How to Make Folgers Ground Coffee Without a Coffee Maker
By Folgerscoffee | Published: 2026-10-21
Category: How-to Guides
Learn three easy ways to brew Folgers ground coffee when you don't have a coffee maker: cowboy coffee, cold brew, and the saucepan method.
Quick Answer
You can brew Folgers ground coffee without a coffee maker using the cowboy coffee method, cold brew, or a simple saucepan technique. Each method requires only hot water, a heatproof container, and a way to strain the grounds.
Why These Methods Work
Folgers ground coffee is designed for consistent extraction, so it responds well to manual brewing methods. The key is controlling water temperature and steeping time to avoid bitterness.
Cowboy coffee gives you a bold cup in minutes. Cold brew produces a smooth, low-acid concentrate. The saucepan method mimics a pour-over without special gear.
What You'll Need
For any method: Folgers ground coffee, water, a heatproof mug or jar, a spoon, and a strainer (fine mesh, paper towel, or clean cloth).
If you want flavored coffee, the Folgers Toasty Hazelnut Flavored Ground Coffee works well in all three methods. Its natural and artificial hazelnut flavor stays consistent even with longer steeping.
Diagnosis: Which Method Fits Your Situation?
- Symptom: You want a quick, hot cup of coffee and have only ground coffee, hot water, and a mug. Cowboy coffee is your fastest option.
- Likely Cause: No coffee maker available, but you have a heat source and a way to separate grounds from liquid.
- Corrective Action (Cowboy Coffee): Boil water, remove from heat, stir in 2 tablespoons of Folgers ground coffee per 6 ounces of water, let steep for 4 minutes, then pour slowly to let grounds settle, or strain through a fine mesh sieve. Pour gently to keep most grounds at the bottom.
- Corrective Action (Cold Brew): Combine 1 cup of Folgers ground coffee with 4 cups of cold water in a jar, stir, cover, and refrigerate for 12-24 hours. Strain through a coffee filter or fine strainer. Dilute concentrate with equal parts hot or cold water before drinking. Cold brew is smoother and less acidic than hot methods.
- Corrective Action (Saucepan Method): Add 2 tablespoons of Folgers ground coffee per 6 ounces of cold water to a saucepan. Heat until just before boiling (about 200°F), stir, remove from heat, let steep 4 minutes, then pour through a strainer. Do not let the water boil vigorously — it over-extracts and causes bitterness.
- Stop or Choose Another Option: If you don't have a strainer or any way to separate grounds, cowboy coffee (letting grounds settle) is your only option. If you need decaf, use Folgers Classic Decaf Medium Roast Ground Coffee — it works the same way in all three methods. Decaf drinkers can follow any of these steps without adjustment.
Product Facts
- Folgers Toasty Hazelnut Flavored Ground Coffee, 9.6 Ounce: Folgers Toasty Hazelnut Flavored Ground Coffee delivers a warm, inviting hazelnut taste in every cup. If you enjoy flavored coffee, this option adds consistent hazelnut notes without extra syrups, and it works well in manual brewing methods.
Folgers Toasty Hazelnut Flavored Ground Coffee, 9.6 Ounce
