Rice coffee is made by dry-roasting raw rice until it turns dark brown, then brewing the roasted grains in hot water. The result is a caffeine-free drink with a toasty, nutty flavor that works as a coffee substitute for pennies per cup. The whole process takes about 30 minutes from start to finish.
What You Need
The ingredient list is short: raw rice and water. That’s it. You can use white rice, brown rice, or even black rice. Brown rice produces a slightly richer, more full-bodied brew because it still has its bran and germ intact, which carry more fiber, magnesium, and B vitamins than white rice. White rice roasts a bit faster and yields a milder, lighter cup. Either works well.
For equipment, you need a heavy-bottomed skillet or wok, a wooden spoon or spatula, and a pot or saucepan for brewing. A coffee grinder or mortar and pestle is optional but useful if you want a stronger brew.
How to Roast the Rice
Measure out about one cup of raw rice. Rinse and drain it, then spread it in a single layer on a clean towel and let it dry for a few minutes. Excess moisture will cause the grains to steam instead of roast, and you want dry heat here.
Place a heavy skillet over medium heat. Add the dried rice and begin stirring constantly. This is the part that requires your full attention. The grains will first turn golden, then progressively darker. You’re aiming for a deep brown color, just short of fully charred. The rice should look similar to dark roast coffee beans and smell intensely toasty, almost smoky. This typically takes 15 to 25 minutes depending on your stove, your pan, and the type of rice you’re using. There’s no single correct time, so watch the color and trust your nose.
A few tips to get even roasting: keep the heat at medium rather than cranking it up, stir without stopping, and shake the pan occasionally so no grains sit in one spot too long. If you see white smoke or smell burning rather than toasting, pull the pan off the heat immediately. You want the grains dark but not black and ashy.
Once roasted, transfer the rice to a plate or tray and let it cool completely. You can store the roasted grains in an airtight jar at room temperature for several weeks.
Brewing Your Rice Coffee
You have two options: brew the grains whole, or grind them first. Whole grains produce a lighter drink and are the simplest approach. Ground roasted rice releases more flavor and color, giving you something closer to the body of real coffee.
To brew, bring about two cups of water to a boil in a small pot. Add two to three tablespoons of roasted rice (whole or ground). Reduce the heat and let it simmer for 10 to 15 minutes. The water will gradually turn a warm amber to dark brown. The ratio is flexible: more rice and longer simmering gives a bolder, stronger cup, while less rice keeps it light and tea-like. Adjust to your taste after the first batch.
Strain the liquid through a fine mesh sieve or cheesecloth into your mug. If you used ground rice, you may want to strain it twice to catch the fine sediment.
Ways to Flavor It
Plain rice coffee has a mild, roasted grain flavor that’s naturally a little sweet and nutty. Many people drink it black, but it also takes well to additions. Coconut milk or coconut cream is a traditional pairing in Southeast Asia that reinforces the grain flavor with a subtle richness. A thin slice of fresh ginger simmered with the rice adds warmth and a slight spicy bite. Honey, muscovado sugar, or a pinch of cinnamon are other popular choices. If you like it creamy, a splash of condensed milk gives it a sweetened latte quality.
Caffeine and Calorie Content
Rice contains zero caffeine, and roasting doesn’t create any. This makes rice coffee a genuine caffeine-free alternative, not just a low-caffeine one. It’s suitable for people who are sensitive to stimulants, pregnant, or simply trying to cut caffeine without giving up the ritual of a warm, dark cup in the morning.
Calorie-wise, it’s nearly negligible. A typical serving of brewed rice coffee contains roughly 4 calories, 1 gram of carbohydrates, and essentially no fat, sugar, or protein. Most of the grain’s substance stays behind in the strainer. The calories in your cup will come almost entirely from whatever sweetener or milk you add.
Why Brown Rice Makes a Better Brew
Brown rice keeps its outer bran layer and germ, which white rice has been stripped of during milling. That bran carries fiber, magnesium, potassium, iron, and several B vitamins. When you roast brown rice, some of those nutrients are lost to heat, but the bran also contributes a deeper, more complex flavor. Think of the difference between white bread toast and whole wheat toast. The whole grain version simply has more going on.
Brown rice also has a lower glycemic index than white rice, meaning the small amount of carbohydrate that does dissolve into your brew is less likely to cause a quick spike in blood sugar. For most people, brown rice is the better starting point. White rice is a fine choice if you prefer a more delicate flavor or find it easier to digest.
A Note on Roasting Temperature
When starchy foods like rice are heated above about 120°C (250°F), a compound called acrylamide can form. This is the same substance that develops in toasted bread, roasted potatoes, and coffee beans. Research on roasted rice found that acrylamide levels increase with temperature: rice roasted at 200°C for 20 minutes produced roughly four times the acrylamide of rice roasted at 100°C for the same duration.
The practical takeaway is to roast at medium heat rather than high heat. A longer, gentler roast still gets you the dark color and bold flavor you want while keeping acrylamide formation lower. Blasting the rice over high flame to speed things up works against you in more ways than one, since it also leads to uneven roasting and burnt spots.
Cultural Roots of Rice Coffee
Rice coffee has deep roots in the Philippines, where it’s known as “kapeng bigas” or “tostadong bigas” (toasted rice). It became especially popular during World War II, when regular coffee was scarce or unaffordable. Families roasted whatever rice they had and brewed it as a substitute. The practice stuck, and rice coffee remains a common homemade drink in rural Filipino communities today.
Japan has its own version in genmaicha, a green tea blended with roasted brown rice. While not identical to brewed rice coffee, it draws on the same principle: roasted rice grains adding a warm, toasty flavor to a hot drink. Across parts of Korea and Southeast Asia, roasted grain beverages made from rice, barley, or corn have long served as everyday alternatives to tea and coffee.