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    You are here: Home / Sauces / Coffee Sauce

    Coffee Sauce

    Published: Oct 16, 2023 by Sarah Brooks

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    Jump to Recipe
    Coffee sauce in a bowl with a spoon and coffee beans on the side, with text overlay, coffee sauce.

    This thick coffee sauce is bursting with rich real coffee flavor. Perfect for pouring over cheesecake, ice cream, cakes or your favorite desserts.

    Coffee sauce in a bowl with a spoon and coffee beans on the side.
    Coffee sauce.
    Jump to:
    • Why you'll love this recipe
    • What to serve with coffee sauce
    • Ingredients
    • How to make coffee sauce
    • How to serve
    • How to store
    • Recipe tips and frequently asked questions
    • Looking for more yummy dessert recipes?
    • 📋 Recipe
    • 💬 Comments

    This decadent coffee flavored sauce has a rich coffee flavor that's perfect for drizzling over cheesecakes, ice cream or even stirring into your morning coffee for an extra kick of flavor.

    Why you'll love this recipe

    • Rich espresso coffee flavor
    • Easy to make with just five ingredients
    • Delicious hot or cold
    • Thick dessert sauce that's perfect for cheesecake, ice cream and cakes

    Looking for more fabulous coffee desserts? Why not try making my coffee cheesecake, no churn coffee ice cream or crunchy coffee aquafaba meringues. Delicious!

    What to serve with coffee sauce

    This rich coffee flavored sauce is hugely versatile and is perfect to drizzle over your favour desserts such as

    • Cheesecake - such as my coffee cheesecake or classic no bake cheesecake
    • Ice cream - such as my Oreo or Baileys ice cream
    • Creamy panna cotta
    • A delicious cake such as banana bread, vanilla sponge or chocolate cake.

    Ingredients

    Coffee sauce ingredients, espresso coffee, corn starch, thickened cream, granulated sugar, vanilla essence (no pictured).

    Espresso coffee: I make my own using my handheld mini espresso machine that makes 1 shot (45mls) per serving. I like a medium roast, crema coffee mix with arabica beans. For a bolder flavor try an expresso blend.

    Granulated white sugar: adds some sweetness and helps balance the bitterness of the coffee. For a different depth of flavor you could experiment with different sugars such a brown or raw.

    Thickened cream: I use thickened cream with a fat content of about 34%. You could also use heavy cream or heavy whipping cream which is similar.

    Corn starch: also known as corn flour. A little helps thicken the sauce. You could also try tapioca starch instead.

    Vanilla extract (not pictured): sometimes also called vanilla essence, depending on where you live. You can use either, or imitation vanilla essence, depending on your preference and budget.

    How to make coffee sauce

    See the full recipe card at the end of the post for ingredient amounts and instructions.

    Optional: put a saucer into the freezer to chill, to test if your sauce is done.

    Brew and cool two shots of espresso or very strong coffee. You should have about ⅓ cup (90mls) of liquid in total. Add the cooled coffee to a small pot on the stove with the cream, granulated sugar and corn flour.

    Process shots: adding cooled espresso coffee, adding cream, adding granulated sugar, adding corn flour.

    Hot tip: its important to make sure the coffee is cooled before adding to the pot. If you add corn flour to hot coffee it can go lumpy and make it difficult to mix into the sauce.

    Whisk together until well combined. Add the vanilla. Heat to a simmer on medium low, whisking as needed, for about five minutes or until the sauce has thickened.

    Process shots: whisking ingredients till smooth, adding vanilla extract.

    To test if the sauce is done add a teaspoon to the chilled saucer and tip to see how thick the sauce is. If it hasn't thickened enough return it to the heat for a few more minutes.

    Once thickened remove from the heat and serve warm, or chill for use later.

    How to serve

    A slice of coffee cheesecake with coffee sauce being drizzled onto it, with rest of cheesecake in the background.
    Coffee cheesecake being drizzled with coffee sauce.

    To serve this coffee espresso sauce pop it into a serving jug and pour warm over your favorite desserts, such as cheesecake, ice cream or cake. Or chill and serve cold later. Your sauce will be thicker if you do this.

    How to store

    This coffee dessert sauce will store well in a covered container in the fridge for upto three days. You may need to give it a stir before serving.

    This sauce also freezes surprisingly well. Store it in an airtight container and store it in the freezer for up to two months. Defrost full before serving.

    Coffee sauce in a serving jug with a spoon and coffee beans on the side, and cup of express and espresso pot in the background.
    Coffee sauce in a serving jug.

    Recipe tips and frequently asked questions

    What sort of coffee should I use?

    I use ground, medium roast, Crema coffee mix made with Arabica beans. The medium roast is rich and smooth. If you prefer a bold coffee flavour you could use an espresso blend and experiment with different coffees. You could also try a robusta blend, however, this will have harsher, more bitter notes.

    I don't have an espresso maker - what can I use instead?

    If you don't have an espresso maker you can try making some very strong coffee instead. It's important you don't exceed the maximum volume of coffee liquid in the recipe, approx ⅓ cup, or your sauce will be watery.

    Can I use expresso power or instant coffee to make this?

    You can but I really don't recommend it. Like I discovered in my coffee cheesecake, using real brewed coffee really does impart a bolder, richer coffee flavor that you just can't achieve with espresso powder or instant. If you really must try it, mix up ⅓ cup of boiling water with enough instant coffee or espresso powder to make two cups of coffee.

    Have you made this recipe? Tell me how it went in the comments below and tag me on instagram so I can see your delicious creations! @keep_calm_and_eat_icecream

    Looking for more yummy dessert recipes?

    Why not try making

    • Coffee Cheesecake
    • Cinnamon Cheesecake (recipe coming soon!)
    • Strawberry Crunch Cheesecake Cones (recipe coming soon!)

    Follow me on Facebook or Pinterest for many more delicious recipes.

    Coffee sauce in a serving bow with a spoon and coffee beans on the side, and cup of express and espresso pot in the background.
    Serving coffee sauce in a bowl.

    📋 Recipe

    Coffee sauce in a bowl with a spoon and coffee beans on the side.

    Coffee Sauce

    Author: Sarah Brooks
    This thick coffee sauce is bursting with rich coffee flavor. Perfect for pouring over cheesecake, ice cream, cakes or your favorite desserts.
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Rate this Recipe
    Prep Time 1 minute min
    Cook Time 4 minutes mins
    Total Time 5 minutes mins
    Course Dessert
    Cuisine American
    Servings 5 serves, approx ¼ cup each or approx. 1 & ¼ cups total.
    Calories 177 kcal

    Ingredients

    • 2 shots (45 mls each, 90mls or approx ⅓ cup total) espresso coffee
    • ⅔ cup thickened cream
    • ⅓ cup (75gms) granulated sugar
    • 1 tablespoon corn flour
    • ¼ spoon vanilla extract

    Instructions
     

    • Optional: put a sauce in the freezer to chill, to test of your sauce is thick has thickened to your liking.
    • Brew and cool two shots of espresso or very strong coffee, approx ⅓ cup total.
    • Add the cooled coffee to a small pot on the stove, along with the cream, granulated sugar and corn flour.
    • Whisk together until well combined and all the corn flour is mixed in. Heat on medium low, whisking as need, for about five minutes or until the sauc has thickened.
    • This thick coffee sauce is bursting with rich coffee flavor. Perfect for pouring over cheesecake, ice cream, cakes or your favorite desserts.
    • Once thickened remove from the heat and serve warm immediatly, or chill for use later.

    Notes

    Coffee:
    I used a ground, medium roast, Crema coffee mix made with Arabica beans.  For a bolder coffee flavor try and espresso blend or your favorite ground coffee blend.  Just make sure it's one you like to drink as you can defiantly taste it in this sauce.
    Dairy free alternative:
    For coffee sauce without cream try substituting cream with your preferred dairy-free alternative, such as coconut cream or plant-based cream alternatives.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 177kcalCarbohydrates: 18gProtein: 1gFat: 12gSaturated Fat: 7gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 36mgSodium: 11mgPotassium: 56mgFiber: 0.1gSugar: 17gVitamin A: 467IUVitamin C: 0.2mgCalcium: 23mgIron: 0.1mg

    Nutritional Disclaimer

    Nutritional information is an estimate based on an online database. The nutritional content of ingredients may vary by brand. If you require accurate nutritional information, you should calculate this based on the specific brands and products you are using.

    Keywords: cheesecake topping, coffee dessert, dessert sauce, ice cream topping
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    Coffee sauce in a bowl with a spoon and coffee beans on the side.
    Coffee sauce in a serving bowl

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