Abstract: A combustible carbonaceous briquette and method of making the briquette wherein a finely divided carbonaceous material is formed into a desired briquette shape under high pressure whereby carbonaceous particles are bound together by a pre-cooked mixture of an organic binder and a water-swellable clay. The combustible carbonaceous material is present in the briquette composition in an amount of about 85% to about 96% by weight; the organic binder is present in an amount of about 2% to about 8% by weight; and the water-swellable clay is present in an amount of about 1% to about 5% by weight. The weight ratio of organic binder to water-swellable clay, dry weight basis, is in the range of from about 1.5 to about 3.0 to 1.