To make Turkish coffee, stir one heaped teaspoon of very finely ground coffee (about 7 g) and sugar to taste into one cup of cold water (about 70 ml) in a cezve. Heat it slowly without stirring until the foam rises, spoon the foam into the cup, let the coffee rise once more and pour. Serve it with a glass of water and a piece of Turkish delight.
That is the short version. Below is the method we use at home, with the details that make the difference between a flat, bitter cup and one with a thick, velvety foam.
What you need
- A cezve. The small pot with a long handle and a narrow neck. Copper and stainless steel are both common. Our Turkish coffee pots include ACAR copper pots with wooden handles and Özlife stainless steel sets in several sizes. Pick a size that matches how many cups you usually make: a small pot for one or two cups, a larger one for four or more.
- Turkish coffee. It must be ground to a powder, much finer than espresso. Ready-ground Turkish ground coffee from Mehmet Efendi or Nuri Toplar is the easiest choice. If you prefer to grind your own beans, a traditional hand grinder such as the ACAR models in our coffee grinders collection, set to its finest setting, will get you there.
- Cold, fresh water, and sugar if you take it.
- Small cups. Turkish coffee cups usually hold around 90 ml, which also makes them a handy measure for the water. See our coffee cup sets if you need some.
The basic ratio
Coffee and water
For each cup, use one heaped teaspoon (roughly 6–8 g) of coffee and one coffee cup of water, filled to just below the rim (about 65–75 ml). For two cups, double everything. Some people like it stronger and add an extra half spoon; start with the standard ratio and adjust from there.
Sugar levels
Sugar is added at the start, never afterwards, so ask your guests how they take it before you begin. The four classic orders are:
- Sade – no sugar.
- Az şekerli – a little sugar, about half a teaspoon or one small cube.
- Orta şekerli – medium, about one teaspoon.
- Şekerli – sweet, about two teaspoons.
Amounts vary from family to family, so treat these as a starting point. If guests want different sugar levels, make them in separate batches or brew sade and pass the sugar.
How to make Turkish coffee, step by step
- Measure the water. Use the cup you will serve in and pour one cupful of cold water per person into the cezve.
- Add the coffee and sugar. One heaped teaspoon of coffee per cup, plus sugar to taste.
- Stir before heating. Mix gently until the coffee is fully wet and there are no dry clumps on top. This is the only time you stir.
- Heat slowly. Put the cezve on low to medium heat. A slow heat of about three to four minutes gives the foam time to build. High heat makes it rise fast and thin.
- Watch for the foam. A dark ring forms at the edge, then a fine foam starts climbing up the neck. Do not stir and do not walk away.
- Share the foam. Just before it rises to the rim, take the pot off the heat and spoon a little foam into each cup.
- Let it rise again. Return the cezve to the heat until the coffee rises once more, then remove it before it boils.
- Pour slowly. Pour gently down the side of each cup so the foam is not disturbed and every cup gets its share.
- Wait a minute. Let the grounds settle to the bottom before drinking.
Some households let the coffee rise only once, others two or three times. There is no single correct answer; fewer rises tend to keep more foam.
Tips for a thick foam (köpük)
- Use the right pot size. The coffee should come up to around the narrowing of the cezve. A big pot with a small amount of coffee spreads the foam too thin.
- Start with cold water. Warm water shortens the heating time and the foam does not have a chance to form.
- Keep the coffee fresh. Store ground coffee in an airtight container away from heat and light, and use it within a few weeks of opening.
- Low and slow. On a gas flame, keep the flame small and under the base of the pot. On an electric or induction stove, a medium-low setting works; check each pot's product page for which stovetops it suits.
- Pour from a little height, then lower. Begin a few centimetres above the cup and lower the cezve as you pour.
How to serve Turkish coffee
Turkish coffee is served in its small cup on a saucer, usually on a tray, with a glass of cold water. The water is traditionally sipped first to refresh the palate so you taste the coffee properly. Many people also add a piece of Turkish delight (lokum), a chocolate or a small sweet on the saucer. Malatya Pazarı lokum in rose, pomegranate or vanilla is a classic match.
Sip slowly and stop when you reach the thick layer of grounds at the bottom; it is not meant to be drunk. In many Turkish homes, the empty cup is then turned upside down on its saucer for coffee fortune reading (fal), a playful end to the visit rather than a serious ritual for most people.
Turkish coffee culture and tradition was added to UNESCO's list of Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2013, which says a lot about how central this small cup is to hospitality.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Using filter or espresso grind. Coarser coffee will not suspend in the water, so you get no body and no foam.
- Stirring during heating. It breaks the foam as it forms.
- Letting it boil. A rolling boil destroys the foam and makes the coffee taste burnt.
- Adding sugar at the end. Stirring sugar into the cup disturbs the grounds and the foam.
- Making too many cups in a small pot. The coffee boils over before the foam is ready.
- Adding milk or cream by default. It is not traditional, although some people do make a milky version (sütlü) on purpose.
Prefer an electric machine?
If you make Turkish coffee every day, an automatic machine takes care of the heat control for you. Our coffee pots and makers collection includes Arzum OKKA machines made for 120V outlets in Canada. You still choose the coffee and sugar; the machine handles the slow heating and stops before it boils.
Once you have the method down, try our guide to choosing Turkish coffee cups, or read about Turkish delight and how to serve it.
Frequently asked questions
Do you stir Turkish coffee while it heats?
No. Stir only at the start, to mix the coffee, sugar and cold water. Once the cezve is on the heat, leave it alone so the foam can build.
How much coffee do I use per cup of Turkish coffee?
One heaped teaspoon, about 6–8 g, for one Turkish coffee cup of water, about 70 ml. Adjust by half a spoon if you like it stronger or milder.
Can I make Turkish coffee without a cezve?
You can use the smallest saucepan you have, but the narrow neck of a cezve is what concentrates the foam, so results are better with the proper pot.
Why does my Turkish coffee have no foam?
The most common reasons are heat that is too high, coffee that is not ground finely enough or is stale, warm water at the start, or stirring during heating. Fix the heat first; it makes the biggest difference.
