If you’re a coffee lover, you’ve probably tried it all: the nuance of a pour-over, the richness of a French press, the mellow vibe of a cold brew. But there’s one brewing method that may make you do a double-take: Swedish Egg Coffee.
Never heard of it? Well, this Scandinavian tradition is still a big hit at the annual Minnesota State Fair, where Jim Zieba has been the resident coffee brewer at the Salem Lutheran Church Dining Hall since the mid-1980s (taking over from his father). Swedish Egg Coffee may sound strange, because, yes, you do brew it with an egg, but fans say it produces one of the smoothest, cleanest cups of coffee you’ll ever taste.
To find out more about this quirky coffee, we talked to Zieba and fellow coffee expert Leo Yuffa, owner of Dazbog Coffee. Read on to dig into the fascinating history behind the brew and learn how to make it at home so you can have your own Swedish egg coffee moment.
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What Is Swedish Egg Coffee?
Swedish Egg Coffee involves cracking a raw egg into freshly ground coffee and water and boiling everything together. “Swedish egg coffee is an unusual way of brewing coffee and has been a tradition among Scandinavian immigrants to the United States, especially in Minnesota and the Midwest,” Yuffa tells Parade.
Why the egg? As the coffee heats up, the proteins in the egg latch onto tannins and other bitter compounds, carrying them to the bottom of the pot as the mixture settles. “Coffee is slightly acidic, eggs are alkaline, so there is a cancellation,” Zieba explains.
Sometimes, the shell is mashed in as well, though Zieba says, “it makes no difference. Mashing the egg, shell and all, into the grounds avoids having to handle the egg white and yolk. But the coffee can’t tell the difference.”
Once the mixture has boiled, cold water is added to settle the coffee grounds, resulting in a clearer liquid. The method creates a cup of coffee that’s smooth and mild, with virtually none of the acidity or sharpness of regular drip coffee.
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History of Swedish Egg Coffee
A couple of centuries ago, before paper filters and third-wave coffee culture, making coffee usually meant dealing with a gritty, sediment-heavy cup. To fix this, Scandinavian countries developed a tradition of adding proteins—eggs, fish skin, even fish bladders (klareskinn)—to clarify coffee. When Scandinavian immigrants came to the American Midwest, they brought this method with them.
“Living on farms with limited resources, they used the egg to make the drink clearer, smoother and more nutritious,” explains Yuffa. Eggs were cheap, and albumen is a potent clarifying agent, so naturally the two came together.
Over time, Swedish Egg Coffee became a staple at church gatherings and community events, which cemented its traditional status, according to Yuffa. Congregants would gather after the service, and volunteers would make large batches in big enamel pots, which is why the drink is sometimes called “Lutheran Egg Coffee” or “Church Basement Coffee.”
Although its popularity faded in Sweden by the 1930s, Swedish Egg Coffee lived on in Scandinavian immigrant communities in America. According to Zieba, “Immigrants kept brewing it in the US well into the 50s, often because of the hard water in rural areas.”
And it hasn’t disappeared entirely. Today, Swedish egg coffee still has a devoted following in the Midwest, where it’s poured every summer at the Minnesota State Fair’s Salem Lutheran Church Dining Hall. Lines form for the nostalgic brew, keeping the tradition alive long after its heyday in Sweden.
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How to Make Swedish Egg Coffee
The technique takes a little practice, but the results are worth it. As for the type of coffee beans? Don’t overthink it. “We just used whatever the wholesaler provided,” Zieba says. What matters most is boiling the grounds directly in water—modern brewers like French presses or drip machines won’t cut it.
Yuffa’s method (home-size batch)
1. Mix 1 raw egg with 3 tablespoons of coarsely ground coffee until it forms a thick paste.
2. Add the paste to boiling water and cook for a few minutes until the mass rises and curdles.
3. Remove the pot from the heat and add a little cold water so that the thickened and curdled protein settles to the bottom.
4. Strain the mixture through a sieve to get a very clean, transparent amber drink with a smooth taste and no excess bitterness.
Zieba’s State Fair method
Zieba brews Swedish egg coffee on a much larger scale, using 40-cup pots and making multiple pots each day of the fair.
1. Mash 1 egg, shell and all, into 2 cups of ground coffee.
2. Bring the water to a rolling boil, then reduce the heat slightly.
3. Add the coffee and egg mixture, and let it boil for about 60 seconds (adjusting the heat as needed to keep it from boiling over).
4. Turn off the burner and let the grounds settle.
5. Add a cup of cold water to the pot to help the grounds settle faster.
6. Transfer to warming carafes for service.
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How to Serve Swedish Egg Coffee the Traditional Way
Though egg coffee is no longer part of everyday life in Sweden, it fits beautifully into the spirit of fika: the cherished Swedish ritual of slowing down with coffee and something sweet. Fika isn’t just about caffeine; it’s about pressing pause, gathering with friends or colleagues and savoring both the drink and the moment. A smooth pot of Swedish Egg Coffee would be perfect alongside cinnamon buns or cookies.
When immigrants brought Swedish Egg Coffee to the American Midwest, it found a new home in church basements and community halls. There, egg coffee was often brewed in big enamel pots and served with an array of homemade cakes, bars and pies. It became more than a beverage—it was a symbol of togetherness, tradition and hospitality.
Culturally, fika is about balance: You don’t just gulp a cup of joe on the go, you take time to sit and connect. In that sense, Swedish Egg Coffee (humble, communal and meant to be shared) embodies the fika philosophy.
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Sources
- Leo Yuffa, owner of Dazbog Coffee, a gourmet coffee roaster with 15 coffee shops across Colorado
- Jim Zieba, egg-coffee expert, resident brewer of the Salem Lutheran Church Dining Hall at the annual Minnesota State Fair
