Are you a tea drinker? Maybe, like the best of us this time of year, you miss a wholesome cup of tea but can hardly bring yourself to envision brewing something hot when the temperatures outside dip into triple figures. And iced tea? That’s for eating out, right? Do I really have the patience (let alone planning) to steep a cold brew tea at home? How would I even do it?
Rest assured: you can make cold brew iced tea at home! Not only is it easier than you may think, but there’s even a way to have your chocolate and drink it too.
What is cacao tea?
If you’re anything like the thousands of folks we meet at farmers markets around New York City, cacao tea may just change your life (we’re not making this up). But what is it?
First, what it’s not: despite the name, cacao tea has no actual tea in it (it’s herbal, or a tisane). And no cacao nibs, either. Certainly no chocolate, no flavorings (“natural” or otherwise), no extracts, no essential oils, no sweeteners. . .
Cacao tea, sometimes called chocolate tea, is the shell or husk of the lightly-roasted single-origin cacao bean. Steeped like a loose-leaf tea, it’s known for its light, herbal consistency, with a rich chocolatey aroma and aftertaste. Naturally sugar-free and zero-calorie, cacao tea is one ingredient only. It’s naturally rich in the antioxidants and theobromine, often in even higher concentrations than the interior “nib” of the cacao bean. Cold-brewed over ice, it might be the best thing we drink all summer.
Cacao carries up to 40x the antioxidants of blueberries1. Cacao tea is a light, refreshing way to sip one of the most antioxidant-rich foods on earth.
Roasted low and slow, on purpose
In most of the chocolate world, the cacao husk never makes it past the “winnowing” stage of industrial processing, which renders the shell a landfill-bound byproduct. It gets thrown out, which follows naturally from starting with commodity-grade cocoa beans, cultivated for profit maximization and consistency over flavor or (cocoa futures market-heavens forbid) nutrient density.
Tea worth drinking doesn’t start from a commodity. Look at the ingredients label first, to make sure you’re drinking cacao husks rather than “nibs” or other processed derivatives thereof. Then look to the sourcing: does the manufacturer tell you where their raw ingredient came from? Beyond country of origin, do they share any curiosity or transparent recognition of the human supply chain that facilitates their profit margins?
One of the reasons we love sharing our cacao tea – and why folks taste the difference – is that we start from single-origin, fully traceable cacao, where we’re investing in the human labor every step of the way. So the husk is worth crafting, holding onto, elevating, rather than discarding. Every batch is a house-blend of single-origin cacao, roasted slowly at much lower temperatures than commodity-grade alternatives. (As a result, folks are often surprised to find there is none of the “bitterness” we may associate with dark chocolate, let alone unsweetened cacao.) The careful roast is deliberate, since it protects the husk's delicate flavor while keeping the nutrient density intact. What lands in your cup is bright, chocolatey, and crafted with intention.
Husk, nib, chocolate: what's the difference?
Every cacao bean has two parts: a thin outer shell – the husk – wrapped around the inner “meat”, a.k.a. the nib. When we crack and winnow the roasted beans, the two come apart. The nib is what we turn into chocolate, forever our first ingredient: grind it for 2-3 days continuously in a stone melanger and you have smooth, 100% dark chocolate. The husk is the other half of the cacao bean, and it is what we steep into cacao tea.
So cacao husks, nibs, and chocolate are all cousins from the same cacao beans, each representing various states of processing. Nibs are the crunchy, lightly roasted, most nutrient-dense interior of the cacao bean. Chocolate is that nib ground into a smooth paste. And cacao tea is the husk, lighter and brighter, all aroma, flavor and intensity. Curious about the crunchy middle? Meet our cacao nibs (a full nibs guide is on the way).
Not all cacao tea is the same
Worth knowing before you shop around: if a "chocolate tea" lists cacao nibs, natural flavors, or essential oils, it is a different drink making a different promise. We prefer one ingredient, the roasted husk of single-origin cacao, with nothing else added (at least not by the manufacturer. . . although we do love to experiment when steeping at home). The deep chocolate aroma, the antioxidants, and the theobromine all come from the husk itself, not from a flavoring poured in later. Swap in an imitation and you will not get the same cup, flavor, or potency.
What makes ours different
- One ingredient: roasted single-origin cacao husk, nothing added
- Naturally sugar-free and zero-calorie
- Rich in antioxidants and theobromine, straight from the cacao, for a gentle, steady lift without the edge of caffeine
- Naturally low in caffeine, high in theobromine (many folks enjoy it as a coffee alternative, or pair it with your coffee to prolong the boost without the crash)
- Never alkalized, so the husk keeps its natural complexity, flavor and nutrients
- Allergen-free
- Kosher-certified
- Single-origin and handcrafted in the Bronx
- Packaged in 100% compostable materials
Why cold brew it?
Cold brewing is the gentlest way to draw flavor from the husk. The long, cold soak softens any bitterness and lets the fruitier, more delicate notes come forward. It is also the easiest method there is, since the fridge does the work while you sleep.
What you need
- slowcocoa Cacao Tea (our cacao husk tea)
- Cold, filtered water
- Ice
- Optional: oatmilk, a twist of orange, a little maple or agave
How to make cold brew iced cacao tea
- Measure 1 to 2 tablespoons of slowcocoa cacao tea for every 8 ounces of cold water, or a little more for a stronger cup. Scale up for a full pitcher.
- Combine and stir. Add the husks to a jar or pitcher, fill with cold water, and gently stir so all husks are soaked.
- Chill. Cover (ideally with something plastic-free and reusable, if you can) and refrigerate for 12 to 24 hours. Around 18 hours is our sweet spot for a full, smooth cup.
- Strain. Pour through a fine-mesh sieve, strainer or cheesecloth to catch the husks. (If a bit of fine powder comes through into the drink, that's ok too!)
- Serve. Pour over ice and sip slowly. Enjoy on its own, or garnish with a splash of oatmilk, a dollop of agave, or a sprig of fresh mint. . . lots of flavor combo possibilities!
Brewed it stronger than you like? Yay! Now you have cacao tea "concentrate" that will last even more cup-fulls. Just top it off with a little cold water or extra ice cubes until it tastes more up your alley. When in doubt, we prefer to steep longer, since it's easier to dilute a cup that's too strong than one that's not flavorful enough.
How long it keeps
After straining all the husks, store the tea covered in the fridge and enjoy it within five days. Make a big jar on Sunday and you have a cold, chocolatey pour ready all week.
Ways to serve it
Straight over ice is our go-to, but experimentation is your friend here. Lots of folks enjoy splash of oat milk, fresh nut milk or your favorite creamer to add more creaminess. Try a twist of orange or a few mint leaves. Or even top it with sparkling water for a cacao soda, or stir in a dash of agave if you like a touch of sweetness. One of our customers put it best:
A quick word on caffeine
Cacao tea is naturally low in caffeine (less than a typical green tea). What it carries instead is theobromine, a stimulant similar to caffeine on a molecular level, but for many folks, it’s much steadier than coffee, a gentle boost without the edge. A lot of our market regulars drink it as a coffee alternative, alongside their morning cup, or as an afternoon or evening pick-me-up.
Prefer it warm?
Cacao tea is just as good hot. A little goes a long way, so start with 1 teaspoon of husks per 8 ounces of just-boiled water, steep 5 to 8 minutes, strain, and sip slowly. Add more husks for a deeper cup.
Want a little spice?
For a warming, chai-like version with star anise, clove, cardamom and cinnamon, try our spiced cacao tea recipe. It came to us as a gift from a slowcocoa customer, and it is wonderful hot or iced.
Bring some home
Sip slow, let the mind go
However you brew it, the invitation is the same. On the hottest afternoon, a cold glass of this is our favorite way to slow down for a minute, a cup that nourishes the mood as much as the tastebuds. Single-origin cacao husks, nothing added and nothing wasted, handcrafted in the Bronx and packaged in 100% compostable materials (yes, even the label adhesive). From cacao to compost. Sip slow, let the mind go.
1 Antioxidant comparison based on published ORAC values for cacao versus blueberries. Review the data.
