Coffee and health are two of my greatest passions in life. When these two passions collide, I find myself searching for healthier coffees to order while on the go. National coffee chains such as Dunkin’ are always featuring their new limited-time and seasonal flavors, such as Peppermint Mocha and Brownie Batter. As delicious as these sound, they’re jam-packed and full of sugar. Those coffees are occasional treats instead of “everyday order” options.
In the literal definition of the word, sugar-free Dunkin drinks hardly exist (except a few options like plain black coffee or tea). However, plenty of nearly sugar-free or low-sugar Dunkin’ orders are just as enjoyable as many of the featured drinks you see in the ads. Here’s what to order when you want a reliable Dunkin’ coffee order that won’t leave you with a sugar crash.
Sugar-free Dunkin drinks
For a true sugar-free Dunkin drink, your best option is to order any black coffee or tea on the menu, such as a hot or or iced coffee or an Americano.
Hot or iced coffee
If you’re not accustomed to drinking black coffee, this order can take some time to adjust to. To switch things up and keep things interesting when ordering sugar-free Dunkin drinks, try ordering the featured roast, such as their dark Midnight Blend.
If I’m trying to intermittent fast (consume no calories or sugar), I’ll order a plain, simple cup of black coffee. However, if you want to add sweetness, you can add a packet of zero-sugar sweeteners like Stevia or Splenda to give your coffee a sweet taste without adding sugar.
Hot or iced Americano
Another alternative is to order an Americano, a black coffee made with just espresso shots and water. Which option you’ll order depends on whether you prefer a milder coffee taste or a more pungent espresso taste. I usually prefer an Americano over regular coffee.
Espresso shots
Occasionally, I’m looking for a fast burst of energy and order plain espresso shots at Dunkin’. Most of the time, I prefer to sip and enjoy my coffee slowly, but now and then, I just want something small and right to the point. Black espresso shots at Dunkin’ do not contain any sugar.
Cold brew or nitro cold brew
If iced coffee isn’t a strong enough order for you, try ordering a black cold brew. Some Dunkin’ locations also offer nitro cold brew, available on tap. Nitro cold brew is one of my favorites, as the infusion of nitrogen gas adds a “creamy” texture to the drink without adding any sugar.
Teas
If you prefer tea over coffee, opt for an unsweetened iced green tea (with or without added zero-sugar sweetener packets).
Unsweetened flavor shots
As a national coffee chain, Dunkin’ stands out as one of the best places to order sugar-free coffees and teas. Unlike Starbucks, which has limited sugar-free flavor options, Dunkin’ offers an extensive selection of unsweetened flavor shots to add variety to your coffee order. These flavor shots are great for struggling with low-sugar coffee orders or getting bored of the “same old, same old” coffee order.
Dunkin’s unsweetened flavor shots can be added to any coffee order, whether hot or iced. The flavor selection includes Toasted Almond, Blueberry, Hazelnut, Vanilla, Coconut, and Raspberry. Unlike Dunkin’s flavor swirls, which contain sugar, these unsweetened flavor shots add just a hint of flavor to your tea or coffee order without adding sugar. I have yet to find another coffee chain that has so many flavor options without sugar.
My favorites are the Blueberry and Toasted Almond flavors (these taste especially good in iced coffee). Ordering these “fun” flavors helps me get a bit less of “FOMO” when I see others enjoying all of the full-sugar coffee options. You can request these unsweetened flavor shots when ordering right at the counter or add them to a mobile order if ordering through the Dunkin’ app.
Low-sugar Dunkin’ drinks
Dunkin’ also offers several orders that are low in sugar. While not quite Sugar-free Dunkin drinks, these drinks are low enough in sugar to maintain stable blood sugar levels and keep you on track. I opt for a macchiato or a cappuccino as my go-to lower-sugar Dunkin’ orders when I want something more than just a black coffee.
Macchiato
Dunkin’s small macchiato contains only 6 grams of sugar when made normally. However, you can request a swap for non-dairy milk like unsweetened almond milk if you want to consume even less sugar. Swapping for non-dairy milk, however, does change the texture of this beverage. I like to add one packet of Stevia to my macchiato order for just a little bit of sweeteness.
Cappuccino
A cappuccino is a bit creamier than a macchiato and is a great treat to order at Dunkin’. A small Dunkin’ cappuccino contains 11 grams of sugar, which may be borderline too high depending in your dietary preferences. However, you can swap regular milk for almond milk in a cappuccino to bring a small order down to just 6 carbs.
