- AND DIGLYCERIDES, ARTIFICIAL FLAVOR), COCOA (PROCESSED WITH ALKALI), INSTANT COFFEE, CONTAINS LESS THAN 2% OF NONFAT MILK, NATURAL AND ARTIFICIAL FLAVOR, LACTOSE, XANTHAN GUM, SALT, SODIUM CITRATE, SILICON DIOXIDE. (And if you buy the sugar-free version, they use Aspartame – NutraSweet – as the sweetener.)
Look, we can do so much better and get a far better-tasting drink. And you might even have all the dry ingredients in your pantry.
Mocha Cinnamon Coffee Mix
Ingredients:
- ½ cup dry milk
- ¼ cup granulated sugar*
- ¼ cup instant espresso powder*
- 1 Tbsp cocoa powder
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- Pinch of fine sea salt
Directions:
Add the dry ingredients to a pint mason jar (a canning funnel helps). Seal and shake till fully mixed. Let sit to settle.
Ratio is 1 heaping Tablespoon per 6 ounces of water or milk. You might want to add a bit more mix to suit your taste.
To make a drink:
For a truly instant drink, add 6 ounces of boiled water and stir until dissolved. It’s not as rich, but is serviceable.
For a richer drink, steam 6 ounces of milk – preferably full-fat. Add the milk to the mixture; stir until dissolved. You can also heat the milk in a small saucepan if you don’t have an espresso machine.
Notes:
Use whatever type of sweetener you prefer, as long as it is a 1:1 type. I used a stevia blend. This can help you control how much sugar you consume.
Costco has been carrying large containers of the Nescafé Gold espresso powder for a great price. I find it a mild espresso and a smooth, fine powder.
~Sarah