Dunkin, formerly known as Dunkin’ Donuts, rose to prominence for its selection of delicious donuts. While it remains popular for these yummy treats, the quick-service restaurant chain has also gained a lot of customers over the years because of its irresistible drinks. Dunkin’ drinks have become a bigger part of the chain’s U.S. menu since the country’s dependency on caffeine increased in recent years. From classic coffee drinks to fancy lattes of different flavors, the Dunkin coffee menu has grown so much that it now has something for everyone.
But because of the endlessly customizable Dunkin drinks menu, choosing what to order can be very overwhelming. So to help you make your mind up the next time you’re in need of a cup of joe, we have created a list of the best Dunkin drinks that you won’t regret ordering.
What are the 12 best Dunkin drinks?
Below are 12 of the best Dunkin drinks in no particular order:
1. Dunkin Americano
Available hot or iced, Dunkin American is simple but doesn’t disappoint. It is made with two shots of the chain’s 100% Rainforest Alliance Certified espresso with hot water, creating a rich, robust drink.
Americano, in general, was first invented during World War II, when soldiers from the U.S. were looking for a familiar coffee taste overseas. Drip coffee can be pretty hard to come by in Europe at that time, so cafes began mixing espresso with water to create a drink that was more palatable for Americans. Water lightens the bitterness of espresso, resulting in a drink that is smooth and not at all sweet.
2. Dunkin Bottled Iced Coffee
Rushing to work or school and don’t have time to wait for your favorite Dunkin drinks to be prepared? Then this bottled Dunkin’s iced coffee can give you your much-needed caffeine boost at any time of the day. Dunkin bottled iced coffee is available in various flavors, including original, French vanilla, mocha, caramel, espresso, and cookies and cream.
While it’s convenient, this bottled iced coffee is not as good as the fresh iced coffee that the chain offers. All varieties are also pre-creamed and pre-sugared, so it’s not suitable for consumers who are controlling the lightness and sweetness of their coffee.
3. Dunkin Butter Pecan Swirl Iced Coffee
Butter Pecan Swirl is one of the most popular Dunkin Donuts iced coffee flavors. A great treat to curb your sugar cravings, the drink features a buttery smooth caramel taste with a nutty pecan flavor covered with a caramel pecan crunch.
While Dunkin Butter Pecan Swirl does taste good, it may be diabetes-inducing, because a medium size of the drink is already packed with 36 grams of sugar. But if you need caffeine to stay alert but don’t like the taste of coffee, then Butter Pecan Swirl is just the drink for you. Its creamy buttery-ness and smooth nuttiness completely suppress the coffee, making it the perfect caffeinated drink for people who can’t stand the coffee flavor.
4. Dunkin Caramel Swirl Macchiato
Dunkin Caramel Swirl Macchiato is one of those Dunkin drinks that taste more like a dessert than a proper coffee. While it’s delicious, it’s not recommended for those who are cutting their sugar intake.
Unlike the typical salted caramel flavor that offers a hint of saltiness to the sweetness of cooked sugar, the caramel swirl used in this drink is super sweet, making it the perfect drink for those who are in need of some sugar rush.
5. Dunkin Classic Original Blend
While a lot of new Dunkin drinks have been introduced over the years, nothing really beats the unpretentious, no-nonsense flavor of the Dunkin Classic Original Blend. Can be served hot or iced, this medium roast is derived from Arabica beans and delivers an even smooth flavor.
If you’re looking to spice up the Dunkin Classic Original Blend, you may want to add one of the chain’s unsweetened flavor shots to the drink. This add-on lets you to enjoy some variety without sacrificing the integrity of the basic Dunkin coffee that you know and love.
6. Dunkin Coco Berry Iced Coffee
Some of the best drinks at Dunkin are part of the chain’s secret menu. One of those is the Coco Berry Iced Coffee. To order the unique drink, simply ask for an iced coffee with almond milk with two shots of coconut and two shots of blueberry. The resulting flavor is creamy and fruity, making it an extremely refreshing non-dairy summer drink.
The Coco Berry Iced Coffee also has a sister version that replaces the coconut for cocoa. Made by combining a mocha latte (espresso, milk, and mocha swirl) with one shot of blueberry, the drink tastes like coffee with chocolate-covered blueberries.
7. Dunkin Coconut Caramel Iced Coffee
While coconut and caramel are seemingly an odd combination, this menu item has been dubbed as one of the best Dunkin drinks to date. The Coconut Caramel Iced Coffee combines the sweet and salty caramel with the creamy coconut taste resulting in an underrated yet flavorful coffee.
Sponsored by the Girl Scouts of the United States of America, the drink was created to commemorate the youth organization’s famous cookies. The drink is also available in a pre-bottled version, which you can buy at grocery stores to support the Girl Scouts.
8. Dunkin Cold Brew
Dunkin Cold brew makes our list of best Dunkin drinks because it contains a high amount of caffeine, but is low in calories. It is also low in acidity and can be enjoyed even by non-cold brew lovers.
Dunkin Cold Brew is made with 100% Arabica beans steeped overnight in cold water for 12 hours to slowly extract the flavor, making it an ultra-smooth, full-bodied cold coffee with a sweeter, rich chocolatey taste.
9. Dunkin Espresso
Made using dark-roasted Arabica beans, Dunkin Espresso is known for its strong yet delicious flavor. Some fans argue that a plain shot of Dunkin Espresso is about as good as an airport espresso in Italy. But like all straight espresso shots, Dunkin Espresso is bitter on its own, so have to think twice if you’re really going for a straight shot.
QSR Magazine reported that Dunkin overhauled their approach to espresso-based coffee beverages in 2018 to develop a high-quality espresso that could be prepared quickly and sold at a competitive price point without sacrificing flavor. QSR Magazine pointed out that the chain replaced its push-button espresso machine with a newer, more traditional model. The newly improved Dunkin Espresso boasts pleasant chocolatey notes and a smooth mouthfeel that makes it the perfect base for all of the chain’s other espresso-based beverages.
10. Dunkin Hazelnut Mocha
Dunkin Hazelnut Mocha is among the best Dunkin drinks from the chain’s secret menu. To order the drink, simply ask for a classic mocha latte with two shots of hazelnut. Can be ordered hot or iced, the drink features a mix of hazelnut, chocolate, and coffee. The chocolate tempers the bitterness of the coffee, while the hazelnut flavor improves the drink’s nutty flavor notes.
Although it is mostly sweet, the beverage still retains the coffee’s bitterness, so it tastes like hot chocolate, but much better. If you want an iced version of the drink, it is recommended that you add whipped cream to it to further balance the hazelnut’s bitter aftertaste.
11. Dunkin Nutella Surprise
One of the best Dunkin drinks actually tastes like Nutella. Called Dunkin Nutella Surprise, this secret menu item adds chocolate and hazelnut flavors to a cup of iced coffee. The chocolate and hazelnut surprisingly complement the coffee taste, instead of overpowering it, creating an incredibly decadent beverage.
To get your hands on a Dunkin Nutella Surprise, order a freshly brewed Dunkin iced coffee in the original blend. Choose mocha for your flavor swirl and ask for two flavor shots of hazelnut.
12. Dunkin Pumpkin Spice Latte
Dunkin Pumpkin Spice Latte has easily become one of the best Dunkin drinks since its 2020 release. Described as a more mature version of the chain’s old pumpkin-flavored drinks, Dunkin Pumpkin Spice Latte is less sweet than the Frozen Pumpkin Coffee and Pumpkin Swirl beverages that the chain introduced several years ago.
Can be ordered hot or iced, the flavorful drink features vanilla and spice flavors that are balanced out by the signature bold Dunkin’ espresso blend. Some customers note that the beverage tastes more like pumpkin spice milk than coffee especially when ordered iced.