Coffee Infused Tallow

Coffee-infused tallow is more than just an unexpected ingredient—it's a fun approach to natural body care that harnesses the incredible properties of grass-fed beef tallow and the stimulating benefits of coffee.

This method infuses the rich, moisturizing base of tallow with the antioxidant-packed, circulation-boosting potential of coffee. The result? A deeply nourishing ingredient that brings the awakening essence of your favorite brew directly to your skincare routine.

Jump to:

• What is Tallow?
• The Benefits of Tallow for Skin
• Why Infuse Tallow with Coffee?
• What You’ll Need
• Infusing Tallow With Coffee
• How to Use Coffee Infused Tallow
• Storage and Shelf Life
• Sources:
• Comments

What is Tallow?

Tallow is a pure, nutrient-rich oil derived from beef suet, which is the name for the hard, white fat harvested from the fat around the kidneys and loins. When rendered, suet becomes tallow—a mild-flavored, solid fat that melts at 95–104°F (35–40°C).

Rendering tallow involves gently melting the suet over low heat and straining out any impurities. The resulting liquid solidifies into a smooth, white fat ideal for storage and various applications, including skincare. For a step-by-step guide to rendering your own tallow, check out my detailed guide here.

If you don’t have access to raw suet, no worries! Many butchers, health food stores, and online retailers offer pre-rendered tallow.

The Benefits of Tallow for Skin

Tallow's composition closely mirrors the natural oils in human skin, making it an ideal moisturizer for all skin types. Its combination of fatty acids supports hydration, protection, and skin repair.⁵

Key Fatty Acids and Their Benefits

• Oleic Acid: Helps lock in moisture, leaving skin soft and supple.¹
• Palmitic Acid: Smooths and protects skin from environmental stressors.^{2 3}
• Stearic Acid: Creates a barrier to prevent moisture loss while protecting against irritants. _⁴

Why Infuse Tallow with Coffee?

Adding coffee to tallow infuses it with not only a great natural scent but also some of coffee's natural skin benefits.

• Antioxidants: Coffee grounds contain antioxidants like caffeine, which help protect the skin from oxidative stress.⁶
• Invigorating Aroma: Coffee's bold scent provides an energizing touch, making your DIY tallow products as delightful to use as they are nourishing.

What You’ll Need

Ingredients

• Grass-Fed Tallow: Render your own or purchase pre-rendered tallow.
• Coffee Grounds: Use fresh, finely ground coffee for a stronger scent and benefits. Coarse grounds may also work if you prefer an easier strain.

Tools + Supplies

• Mason jars or other heat proof, water tight containers
• Dehydrator, crock pot, sous vide, or bread proofer

Infusing Tallow With Coffee

You can adapt the heating process based on the tools you have, but the general method is simple and hands-off.

Your method may be slightly different based on what option you choose for heating your tallow. I prefer to seal my jars and place them in my sous vide, but you can fill a slow cooker with water, place a kitchen towel on the bottom of the crock and set your jars on there and heat on the "warm" setting. If you have a dehydrator with temperature settings like the Excalibur, you can place your jars in there and set the temp to 130f. Alternatively, I've placed jars of tallow in my Brod + Taylor bread proofer and set the temperature to 130f.

Step 1: Prepare Your Tallow

• If starting with raw fat, render it first. Chop the fat into small pieces and heat it over low heat in a heavy-bottomed pan.
• Strain the liquid fat through cheesecloth and allow it to cool. For more details, refer to my rendering guide.

Step 2: Infuse with Coffee

1. Weigh the Tallow: Weigh out 250g of tallow and place it in a pint-sized mason jar.
2. Add Coffee Grounds: Add 10g (2 tablespoons) of coffee grounds to the jar. Close the jar finger tight.
3. Infuse: Heat the jar to approximately 130°F for 6–8 hours. Shake the jar occasionally to ensure the grounds are evenly distributed. Avoid overheating, as this can scorch the coffee and tallow and alter its aroma.

Step 3: Strain and Store

• Once infused, pour the tallow through a fine mesh strainer lined with cheesecloth to remove the coffee grounds.
• Let the tallow cool and solidify at room temperature before sealing the jar and storing it.

Your coffee scented tallow will cool to an opaque, creamy coffee color, slightly darker than a latte.

Any rogue coffee grinds that passed through the strainer will sink to the bottom of the tallow as it cools. If you don't want ground coffee in your final product, just scoop from the top, and discard the thin layer at the bottom.

How to Use Coffee Infused Tallow

• Moisturizer: Rub a small amount onto dry skin for deep hydration and a subtle coffee aroma.
• Lotion Bars: Mix with beeswax to create firm, travel-friendly lotion bars.
• Body Scrubs: Combine with sugar or salt for a gently exfoliating, moisturizing scrub.
• Cold Process Soap: Use your infused tallow to make handmade soap.

See my guide to making Whipped Tallow Balm with your coffee infused tallow!

Storage and Shelf Life

Store your coffee-infused tallow in an airtight container in a cool, dark place. I store all my infused tallow in the back of the garage fridge so it's ready for me when inspiration strikes!

When properly stored, it can last up to a year. If you detect an off smell or changes in texture, it’s time to make a fresh batch.

Pin This Guide To Infusing Tallow With Coffee!

Sources:

¹ https://draxe.com/nutrition/oleic-acid/#Benefits

² https://www.webmd.com/diet/what-is-palmitic-acid

³ https://draxe.com/nutrition/palmitic-acid

⁴ https://draxe.com/nutrition/what-is-stearic-acid/

⁵ https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11193910

⁶ https://www.verywellhealth.com/coffee-grounds-for-the-skin-and-face-4126110