Leftover coffee doesn't need to go down the drain. Whether you've brewed too much in the morning or have cold coffee sitting in your pot, there are multiple ways to repurpose it instead of wasting it.
To celebrate Tom's Guide Coffee Week, we're sharing practical methods to make the most of every drop. Coffee's flavor and acidity make it useful for cooking, baking, and even gardening.
The key is storing it properly and using it quickly before the taste deteriorates. Transfer cooled coffee to an airtight container and refrigerate it, using within a day or two for best results. Here's seven different ways you can use leftover coffee.
1. Freeze into ice cubes
Pour cooled coffee into ice cube trays and freeze for use in iced coffee drinks. Regular ice cubes dilute coffee as they melt, but coffee ice cubes maintain flavor strength throughout your drink.
To create richer ice cubes for blended drinks, mix coffee with milk or cream before freezing. These work particularly well in smoothies or frozen coffee beverages.
You can also free up your ice cube trays by storing the frozen coffee cubes in a freezer bag. Frozen coffee maintains its quality for about two months, so label the bag with the date.
2. Add to baked goods
Swap water for cooled coffee in chocolate recipes and watch the flavors deepen dramatically. The coffee won't make your brownies taste like a latte, it just makes chocolate taste more intensely chocolate.
Leftover coffee transforms boxed cake mixes into something that tastes homemade. Pour it in where the recipe calls for water and nobody will guess you took the shortcut.
You can also add coffee to frosting, just make sure you reduce it on the stovetop first to concentrate the flavor without making your icing runny. A little goes a long way here. Start with a tablespoon and taste as you go.
3. Make it whipped
Simmer leftover coffee with sugar until it thickens slightly, which takes about five minutes over medium heat. The mixture should look syrupy when you're done.
Let it cool completely, then whip like your life depends on it for several minutes until you get those Instagram-worthy peaks. Your arm might get tired, but the fluffy result is worth it.
Dollop the whipped coffee over iced milk for an afternoon pick-me-up that looks impressive and tastes even better.
4. Clean and degrease floors
Mix leftover coffee with warm water in your mop bucket for a natural floor cleaning solution that cuts through grease. Coffee's natural acidity makes it effective at breaking down grime on tile and linoleum floors.
The coffee acts as a degreaser without harsh chemicals, making it particularly useful in kitchens where cooking residue builds up. Your floors get clean while your house smells like a coffee shop instead of cleaning products.
This method works best for darker floors, so test a small inconspicuous area first if you're unsure how your flooring will react.
5. Create DIY coffee liqueur
Heat equal parts leftover coffee and brown sugar until the sugar disappears completely into the liquid. This sweet, concentrated syrup becomes the base for something special.
Add rum, bourbon, or vodka once everything cools down, along with a cinnamon stick or some cloves for warmth. The hard part is waiting three days while it infuses in the fridge.
Your homemade coffee liqueur works in cocktails, over ice cream, or straight over ice as an after-dinner sipper. It also makes an impressive gift if you can bear to part with it.
6. Reheat and drink it the next day
Let leftover coffee sit in the pot overnight and reheat it in the morning when you need caffeine without the wait. It won't taste as good as fresh brew, but it gets the job done when you're rushed.
To prevent that burnt, bitter flavor from developing, turn off the hot plate immediately after your first cup. Coffee left on heat for hours becomes undrinkable, but coffee that's just been sitting in a turned-off pot is salvageable.
Expect a more acidic taste from day-old coffee since oxidation changes the flavor as it sits exposed to air. Some people don't mind this at all, while others may not be able to tolerate it.
7. Use as plant fertilizer
Mix your leftover coffee with three times as much water before anywhere near your plants. Straight coffee is way too acidic and will harm rather than help your greenery.
Water plants with diluted coffee once or twice a week to feed them nitrogen, magnesium, and calcium. Your houseplants will respond with stronger stems and healthier growth.
Stick to plain black coffee only since milk, sugar, and cream invite pests and mold into your potting soil. Your plants want their coffee the same way I do — completely plain.
More from Tom's Guide
- How to store ground coffee — 5 clever tips for keeping it fresh
- What is cowboy coffee, and how do you make it?
- Stop hard water from ruining your coffee machine — 3 simple tests to try
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