The Most Delicious Reason Not to Throw Away Used Coffee Grinds

Even if you don’t drink coffee, we’re sure that by now you know the small miracles that can be worked by using coffee grounds. Whether you add them to your beauty treatments, garden, or dye kits, they’re versatile as heck.

In the kitchen, coffee grounds make the cut for main dishes, side dishes, and desserts too. You’ll be convinced about the dessert claim once you watch how Food52 flips them into pie for a decadent treat. You. Will. Not. Resist. And bakers: there’s not much baking to do with this one.

It’s not like adding hot coffee to chocolate cake batter. And it’s not like slipping a few drops of coffee extract into your milkshake. Cold coffee lovers may already be used to iced lattes and ice cream, but you will appreciate this cool version of French silk pie. The flavor is rich and the grounds are used in two places!

The pie crust gets a sprinkling of them mixed in with yummy cookie crumbles and a whipped cream topping is infused with coffee grounds. Now, don’t get skittish about leftover grounds in your food, because everything will be just fine. Trust us! Brew up some coffee and get with this magical Food52 recipe!

Chocolate Silk Pie

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • ¾ cup coffee grounds (spent and drained)
  • 2 cups crushed chocolate cookies
  • 3 tablespoons powdered sugar
  • 4 tablespoons melted, unsalted butter
  • ½ cup heavy cream
  • 5 ounces semi-sweet chocolate
  • 1 ½ sticks softened butter
  • ¾ cup sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 4 eggs

Instructions:

  1. Warm it Up

    Preheat oven to 375°Fahrenheit.

  2. Whip It

    Whipped topping – Add ½ cup coffee grounds to 1 cup heavy cream in a sealed container. Refrigerate for 2 to 12 hours.

  3. Strain It

    Strain the mixture with cheesecloth or a sieve. Stir in powdered sugar and whip until peaks form. Refrigerate.

  4. Pie Plate It

    For the crust, mix together the cookie crumbs, coffee grounds, and melted butter. Press it into a pie plate and bake for 10 minutes. Cool.

  5. Work the Filling

    To make the filling, start by whipping ½ cup of heavy cream until it forms peaks and then refrigerate it. Melt the chocolate and set aside.

  6. Finish the Fill

    Cream the butter and sugar until fluffy, and then whisk in the chocolate and vanilla. Beat eggs in one at a time. Fold in your whipped cream.

  7. Top it Off

    Pour filling into crust, top with filling, then refrigerate.

Watch Food52’s video to get the sweet step-by-step deets on how to make this tantalizing dessert!

To take this flavorful idea a step further, you may also want to try adding spices to your coffee beans before you grind them. Toss in some cinnamon, nutmeg, or cloves, and use the spiced up grounds in your pie crusts as you wish. It’ll add an extra kick to your crusts.

You won’t want to go back to your typical pie crust (especially chocolate) after trying this, so get to grinding!

Have you tried coffee grounds in your recipes? Will you try this pie recipe? Are you a fan of chocolate and coffee getting together?