The 3-Step Trick That Turns Used Coffee Grounds Into The Ultimate Cold Foam Upgrade

According to a study in Foods, the world produces roughly six million tons of used coffee grounds per year, a combination of tonnage from domestic, commercial, and industrial sources. Some brewing methods produce more coffee ground waste than others; that much is true. But whether you're using a moka pot, an old-school drip pot, a Nespresso, or a Keurig, you're going to start to accumulate used grounds if you're making a cup every day. It's worth being mindful of how you can stretch these scraps further. Instead of throwing away those coffee grounds at the end of the day, save them for a three-step trick that will turn used coffee grounds into the ultimate cold foam upgrade.

Whenever you find yourself with spent coffee grounds on your hands, simply add them to a jar and fill the remaining portion with a healthy pour of heavy cream. Let the mixture rest overnight in the fridge — this allows all those coffee flavors to absorb into the cream — and then strain it through a cheesecloth into a bowl. From here, add vanilla syrup, a smidge of salt, and whip until the cold foam turns light and frothy, and voilà! It's an easy upgrade to top your morning brew. Just ensure that you're not waiting too long to repurpose those used coffee grounds, as any scraps containing moisture are susceptible to growing mold and harmful bacteria over time.

You may be thinking, "Shouldn't used coffee grounds go into my compost pile, since they've already been, well, used?" Not necessarily. A study by the Institute of Food Science and Technology found that spent coffee grounds still contain a measurable amount of residual volatile aromas; in other words, their coffee-ness isn't entirely depleted after brewing. Another study from ASC Food Science & Technology that replaced cocoa with used coffee grounds in muffins found that participants agreed the muffins still tasted decidedly coffee-like. So, when used in a cold foam infusion, spent coffee grounds will still let that coffee flavor shine through.

Beyond adding a bit of vanilla syrup to the coffee ground cold foam for sweetness, you can upgrade the foam further by pairing it with various other flavors during the infusion and whipping process. For a more mocha-inspired flavor, try adding cocoa powder to the grounds as they soak in the heavy cream and introducing a squeeze of chocolate syrup before frothing the mixture. Otherwise, add cinnamon to the coffee grounds while they infuse into the cream for a more spice-forward cold foam — consider it as one of the many ways to upgrade your iced coffee's cold foam like a barista. Once you've topped your morning brew with your creation, don't toss that leftover cold foam, as it can last a few days in the fridge with proper storage.