Don’t Have Espresso Powder? Try These Substitutes. (2024)

FAQs

Don’t Have Espresso Powder? Try These Substitutes.? ›

While they might look similar, as outlined in this article, they are made and used very differently! Espresso powder has a more robust, smoother taste and is often used in baking, while instant coffee can be slightly bitter or sour, and is often used as a quick pick-me-up.

While they might look similar, as outlined in this article, they are made and used very differently! Espresso powder has a more robust, smoother taste and is often used in baking, while instant coffee can be slightly bitter or sour, and is often used as a quick pick-me-up.

Espresso powder is very intensely dark and concentrated instant coffee. It's not just espresso coffee beans ground fine. It's actually coffee crystals that dissolve quickly in liquid. Even though you can technically dissolve it in water for drinking, espresso powder is really not for ideal for your morning latte.

Espresso powder is made from darkly roasted coffee beans that have been ground, brewed, dried, and then ground to a very fine powder. It's much more concentrated than instant coffee, which means you only need a teaspoon or so in your chocolate recipe to do the trick.

Step 1: Select a rich, dark roast coffee or espresso bean of choice. Step 2: Brew the coffee grounds. Step 3: Spread the already-brewed coffee grounds on a baking sheet, and bake at 77°C for two to three hours. Step 4: Grind the dried coffee grounds further using a coffee grinder until you get a fine powder.

“You can make espresso with any type of coffee or roast but to brew it in the correct amount of time and with the appropriate amount of pressure, it needs to be very fine -- not quite like a powder, but finer than table salt, for sure.”

You can use pre ground coffee for espresso machines as long as it's a fine grind. This is a little difficult to find in the grocery store, but you can order fine pre-ground coffee from your local roaster. Keep in mind that the fresher the grind, the better tasting your coffee.

Because instant coffee isn't as rich as espresso, you may want to increase the amount called for in the recipe. Kitchn's Editor-in-Chief, Faith Durand, notes that you can use about 50% more, but be aware that it “has a harsher taste than instant espresso [and] can taste tinny or sour if too much is used.”

Here's a quick answer to the question: All coffee can be used for an espresso machine, provided it has the right fine grind. That said, many prefer to use dark roasted coffee due to its stronger flavor. In fact, you can sometimes find coffee labelled 'espresso' due to its darker roast.

What can you use instead of espresso in an espresso martini? ›

You can use instant or ground coffee instead. Brew for longer to get the most of that rich coffee taste, then leave to cool. You can also add a shot of coffee liqueur for extra intensity.