What Is Turkish Coffee and How Do You Make It?

If you’ve grown tired of modern coffee trends—pour-overs, cold brews, nitrogen infusions—and wonder what came before espresso machines, you might find something intriguing in a 500-year-old method: Turkish coffee. It’s not just a drink; it’s an experience wrapped in tradition, mystique, and yes, even a bit of fortune-telling.

Turkish coffee is made using extremely finely ground coffee boiled in a small brass or copper cezve (or ibrik) with water and optional sugar. The ideal brew uses 5–6g of coffee per 65ml of water, and a classic serving is around 50ml with a thick layer of foam on top.

What Is a Turkish Coffee Pot?

The iconic Turkish coffee pot isn’t just for show—it’s called a cezve or ibrik, and it plays a central role in making the drink. These small, long-handled pots are traditionally handmade, often from copper with a tin lining. They feature intricate engravings and decorative wooden handles laced with copper wire and sometimes shell inlays. Though not perfectly uniform, their slightly rough craftsmanship gives them authenticity and charm. While the cezve is used across Turkey, the same style of pot appears throughout the Middle East, Eastern Europe, North Africa, and Greece. It’s the only tool you need to make traditional Turkish coffee.

What’s the Difference Between Turkish and Arabic Coffee?

Despite common confusion, Turkish coffee does not contain spices—not even cinnamon or cardamom, let alone ginger. That’s actually a hallmark of Arabic coffee, which is brewed the same way but with added spices. Many online sources mistakenly conflate the two, leading to the widespread but incorrect belief that Turkish coffee is spicy. In truth, the only additive allowed in Turkish coffee is sugar, and even that is optional. The default version is unsweetened (‘sade’), but you can also prepare it with varying levels of sweetness: half a sugar packet for ‘az şekerli’ (slightly sweet), two-thirds for ‘orta şekerli’ (medium), and a full packet for ‘çok şekerli’ (sweet).

How to Brew Turkish Coffee Step by Step

Making Turkish coffee is straightforward, but precision matters. Here’s how to do it the traditional way:

• Grind: Use a very fine grind—finer than espresso. Freshness is key to producing the signature foam.
• Dose: Use 5–6g of coffee per 65ml of water. A typical serving is around 50ml.
• Add Ingredients: Combine finely ground coffee and cold water in the cezve. Add sugar at this stage if desired (see sweetness levels above).
• Mix: Stir gently to combine the coffee, water, and sugar.
• Heat: Use low heat. Do not stir once boiling begins—you’ll burst the foam. Let it heat until a thick layer of foam rises to the top.
• Foam First: Just before it boils over, remove the cezve from the heat and carefully pour the foam into your cup. For multiple cups, divide the foam equally.
• Second Boil: Return the cezve to the heat, let it foam again, then pour more foam and some coffee into each cup. Repeat until you've created foam for all servings (typically three times).
• Pour Remaining Coffee: Once foam production diminishes, pour the rest of the coffee into the cups. Most of the grounds will settle in the cezve.

The narrow top and wide base of the cezve help keep grounds in the pot—but some fine silt will still end up in the cup. Don’t stir the coffee after pouring; let the grounds settle at the bottom. That sediment is also traditionally used for coffee fortune-telling.

What Does Turkish Coffee Taste Like?

Contrary to the “burnt and sludgy” stereotype, properly made Turkish coffee is rich, smooth, and aromatic. When sugar is added, it takes on a thick, syrupy mouthfeel with hints of caramel and molasses. Even without sugar, many people who typically prefer milk or filtered coffee find Turkish coffee surprisingly approachable. The foam is essential—not just for texture, but as a sign of a well-brewed cup. The grounds settle at the bottom, so you don’t drink them, although they remain part of the cultural ritual.

Why Isn’t Turkish Coffee More Popular?

In its homeland of Turkey, traditional Turkish coffee has largely been replaced by espresso-based drinks like cappuccinos and lattes. While you can still find it in historic cafés or tourist spots, most locals now prefer tea. Outside Turkey, the method hasn’t caught on widely either, despite the cezve’s visual appeal and the coffee’s unique preparation. Misinformation online—like the idea that it always includes spices—has also contributed to misunderstandings, making people wary of trying it.

Frequently Asked Questions

What grind size should I use for Turkish coffee?

Use an extremely fine grind—finer than what you’d use for espresso. The coffee should resemble powdered sugar or flour. This fine grind is essential for creating the thick foam that defines Turkish coffee.

Do you put spices in Turkish coffee?

No, traditional Turkish coffee does not include any spices. It contains only coffee, water, and optionally sugar. Spices like cardamom or cinnamon are used in Arabic coffee, which is a different beverage often confused with Turkish coffee.

How much sugar do you add to Turkish coffee?

Sugar is optional and added during brewing. The common levels are: no sugar (sade), half a sugar packet (az şekerli), two-thirds of a packet (orta şekerli), or a full packet (çok şekerli) per serving.

Why is foam important in Turkish coffee?

Foam is a key indicator of quality and is served proudly, especially for honored guests. Each cup should receive an equal share of the foam, which is spooned off during the first boil and sometimes subsequent ones.

Can you make Turkish coffee without a cezve?

Technically, you can use any small, heatproof pot with a long handle, but a cezve is ideal. Its shape helps concentrate heat and manage the delicate foaming process. A small moka pot or saucepan can work in a pinch.

Is the coffee grounds sediment in the cup drinkable?

You shouldn’t stir the coffee after pouring, and most people avoid drinking the very bottom where the grounds accumulate. However, the tiny amount of silt that makes it into the cup is normal and part of the experience—just don’t drink the last sip if you’re sensitive to texture.

What is coffee cup reading (tasseography) in Turkish culture?

After drinking Turkish coffee, the leftover grounds in the cup are often used for fortune-telling, a practice known as tasseography or fal. The patterns left by the grounds are interpreted to predict the future—a unique cultural ritual tied to the coffee’s full-cup consumption.

Recommended FrontStreet Beans for Turkish-Style Brewing

For Turkish coffee, choose a medium to dark roast that can handle the fine grind and intense brewing method. FrontStreet Coffee’s Classic Blend offers balanced chocolate and nutty notes, while the Black Cocoa Blend brings deep roasted cocoa and bold body—both shine when brewed as Turkish-style. The medium-dark Ethiopia Humbera shows fruity brightness even in this traditional format. All work well with the intense extraction. Freshly roasted within 5 days · Orders placed before 17:00 ship the same day · Next-day delivery across most of Guangdong Province.