Cascara: the tea made from dried coffee cherries

Cascara, the dried skin of the coffee cherry, only became an approved food in the EU in February 2022. A cup usually contains just 10 to 30 mg of caffeine.Origins and EU approval, hot and cold brewing, quality markers and prices.

Every coffee cherry holds two beans, wrapped in pulp and skin. Processing produces huge quantities of this husk, and it often ends up on the compost heap. Dried, it becomes cascara, Spanish for husk. Brewed, it tastes more like fruit tea than coffee.

The idea is not new. In Yemen, people have drunk qishr for centuries, an infusion of coffee husks with ginger. In Europe, by contrast, cascara is a young product with a legal history of its own.

What cascara is: from qishr to the specialty café

Cascara consists of the dried pulp and skin of the coffee cherry. With the natural process, the parchment and silverskin are included too; with the washed process, only the pulp and skin. That is why cascara tastes different depending on the method. You can read more about the methods in processing: washed, natural, honey.

In Yemen, the husk infusion is well documented. In 1823 the traveller Robert Finlay described a ‘keshr’ that was offered to guests instead of coffee. Today qishr is often spiced with ginger and sometimes with cinnamon. The EU notification also names Ethiopia, Bolivia and Uganda as countries with a tradition of it.

From around 2005, the Salvadoran coffee farmer Aida Batlle made cascara known as an export product. In January 2017 Starbucks launched a Cascara Latte in the US as a winter drink. It combined espresso, milk and cascara syrup, described with notes of dark brown sugar and maple.

Only allowed since 2022: what the EU approval covers

In Germany, cascara drinks were briefly on sale in 2015 and 2016. They disappeared again because the pulp counted as a novel food and had no approval. That came with Implementing Regulation (EU) 2022/47 of 13 January 2022, in force since 3 February 2022. Nestlé had filed the application as a traditional food from a third country.

The dried pulp of arabica and robusta is permitted, as is its infusion. The label reads something like ‘Cascara (coffee cherry pulp)’. As preparation, the regulation specifies up to 6 g per 100 ml of water above 75°C. The dried pulp is not approved for eating directly.

Drinks with more than 150 mg of caffeine per litre need a warning for children and pregnant or breastfeeding women. The regulation also sets limits, including a maximum of 18 per cent water and less than 5.0 µg of ochratoxin A per kg. Incidentally, the often cited Regulation (EU) 2020/917 concerns tea from coffee leaves, not cascara.

How much caffeine is in a cup?

Cascara contains caffeine, but usually far less per cup than coffee. A lab analysis for the London roastery Square Mile found 111.4 mg per litre in the strongest infusion. Filter coffee there comes to around 400 to 800 mg per litre. More cascara meant more caffeine, while steeping time changed little.

A Polish study from 2025 measured around 5.3 mg per 100 ml in a cascara infusion of 1 g in 50 ml. That is about an eighth of the value for its coffee extract. By our conversion, a 250 ml cup comes to around 13 to 28 mg. For comparison, you’ll find more figures in caffeine in espresso, filter coffee and cold brew.

The range can spike upwards. In the worst case, with full extraction and a high dose, EFSA calculates up to 600 mg per litre. That is a theoretical maximum, not a measured value. The measurements also refer to individual samples and recipes.

Brewing it right: hot, cold and as a latte

Producers recommend quite different recipes. As a rule, more cascara gives more flavour and more caffeine, while longer steeping mainly adds depth. The pulp tastes fruity, of rosehip, cherry, honey or hibiscus, and depending on origin also of nectarine and tamarind.

A French press (cafetière) works well, because the large pieces of husk need room. You’ll find how to use one in French press: recipe, grind size and brew time. For the cold version, you can steep the cascara overnight in the fridge and finish it with lemon or rosemary.

Quality and safety: why drying matters

The husk is the part of the cherry where mould most easily takes hold. According to an FAO report, the mycotoxin ochratoxin A forms mainly in the fruit husk during sun-drying. The report names coffee husks as the richest source of ochratoxin in green coffee. One husk sample from Thailand contained 319 µg per kg.

That is why fast drying to around 12 per cent moisture and protection from getting wet again matter. Cascara sold in the EU must contain less than 5.0 µg of ochratoxin A per kg. Store your pack dry and airtight, so it stays aromatic and safe.

Buying cascara: origin and prices

Cascara usually comes from specialty roasteries, often as a by-product of a particular farm. In our sample, the products came from Nicaragua, Panama, El Salvador and Peru. German roasters charge around €7 to €10 per 100 g. Rare lots, such as from Geisha trees in El Salvador, cost €21 per 100 g at a French retailer.

The Verbraucherzentrale (Germany’s consumer advice centre) gives an average price of around €84 per kilogram. Organic and Fairtrade products are usually a little more expensive. For coffee farmers, cascara is extra income from a part of the cherry that is otherwise often thrown away.

Our recommendations

Fancy more cold drinks? Our cold brew guide also works for cascara with slight adjustments.

Cascara is a fruity infusion with a coffee history and usually little caffeine. Since 2022 it has been clearly regulated in the EU. When buying, look for origin and good drying, and you’ll get a tea that only the coffee cherry can give you.

All prices are guide prices and may change. We have not tested the products ourselves.

Last updated: 24 October 2026.

Our selection is editorial, there are no paid placements. Links marked * are affiliate links to Amazon Germany (amazon.de): if you buy through them, we receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. We have not tested the products ourselves; pros and cons are based on manufacturer information and retailer descriptions. Prices are guide prices from German shops as of October 2026, and price and availability on Amazon may differ.