This Coffee Hack Will Instantly Make Your Morning Cup Taste Like Fall

Nothing says autumn like curling up on the couch and sipping on a warm cup of freshly brewed coffee. There’s a slight chill in the air; our television somehow finds itself on Hallmark Channel instead of the morning news. Sounds pleasant, hm?

But after the first time or two, it doesn’t feel quite as festive—and you’re no rookie. Wringing out all the cozy, fuzzy feelings of fall before the holiday season starts is nothing short of an extreme sport. Trade the pigskin for a pumpkin spice latte, and you’re off to a dashing start.

There’s a fall-tastic coffee hack that’s been brewing right under your nose, and it totally changes the game. Imagine the aforementioned scenario, but the whole house is practically bug-bombed with the sweet aroma of autumn and your coffee is flush with the flavors of fall. Sounds next-level, right?

The secret lies in the grounds. Coffee grounds. You’re going to add a trio of fall spices to your coffee before you hit the brew button, and then you’re going to wait until you start smelling the crazy-divine aroma wafting from your coffee pot. Surprise: It’s fall in a mug!

Start with a base of one-half teaspoon of cinnamon, one-fourth teaspoon of nutmeg, and one-eighth teaspoon of allspice. If you’re brewing an extra-large pot, increase the ratio by 50 percent.

Sprinkle each spice onto the top of your grounds (already snug inside the filter!), and give it all a little toss and stir before hitting brew. Then get ready for the best cup of coffee ever.

We’ve even been tweaking the recipe to create all sorts of fabulous fall-inspired flavors, which you’ll find below. Get to brewing!

For pumpkin spice coffee: Start with a base of one-half teaspoon of cinnamon, one-fourth teaspoon of nutmeg, one-eighth teaspoon of ground ginger, and the smallest dash of ground cloves. Cloves can be overpowering, so feel free to leave out if you have a sensitive palate. This brew has autumn written all over it.

For mocha coffee: Start with a base of one tablespoon of unsweetened cocoa powder, and add one-half teaspoon of cinnamon if desired. This brew will transition right into Christmastime. Hint: Add a splash of peppermint extract (in lieu of cinnamon) to make peppermint-mocha coffee.

For less bitter coffee: This is Alton Brown’s ultimate hack. He suggests using one-fourth teaspoon of kosher salt to every six tablespoons of ground coffee to “help take the bitterness out of your brew.” Try this trick with a simple cinnamon-only brew to taste.

WATCH: How to Make Sorghum-Cider Punch

Now that you’re set with fall-inspired coffee flavors, let’s move onto cozy winter drinks.