Drink Your Coffee & Use Your Grounds!
We all love our coffee….I mean we have been roasting coffee here in Door County for 29 years and we aren’t stopping! The only problem with coffee is when it’s gone, am I right?! We all hate to throw away those grounds of goodness after they have done their job, but WAIT….don’t you throw those away, we have plenty of ways to use them! Coffee grounds have many uses after they have been brewed, and we have complied our favorite ways for you below! Utilizing your coffee grounds gives you a fun project to do with what you already have at home! We also have some fun ideas for that last little but of coffee in the pot that you don't quite finish, but don't want to throw away! We know, we know...who ever has leftover coffee?! But with these fun ideas, you might just want to leave a little in the pot to do them!
1: DIY Face Scrubs: Who doesn’t love a good face scrub? The ultimate way to pamper yourself with a few simple ingredients! First, enjoy your favorite Door County Coffee, and save those grounds! The caffeine and antioxidants in the grounds is the perfect way to tighten and brighten your skin! We have two options here, but you can always add other favorite zests or things you enjoy that you know make a great mask! Simply combine all ingredients and mix well. Add to container with lid and store right in the shower or in a cabinet. Enjoy!
- 1 Cup brown sugar
- ½ cup coconut oil
- ½ cup coffee grounds
- 2 tsp vanilla
- Optional add-ins: 1 tsp orange zest & 7 drops orange essential oils in place of vanilla
2: Grounds for Your Garden: We all love planting beautiful flowers and big gardens in Summer, so why not help them flourish with your coffee grounds! After enjoying your favorite brew, you can spread coffee grounds in your flower beds to help them flourish or use them as compost because the grounds release nitrogen as they degrade which makes for very rich compost! Grounds can also be very beneficial to your young seedlings to help them get a great start before transplant because the grounds add organic material to the soil, which improves drainage, water retention and aeration in the soil, helping them grow!
3: Coffee Soap: We know coffee makes a great body and face scrub, so why not put it right into your bar of soap! All you need is plain glycerin soap and grounds! Melt your soap base in the microwave until it has melted completely, checking on it until it is totally liquid. You can start at 20 seconds and keep going! Then stir in 1/3 cup of your coffee grounds. Pour into a mold, preferably silicone so it is easily removable, and let it harden!
4: Home Décor: We admit, we get so caught up in trying new flavors, sometimes a bag of beans falls to the bottom of the cupboard and we don’t find it until it's too late…oops! Now, our coffee will never go bad, it will never harm you, but for the freshest brew we say drink it within one year. But we won’t let these older beans go to waste – we will use them around the house! These beans still have a great smell, so grab a clear vase or bowl and place a plain candle inside and fill around it with your beans. Now light it up and your favorite coffee is now your favorite candle scent throughout your house! You can also use beans in different shaped jars on your coffee bar for a fun added touch!
5: Coffee Ice Cubes: Who doesn't love a big glass of cold brew coffee on a hot Summer day?! Typically you put your ice, water and cold brew concentrate in a glass and enjoy, but by freezing leftover coffee into coffee ice cubes, you really amp up the coffee flavor in your cod brew and it doesn't dilute! Just add the last of your coffee to an ice cube tray and freeze!
6: Coffee Ice Pops: Lids get freeze-pops, so why can't we adults make some coffee pops?! Just add a little cream and sugar to popsicle mold, the same amount you would take in your cup of coffee, and fill to the top with your favorite coffee or cold brew (as long as it is all cold coffee!). We recommend using tin foil on top of the mold, and poking the sticks through that, because sometimes, popsicle molds just cause more issues than it is worth! Let them freeze for a few hours until solid, and enjoy!
While we know the very best part of coffee is drinking that cup of your favorite blend, we love that we can re-purpose those beans or grounds all over the house! So brew that second pot and find what you have around the house to create some amazing DIY projects! Cheers!