Yes — and not only can you, people have been doing it for well over two hundred years. Roasted chicory root is one of the oldest caffeine-free hot drinks in the world. It’s the dark, bittersweet brew that gives New Orleans coffee its signature depth, the “Camp Coffee” of old British kitchens, and the go-to coffee stretcher across Europe whenever beans were scarce or expensive. Brewed on its own, roasted chicory root makes a rich, roasty, faintly chocolatey cup with no caffeine anywhere in it — and it’s genuinely easy to make. Here’s every way to do it, from a one-minute instant cup to a slow stovetop brew, plus how to make it taste most like real coffee and how to dress it into a warming latte.
What you’re actually brewing
Two things are worth knowing before you start, because they shape how you brew.
First, this drink is made from the root, and the root has to be roasted to taste like anything close to coffee. Raw dried chicory root gives you a pale, grassy, sharply bitter tea; roasting caramelizes its natural sugars and turns it dark, nutty, and almost chocolatey — the character that earns the “coffee” name. If you’re starting from roots you dug or bought raw, roasting is a step you can’t skip: the almanac walks through it in How to roast chicory root.
Second, root is a decoction, not an infusion. Leaves and flowers you steep in hot water; tough, dense roots you simmer, because that’s what actually pulls the flavor (and the beneficial compounds) out of them. So a proper chicory brew is closer to simmering a small broth than to pouring water over grounds — a small but important difference, and the reason a quick steep tastes weak and watery.
What you’ll need
No special equipment, but a few choices of starting material:
- Roasted chicory root, cut-and-sifted — small dried pieces, the most versatile form and the best all-rounder. This is what you get if you roast your own or buy a bag of “roasted chicory root.”
- Roasted chicory granules or “instant” powder — a finely ground, sometimes pre-brewed powder that dissolves in hot water, made for speed. Traditional chicory “coffee” is often sold this way.
- A coffee-and-chicory blend — the New Orleans style. Ground coffee cut with roasted chicory (commonly around 2 parts coffee to 1 part chicory) for a deeper, rounder cup. This one does contain caffeine, from the coffee.
Plus a small pot for the stovetop method, or just a mug and a kettle for the instant version, and a fine strainer.
Method 1: Stovetop decoction (the best flavor)
This is the classic way and the one that tastes most like real coffee — a proper simmer draws out the deepest, roastiest flavor.
- Measure 1 to 2 teaspoons of roasted chicory root per cup (about 8 oz) of water. Start at 1 teaspoon; go up to 2 if you like it strong. Chicory is more potent and bitter than many roasted roots, so a little goes a long way.
- Add the root and the water to a small pot and bring to a boil.
- Lower the heat and simmer, covered, for 10 minutes (up to 15 for a bolder cup). Keeping the lid on holds in the aromatic compounds instead of steaming them off.
- Strain into your mug through a fine strainer or small sieve.
- Drink it black, or add milk and a touch of sweetener like any coffee.
That’s it. The grounds can even be simmered a second time for a lighter cup, though the first brew is always the best.
Method 2: Instant granules (the fast cup)
If you bought granules or instant chicory powder, this is a one-minute job — the roasting and grinding were done for you.
- Put 1 to 2 teaspoons of granules in a mug.
- Pour over hot (not quite boiling) water and stir until dissolved.
- Adjust strength to taste, and add milk or sweetener if you like.
Instant is the most convenient, and a perfectly good everyday cup — it just won’t quite have the depth of a slow stovetop simmer.
Method 3: French press, drip, or steep-and-strain
No pot free? A French press works beautifully and keeps the grounds out of your cup.
- Add 1 to 2 teaspoons of roasted root (or grounds) per cup to the press.
- Pour over just-boiled water.
- Steep 10 to 15 minutes — longer than you’d steep coffee, because roots give up their flavor slowly.
- Press and pour.
Finely ground roasted chicory also works in a drip machine or pour-over in place of (or blended with) coffee — treat it like coffee grounds, and lean a little heavier since chicory extracts more slowly than it looks.
Making it taste like real coffee
A few small moves close the gap between “herbal tea” and “morning coffee”:
- Roast matters most. A darker roast on the root gives a bolder, more coffee-like cup. If your homemade brew tastes thin, the roots probably needed a little longer in the oven — see the roasting guide.
- Brew it stronger than you think. Two teaspoons per cup and a full simmer make a real difference over a timid one-teaspoon steep.
- Blend it. The traditional New Orleans move is to cut ground coffee with roasted chicory (about 2:1) — the chicory adds body and a rounder bitterness while softening coffee’s sharp edge. For a fully caffeine-free cup, blend chicory with roasted dandelion root or roasted barley instead; each adds depth without a stimulant.
- Finish it like coffee. A splash of milk (dairy or oat), a little honey or maple, or a pinch of warming spice all round out the cup.
Turn it into a warming chicory latte
Once you’ve got the base brew down, a latte is a two-minute upgrade — and it’s where chicory really shines, because its natural bittersweetness plays like coffee against steamed milk. Simmer 1 to 2 teaspoons of roasted chicory root in about 12 oz of water for 10 to 15 minutes, strain, then pour it over frothed milk warmed with a pinch of cinnamon or cardamom and a teaspoon of honey or maple. The result is grounding and warm — steady comfort without a caffeine crash. (For a close cousin done the same way, the almanac’s dandelion coffee guide turns roasted dandelion root into a spiced latte on the same method.)
A few honest notes
Roasted chicory is a food-grade beverage most people can enjoy freely, but a couple of things are worth keeping in mind. Its flavor is its own thing — roasty and pleasantly bitter, deeper and slightly sharper than coffee — so go in expecting “dark, earthy, chocolatey” rather than “espresso,” and it delivers beautifully. Because chicory is rich in inulin fiber, a strong daily habit can be a little gassy or bloating for some people; if you’re sensitive, start with a mild cup. It also gently stimulates bile flow, so anyone with gallstones or a bile-duct blockage should check with a clinician first. And it’s best avoided in large amounts during pregnancy — see Chicory root benefits for the full safety picture.
The bottom line
Can you make a hot beverage with roasted chicory root? Absolutely — it’s one of the oldest and best caffeine-free brews there is. Simmer one to two teaspoons of roasted root per cup for ten to fifteen minutes and strain; reach for instant granules when you want speed; blend it with coffee for the New Orleans style, or with dandelion or barley for a fully caffeine-free cup; and pour it over frothed milk when you want a genuine morning ritual. It’s about as simple as a warm drink gets, and it hands you a rich, dark, caffeine-free cup with real history behind it.
To understand why people drink it beyond the flavor, see Chicory root benefits. And to make it all the way from the root up, start with How to roast chicory root.
This article is educational and not a substitute for personalized medical advice. If you’re pregnant, have gallbladder or kidney conditions, or have a ragweed/daisy-family allergy, check with your clinician before making chicory root a daily habit.