Although usually left to the professionals, coffee roasting can be done at home in a hot air popcorn popper. But it is very important to note that not all air popcorn poppers are suitable for home roasting.

Before you go ahead and roast your coffee beans, check that your popcorn popper does not have a grate at the bottom but has side vents where the hot air enters. If coffee chaff accumulates in the bottom of your home roaster, it would be a major fire hazard.

Before you start roasting, make sure you are in a well ventilated and well lit room as although you will want to stick around to keep an eye on them and smell that wonderful fresh coffee flavor and aroma, there could be a little smoke.

You will want to stay close by to decide when your coffee beans are done. Start roasting your green beans by pouring them into the roaster. Use about the same amount of green coffee beans as you would use popcorn kernels.

After about 2 & half to 3 minutes you will hear the beans begin to crack. Depending on how dark you want your roasted beans, you can leave them for a few minutes more but don’t leave them for longer than 6 minutes as they will begin to burn and that amazing fresh coffee flavor and aroma will have been a total waste!

But you can always start over – You’ll get that wonderful fresh coffee aroma back in no time at all!

After roasting has finished, it’s best to cool them quickly as they may continue to cook as they are extremely hot coming out of the hot air popper. My tip – just put them in sieve and stir with a wooden spoon.