Behind the Seasoning: Baker’s Brew Coffee Spice

Sometimes, the best creations are a happy accident. Legend holds that coffee beans were discovered by an Ethiopian shepherd who noticed his sheep wildly dancing from bush to bush in search of red berries. Curious, he grabbed a handful for himself and shortly joined his sheep in an excited dance. Like the discovery of coffee itself, such was the case with our Baker’s Brew Coffee Spice…though there was probably a little less wild dancing involved.

What is Baker’s Brew Coffee Spice?

Believe it or not, this seasoning was actually a happy accident. For years, customers requested a coffee rub for steak and ribs. The rich and roasted flavor of coffee is naturally suited for seasoning beef. In setting out to create a coffee steak rub, cocoa was a natural accent and was promptly added. Sugar is a classic rub ingredient, as it helps caramelize and gives grilled meats a nice crust. Salt is a flavor enhancer and rounds out the base of the blend.

For secondary ingredients, we drew on the aromatic notes of baking spices. The resulting blend wasn’t exactly the perfect steak rub (our Black Dust Cowboy Coffee Rub would come with a little more tweaking), but it was an absolutely wonderful blend in and of itself. 

What does Baker’s Brew Coffee Spice taste like?

You know when you take that first sip of coffee in the morning, and it’s the best feeling in the world? That’s basically what our Baker’s Brew Coffee Spice is like. The spice blend is sweet, cinnamony, chocolatey, and lightly salted. While the spice leans toward the sweet side, it also holds up well to savory cooking. The bold flavors create a balanced spice blend without competing for individual attention. 

What kind of coffee is used in Baker’s Brew Coffee Spice?

The coffee we use in this blend is a combination of coffee from Central and South America as well as Indonesia. It is dark roasted and ground very finely. The resulting product is a rub that has a rich flavor but isn’t coarse or gritty. While it is a sweet blend that naturally lends itself to baking, thus the name, we have found that the right ingredients can make this a great seasoning for savory dishes as well. 

What spices and seasonings are in Baker’s Brew Coffee Spice?

If you go to sleep looking forward to your morning brew, you’ll be a big fan of our Baker’s Brew Coffee Spice. Baker’s Brew Coffee Spice is more than your average cup of joe. The seasoning blend features a base of dark roasted coffee, sugar, cocoa, and salt.

For secondary ingredients, we drew on traditional baking spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom, allspice, and ginger. The resulting blend wasn’t exactly a perfect steak rub (that would come later with our Black Dust Cowboy Coffee Rub), but it was an absolutely wonderful blend in and of itself. This combination is perfect for adding to baked goods. But you might be surprised to hear that it's also a great rub for meats and hearty vegetables.  

Is coffee a spice?

Believe it or not, coffee can technically be considered a spice. While it may be just as popular as salt and pepper, it usually doesn’t have the same association. As you're probably well aware, coffee is used much more frequently for drinking than it is as a seasoning for food. When used as a spice, coffee is an excellent addition to many baked goods and a great savory tool for meat rubs or root vegetables. 

What is Baker’s Brew Coffee Spice used for?

Contrary to the name, Baker’s Brew Coffee Spice is not actually designed for coffee (we know, it’s a little confusing!). Don't get us wrong, you certainly could add this to coffee or coffee grounds for a hint of spiced mocha flavor. Instead, it was designed to be used as a seasoning in both sweet and savory dishes.

It is excellent in desserts and baked goods like cakes and cookies. The spice is also delicious when added to frosting or even butter to make a sweet compound butter to spice up a simple piece of toast. 

The uses for this coffee-forward spice don’t stop at sweet treats. The spice blend easily pulls double duty and, in the savory department, is excellent as a dry rub on different cuts of meat or as a seasoning on hearty root vegetables.

Does Baker’s Brew Coffee Spice contain caffeine?

There is no decaf here, but don’t expect to get much of a buzz from Baker’s Brew Coffee Spice. Like most coffee spices, it contains caffeine and we use regular (not decaf) coffee to make the spice blend. However, the amount of caffeine in the spice blend is nowhere near that of a typical cup of coffee.

Why put coffee in a spice rub?

Coffee may not seem like a typical ingredient to add to cake or meat. However, this unique ingredient can enhance the flavor of pretty much whatever you are cooking. 

In cocoa-based recipes, coffee or espresso is often a secret ingredient. Both cocoa powder and coffee are bittersweet, with similar earthy notes, richness, and depth of flavor. In chocolate-forward recipes, the addition of a small amount of coffee or espresso powder allows the sweetness to be more noticeable while accenting the richness of cocoa.

We used some of the same principles to ensure the robust flavor of this seasoning. In the case of Baker’s Brew Coffee Spice, the addition of Dutch cocoa allows the roasted coffee to hit the palate and provides a solid foundation for the other spices to shine through.

Where and How to Buy Baker’s Brew Coffee Spice?

While you may find coffee rubs in local markets, the baking-forward spices in this blend make it stand apart. If you want to skip the research, you can go straight to the source; you’ll find the Baker’s Brew Coffee Spice blend exclusively at Savory Spice. If you’d rather see the spice in real life before purchasing, our store locator feature can help you out. 

What can be substituted for Baker’s Brew Coffee Spice?

There is no need to panic about an empty jar of Baker’s Brew Coffee Spice. While it is not ideal, there are a few tricks that can help you replicate the flavor of our signature coffee spice.

If you are going the baked goods route and looking for a swap, reach for our Pure Espresso Powder and combine it with sugar, cocoa, and salt.  As we've mentioned, the other spices you'll need include nutmeg, cardamom, allspice, and ginger. Or, make it even easier and mix the espresso, sugar, cocoa, and salt with Baking Spice. While it is slightly more work, the homemade mix will be perfect for replicating those signature flavors. 

If you're leaning in a more savory direction, use our Black Dust Cowboy Coffee Rub. It has a more savory flavor and is great for grilling or oven-roasting. 

Recipes using Baker’s Brew Coffee Spice 

Not sure where to start with the Baker’s Brew Coffee Spice? We’ve got some suggestions to get you started on your journey with the coffee-based spice. 

• Caramelized Coffee Spiced Chicken - Think of this as Mole meets Orange Chicken. The deep, rich flavors of cocoa and coffee are accented by the brightness of fresh orange juice.
• Coffee Spiced Cranberry Sauce - The sweet, rich spices are a perfect flavor foil for tart cranberries. It's delicious with turkey, ham, or prime rib roast. It'll also fancy up a roast chicken or grilled steak dinner.
• Mocha Caramel Pound Cake - Submitted by a customer and friend of Savory, Jenni Field of Pastry Chef Online, this recipe bumps up the cocoa and coffee. Sweet, rich caramel is added to the mocha cake and a vanilla-infused glaze tops it all off. Perfect for a weekend brunch.
• Guinness Chocolate Mousse - This is everything you love about chocolate pudding with a grown-up twist. A hint of rich stout makes this airy mousse a treat any time of year.
• Iced Cream Coffee - There’s coffee, and then there is iced cream coffee. The elevated cup of Joe is like a giant sip of happiness all wrapped up in a cup.