Americans run on it, and almost all coffee lovers in the world do too! One of the most dynamic coffee companies in the coffee world today, Dunkin’ Donuts has been fueling coffee cravings since the company’s arrival on the scene in 1950. Their dedication to creating delicious coffee has grown Dunkin’ into a major competitor in the international coffee market.
With almost 13,000 cafe locations in over 40 countries around the globe, you may recognize them as one of the largest coffee brands in the world. Lovers of Dunkin’ may already be familiar with the savory, mouth-watering coffees that the company offers at many of its cafe locations. And though we here at Roasty are no strangers to the addiction of $5 drive-thru coffee, we’re also well aware that there’s nothing quite like curling up on the couch and enjoying a fresh cup of brew at home.
That’s why you can save yourself some extra time and extra bucks by bringing the delicious flavor of Dunkin’ to the comfort of your own kitchen! There are so many different blends and roasts that Dunkin’ offers, and we’ve shortened the overwhelming amount of options to the top eleven roasts that Dunkin’ offers.
At A Glance: Best Dunkin' Donuts Coffee Beans
Why do Dunkin’?
But why even brew with Dunkin’ in the first place? For the coffee lover who’s never had the opportunity to experience Dunkin’–allow us to shed some light on the delicious qualities that set Dunkin’ apart from the competition.
Founded by a man named William Rosenburg in Quincy, Massachusetts, Dunkin’ is one of the oldest coffee chains in America today–outranking competitors like Starbucks (1971), Tim Horton’s (1964), and more.
Not only this but Dunkin’ also only sells high quality, premium-grade coffee beans. This is something the company is extremely proud of because they make sure to include this on the side packaging. These premium-grade 100% arabica coffee beans are what the SCAA classifies as a grade of 2, meaning that his coffee is the second-best coffee in the world! Some of these higher coffees including Kopi Luwak or Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee.
Quick Summary: Best Dunkin' Donuts Coffee Beans
Our Top Choice DUNKIN’ DONUTS FRENCH VANILLA ROAST | Check on Amazon → | |
DUNKIN’ DONUTS ORIGINAL BLEND | Check on Amazon → | |
DUNKIN’ DONUTS DARK ROAST | Check on Amazon → | |
DUNKIN’ DONUTS CINNAMON ROLL FLAVORED ROAST | Check on Amazon → | |
DUNKIN’ DONUTS PUMPKIN SPICE FLAVORED K-CUPS | Check on Amazon → | |
DUNKIN’ DONUTS HAZELNUT FLAVORED K-CUPS | Check on Amazon → | |
DUNKIN’ DONUTS TURBO ROAST | Check on Amazon → | |
DUNKIN’ DONUTS COLUMBIAN ROAST | Check on Amazon → | |
DUNKIN DONUTS SELECT BOLD ROAST | Check on Amazon → | |
DUNKIN’ DONUTS SELECT SMOOTH ROAST | Check on Amazon → | |
DUNKIN’ DONUTS COLD BREW | Check on Amazon → |
The Top 11 Best Dunkin’ Donut Coffee Beans
It’s the moment you’ve been waiting (and reading) for! Here are some of the most popular and flavorful beans Dunkin’ offers to brew with!
1. Dunkin’ Donuts French Vanilla Roast
Though Dunkin’ didn’t introduce the french vanilla flavor until 1995, this french vanilla roast is one of the most authentically-flavored roasts that Dunkin’ has to offer. We particularly enjoy this roast because the french vanilla isn’t too overpowering, and you still enjoy that robust, bold coffee flavor.
Though this roast is delicious enough without added creamers or sweeteners, many fans of this roast have suggested that adding a little bit of french vanilla coffee creamer can give your cup of joe an extra “umph.”
2. Dunkin’ Donuts Original Blend
Dunkin’ has titled itself as America’s source of fuel to kick off each morning, and it’s one of the most popular roasts that the company offers. A medium, well-balanced roast, you can expect sweet hints of flowers, citrusy-lemon, and fruity dark chocolate. Dunkin’s Medium Roast is one of the signature options that the company offers, contending with Starbucks’s Dark Roast.
Not only is it Dunkin’s most recognizable roast, but it’s also the most flexible as far as grind size is concerned. On Dunkin’s website, you have the option to purchase a 12 OZ bag of whole bean coffee, giving you more control over how you want to grind your coffee, and how you choose to brew it as well.
3. Dunkin’ Donuts Dark Roast
The medium roast’s cooler cousin, Dunkin’s Dark Roast is a delicious option for those who want to be enveloped in the rich, silky-smooth savory flavors in the smokey dark roast. Embodying notes of sweet chocolate, Dunkin’ takes extra care to roast the beans to perfection–enough to coax out the innermost sugars that give the beans their succulent flavor. Dunkin’s Dark Roast is a great choice for the coffee lover who wants to enjoy a deep, rich, sweet cup of black coffee, though it also pairs very well with cream to make a cafe au lait.
4. Dunkin’ Donuts Cinnamon Roll Flavored Roast
Part of the company’s “Bakery Series”, Dunkin’s Cinnamon Roll Flavored Roast is a cherished roast among many coffee lovers who enjoy the sweeter side of life. If you usually enjoy sweeter coffees, lattes, and more, and are looking to switch to only black coffee, then this is a great option to try if you still want a little sprinkle of sweetness.
5. Dunkin’ Donuts Pumpkin Spice Flavored K-Cups
Keurig lovers rejoice! With hints of cinnamon and nutmeg, you’ll receive a taste of autumn in every sip of Dunkin’s Pumpkin Spice Flavored K-Cups. Riding the wave of the pumpkin spice craze, Dunkin’ has designed their pumpkin spice K-Cups to embody just the right amount of pumpkin spice flavor, meaning that you can enjoy this roast as regular black coffee, and still receive a savory amount of sweet pumpkin flavor without any added sugar or creamer.
However, if you’re looking for a full bag of ground pumpkin spice coffee, you’ll need to grab them before they’re gone! One of Dunkin’s seasonal roasts, you can grab an 11 OZ bag of pumpkin spice coffee from September-November via Dunkin’s website.
6. Dunkin’ Donuts Hazelnut Flavored K-Cups
Similar to the french vanilla roast, Dunkin’s Hazelnut Flavored K-Cups are one of the most popular flavored K-Cup options that Dunkin’ offers. With this heavenly hazelnut roast, you can expect crisp, clean, and slightly sweet hazelnut flavor with a smooth texture and finish. Though you can purchase full bags of Dunkin’s Hazelnut Flavored coffee, the K-Cups are definitely more easily accessible due to their popularity.
7. Dunkin’ donuts turbo Roast
Long day ahead? Dunkin’ has you covered with its Turbo Roast! Embodying bright and bold flavors of citrusy lemon-lime, roasted peanuts, and succulent chocolate, Dunkin’ has made sure to add an extra spark of flavor and caffeine to this roast as well. Many Dunkin’ drinkers are obsessed with this full-bodied roast because it has an extra kick of flavor to perk you up and fuel you throughout the work day.
8. Dunkin’ Donuts Columbian Roast
Single-origin coffee lovers rejoice! Dunkin’ offers both a K-Cup version and a full bag of Columbian coffee for you to enjoy. A medium roast, this Columbian roast is well-balanced and is packed with succulent, robust flavor. You can expect hints of lemon, citrus, pear, roasted nuttiness, and subtle tones of earthiness. Though we enjoy these flavor profiles in the morning so we can start each day with a spark of flavor, this roast is perfect in the afternoon and evenings as well.
9. Dunkin donuts Select Bold Roast
Join the dark side–we have Dunkin’s Select Bold Roast. A smokier, full-bodied blend, this roast is actually part of Dunkin’s Signature Series. Available in both 10 OZ bags and K-Cups, Dunkin’ has taken extra time crafting its Bold Roast to provide you with delectable flavor and a spark of caffeine. In fact, since this is a signature roast of the company, we suggest brewing this bolder, well-bodied roast in a french press to thoroughly extract the rich flavors within the coffee.
10. Dunkin’ Donuts Select Smooth Roast
A lighter roast in Dunkin’s Signature Series, this Smooth Roast is one of the only light roast options that Dunkin’ offers. Though Dunkin’ isn’t really known for its lighter roast, this option is great for the coffee lovers who enjoy more of a sharp, ripe, yet smooth flavor in their coffee. This roast can be somewhat difficult to find on Amazon, but it’s available on Dunkin’s website here.
11. Dunkin’ Donuts Cold Brew
Dunkin’s Cold Brew had to make it on our list because even though many consumers enjoy grabbing cold brew through their local drive-thru Dunkin’ shop, some may forget that you can actually make Dunkin’s Cold Brew in the comfort of your own kitchen!
Smooth in texture and filled with delicious flavor, Dunkin’s Cold Brew comes in a box that has two 8 OZ packs of ground coffee. All you need to do is pour room temperature water over the packs, steep for a few hours, and voila! Once the brewing process is completed, you can enjoy Dunkin’s Cold Brew for up to a week!
Tips for brewing with dunkin’
Dunkin’ offers many delicious brews to choose from, but some of them may be better suited for specific brewing methods. These different roasts and blends have all have notes of flavor that can be highlighted in different ways, and here are some top recommendations that we believe can boost your Dunkin’ home-brewing experience.
French Press Brewing
For those unfamiliar with the perks of brewing with a french press, many coffee connoisseurs enjoy it because of the process in which it extracts the flavors from the coffee. Unlike brewing methods that merely filter water through coffee grounds, the longer steeping method of the french press helps to amplify and bolden the flavors within the coffee grounds by extracting them thoroughly.
The Dunkin’ roasts that we recommend to pair for french press brewers are the Dark roast, Turbo roast, Select Bold roast, and Cold Brew! The flavors in both the Dark and Turbo roasts can be amplified through this brewing process, but you can also make delicious cold brew coffee through the french press method as well!
Pour-Over Method
One of the most manual coffee brewing processes, the pour-over is perfect for those who are wanting to coax out the unique flavors within the coffee. Through the slow, time-interval-dependent brewing method, the grounds are allowed to “bloom”, releasing gasses, and unlocking the amino acids and enzymes in the coffee that give the coffee it’s flavor–without the risk of over-extracting them.
Since Dunkin’ has a handful of roasts that embody specific and unique flavors, like its seasonal roasts and its Bakery Series, more intense brewing methods like the french-press aren’t quite the best fit to accurately extract these flavors. That’s why we recommend the pour-over method for the French Vanilla, Cinnamon Roll, Pumpkin Spice (bagged), and Hazelnut Roast (bagged).
Drip Coffee
Finally, for the home baristas who prefer more of a classic, hands-off experience–a little drip coffee never hurt anyone. Of course, some of the items on our list can be easily found in K-Cup form, but all of these roasts can also make great options for regular drip coffee makers. Americans originally began brewing Dunkin’ with drip coffee makers for decades now, and it’s continuously been a delicious and dependable method of bringing Dunkin’ into American homes for over 70 years.
Dunkin’s Reputation
Along with their globally-renown coffee, Dunkin’ is also known for its to-die-for donuts! With over 50+ flavor varieties, Dunkin’ is one of the world’s leading competitors not only in coffee but in baked goods as well. Dunkin’s outstanding baked goods are a strong selling point that has set the company apart from the competition.
Likewise, when it comes to sourcing their coffee beans, Dunkin’ goes above and beyond to ensure that the beans that its roasters receive from their Central and South American suppliers are of the highest quality. In fact, Dunkin’ has created a management program to supervise the laboratory testing of 10% of every batch of green coffee to ensure that it meets the company’s expectations.
Due to its beginning along the eastern part of the United States, Dunkin’ has traditionally resided mostly along the eastern region of the country. Selling almost 2 billion cups of hot, iced, and espresso-based coffee beverages per year, Dunkin’ has solidified itself as one of the world’s top coffee companies and can be expected to remain so for many years to come.
In Conclusion
Dunkin’ Donuts is a staple of American coffee culture because of its history, impressive coffee production, and high-quality flavor. Though Dunkin’ has succeeded in fueling coffee lovers through their coffee shops, the real treasure behind Dunkin’ is their bags of coffee.
If you’re searching for a coffee brand that you can drink daily and still enjoy the consistent, robust flavors in it, then Dunkin’ is just what you’re looking for. Not only that, but despite your level of coffee knowledge, Dunkin’ is easy to brew for both the amateur and the experienced home barista. There’s a reason why Dunkin’ has been one of the most popular, dependable, high-quality coffee companies in the world: because it’s dedicated to brewing the highest quality coffee possible.
So have fun brewing with Dunkin’, and as always:
Happy caffeinating!