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I’m all for saving the dandelions for the bees, except when they invade my strawberry patch. I’d tear out tomato volunteers if they got between me and my strawberries.
There are always a couple of dandelions that land in just the wrong place, and pulling them up by the root ensures they don’t just come right back. So now you’ve got dandelion plants, roots and all.
Well, when life gives you dandelion root, make dandelion coffee!
Dandelion root coffee is what first got me interested in herbs, mostly by accident. I’m not that old, but I still hadn’t seen a computer until high school. My school library got a grant for the first school computers my freshman year, and we were all taken for a token 15 minutes each.
I sat down, not really knowing what to do with the thing.
On the screen in front of me was a yahoo search page, and sitting right there was an ad saying “Make coffee from dandelion roots.” Who knows why I got that particular ad at that moment, but I was intrigued, and down the rabbit hole I went. It’s been nearly 20 years, and herbs and foraging are among my greatest passions.
After all that though, I never actually made the dandelion coffee. Believe it or not, there were very few dandelions growing up. Lawns were manicured, and a stray dandelion was an embarrassment.
Now on my Vermont homestead, the dandelions run wild! I harvested a pile of dandelion roots for a dandelion tincture, and I couldn’t help but save some aside for my first cup of dandelion coffee.
Harvesting Dandelion Root
Dandelion roots don’t pull up easily from our hard clay soils. It took a trowel and later a full-on shovel to get these babies out intact.
Look for dandelion rosettes popping out of the soil in the early spring, before they’ve gone to flower. Once the dandelions have gone to flower the roots will shrink and become bitter and woody as the plant sends energy up to the flower.
If you’ve missed them in the early spring, you can always buy dried dandelion root online. That’ll save you a lot of time, as hunting down and digging up the dandelion roots took quite a while. I found it takes about 15 dandelion roots to make enough dry roasted dandelion root for a cup of coffee.
Preparing Dandelion Root for Roasting
Once you have the roots, wash them thoroughly. Chop off the upper leaves and save those for a tasty dandelion salad later.
I separated the smaller, scraggly parts of the roots out because they’ll just burn during roasting. The small root pieces are going right into a dandelion tincture, and these big hunks are ready for the oven.
Roasting Dandelion Root
Most online instructions will tell you to roast fresh dandelion root at 400 degrees F (roughly 200 C) for 30 minutes until they’re completely dry and brown, but not burned. My oven tends to run a bit hot, and I was concerned about scorching them, so I set the oven to 350 degrees and roasted them for 40 minutes. They came out perfect. Dry and toasted, but not burned.
If you’re starting with a purchased bag of dried dandelion root, the roasting is much faster. Roast dried dandelion root at 350 degrees for about 15 minutes.
If you want to skip all these steps, and just get to making some dandelion root coffee, traditional medicinals sell it in convenient tea bags, all roasted ready to go. There’s also a company that makes an instant dandelion coffee mix.
Making Dandelion Root Coffee
Once your dandelion root is roasted, it’s time to make coffee. Really, dandelion root coffee is made more like a tea, and you don’t actually have to grind the dandelion root.
The book Backyard Medicine recommends mixing the dandelion roots with cardamom or cinnamon and fennel for a warm, spicy flavor. Sure, why not?
The added spices are optional, and if you want just coffee flavor, stick with just plain roasted dandelion root.
Boil the roasted dandelion root along with spices of your choice for about 10-15 minutes. I started with 2 cups of water, but after the simmering time, I had exactly one cup of dandelion coffee. Strain the mix through a fine-mesh strainer and it’s ready to drink.
What Does Dandelion Coffee Taste Like?
So now that it’s all said and done, what does dandelion coffee actually taste like? Honestly, I think it tastes pretty well like coffee, but without the acid. The same warm earthy tones, and a very mild coffee bitterness, but none of the acid.
I added a splash of homemade maple syrup and a little milk, and my 3-year-old daughter loved it. She was right there harvesting the dandelion roots with me, and she was excited to drink up the fruits of her labor.
She always wants to have coffee time with me in the morning, and I can see that she’ll be excited about a small cup of dandelion coffee in the future.
Roasted Dandelion Root Coffee
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp roasted dandelion root, about 15 dandelions worth
- 1 stick cinnamon, or 1/2 tsp cinnamon chips
- 1 tsp fennel seed
- 2 cups water
Instructions
- If you’re starting with unroasted root, begin by roasting fresh dandelion root at 350 for 40 minutes or dried dandelion root for 15 minutes.
- Place the roasted dandelion root in a pot with all the other spices.
- Add 2 cups water and bring to a boil. Simmer for 10-15 minutes.
- Strain and enjoy plain, or add milk and the sweetener of your choice.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Love this. And a more honest and personal introduction than the usual waffly article formulas.
Would it have the same nutritional or energising value as the tincture? Thanks
Yes, the medicinal benefits are similar no matter the method you use (Tea, coffee, tincture, etc). Enjoy!
Can you dry dandelion root and grind to a powder and use as coffee
Yes, you can. It really does need to be roasted to taste like coffee though. When using just the dried root without roasting it doesn’t taste the same.
I live 100% off grid. And I use a lot of your recipes and your techniques for canning. As far as the coffee recipe from dandelion root it worked out very well. So I enjoy a little dandelion coffee once in awhile. Natural herbs flowers leaves make great teas. I collect quite a few of them. Thank you so much
You’re quite welcome!
The roots of 15 dandelions will only make 2 tablespoon for a cup of coffee/tea? Can’t imagine how many roots I would need to have enough to store. I am I reading this right?
Yes, that’s correct. Of course it depends on the size of the dandelion. They do shrink quite a bit when you roast them. You can also purchase them if you to supplement what you aren’t able to harvest yourself.
Last year I did a bunch with dandelions but they often seem to be ahead of me and go to seed before I get there. There weren’t very many either so, when I’d find a fluffy one, I’d carefully relocate it to somewhere convenient and safe and make sure those seeds didn’t blow away in the breeze by carefully putting down the seeds and then some leaf mold over the top. This year we have dandelions everywhere and a couple of huge, thick patches that very obviously had a little help.
This is an awesome idea. Thanks for sharing.
Thank you for the posting!
I have used air-dried chopped dandelion roots that I harvest from a wild corner of my yard and roast them. After they cool down, I run them through my coffee grinder. When ready to brew “coffee” I use my drip coffee maker.
This works just fine for me, and I expect I use less roasted roots in the process.
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Such a delightful journey into the world of dandelion coffee, Ashley! 🌼☕️ Your detailed exploration from harvesting the roots to savoring the final brew is both enlightening and inspiring. It’s fascinating how these often-overlooked backyard plants can be transformed into a warm, earthy beverage that not only resembles coffee in flavor but also offers a unique, acid-free experience. 🌱🔄
I was particularly captivated by your description of the taste – the warm earthy tones, mild coffee bitterness, and absence of acid seem like they would make for a comforting and gentle beverage, especially for those who might be sensitive to traditional coffee. 🤗🌿
I’m curious, have you experimented with blending roasted dandelion root with other foraged or homegrown roots or herbs to create different flavor profiles in your brews? 🌾🤔 And considering the nutritional aspects, do you find that dandelion coffee has any noticeable impact on digestion or energy levels, given that dandelions are often touted for their health benefits?
Also, your 3-year-old daughter enjoying the fruits (or should I say, roots?) of her labor is absolutely heartwarming! 💕👧 Do you find that involving her in processes like these influences her curiosity and appreciation for nature and its offerings?
Thank you for sharing this beautiful, earth-connected practice with us, and for reminding us of the hidden treasures that lie just beneath our feet in our own backyards. 🌎💚 Looking forward to exploring more foraging adventures and herbal creations with you!
We’re so glad you enjoyed the dandelion post. There are many herbs and roots that work well with dandelion. I personally really like a combination of dandelion, chicory and burdock root. Including our children in this process has so many benefits. Dandelion and other herbs are meant to strengthen and nourish the body over time. Dandelion is great for digestion as well.
I’ve been making it I have lots of dandelions on my property and I don’t use pesticides. I live out in the woods I have 13 acres of Timber so it makes it easy for me to survive living off the grid. I’m just trying to learn how to eat what’s out there. I save my dandelion leaves and the flowers and now I save the roots to make coffee. I’ve been trying to find out which mushrooms I can eat I know I got puff ball mushrooms they’re great but I haven’t found any morels on my property but I do get a lot of these little cap mushrooms I got to learn which ones are good and which ones aren’t. There’s a lot of greenery plantain here too. And Lamb’s quarters. I have Lamb’s quarters every day. But soon it’ll be cold and I won’t be able to get any until spring. I want to thank you very much for sharing your sight with me. Providing me with a recipe that I can use instead of drinking coffee everyday. I drink a lot of herbal tea also so I collect the wildflowers. You’re emails that you share are very informative, and I really thank you for them. Long life God bless
Thanks so much for sharing. It sounds like you’re continuing to learn which is fantastic.
It looks like you chop the root up before roasting, maybe I missed that step somewhere?
Yes, you do want it chopped. If you read the blog post it shows a picture of the roots chopped up but it doesn’t specifically say that in the recipe section.
Hello, I was wondering if you could still try harvesting dandelions in the summer if you missed the spring harvest?
The best time to harvest them is in the fall after flowering or in the spring before they start to flower but you can certainly harvest at other times if necessary.
The picture of your daughter with her milk coffee is precious! It takes me back to when I was the little blonde kid who begged for my coffee too. Thanks for the lovely recipe and your wonderful site!
You’re very welcome. So glad you enjoyed the post.
do you have any recipes for dadilon appetisers
do you have any recipes for dadilon appetisers
You can probably find something on this post.
Hi I am new to your website
can you advise where is the best place to purchase Dandelion Root and chicory root?
thank you for all the great information, greatly appreciated
I usually just get them from my front yard but if you don’t have access to dandelions then you can check with a reputable herb supplier like Mountain Rose Herbs, Frontier Co-Op or Starwest Botanicals.
Frontier Co-Op is better than Starwest Botanicals. I find that SB doesn’t roast theirs as long as FC-O does. You’ll get a much darker brew with theirs. Also, Sb tends to be slightly more money per pound.
Thank you so much for sharing.
What are the caffeine/vitamin ingredients to this coffee substitute? Very intrigued.