This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
This red eye coffee recipe is the perfect way to kick-start your mornings with a bold burst of flavor. This tantalizing brew combines the richness of regular brewed coffee with the invigorating punch of an espresso shot.
Originating from the bustling cafes of New York City, the Red Eye Coffee recipe has gained widespread popularity for its ability to awaken the senses with its extra high caffeine content. Whether you’re seeking an extra boost of energy or simply craving a new coffee adventure, the Red Eye Coffee recipe promises to deliver a memorable experience with every sip. And if you like your espresso sweet and creamy instead, my iced Spanish latte is the one to make next.
What is a Red Eye Coffee
Red eye coffee is made by simply adding shots of espresso to a cup of regular drip coffee. (Swap the drip coffee for milk and you’re in latte territory, like my tiramisu latte.) It is rumored that the drink earned its popular nickname from travelers consuming it during an overnight red-eye flight. This one specifically is so good with these homemade jelly filled donuts!
Key Ingredients
Scroll down to the recipe card at the bottom of the page for the detailed ingredient measurements.
- 1 Cup of Regular Coffee: For the best flavor, use the highest-quality coffee grounds you can find, made from good coffee beans.
- Single Shot of Espresso: Pull it fresh so you get all that crema. Got an extra shot? Top it with whipped cream and you’ve got an Einspanner coffee.
How to Make Red Eye Coffee
- Brew the coffee. Brew a cup of drip coffee using your favorite method, like a drip machine, French press, or pour-over.
- Pull the espresso. While the coffee is brewing, pull a single shot of espresso with an espresso machine or a stovetop espresso maker.
- Pour the coffee. Pour the hot brewed coffee into your mug.
- Add the espresso. Pour the espresso shot right into the coffee. You can also put the espresso in the mug first, it’s the same drink either way.
- Stir and enjoy. Give it a gentle stir, add milk, cream, or sugar if you like, and enjoy!
How to Make Iced Red Eye Coffee
Want it iced? Brew a cup of black coffee in a drip coffee maker, French press, or any standard coffee machine, then brew your espresso. Let both cool slightly to room temperature so they don’t melt all your ice. Fill a glass about three-quarters full with ice, pour in the espresso and coffee, and stir to combine. If iced coffee is your thing, my cold brew mocha is another strong one that doesn’t even need an espresso machine.
Why You Need to Make this Recipe!
- This strong coffee is perfect for coffee lovers who usually need an extra caffeine boost.
- Due to combination of two different types of coffee used, this red eye drink has a unique flavor you’ll only experience by making this.
- Make this popular drink the next time you have long shifts at work or a full day of traveling.
- Customize it and flavor it any way you want, with milk, cream, or one of my homemade coffee syrup recipes.
Red Eye Coffee FAQs
Red eye coffee goes by different names depending on how many espresso shots you add. A black eye coffee is made with a double shot of espresso, and its name comes from the black hole the espresso makes in the center of the coffee when it’s poured in. A dead eye coffee is made with a triple shot of espresso. Starbucks will sometimes add it to their secret menu as a green eye coffee.
Red eye coffee has a different name depending on where you order it! In Alaska, it’s known as a sludge cup. In the Pacific Northwest, it’s called a shot in the dark, and a West Coast variation is known as the train wreck. In Ulysses, Kansas, it’s an oil spill, and in other parts of the United States it has been called a hammerhead or a depth charge.
Cold brew coffee or instant coffee are great substitutes for drip coffee in red eye coffee when you don’t have time or are out of fresh coffee grounds.
Use a cold brew concentrate in place of the espresso in red eye coffee. My guide on how to use cold brew concentrate covers it, with a step-by-step on making your own at the bottom. You could also make an instant coffee concentrate by adding a heaping scoop of instant coffee granules to a small amount of hot water.
There are so many ways to flavor red eye coffee! For a creamier cup, add heavy cream, half-and-half, or whole milk, or keep the calories down with 2% or fat-free milk. Almond milk, oat milk, and soy milk work great if you are dairy-free or vegan, and my homemade Italian sweet cream is a fun upgrade. To sweeten it without hiding the coffee flavor, use stevia, simple syrup, or brown sugar (the star of my easy iced brown sugar coffee). For flavor, vanilla, chocolate, caramel, and hazelnut syrups all go really well with coffee, and if chocolate is your thing, my iced mocha latte is the next one to try.
Red eye coffee has so much caffeine that it’s not a bad thing to split it up and enjoy it in multiple servings. To keep leftover red eye coffee tasting fresh, pour it into an airtight container and store it in the fridge. It will be fine for up to a week.
More Coffee Recipes to Make at Home
Made this red eye coffee to power through a long day? Leave a ⭐ star rating and tell me in the comments how many shots you went with. I love hearing from you!!
The Best Red Eye Coffee Recipe
Red Eye Coffee Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup of brewed coffee
- 1 shot of espresso
Instructions
- Brew a cup of coffee using your preferred method.1 cup of brewed coffee
- While the coffee is brewing, prepare a shot of espresso using an espresso machine or a stovetop espresso maker.1 shot of espresso
- Pour the shot of espresso into a mug.
- Pour the brewed coffee over the espresso shot. Stir gently to combine.
- Optional: Add sugar, milk, or cream to taste.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
