There comes a time when you get bored of that same old black coffee you’ve been having for the past ten years. With so many coffee choices ahead of you, why settle for just one?
Today, we’ll focus on caramel-flavored coffee, a beloved taste many have already added to their routine.
You’ll also find out more about the caramel coffee history and what are the best caramel coffee beans you can buy today. Let’s roll!
Caramel-Flavored Coffee History
The history of flavored coffee dates back to 1958 when the first flavored instant coffee was introduced. More than 25 varieties were made available within a few years due to high market demand and effective marketing.
The market for flavored coffee varieties and the coffee industry has expanded over the past 50 years. In 1990, there were a few hundred varieties of flavored coffee beans on the market; in 2012, the number ballooned to over a thousand.
Flavored coffee beans are made by adding flavoring oils to the roasted coffee beans. The flavor is created from a combination of chemicals and natural flavor. French vanilla, cinnamon, caramel, and cocoa beans are natural flavors.
The capacity to produce so many different tastes is partly due to the many chemical combinations that provide rich tastes.
Caramel-flavored coffee beans, for instance, are made by combining coffee beans with natural flavor or oils. The process begins with roasting the coffee beans to release their natural oils.
Once the beans are roasted, they are placed in a flavoring chamber where they are infused with the caramel flavor.
The flavoring chamber is a sealed container that prevents the escape of any aroma or flavor. The beans are left to soak in the flavor for some time. After that, they are removed and left to cool.
Finally, the flavored beans are packaged and sold to coffee connoisseurs worldwide. Thanks to this process, you can enjoy the rich taste of caramel in your cup of coffee every morning.
Best Caramel-Flavored Coffee Brands
Editor’s Choice: Don Francisco’s Caramel Cream Coffee
Don Francisco’s Caramel Cream Flavored Ground Coffee is at the top of our list for many reasons, primarily because of its intense caramel aroma and rich flavor.
It might be naturally and artificially flavored, but it’s absolutely delicious and a great addition to your morning bagel.
Moreover, it is a medium dark roast, which means it’s bold enough to start your day but light enough to drink in the late afternoon or evening.
Don Francisco’s 100% Arabica coffee is blended, roasted, and packed with a commitment to quality. The coffee’s steel cans protect the freshness and aroma of our coffee so that you can enjoy it at its best.
They’re also recyclable, so you can help preserve our planet while enjoying your favorite coffee.
Runner Up: Starbucks Caramel Flavored Medium Roast
Starbucks Caramel Flavored Coffee is up next! No surprises here, though, as Starbucks is synonymous with great coffee.
The caramel roasted coffee by Starbucks comes in an 11-ounce bag, and although the company changed its packaging, the taste remained the same – rich and full of aroma.
Starbucks coffee has 100% Arabica coffee roasted to perfection, ensuring a fresh and flavorful cup. The beans are ideal for drip brewing, coffee pressing, pour-over, and Moka pot methods, so you can make your coffee exactly how you like it.
Apart from its buttery and smooth notes of caramel, you can add fun toppings to your coffee before brewing, such as marshmallows, almond extract, or hot chocolate mix.
Best Value for Money: Eight O’Clock Coffee Caramel Macchiato
Eight O’Clock Coffee Caramel Macchiato is a medium roast coffee from 100% Colombian beans. The brand won an award for Its rich flavor and elegant aroma so we couldn’t ignore it.
The Caramel Macchiato by Eight O’Clock Coffee promises “the coffeehouse experience” at home. The coffee has prominent notes of coffee and caramel, with the essence of foamy, steamed milk combined with an elegant aroma.
Their coffee has been roasted at their facility for the last 150 years. The company has taken great care to ensure that each batch is roasted to perfection.
Alternative: Victor Allen’s Coffee Caramel Macchiato
Victor Allen’s 42 single-serve coffee pods bring a rich and flavorful beverage made with silky caramel, frothy cream, and hints of french vanilla flavor.
It includes medium to full body pods with a smooth and robust roast, just the perfect way to wake up your taste buds and start your day off right.
Victor Allen’s Coffee Caramel Macchiato for K-Cup is 100% gluten-free, so you can enjoy it without worrying about negative health effects. Additionally, this coffee does not contain any genetically modified ingredients.
Victor Allen only sources 100% Arabica beans from around the world and uses precision roasting techniques to guarantee a memorable coffee experience.
This coffee is compatible with all single-serve brewing systems, including Keurig® 2.0.
Alternative: Dunkin’ Caramel Me Crazy
Dunkin’ Caramel Me Crazy Flavored Ground Coffee has bakery-inspired notes of butterscotch, sweet brown sugar, and creamy caramel. It is made with 100% premium Arabica coffee and is also available in K-Cup pods for Keurig brewers.
This flavored coffee will let you brew your favorite blends in the comfort of your own home. It’s easy to brew by the cup or the pot with any at-home coffee maker.
Lastly, the Dunkin’ Caramel Me Crazy Flavored Ground Coffee is suitable for those who don’t enjoy a strong, alcoholic-tasting coffee.
Alternative: Green Mountain Coffee Roasters
Green Mountain Coffee Roasters Caramel Vanilla Cream is a decadent blend of buttery caramel, toasty brown sugar, and creamy vanilla flavor. It is also enhanced with hints of milk chocolate to make it a tiny bit more festive.
With its smooth texture and consistency, you will feel like you were the one who has put the cream into your coffee.
Apart from being highly nutritious, this coffee is moderately processed and is not bitter and acidic. And although it is a bit pricey compared with other flavored coffee, it makes up for its price through its taste.
Alternative: New England Coffee Caramel Macchiato
This medium roast, caramel macchiato-flavored coffee is made with the signature blend of 100% Arabica beans.
It has a smooth and creamy taste with a sweet caramel flavor that is just right to enjoy any time of day, whether you’re looking for a morning boost or a relaxing treat in the evening.
New England Coffee Caramel Macchiato is gluten-free and certified Kosher ground coffee. It tastes like it has a little bit of added vanilla cream.
This flavored coffee is also made with sustainable materials designed to provide social, economic, and environmental enhancements for farmers and their communities.
Alternative: Cameron’s Coffee Roasted
Cameron’s Coffee Roasted Ground Coffee is sustainable coffee handcrafted and roasted in small-batch. It is made of 100% Arabica coffee beans that bring a smooth but never bitter taste.
Cameron’s Coffee brings its unique combination of sweetness and saltiness without artificial flavors. It is also gluten-free, so you can enjoy your cup of coffee without worrying about any negative effects on your health.
Cameron’s Sea Salt Caramel Coffee is delicious, and it smells lovely. It’s a specialty coffee, so you’re definitely getting a high-quality product.
Alternative: Joffrey’s Coffee Caramel Mudslide
With its medium roasted beans combined with vibrant flavors of caramel, dark chocolate, french vanilla extract, and a dash of Jamaican rum flavoring, Joffrey’s Caramel Mudslide is another beloved product.
The Jamaican rum gives it a unique and delicious twist that will keep your taste buds craving for more.
This artisan roasted coffee is high in quality due to the company’s meticulous in-house roasting process. They apply a roast-to-order approach so that you can enjoy our coffee at the peak of flavor and freshness.
The diverse origins of the beans used in this blend give it an unparalleled depth of flavor.
Joffrey’s Coffee Caramel Mudslide is also allergen-free and sugar-free, just like their selection of over 100 coffees.
It is also packed fresh in convenient single-serve cups that are Keurig® 2.0 compatible, allowing you to enjoy a cup of coffee anytime, anywhere.
Alternative: Eight O’Clock Coffee Florida Caramel Flan
The Eight O’ Clock’s Florida Caramel Flan Coffe mixes two delicious flavors – cinnamon rolls and caramel vanilla. It uses rich, flavorful 100% Arabica coffee beans with memorable flan flavors to make you feel like you’re eating creme brulee and not just drinking coffee.
Lastly, the company utilizes careful and slow-roasting methods for coffee preparation to create its signature taste and aroma.
Alternative: Guru Coffee Company Caramel Cream
The coffee grounds used in Guru Coffee Company’s Caramel Cream Flavored Coffee are made from specialty-grade beans sourced from one of the top coffee regions in the world.
These gourmet Arabica beans deliver a bold, smooth taste packed with delicious caramel flavor.
Guru Coffee Company’s caramel cream-flavored coffee is roasted to perfection and ground to a consistency suitable for French press coffee. The best part is that the coffee is handcrafted and does not require adding caramel syrup or caramel sauce high in sugar.
These beans are lightly roasted and produce coffee with low acidity but packed with full flavor.
While this is not for the decaf coffee drinker, this coffee has no synthetic ingredients or chemicals: just a pure and rich caramel-flavored drink that will fuel your mornings, workdays, workouts, and weekends.
Factors to Consider When Buying Coffee
Below we’ll go through a couple of factors you must consider when choosing which coffee to buy for you or your family.
The Roast Type
The roast type will affect the flavor of your coffee, so you want to make sure you choose a roast that you will enjoy. Here are the different types of roast:
- Light roast – Light roast beans are sweet and delicate, with a slightly acidic flavor. They’re also the most caffeinated type as they’ve been roasted for a shorter period and retained more of their original flavor.
- Medium roast – This roast will produce well-balanced and smooth flavor coffee. Those who are just starting to explore different kinds of coffee and those who are unsure of what they prefer should start with a medium roast.
- Dark roast – These are beans that have been dark roasted and have a rich and robust flavor with a smoky undertone. They’re also the least caffeinated of all coffee varieties. Dark roast coffees are subjected to longer roasting, causing more of the bean’s natural oils to be released. Because of their strong flavor, dark roasts taste wonderful in lattes and cappuccinos.
Types of Coffee Beans
The four different kinds of coffee beans are Arabica, Robusta, Excelsa, and Liberica. Let’s take a look at each one of them.
- Arabica – This type of coffee is grown in the Arabian Peninsula. It is the world’s most popular type of coffee, accounting for about 60% of global production. Arabica coffee beans have a higher acidity, which gives them a brighter, more vibrant flavor.
Arabica coffee is typically more expensive than other types of coffee due to its limited availability. However, coffee lovers believe it is worth the extra cost for its superior flavor.
- Robusta – This coffee variety was developed in sub-Saharan Africa and is now cultivated across the continent and in countries like Indonesia. It’s less expensive and more harsh and bitter than Arabica. It has a strong odor and a somewhat flat, almost burned flavor. Also, Robusta beans have higher caffeine content than Arabica beans.
- Excelsa – Excelsa beans are shaped like elongated ovals, grow from 20 to 30-foot coffee bushes at medium altitudes, and have a strong taste. In terms of flavor, Excelsa beans are rather distinctive. They have characteristics reminiscent of dark roasts, fruity tastes, and some light roast coffee beans, such as tart notes and fruitiness. They’re also more delicate in terms of aroma and caffeine, although they have a different depth of flavor.
- Liberica – It is well-known for its distinctive floral aroma and deep, smoky flavor profile. This hardy plant is frequently used to enhance body and complexity when mixed with other varieties, but it seldom gets any credit.
The reputation of Liberica coffee has so much unpredictability. Those who’ve tasted it have either loved it or hated it, no in between. Some people enjoy the unusual, nutty, woody taste and backbite on the finish, while others find it resembles burnt trash.
Packaging
The packaging type can affect the coffee beans’ quality and how long they stay fresh.
For example, if you buy coffee beans packaged in a vacuum-sealed bag, they will remain fresh for longer than those packaged in a paper bag. The vacuum-sealed bag will also protect the beans from oxygen and moisture.
Roast Date
If you want to have the best-flavored coffee, freshness is key. Coffee beans contain oils that give the coffee its flavor. As the beans are roasted, these oils are released and start to fade over time. As a result, coffee roasted too far in advance can taste flat and lifeless.
For the best flavor, look for coffee beans roasted within the last week or two. The roasting date should be marked on the packaging, making it easy to find fresh beans.
In addition, avoid buying pre-ground coffee, as it will go stale faster than whole coffee beans.
Fair Trade Labels
Fair trade coffee is coffee grown and harvested according to strict labor and environmental standards. The coffee beans are then sold to roasters who pay a reasonable price for them.
This ensures that the growers can make a living wage and invest in their businesses. The roasters then sell the coffee to consumers at a fair price.
The process allows everyone in the supply chain to make a profit while also ensuring that the workers are paid fairly.
Flavored Coffee vs. Coffee Syrup
When it comes to coffee, there are nearly endless flavor possibilities. Some coffee drinkers prefer their coffee black, while others like adding a little flavor.
The best-flavored coffee is made by adding flavoring agents to the beans before they are roasted, while the coffee syrup is typically added to brewed coffee.
The advantage of flavored coffees is that the flavoring agents are evenly distributed throughout the beans, resulting in a consistent flavor in every cup.
The disadvantage is that the flavoring agents can sometimes mask the taste of the coffee itself.
Coffee syrup, on the other hand, can be added to taste, giving the drinker more control over the final flavor of their coffee.
Additionally, the coffee syrup can be used to make various flavored coffees, from caramel lattes to mochas. However, coffee syrups are usually high in sugar, which is unhealthy and can cause diabetes.
Naturally Flavored vs. Artificially Flavored Coffee
The most excellent coffee tastes are made with natural ingredients only. To flavor, the coffee, naturally flavored coffee is created from a natural source, such as vanilla beans or hazelnuts.
Artificial flavors, on the other hand, are manufactured in a lab and have a chemical component that is often similar to natural ones. Flavored coffees are typically more costly than those with artificial tastes.
The majority of flavored coffees contain both natural and artificial flavors.
How to Pick a Good Flavored Coffee?
The best-flavored coffee is a well-balanced one. The taste should not overpower the dish. Coffee, by nature, is extremely sweet and delicious. If the proportion of coffee tastes high, coffee flavors might be overwhelmed.
A high flavor ratio implies that the product is intended to cover the taste of low-quality coffee beans. For fragrant coffee, one flavor ratio of 1-3 mg of flavor per kg of coffee is ideal.
Does Caramel Taste Good with Coffee?
Yes, definitely! Caramel and coffee is a flavor combination that has become increasingly popular recently. While the two flavors can be enjoyed separately, they complement each other very well.
Caramel brings a rich sweet flavor to coffee, while the coffee itself helps cut through caramel’s sickly sweetness. The two flavors can create a very well-balanced and enjoyable drink.
How do you Make Caramel Coffee?
Making caramel coffee is easy – you only need a pot, some coffee, and sugar.
- First, brew your coffee as usual. Then, add sugar to the pot – the amount will vary depending on your preference, but a good rule of thumb is to start with one tablespoon per cup.
- Next, heat the mixture over low heat, stirring until the sugar has dissolved. Once the sugar has dissolved, turn up the heat and bring the mixture to a boil.
- Allow it to boil for two minutes, remove it from the heat and let it cool slightly.
- Pour the coffee into mugs and enjoy!
Conclusion
Many people are now trying different ways to make their coffee more exciting and enjoyable. Some add milk or cream, while others prefer to add flavors like chocolate, french vanilla extract, hazelnut, and of course, caramel.
Caramel-flavored coffee is becoming increasingly popular because it offers a unique and delicious flavor that coffee drinkers of all ages can enjoy.
We hope you find your next best coffee mix among the brands and products listed in this article. Do you have a favorite coffee brand or a caramel-flavored coffee bean? Let us know below. Coffee lovers would love to hear from you!
Flavored Coffee FAQs
Below you will find some frequently asked questions regarding flavored coffee.
Does flavored coffee have sugar or calories?
Sugar is present in flavored coffees made with syrups. However, flavor chemicals contain no sugar. They only add another layer of taste and fragrance to your coffee through taste and aroma additives.
Are flavored coffees caffeinated?
Yes, flavored coffees are caffeinated; however, the amount of caffeine is less than other coffees. Coffee-flavored beverages usually include caffeine since they’re made with natural coffee taste or extract.
If a coffee flavor has been created artificially, it’s almost 100% caffeine-free.
How long do coffee beans last?
It depends. Once coffee beans are roasted, they start to lose their flavor. The rate of flavor loss depends on how the beans are stored.
Whole beans tend to stay fresher longer than ground beans. And darkly roasted beans tend to stay fresher than light roast beans.
Storing coffee beans in a cool, dark place or an airtight container will keep them fresh. When stored properly, roasted coffee beans can retain their freshness for up to two weeks. After that, they may start to taste stale or flat.
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Last update on 2024-04-08 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
