Soapmaking Hobby

A soapmaker’s journal

☕ Morning Brew

🤍This post may contain affiliate links. If you buy through them, I may earn a small commission — just enough to keep the soap kettle warm — at no extra cost to you.

Cold Process Tallow Soap

Soapmaking Hobby Journal

🤎 Journal(Entry #9)

Some mornings just ask for coffee before anything else.

Grandma used to say, “The day don’t start ‘til the kettle sings.”

But for me, it’s the smell of fresh grounds blooming in hot water — dark, warm, a little bitter and a little sweet.

Morning Brew was born on one of those quiet dawns.

The house still sleepy.

Windows a little foggy.

Birds gossiping in the trees as I make my way to the soap shed.

I stirred the oils slow and steady while my mug warmed my hands, and the whole workshop smelled like vanilla beans , oats, and fresh coffee. It felt less like soapmaking and more like baking bread for the house.

This bar is sturdy and honest — a good scrubby sink soap, a gardener’s helper, or a wake-you-up shower bar when the day feels long before it’s begun.

Nothing fancy.

Just practical, warm, and comforting.

Like coffee with someone you love.

-Soapmaking Hobby🫧🤎

Morning Brew -Coffee and Oat- Tallow Soap

🧼 Recipe

🤍This post may contain affiliate links. If you buy through them, I may earn a small commission — just enough to keep the soap kettle warm — at no extra cost to you.

Morning Brew – Coffee & Oat Tallow Soap

50 oz oils | 5% superfat | Cold Process

Oils (50 oz total – Grandma’s Base Formula)

• 20 oz tallow (40%)

• 12.5 oz coconut oil (25%)

• 12.5 oz olive oil (25%)

• 5 oz castor oil (10%)

Lye Solution

• 14 oz strong brewed coffee, cooled and frozen (replace water)

• 7 oz Sodium hydroxide (NaOH) — calculated for 5% superfat

• 2 tsp sodium lactate (optional)

Additives (mixed into melted oils)

• 1 tbsp kaolin clay

• 1 tbsp colloidal oats

• 1–2 tbsp finely ground spent coffee (for gentle scrub + speckle)

Color (optional)

• Cocoa powder or brown mica for warm latte tones

• Leave part uncolored for a cream swirl

☕️Scent Suggestions (optional)

(Follow suppliers guidelines & IFRA safe usage rates)

• Coffee FO

• Espresso + Vanilla

• Coffee + Hazelnut

• EO blend: cedarwood + sweet orange + a touch of vanilla FO

☕️ Method (Grandma’s Way)

1. Brew your coffee  the day before — strong and dark. Let it cool (or freeze into cubes).

2. Slowly sprinkle lye into the frozen coffee cubes and stir until dissolved. Set aside to cool.

3. Melt and combine oils.

4. Stir kaolin clay, oats, and ground coffee into the cooled oils.

5. When oils and lye are similar temps, blend lightly.

6. Add scent and color if using then blend to trace.

7. Pour into mold and give the counter a few gentle taps.

8. Rest in the fridge — coffee soaps can heat up.

9. Unmold after 24–48 hours, slice, and cure 4–6 weeks.

☕️ Tips from the Kitchen Table

🤎 Freeze the coffee first to prevent scorching

🤎 Used grounds = softer scrub, fresh grounds = stronger exfoliation

🤎 Coffee helps neutralize kitchen odors on hands

🤎 A sprinkle of oats on top makes it look like old-fashioned porridge

🤎 This bar gets better with age — the scent deepens during cure

Grandma says:

“If it smells like  a cafe’, you’re doing it right.”

-Soapmaking Hobby ☕️🫧

🤎☕️Morning Brew – FAQ

🤍This post may contain affiliate links. If you buy through them, I may earn a small commission — just enough to keep the soap kettle warm — at no extra cost to you.

Coffee & Oat Tallow Soap (Cold Process)

🤎Can I really use coffee instead of water in cold process soap?

Yes! Strong brewed coffee can fully replace distilled water in the lye solution. For best results, cool or freeze the coffee first to prevent scorching and dark discoloration.

🤎Will the soap smell like coffee without fragrance oil?

Not strongly. The natural coffee scent fades during cure. If you want a rich “fresh brewed” aroma, use a coffee fragrance oil or a complementary blend like espresso + vanilla.

🤎Does coffee in soap help with odors?

Yes — coffee soap is wonderful for kitchen use. It helps neutralize strong odors like garlic, onions, or fish on hands. That’s why it’s often called a “cook’s soap.”

🤎Is this soap exfoliating?

It can be! Finely ground coffee adds gentle exfoliation. Used grounds are softer; fresh grounds are more scrubby. You can adjust based on preference.

🤎Why freeze the coffee before adding lye?

Lye heats quickly and can scorch coffee, causing strong fumes and darker color. Freezing the coffee keeps temperatures lower and reduces odor during mixing.

🤎Will coffee soap turn brown?

Yes — coffee naturally darkens the soap to warm mocha tones. You can enhance it with cocoa powder or brown oxide for a latte look.

🤎Can I make this recipe without coffee grounds?

Absolutely. You’ll still get beautiful color from the brewed coffee alone. It simply won’t have exfoliation.

🤎Is Morning Brew good for facial use?

Because of the coffee grounds and strong cleansing oils (coconut oil), this bar is best for hands or body rather than delicate facial skin.

🤎How long should Morning Brew cure?

Allow 4–6 weeks of cure time for best hardness, longevity, and lather. The scent also settles and deepens during cure.

🤎Is tallow soap good for skin?

Yes. Tallow creates a hard, creamy, long-lasting bar with stable lather. It’s rich in fatty acids that support a gentle, conditioning cleanse.

-Soapmaking Hobby 🤍🫧

🤎Coffee Shop digital soap pages here.

🧺Pick another soap off the shelf…

✨ Pink Grapefruit Salt Bar – Crisp citrus brightness with silky salt-bar lather.

✨ Bubblin’ Beer Bar – Old-world lather with a hearty, tavern-style twist.

✨ Midnight Barrel – Deep, mysterious notes inspired by quiet nights in the soap shed.