Upgrade Your Favorite Baked Goods With A Rich Coffee Glaze

You've probably had a cup of coffee with your pastry, but what about a bit of coffee on your pastry? A pastry or baked good always promises sugar, but it doesn't always promise a dynamic flavor. A glaze is a perfect way to dress up a baked good needing a little pizzazz, and adding a coffee glaze is like doubling down on a good idea.

Comprised of coffee, sugar, and little else, this simple glaze takes a casual nosh into a gorgeous feat. Bitter by nature, the coffee flavor adds a complex counter note to the unchecked sweetness of your baked good. Folded into a glaze, the coffee taste also won't overpower other strong flavors but just add a touch of earthiness. Plus, if you're catering to a crowd and a few members don't care for the strong coffee flavor, you can hold off glazing those few muffins or danishes so everybody's happy.

To make your own coffee glaze, you can simply replace the water or milk called for in a traditional recipe (usually between 1 and 2 tablespoons) with freshly brewed coffee, in a 1:1 ratio. You'll mix your coffee into your powdered sugar (the preferred sugar to create a glaze), adding just enough to create a smooth, pourable glaze. If you want a stronger coffee flavor, you can mix in a bit of instant espresso powder, which dissolves easily into the glaze. Coffee grounds, on the other hand, will stay gritty and never dissolve, so it's best to keep those out of your glaze recipe.  

As for what baked goods to pair this coffee glaze with, consider what flavors that earthy, bitter note naturally plays well. Chocolate is enhanced by coffee, so any cocoa-rich cake or chocolate-studded scone would welcome this glaze. Similarly, warm spices like cardamom, cinnamon, and allspice also work well with the strong flavor of coffee, so think of what it can bring to cinnamon rolls or a Snickerdoodle cookie. Classic vanilla-punctuated baked goods also receive a boost of interest from the espresso glaze. No matter what, with this glaze on standby, you'll never suffer from a dull pastry again.