No espresso maker? No problem! This easy French Press Espresso recipe yields deep, dark, delicious espresso without any fancy gadgets.
I am often asked by readers, “Do I need an espresso machine to make my favorite Starbucks copycat recipes?” The answer is a resounding NO! Here at Coffee Copycat, making your coffee shop cravings cheap and accessible is the name of the game. That’s why I’m so excited to debut my easy method for making espresso in a French press!
You can snag one of these hand-press coffee makers for about $15 (or less!). That’s about half as expensive as a stovetop espresso maker (e.g. a Moka pot) and up to 100+ times less expensive than some fancy and expensive espresso machines. 🤑
Yes, buying a French press is a great deal for your wallet, but it’s also an excellent multitasking addition to your at-home barista arsenal! Not only can you make espresso with a French press — you can also make the best darn conventional coffee around, as well as easy cold brew coffee, loose-leaf tea, hot or cold frothy milk, and even sweet cream cold foam.
So, if you’re ready to level up your latte-making game, come along with me to the kitchen. All you’ll need is a French press, your favorite espresso beans, and some hot water. It’s so easy, you’re gonna flip! 😉
Jump to:
- What is a French press?
- What does French press espresso taste like?
- Why You’ll Love This Recipe For Espresso in a French Press
- Ingredients Needed
- How To Make Espresso With A French Press
- Optional Variations & Dietary Adjustments
- Serving Suggestions
- Recipe Success Tips
- FAQs
- Espresso Nutrition
- Other Coffee Basics
- How to Make French Press Espresso
What is a French press?
A French press, also known as a press pot or plunger pot, is a beautifully simple piece of coffee-making equipment. If you’ve ever gone to a fancy restaurant or hip brunch place, chances are you’ve seen this low-tech device. Typically made from glass or stainless steel, it consists of a cylindrical carafe and a lid equipped with a plunger that has a fine mesh filter attached.
One of the things I love about my French press is the full control it offers over the brewing process. Unlike automatic coffee makers and traditional espresso machines, using this simple device means you're in charge of the water temperature, the brewing time, and even the grind of the coffee.
This highly customizable approach is what allows you to extract the full coffee flavor, resulting in a rich, robust cup that's filled with nuanced flavors and aromas that might get lost with other brewing methods. That’s also what makes hand-press espresso so delicious.
Furthermore, the simple, meditative process of brewing coffee in a press pot contributes to its charm. You add coarsely ground coffee beans to the bottom of the pot, pour in hot water, stir, place the lid on with the plunger pulled up, and let it steep. After a few minutes, you slowly press the plunger down, which filters the grounds to the bottom, leaving the most delicious and aromatic brew you’ve ever tasted.
What does French press espresso taste like?
Unlike high-pressure espresso machines, using a French press for espresso allows the subtle nuances of each bean to shine through by preserving their natural oils and fine sediments. This results in a luxurious, full-bodied drink that is creamy, intensely flavorful, and profoundly satisfying.
But the real magic of this brewing method lies in its ability to highlight the unique flavor profiles of different espresso beans. A dark roast might offer deep, smoky undertones with a hint of spice, creating a cup that's both intense and warming. In contrast, a blonde roast espresso can bring forward a brighter, more acidic profile, with vibrant notes of fruit and a crisp finish.
Have fun experimenting with different roasts to find your favorite! And then make sure to let me know which ones win in the comments below — as a coffee fanatic, I’m always pumped to try new beans. 😉
Why You’ll Love This Recipe For Espresso in a French Press
- Quick & Easy - All you need is ground coffee, hot water, and about 5 minutes to make a delectable batch of bold espresso.
- Perfectly Portable - This method is so low-tech, you can take it on the road. It’s perfect for camping or if you have to travel for work. Just use a camping carafe or the hotel coffee maker to your brew hot water!
- Budget-Friendly - Considering you can get one for about $15, using a French press is the most cost-effective way to get your espresso fix. PRO TIP: Check your local Goodwill — I’ve found some for less than $5. 🤯
Ingredients Needed
Making espresso with a French press requires very little. Here’s what to grab:
- Whole Espresso Beans - Starting with whole coffee beans is the best way to ensure a full-flavored cup. This both ensures you can control the grind and, by grinding fresh, ensures the most flavorful oils are preserved. To make regular French press coffee, you’d typically use coarsely ground coffee beans. To make conventional espresso in a machine, you’d use finely ground coffee. We’re gonna split the difference here and use a medium-coarse grind.
- Hot Water - In an ideal world, your water would be warmed to 195F-205F, about 10 degrees shy of boiling. You can easily eyeball it by pulling the water off the stove when it reaches a simmer, or you can be more scientific and use a quick-read thermometer. Alternatively, consider investing in a hot water kettle with different temperature ranges.
In terms of equipment, I recommend the following:
- French Press - I love my pretty rose gold hand-press espresso machine, but there are plenty of less expensive options to choose from. Even the same model in a different color is about $15 cheaper!
- Coffee Grinder - I find that my basic little coffee grinder does great and I can control the grind if I pay attention. If you’d like a bit more precision, consider a burr grinder. Hand-cranked versions are around $30-40, while electric models range from about $70-$200.
How To Make Espresso With A French Press
This simple method for making espresso is about as easy as it gets. Here’s how it’s done:
Step 1: Grind your coffee beans to a medium-fine grind, and measure out ⅔ cups. Pour the ground espresso into your French press and set aside.
Step 2: Bloom the Coffee. Bring your water to a simmer on the stovetop. Once simmering, remove from heat. Pour a few splashes of hot water into the French press and swirl the coffee grounds around. Let it sit for 30 seconds (this will help the espresso be as smooth as possible).
Step 3: Steep. After 30 seconds, add the remaining water and swirl the coffee grounds again. Place the lid of the French press on but don't plunge it down. Allow it to steep for 4 minutes.
Step 4: Plunge. After the 4 minutes, plunge the French press down slowly, then pour your espresso into your mug!
Optional Variations & Dietary Adjustments
- Decaf - Feel free to swap in your favorite decaf beans to get all the flavor without the fuel.
- Cold-Brew/Low-Acid Method - If regular espresso is too acidic for you, or if you’re making iced espresso drinks, consider making cold brew espresso. The ratio is the same as listed, but you’ll use cool water instead of hot. Note that this method takes much longer – about 12-20 hours – so you’ll need to plan ahead.
- Different Beans - The terms "espresso beans" and "coffee beans" can be a bit misleading because technically, they come from the same plant. The main difference is how they're roasted and intended to be used. Espresso beans are typically roasted for a longer time, resulting in a darker, oilier appearance and a stronger, richer flavor. Feel free to swap in whatever roast you like!
Serving Suggestions
Now that you’ve brewed up a cup of this black gold, there are tons of ways to use it:
- Go classic European style and serve it in a demitasse cup with a twist of lemon zest and a square of dark chocolate on the side.
- Make all your favorite Starbucks copycat drinks! Here are some of my favorites
- Spring into the vernal season with my iced lavender oat milk latte.
- Chill out with an iced caramel macchiato.
- Cozy up with my copycat cinnamon dolce latte.
- Keep it simple with an oat milk latte.
- Let your basic b**** out to play and make an iced pumpkin spice latte.
- Mix coffee, milk, and spiced tea in a dirty chai latte.
- You can also use it in any iced or hot espresso coffee drinks you like — americanos, cappuccinos, flat whites, cortados, and more!
Recipe Success Tips
Making espresso with a French press is a snap, but there are a few things to keep in mind for the absolute best brew:
- Choose the Right Grind: For French press espresso, you’ll want to use a slightly finer grind than the usual coarse grind recommended for regular French press coffee. Aim for a grind size just a bit coarser than what you'd use for espresso machines. This helps extract more flavor and achieve a closer consistency to true espresso.
- Get the Temperature Right: Heat your water to just below boiling, around 200°F (93°C). Water that's too hot can make it taste bitter, while cooler water won't extract the full flavor in the timeframe.
- The Golden Ratio: The proper French press espresso ratio is a bit higher than for regular French press coffee. A good starting point is about 2 tablespoons of coffee for every 4 ounces of water, then adjust according to your preferences for a stronger or weaker brew.
- Bloomin’ Good: Start by adding just enough water to saturate the espresso grounds, then let it sit for about 30 seconds to help the beans release CO2 and help them absorb water more evenly.
- Stir It Up: After adding the rest of your hot water to the coffee grounds, give the mixture a good stir or swirl to ensure all grounds are fully saturated. This helps improve the extraction process and yields a richer espresso.
- Steep Time: Allow the coffee to steep for about 4 minutes before plunging. For a stronger cup, you can go up to 5 minutes, but be wary — over-extraction tastes bitter.
- Slow and Steady: When you’re ready to plunge, do it slowly and with consistent pressure.
- Serve Immediately: Just like with traditional espresso extraction methods, French press espresso has a short life. In fact, at Starbucks, they teach the baristas to dump any espresso shots that have been around for longer than 10 seconds! While you don’t have to be quite as drastic, I recommend you drink it right away for the best flavor!
- Experiment and Tweak: The beauty of the French press is in how it allows for customization. Don’t be afraid to tweak the grind size, coffee-to-water ratio, or steep time to find your perfect brew.
- Cleanliness is Next to Tastiness: Keep your French press clean. Coffee oils can go rancid, and old grounds stuck in the mesh can give off icky flavors. 🤮
FAQs
Not quite. Traditional espresso, French press espresso, and regular French press coffee each offer distinct flavors and textures due to their brewing methods.
Traditional espresso is made under high pressure, extracting a small, intensely concentrated shot with a rich crema. French press espresso is an adaptation using a finer grind and a higher coffee-to-water ratio than typical French press coffee. It emulates espresso's strength but without the crema. Finally, regular French press coffee uses a coarser grind and longer steep time, producing a full-bodied brew with more volume and a milder concentration compared to espresso.
“True espresso” requires around 9 bars of pressure to extract the coffee properly, creating the characteristic intense flavor and crema. A French press cannot quite replicate this since it uses a steeping method with no pressure; while it can make a strong coffee similar in strength to espresso, it won't have the same concentration or crema.
A Moka pot, on the other hand, provides some pressure but still much less than an espresso machine. It also produces a strong, espresso-like coffee but doesn’t have quite the same consistency as a “true” espresso shot.
TL;DR? Either a Moka pot or a French press can be used to create a deliciously satisfying cup of highly concentrated coffee that is a great stand-in for espresso in your favorite coffee drinks. BUT, since neither creates the same pressure as a high-pressure espresso machine, you won’t get quite the same results.
Nope, they are not the same. Briefly, a French press steeps the coffee while an espresso machine uses high pressure to extract the coffee more quickly. Read the answer to the question above for more detail!
Yes and no. You can use espresso beans in a French press, but if you try and use finely ground espresso (which is how pre-ground espresso is sold), your coffee may end up with more sediment than you like. I recommend a medium-coarse grind, i.e. slightly coarser than espresso and slightly finer than regular French press grounds.
It depends on your taste preferences, but typically speaking 4-5 minutes is plenty for hot brewed coffee. For cold brewed, let it sit a minimum of 12 hours and no more than 24.
Espresso Nutrition
Espresso is an excellent low-calorie option for coffee enthusiasts, containing only about 3 calories per serving. It also has minimal sodium, with just 5mg, and barely any carbs, at only 1mg per shot.
Most of the calories in typical coffee drinks actually come from added milk, cream, sugar, or sweeteners. So, if you stick to plain espresso, you're enjoying a guilt-free, robust coffee experience that's super low in both calories and carbs.
Total nutritional content per serving is:
- Calories: 3 calories
- Total Fat: 0 grams
- Protein: 0 grams
- Sodium: 5 mg
- Carbohydrates: 1 gram
- Sugar: 0 grams
*This nutritional information is an estimate and calculated based on the ingredients used to create the recipe. The nutritional value of your ingredients may differ slightly. Furthermore, this food is not intended to prevent, diagnose, cure, or treat any disease.
Other Coffee Basics
How to Make French Press Espresso
Equipment
Ingredients
- ⅔ cup espresso roast coffee beans medium-fine ground
- 1 cup water
Instructions
- Grind your coffee beans to a medium-fine grind, and measure out ⅔ cups. Pour the ground coffee into your French press and set aside.
- Bring your water to a simmer on the stovetop. Once simmering, remove from heat. Pour a few splashes of hot water into the French press and swirl the coffee grounds around. Let it sit for 30 seconds (this will help the espresso be as smooth as possible).
- After 30 seconds, add the remaining water and swirl the coffee grounds again. Place the lid of the French press on but don't plunge it down. Allow it to steep for 4 minutes.
- After the 4 minutes, plunge the French press down slowly, then pour your espresso into mug of choice!
Nutrition
xoxo Megan
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