No matter how you make your coffee at home, there's one thing we can all agree on: iced coffee is bomb; amiright or amiright? But if you're following a keto diet, usually store-bought cold brew isn't going to cut it because of the sugar content in the majority of selections. OR the premade stuff just doesn't taste good black.
So how do you make a delicious keto cold brew coffee recipe that satisfies your cravings and doesn’t throw off your diet? This recipe is for you!
After lots of trial and error, we got it down to an easy-to-make, less-than-5-minute recipe, and tastes fantastic!
Plus, it’s sugar-free so you can enjoy it guilt-free. If you’re ready to learn how to make the best keto cold brew coffee, let’s get started!
What is a keto cold brew?
A keto cold brew is a no-carb, no-sugar ketogenic diet-friendly coffee drink.
That’s because no added sugar is used but is oftentimes smoother, and less acidic than hot brewed coffee with a balanced and robust flavor. Plus, it’s the easiest way to create cafe-quality coffee drinks right at home – no heat is necessary.
Cold brew requires coarsely ground coffee beans (no finer than bread crumbs) steeped in fresh, filtered water for about 12-24 hours. For super strong flavor you’ll want to use a 1:5 ratio of ground beans to water whereas if you want less intensity then use a 1:10 ratio.
If you’re unfamiliar with ratios, we’re referring to grams over milliliters. For example, a single serving of coffee grounds would be about 25-30 grams, so in that case you’d use between 125 and 300 milliliters depending on your strength preference.
In the recipe, we used cups and ounces for simplicity, but the metric system and these ratios are the best and most effective methods to experiment with your own recipes.
Can you have cold brew coffee on keto?
Yes, you can have cold brew coffee on keto as long as your recipe doesn’t include sugar or non-fiber carbohydrates. Our keto cold brew coffee recipe accomplishes just that!
It may come as a surprise to some, but it’s totally possible to enjoy cold brew coffee while following the keto diet. Since the keto diet emphasizes eating foods with higher fat content and ingredients that are low in carbohydrates, many of the traditional sugar-filled coffee drinks don’t fit into the lifestyle.
However, cold brew coffee satisfies both criteria – if brewed without sugary additives, then served with sugar-free ingredients and milk products with a considerable amount of fat content, you won’t be kicked out of ketosis.
So grab some of our insanely fresh, medium-dark roast coffee from our online shop, select the “Ground – Coarse” option (or whole bean if you plan to grind it yourself), and make your own delicious cold brew according to our recipe below!
What kind of coffee can I have on keto?
When it comes to what kind of coffee you can have when following a keto diet, the possibilities are endless!
As long as your selection is sugar-free when referring to unflavored whole beans or ground coffee by the bag, you can have any kind.
Start with any of our specialty coffee varieties that we offer via our online shop:
- LA Nights (Medium-Dark Roast Blend), Direct-Trade Specialty Coffee
- Gigi (Ethiopian Washed Light Roast), Direct-Trade Specialty Coffee
- That Decaf (Washed Medium Roast), Direct-Trade Decaf Specialty Coffee
- Chicago Sunset – (Light-Medium Roast Blend), Direct-Trade Specialty Coffee
Can keto coffee make you gain weight?
Keto coffee can make you gain weight, but it really depends on the ingredients, how they’re used, what you’re eating otherwise, and how much exercise you get.
If the Keto diet is followed correctly, it has actually been shown to help people lose weight — not gain it. Of course, since Keto is an extreme diet that’s very restrictive in its guidelines, you should always consult your doctor about whether or not it’s right for you before changing your diet.
If your doctor approves, a keto cold brew coffee recipe can be used as part of a healthy lifestyle when you stick to the guidelines!
How do you sweeten coffee without sugar on keto?
You may be following a sugar-free, keto diet and like many of us, you need that cup of joe to get your day started.
It may seem impossible to make sugar-free coffee without the usual sugar or sweetener you’re accustomed to, but fear not! There are actually several sugar-free alternatives for making an amazing sugar-free cold brew coffee recipe:
- Jordan’s Skinny Syrups – these offer just a hint of flavor but can taste artificial (because they are lol).
- Monk fruit extract – I’ve found this to be the most true-to-sugar taste so far, and it’s derived from a family of fruits grown in Southeast Asia.
- Erythritol-Based Sweeteners – these are both naturally occurring and man-made sugar alcohols, but the man-made variety has only been in existence since the early 90s. Swerve and Truvia (derived from the stevia leaf) brand sweeteners offer a zero-to-low-calorie way to enjoy your cold brew coffee on the keto diet.
How many carbs are in cold brew coffee?
The short answer to how many carbs are in cold brew coffee is that it has zero carbs.
The long answer to your reasonable question is that it depends. Cold brew is made with just two ingredients – coffee and water – and both of these components are inherently calorie-free and free of carbohydrates.
So, it follows that cold brew itself would likely be low in calories and carbs as well! With a 16oz serving size, it’s estimated that plain black cold brew contains no more than 10 calories, making it one of the lower-calorie choices for those on special diets such as keto.
Make sure to double-check that no sugars have been added to any store-bought cold brew, as this will quickly add up carbs for each serving. But if you make it yourself with our amazing, medium-dark roasted coffee and the recipe below, it should be delicious AND sugar-free — which makes it ideal for those looking to follow a keto diet!
What coffee creamer can I use on keto?
There are many kinds of coffee creamers you can use on keto as long as they’re low-carb or sugar-free.
Here are our favorites:
Others you can try out:
- Bulletproof French Vanilla Creamer, 14.8 Ounces, Keto Coffee Creamer with MCT Oil and Grass-Fed Butter
- Prymal Salted Caramel Coffee Creamer
- Keto Zone MCT Oil Powder
- KITU Keto Coffee Super Creamer
- Grasso Peppermint Mocha High-Fat Coffee Creamer
- Califia Farms Unsweetened Vanilla Keto Creamer
Is cold brew with heavy cream keto?
Yes, cold brew with heavy cream is definitely keto. You just have to be sure to not add any sugar when making your cold brew.
Can you have coffee with almond milk on keto?
It can be easy to think of the keto diet as restrictive, but yes – you can have coffee with almond milk on the keto diet!
An 8oz serving of unsweetened almond milk typically has only 1 net carb, making it a great option. Just double-check those nutrition labels first, because varieties that have flavoring added will usually be sweetened and kick you out of ketosis.
If you’re looking for a delicious and healthy way to indulge in a cup of coffee, check out this amazing sugar-free cold brew coffee recipe. It offers plenty of helpful tips, ratios, and guidance on how to make your own cold brew coffee so that you don’t have to sacrifice flavor just because you’re following a low-carb lifestyle!
Wrapping Up
So here’s your comprehensive guide on keto cold brew coffee that covers all the important details, from what it is and how to make it to what creamer you can use and how many carbs are in the coffee.
Whether you’re a fan of special diets or just looking to enjoy a cup of coffee without the added sugar, this keto-friendly recipe for cold brew coffee is sure to be a hit. Plus, with how simple and straightforward it is, why not take some time during your week to make this delicious drink?
You may find yourself ditching the chain cafe for your home-brewed drinks, and let’s be real: homemade is almost always better.
Have you ever made your own cold brew at home? We’d love to know what you think of the recipe by telling us on Instagram!
Till then, happy brewing!
Our sugar free cold brew coffee ingredients:
1/2 cup ground CCB coffee – Dark roast works best to accentuate the coffee flavor, or use your favorite blend!
8 tbsp chai black tea – The blend we used includes black tea, ginger, cinnamon, fennel seed, cardamom, nutmeg, pepper and cloves.
~32oz of filtered water – The most neutral, pure filtered (ph7) water is best.
1/4-1/2 cup heavy cream – You can use almond milk, oat milk or a creamer like NutPods; whichever you prefer.
Pumpkin pie spice – This will be in ground varieties and looks similar to ground cinnamon.
Additional pumpkin spice flavor (optional) to taste – We used Jordan’s Skinny Syrup’s sugar-free PSL syrup.
Sprinkle of pumpkin pie spice and/or cinnamon
Tools Needed:
Cold Brew Pitcher (you can get one here)
Milk frother (you can get one here)
Instructions:
Step 1: Combine Coffee & Tea
Combine the ground coffee and black tea into the filter system of the pitcher. Note: if you don’t have a cold brew maker, you can put these ingredients into a mason jar and fill with water. You’ll just have to strain out the bits from your cold brew before drinking.
Step 2: Brew
Let the coffee and tea soak in the filtered water for about 24-32 hours (for best and strongest taste) in your fridge. Stirring isn’t necessary if you have a cold brew maker. If you put the loose coffee and tea into water, it wouldn’t hurt to stir every 8-12hrs.
Step 3: Make Cold Foam
When you’re ready to drink your freshly brewed cold brew, you’ll make the cold foam. This is easiest with a handheld frother or frothing machine.
Now, just add your milk or creamer, sweetener (or syrup) and pumpkin pie spice, then mix away until the mixture is nice and thick. But, it’s always up to you how thick you want the froth!
Serve & Enjoy!
Pour your fresh mixed froth into a glass of ice with about 3/4 of room, then add your cold brew. Sprinkle more pumpkin pie spice or cinnamon as dramatically as Salt Bae would, and that’s it!
Told ‘ya it was worth it. 😉
