Table of Contents

• The Story Behind the Recipe
• Ingredients for Black Beans from Scratch
• How to Cook Dried Black Beans
• How Do I Know My Black Beans Are Done?
• Frequently Asked Questions
  • Are black beans healthy?
  • Are black beans gluten-free?
  • How long to soak black beans?
  • How long to cook black beans?
• Favorite Black Bean Recipes

• Jump to the full, printable recipe
• Read reviews & comments

The Story Behind the Recipe

Black beans are one of the tastiest, most versatile plant-based proteins around. I love to make black beans from scratch, and I thought I should share here how to cook dried black beans too!

I fully admit, I’m not averse to cracking open a can of black beans now and then. But cooking dry black beans (from scratch) with a small handful of ingredients to maximize flavor is my absolute favorite way to enjoy them.

I’ve made black beans from scratch a gazillion ways in my search to create tender, flavorful – indeed supremely delicious – black beans. I wanted to be able to scoop the beans directly from their cooking pot onto my plate and be blown away, and this recipe does that for me.

I LOVE these beans – they’re my favorite dried black beans recipe.

In fact, I used to call this recipe “Supremely Delicious Black Beans from Scratch.” They’re that good!

Ingredients for Black Beans from Scratch

These are ingredients that are carefully selected to add flavor to the beans without affecting the cooking process. We’ve got onion, garlic, a bay leaf, and my secret weapon: whole cloves. Not more garlic, but the spice! Awhile back I had a feeling that the subtly warm spiced aura that cloves impart would pair fabulously with black beans, and I humbly believe I was right.

So now, you’ll only find me cooking black beans with a little bundle of cloves thrown into the mix.

• One pound dried black beans – Rinse them in a sieve and sort through them to look for any little sticks, rocks, clumps of dirt etc. (rare but it can happen!). I start out with one pound of dried black beans – the fresher the better. Did you know dried black beans that are more than a year old tend to have less flavor and can take much longer to cook? So, buy your beans from a place where you know turnover is fairly high so that you have the freshest dry black beans in your cupboard.
• Onion & garlic – they infuse so much flavor into these black beans!
• Cloves – whole cloves, the spice. Totally optional but highly recommended – they give just a little earthy, warm flavor that goes so well with black beans and the dishes we use them in!
• Bay leaf – for more flavor!
• Water – lots of it
• Salt and pepper – added after they cook
• Red wine vinegar – a kick of acid that takes these black beans over the top!

How to Cook Dried Black Beans

First, soak your beans. Some people don’t feel the need to soak their beans, but me? I believe in soaking. The threat of gastro-related side effects is enough to keep me firmly on “soak” side of the line – plus, soaking helps dried black beans cook a little faster. Win win.

Then, drain and rinse the beans. Return them to the pot with water, and simmer for 30-40 minutes until tender.

How Do I Know My Black Beans Are Done?

You can tell the beans are done when you pull one out and blow on it, and the skin peels back (I also bite into a couple just to be sure!)

And then we simmer.

After the beans have cooked (and only after, because salt can slow down the cooking!) I add a bunch of salt directly to the pot of beans, along with a splash of red wine vinegar to just accentuate and brighten the flavors.

And that’s it! Supremely Delicous Black Beans from Scratch. Use them in soups, in chili, in breakfast, and – perhaps best of all – just plain on their own. So so good.

I love to make a big pot of these beans on Sunday to enjoy all week long. They also freeze well – I like to freeze in 1 1/2 cup increments so I can just pull out a bag of cooked black beans and use them in place of one can.

Note: If you prefer to cook your black beans in a slow cooker, Lindsey’s how-to is terrific!

Frequently Asked Questions

Are black beans healthy?

“Healthy” can mean different things to different people, but the general consensus, I think, is that black beans are good for you. They are loaded with fiber and protein, and are a decent source of plant-based iron. Black beans are not considered low in carbs, so if you’re eating keto, you might want to look elsewhere.

Are black beans gluten-free?

Yes, black beans and other legumes are naturally gluten-free.

How long to soak black beans?

For the overnight method, add beans to a large soup pot and cover with water to about 4 inches above the top of the beans. Set in a safe place and let sit for 8 hours or overnight.

For the faster quick-soak method, add beans and water to a large pot and place on the stove over high heat. Bring to a boil. Boil for a couple of minutes, then remove the pot from heat and cover. Let soak for one hour.

How long to cook black beans?

This is a hard one to answer, because the cooking time can really vary depending on the age of your dried beans. Generally, it takes 30-60 minutes to cook up a pot of pre-soaked beans. To tell if the beans are done, scoop a few beans out of the pot and blow on the beans. If the skin peels and curls, your beans are cooked. Try one to be sure!

Favorite Black Bean Recipes

• I love black beans in chili! For a fast and easy chili recipe, check out Simple Instant Pot Vegan Black Bean Chili. One of my favorite black bean recipes is this Caribbean-inspired chili with black bean and mango. Trust me – so good! Black beans pair especially well with pumpkin – I love this Slow Cooker Black Bean Pumpkin Chili.
• This Southwest Mac & Cheese ups the protein quotient with black beans. I love this one!
• Black bean soup is so hearty! For a spicy variation that adds in some white beans too, try Jalapeño Black Bean & White Bean Soup. And for a fall/winter spin, how about this Roasted Butternut Squash Black Bean Soup?

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How to Cook Dried Black Beans

My favorite way to enjoy black beans is straight out of the pot after they've simmered with this simple list of heady aromatics. So easy and supremely delicious.

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Keyword beans

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 40 minutes minutes

Total Time 50 minutes minutes

Servings 12

Calories 135kcal

Author Kare

Ingredients

• 1 pound dried black beans rinsed and picked over
• 1 medium yellow onion peeled and quartered
• 4 medium cloves garlic peeled and halved
• 1 bay leaf
• 6 whole cloves The spice, not more garlic! Inside a tea infuser or tied in a cheesecloth bundle
• About 10 cups water
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

Instructions

• Place the beans in a colander and rinse under water. Wash well to rinse out any dirt clumps and pick out any tiny rocks or twigs you might see. Pour into a large soup pot or Dutch oven and cover with water to about 4 inches above the top of the beans. Set in a safe place and let sit for 8 hours or overnight.
• When it’s time to cook the beans, discard soaking water by draining the beans in a colander. Give them a quick rinse. Return soaked beans to the pot and add the onion, garlic, bay leaf, and cloves. Add about 10 cups water, filled to about 4 inches above the top of the beans.  Set over medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, partially covered, until the beans are tender, 30-40 minutes (longer for higher altitudes). You can tell the beans are done when you blow on them and skins peel back (I also bite into a couple just to be sure!)
• Remove from heat and stir in the salt and red wine vinegar. Remove the bay leaf, bundle of cloves, and any large bits of onion and garlic you can find.
• Scoop them up with a slotted spoon to serve immediately or let then cool then spoon drained beans into airtight zipper bags to freeze for later. They also keep in the fridge in an airtight container for 3-4 days.

Nutrition

Serving: 0.5cup | Calories: 135kcal | Carbohydrates: 25g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 584mg | Potassium: 578mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 6IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 50mg | Iron: 2mg

The post How to Cook Dried Black Beans appeared first on Kitchen Treaty.

When the cool air starts to make mornings feel crisp and the leaves begin to fall, it’s time to liven up our plain ol’ coffee with something that’s decidedly autumn-like. Luckily, that’s super easy to do with this Pumpkin Spice Syrup for Coffee Recipe! It’s just 7 ingredients and less than 30 minutes to make, and it lasts up to 2 weeks in your fridge. Plus, it tastes heavenly!

It’s not called “fall” anymore, or “autumn” either. It’s Pumpkin Spice Latte season. Surely you’ve noticed it too? That familiar cozy smell wafts about as morning commuters dash out of drive-thru lines and run-walk on sidewalks, all slightly desperately clutching those familiar white coffee cups. PSL – a must for the season’s morning wake-up.

But what if you could make it at home? Easily? It’s not just a pipe dream! Put down your $7 coffee shop latte and whip up some homemade PSL syrup to enjoy in brewed coffee, homemade lattes, iced coffee, and more, right at home.

Autumn nirvana, right here!

Table of Contents

• The Story Behind the Recipe
• Ingredients
• Adaptations/Variations
• How to Make Pumpkin Spice Syrup for Coffee
• Ways to Use Pumpkin Spice Syrup
• Make a Pumpkin Spice Latte
• Can I Freeze Pumpkin Spice Syrup?
• More Pumpkin in Coffee Recipes

• Jump to the Full, Printable Recipe
• Read Comments & Reviews

The Story Behind the Recipe

I’ve made syrup for pumpkin spice iced coffee in the past, but in my effort to leave granulated sugar out of my diet, I wanted to challenge myself to create a healthier homemade pumpkin spice latte and coffee syrup by using a natural syrup. Plus, I love maple syrup in coffee!

Soon, I had the pumpkin spice syrup for coffee of my dreams!

Some real pumpkin, a nub of fresh ginger, and pure maple syrup all the way, baby. Never going back.

Ingredients

• Pure maple syrup: I love pure maple syrup for sweetening this pumpkin spice coffee syrup. It’s already so autumn-coded, and I don’t have to worry about granulated sugar having to dissolve. BUT! You can totally use granulated sugar or brown sugar instead, or even honey or agave syrup. Note that Grade A pure maple syrup is milder in taste than Grade B. I have not tried this with Grade B but I suspect the maple flavors might overpower the rest of the flavor. If you try it, please let me know how it goes!
• Water: Necessary for thinning the syrup so it’s not too thick to pour. How sad would that be?!
• Pumpkin puree: Because you’ve got to have real pumpkin in pumpkin spice coffee! Grab the canned stuff at the store or make your own pumpkin puree.
• Ginger: I love to use fresh ginger in this pumpkin spice coffee syrup, but if you prefer, you can use a teaspoon of ground ginger.
• Cinnamon sticks: For infusing your PSL syrup with cinnamon flavor without the grittiness of ground cinnamon (but if you want to use ground cinnamon, that’s totally okay too. You may just want to strain out the big bits. I’d suggest a teaspoon.)
• Whole cloves: Cloves just have that wonderful fall flavor. It’s a must in my hot spiced cider and mulled wine, and it’s a must here too!
• Nutmeg: Mmmmm nothing like fresh ground nutmeg.

Adaptations/Variations

• Instead of whole spices, you can add pumpkin pie spice. I’d suggest a tablespoon of pumpkin pie spice, and you’ll want to strain your syrup through a cheesecloth or fine mesh strainer after making it so that you don’t end up with any gritty bits.
• Switch up the sweetener: You can use totally use granulated sugar or brown sugar – just cook it until the sugar has dissolved completely.

How to Make Pumpkin Spice Syrup for Coffee

All you do to make this pumpkin spice syrup for coffee is add the ingredients to a small saucepan and boil it. Simmer for a bit, let it sit for about 10 minutes to let the flavors meld, then strain it into a jar or bottle and discard the solids.

Store in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.

Ways to Use Pumpkin Spice Syrup

Add it to straight-up coffee, stir it into iced coffee, whip it into a homemade Frappuccino, or …

Make a Pumpkin Spice Latte

To whip up a makeshift pumpkin spice latte:

• Brew up some super-strong coffee and fill your mug half full.
• Stir in some pumpkin spice coffee syrup.
• Now, heat up some milk on your stovetop or in the microwave and pour it into a second mug.
• Place a whisk in the mug and put the handle between your flat palms, and then spin the dickens out of that thing! Before you know it: foam! (You can also, of course, use a frother)
• Pour in the hot milk and spoon a little foam on top.
• Taste and add a little more syrup until it’s perfect.
• Add a dash of cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice.
• Enjoy your taste of Autumn!

This pumpkin spice syrup for coffee is so easy to whip up that there’s no earthly reason not to brew a batch on Sunday to keep in the fridge for PSL nirvana every morning of the week!

Can I Freeze Pumpkin Spice Syrup?

Sure! Just place it in an airtight container with a bit of space for expanding when it freezes, and freeze it for up to 3 months. Let it thaw overnight in the fridge and give it a little shake or stir to redistribute the ingredients. Enjoy anytime you need a taste of fall!

More Pumpkin in Coffee Recipes

• Pumpkin Spice Iced Coffee
• Gingerbread Pumpkin Lattes
• Pumpkin Cold Foam Cold Brew
• Non-Dairy Pumpkin Spice Coffee Creamer

And if you LOVE fall coffee flavors, don’t miss this brown sugar apple cider syrup, which makes an amazing apple crisp coffee situation!

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Pumpkin Spice Syrup for Coffee Recipe

Super easy homemade pumpkin spice syrup for coffee! The perfect fall flavor to have on hand for pumpkin spice lattes, iced coffee, & more.

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 25 minutes minutes

Servings 16

Calories 57kcal

Author Kare

Ingredients

• 1 cup water
• 1 cup pure maple syrup
• 3 tablespoons pumpkin puree
• 1/2 thumb-sized piece of fresh ginger* or ground spices, see notes
• 2 5- inch cinnamon sticks*
• 1 teaspoon whole cloves*
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg*

Instructions

• Add all ingredients to a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the mixture begins to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and let sit for another 10 minutes.
• Place a fine-mesh sieve over a bowl or large jar and strain syrup. Discard solids. Pour into an airtight storage container and transfer to refrigerator. Contents may settle, so just give it a quick shake before enjoying pumpkin spice deliciousness in your morning coffee or latte. I like 2-3 tablespoons of syrup stirred in to each cup, but you may prefer more or less. Make it your own!

Notes

* You can easily substitute with ground spices. You can simply use 1 tablespoon of pumpkin pie spice, or, if you don’t have pumpkin pie spice on hand, substitute with 1 teaspoon each of ground cinnamon and ground ginger, 1/2 teaspoon of freshly ground nutmeg, and a pinch of ground cloves. 

Recipe update 10/1/2024: Added information about how to substitute with ground spices. Added nutrition information. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 57kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 0.1g | Fat: 0.05g | Saturated Fat: 0.03g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.01g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.01g | Sodium: 3mg | Potassium: 55mg | Fiber: 0.4g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 439IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 28mg | Iron: 0.1mg

The post Pumpkin Spice Syrup for Coffee Recipe appeared first on Kitchen Treaty.

Because I’m obsessed with hot spiced apple cider, mulled cranberry cider, and mulled wine this time of year, I thought: Why not tweak your typical apple butter recipe to even more closely replicate those flavors?

So I simmered the apples in orange juice, adding whole cloves and allspice with a fairly heavy hand. The end result was a delicious sweet spiced apple butter that was exactly what I was after. And so I called it Sweet Spiced Apple Butter. I’m original that way.

This apple butter recipe has a two-step cooking process – first, you cook the apples down with the orange juice and the spices until you’ve essentially made applesauce, and then you put it in the Crock Pot for several hours until it cooks down to perfect apple butter consistency.

Here’s the recipe.

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Sweet Spiced Apple Butter

A delicious and easy Crock Pot apple butter recipe with a flavor profile reminiscent of the mulled drinks we go crazy for in the fall.

Prep Time 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time 8 minutes minutes

Total Time 38 minutes minutes

Author Kare

Ingredients

• 4 pounds apples I use a variety of apples and like to keep them on the sweet side, like Gala, McIntosh and Braeburn, quartered
• 1 1/2 cups orange juice
• 1 tablespoon whole cloves
• 1 tablespoon whole allspice
• 1 5- inch cinnamon stick
• 2 cups sugar to taste

Equipment:

• Food mill or sieve
• Crock Pot/slow cooker

Instructions

• Wash and quarter the apples.
• In a medium saucepan over medium heat, mix the orange juice, cloves, allspice, and cinnamon stick.
• Add the apples, and bring to a boil. Turn heat to medium-low, cover, and allow to simmer for 30-45 minutes, until apples are softened all the way through.
• Remove mixture from heat, and let it cool for a bit so you don’t burn yourself when processing. Process the mixture through your food mill, or push it through the sieve, which will leave the leftover peels, seeds, and spices behind.
• Pour the apple mixture into your Crock Pot. Prop the lid so that the steam can escape – this is important, because the apple butter needs to cook down. You can use knives, chopsticks, what have you to prop the lid.
• [url href=”http://www.kitchentreaty.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/prop-open-the-lid-apple-butter.jpg”][img src=”http://www.kitchentreaty.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/prop-open-the-lid-apple-butter.jpg” alt=”Sweet Spiced Crock Pot Apple Butter | Kitchen Treaty” width=”630″ height=”420″ class=”aligncenter size-full wp-image-9044″][/url]
• Heat on high for an hour, then reduce the heat to low, and cook on low for 8-10 hours, stirring occasionally (but it shouldn’t be the end of the world if you don’t, unless your Crock Pot runs really hot – you just don’t want it to burn on the bottom).
• The Apple Butter will cook down to a nice, smooth consistency and take on a delicious brown color.
• [url href=”http://www.kitchentreaty.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/crock-pot-apple-butter-2.jpg”][img src=”http://www.kitchentreaty.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/crock-pot-apple-butter-2.jpg” alt=”Sweet Spiced Crock Pot Apple Butter | Kitchen Treaty” width=”630″ height=”420″ class=”aligncenter size-full wp-image-9043″][/url]
• Stir in sugar, and cook on low for another 1/2 hour or so. You may need a little more or a little less depending on how sweet your apples are.
• Pour it into jars and enjoy! If you’re canning, leave 1/4 inch head space and process jars in a boiling water bath for 15 minutes (depending on altitude) (here are [url href=”http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/348/348-594/348-594.html” target=”_blank”]thorough canning instructions here[/url] from the Virginia Cooperative Extension).

The post Sweet Spiced Crock Pot Apple Butter appeared first on Kitchen Treaty.