In short
Roasted carob coffee substitute is carob pod toasted and pulverized to be brewed and drunk like coffee, with no caffeine at all. Roasting develops the dark, bittersweet notes that make it read as coffee rather than as chocolate.
What is carob coffee?
Carob pods, roasted to a dark color and ground, then brewed with hot water the way coffee is. It’s one of the oldest coffee substitutes there is, alongside chicory, barley and roasted grain, and it has the advantage over most of them of being naturally sweet.
Roasting changes carob substantially. Raw carob flour is sweet and cocoa-like. Roasted carob is darker, more bitter, more complex and much closer to coffee in character.
What makes this different from carob flour
It’s a drink, not a baking ingredient
Raw carob flour goes into brownies. Roasted carob coffee goes into a cup. Buying one when you wanted the other is the most common mistake in this category.
The roast is what makes it work
Unroasted carob in hot water tastes like weak, sweet cocoa. Roasted carob tastes dark and slightly bitter, which is what a coffee substitute needs.
Genuinely zero caffeine
Not decaffeinated: there was never any caffeine to remove. Decaf coffee keeps a small amount; carob has none at all.
Taste profile
Dark, roasted and bittersweet with toffee and cocoa undertones. Fuller and rounder than chicory, sweeter than roasted barley, and without coffee’s acidity.
How to prepare it
Standard serving
2 teaspoons (about 8 g) per 200 ml of hot water. Adjust to taste: carob is forgiving in a way coffee isn’t, because over-extraction doesn’t make it harsh.
Ways to drink it
| Method | How |
|---|---|
| Simple cup | 2 tsp in 200 ml hot water, stir |
| With milk | 2 tsp in hot milk, sweeter and fuller |
| Evening drink | Caffeine free, for an evening cup |
| Iced | Dissolve in a little hot water, add cold milk and ice |
| Blended with coffee | 50/50 for half the caffeine |
Where it comes from
Peru. The listing doesn’t state the botanical species.
Who it’s for
A good fit if you are cutting back on caffeine, want a hot drink in the evening, or want a gluten-free alternative to barley-based coffee substitutes.
Look elsewhere if you want carob for baking: this is roasted for brewing and behaves differently in a recipe. It’s also no stand-in for coffee’s flavor if what you actually want is coffee.
Nutrition
Reference values for roasted carob powder, per 100 g. The label on the pack may differ slightly.
| Energy | About 350 kcal |
|---|---|
| Carbohydrate | About 75 g |
| of which fiber | About 23 g |
| of which sugars | About 48 g |
| Protein | About 5 g |
| Fat | About 1.3 g |
| Caffeine | None |
Specifications
| Common name | Carob / algarrobo |
|---|---|
| Processing | Roasted and pulverized |
| Caffeine | None |
| Format | Brewed drink |
| Serving | 2 tsp per 200 ml |
| Net weight | 200 g / 7 oz |
| Origin | Peru |
Coffee alternatives compared
| Roasted carob | Chicory | Roasted barley | Decaf coffee | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Caffeine | None | None | None | Small amount |
| Natural sweetness | High | Low | Low | None |
| Bitterness | Moderate | High | Moderate | Coffee-like |
| Closest to coffee? | Moderately | Very | Moderately | Yes |
| Gluten | None | None | Contains gluten | None |
Storage
Keep it airtight, cool, dry and away from strong smells. Roasted powders lose aroma faster than raw ones.
Questions
Does carob coffee taste like real coffee?
Moderately. It’s dark, roasted and bittersweet, which reads as close to coffee, but it’s sweeter and lacks coffee’s acidity. It’s a good hot drink in its own right rather than a convincing imitation.
Is carob coffee completely caffeine free?
Yes. Carob contains no caffeine at all, unlike decaf coffee, which keeps a small residual amount.
What’s the difference between carob coffee and carob flour?
Roasting. Carob coffee is roasted dark and ground for brewing; carob flour is raw or lightly roasted and milled for baking and drinks. They taste noticeably different.
How many cups are in a 200 g bag?
About 25 cups at 2 teaspoons (about 8 g) each.
How do I brew carob coffee?
Two teaspoons in 200 ml of hot water, stirred. You can filter it like coffee or drink it unfiltered: carob grounds are soft and settle quickly.
Is carob coffee gluten free?
Yes. Carob is a legume pod. That sets it apart from barley-based coffee substitutes, which contain gluten.
Can I mix carob coffee with real coffee?
Yes, and it’s a practical way to halve the caffeine in your cup without giving up the taste of coffee entirely. Start at 50/50.