4 clever ways to reuse your coffee grounds

Mocha magic

Chocolate and coffee are a match made in heaven, so reach for your spent coffee grounds when making sweet chocolately things. Add a spoonful or two to your favourite recipes for brownies, chocolate truffles, chocolate biscuits, milkshakes or chocolate cakes for a rich, fruity coffee twist. They work especially well in dense bakes where a grainy texture is less noticeable.

Eco scourer

Use coffee grounds as an abrasive to scrub stuck-on food off your pots and pans. Simply sprinkle over your usual brush or sponge to give it some welly.

DIY face scrub

Mix 2 parts spent coffee grounds with 1 part coarse salt or granulated sugar and 1 part coconut oil until completely combined. Store in a sealed jar/pot. Massage the scrub onto your face, then rinse off in warm water. As well as exfoliating, the coffee is full of antioxidants which leave skin glowing after use.

In the garden

Coffee grounds are a great compost ingredient but can also be scattered on the soil at the base of your plants. The grounds are quite high in nitrogen and contain other nutrients that work like fertiliser in the soil. Just avoid putting them on the same patch of your garden over and over, and rake them into the ground if they provide too much cover – a thick layer will prevent water getting through to the plants. Hydrangeas and roses love the acidity, but avoid using coffee grounds for tomatoes, as caffeine can restrict their growth. Bonus –slugs and snails aren’t keen on them.

How to store used coffee grounds

Use your spent coffee grounds within a few days of making coffee. If you’re planning on using them tomorrow, tip into a jar, seal and keep in the fridge until you need them.