If you’re especially fond of dark, hearty roasts but struggle with the acidity and bitterness, a flavored coffee is a nice way to enhance a mild or medium roast into a richer and more palate pleasing beverage.
Our reviews cover our favorite brands, tastes and flavors, and our top picks for the best flavored coffee beans.
Best Coffee Flavored Coffee Beans
What is the best flavored coffee? We are big fans of hazelnut coffee because it can tone down the sweetness of any food that you eat with it such as cookies or dessert.
However, if you’re having a difficult time choosing between flavors, the Volcanica coffee gift box might be the best option to consider as it contains flavored coffees from nutty tastes to sweet.
Volcanica French Vanilla Coffee
Volcanica’s French Vanilla offers an intense vanilla flavor and aroma.
It’s important to note that French Vanilla refers not to where the vanilla bean pod is grown but how traditional French ice cream is made; that is, with an egg custard base.
True French Vanilla flavor has an underlying richness to it thanks to the additional custard flavor. Volcanica holds true to this tradition, supplying a coffee with a luscious touch of caramelization.
Per experts with The Seattle Times, egg-less ice cream is referred to as Philadelphia style. French vanilla coffee lends itself well to a bit of sweetener. You’ll also enjoy a wonderful flavor bloom if you enjoy this beverage over ice.
For those who can’t tolerate dairy, a blend of Volcanica French Vanilla coffee, unsweetened soy milk and ice can be an amazing treat.
This bean is available in whole bean, drip, French press and espresso grind. If you’re concerned about keeping your coffee grinder free of any coagulating flavor additions, Volcanica is happy to grind this coffee for you.
Please note that Volcanica roasts your coffee when you place your order; any flavoring applied after roasting will be extremely fresh and aromatic.
When preparing your palate for French Vanilla coffee, prepare to taste the underlying creaminess. Rather than just vanilla, think creme brulee, and enjoy!
Volcanica Hazelnut Regular And Decaf
Hazelnut has a luscious sweetness all its own. Both the regular and decaf selections of Volcanica Hazelnut coffee are medium roasted for consistent flavor and aroma.
Thanks to Volcanica’s careful Swiss Water decaffeination process, none of this sweetness will be lost. You can blend these two coffees for an excellent half caff version, or save your decaf for a dessert or bedtime treat.
Try sipping this gently flavored beverage all on its own before adding amendments; if black coffee is not your preference, consider just a drizzle of milk to bring the hazelnut flavor forward. If you’re a fan of sugar, go gently.
This is a coffee that will pair extremely well with a chocolate dessert or any breakfast dish that’s sweetened, such as a warm bowl of oatmeal.
Volcanica Pumpkin Spice Coffee
Luckily, if you’re a pumpkin fan, Volcanica Pumpkin Spice has you covered year round!
The flavorings found in pumpkin spice are not unique, and they’re a traditional part of beverages all around the world.
Similar spice blends are used in chai or added to baklava; a sweet end to a large meal that serve both as dessert and a digestive aid.
In the American tradition, pumpkin spice is heavily associated with autumn, as well as Thanksgiving and Christmas.
This delicious combination of cloves, cinnamon and memory has turned into a flavor craze that starts on the first of October and ends just before Valentine’s Day.
Volcanica Chocolate Raspberry Coffee
Coffee is made from a roasted bean and has its own natural acidity. Adding raspberry to chocolate is an easy way to boost the acidity of coffee, and a layer of chocolate rounds the whole flavor package out.
Dark chocolate is a great accessory to any fruit, and this coffee blend suggests that is true! The Volcanica Chocolate Raspberry coffee selection results in a lush, non-cloying flavored coffee that will tolerate a bit of sweetener but doesn’t need it.
This coffee would be a nice addition to your morning, served iced for an afternoon break, or might even tolerate a splash of brandy with a little sugar after dinner.
If the acidity doesn’t appeal, consider making this coffee overnight in a cold French press for a rounded, dark flavor with little bite at the back.
Volcanica Butter Scotch Toffee
Butterscotch is an inherently lush flavor made with heavy cream, butter, vanilla and brown sugar.
While many may remember butterscotch candies as being a comfort food, there’s nothing mild about this flavor.
Volcanica offers this butter scotch toffee flavored coffee in their traditional four grinds; consider taking them up on this offer to protect your own grinder.
Volcanica adds this flavor to their medium roast coffee. Because butterscotch already contains sugar, flavor this beverage carefully. It will lend itself well to being served hot, though icing it would be a lovely treat later in the day.
This is also a flavor that would thrive when condensed. Consider purchasing this in the espresso grind and using it in desserts such as tiramisu, or serving it over ice cream.
Additionally, if you’ve ever considered adding cold brew coffee to a vanilla smoothie, this coffee would be a great start to your day!
Out Of The Grey Cinnamon Coffee
Cinnamon flavor is found all around the world and is a great way to spice up your coffee any time of the year. If pumpkin spice is a bit too cloying, this Out of the Grey cinnamon flavor may be just right.
Out of the Grey Coffee is organic and delicious. It’s roasted and flavored in small batches so you can be assured of the freshest possible flavor.
Their grind options are very specific:
- Whole bean
- Coarse (French press)
- Medium coarse (drip)
- Medium (cone filter)
- Medium fine (K-cup, pour over)
- Fine (espresso)
- Extra fine (Turkish)
Their cinnamon flavor is available both in regular and decaf. If you’d like just a hint of spicy sweetness, this flavored coffee is a great option.
Out Of The Grey Hawaiian Coconut
Coconut flavor is found in the meat of the coconut, and oil can be extracted from them as well. This lush flavor is not a light layer of berry freshness or a dash of citrus; coconut is not messing around.
When you add coconut oil to coffee, you get what’s called bulletproof coffee. If you’re not able to tolerate coconut oil in your coffee, check out the delicious Hawaiian Coconut Flavored Coffee from Out of the Grey.
This coffee would be a phenomenal espresso or French press. The lush aroma and warm flavor of coconut lends itself to a stouter brew. Consider also adding a touch of sweetener or the mild natural sweetness of whole milk or soy milk.
This Hawaiian Coconut coffee would be a great addition to dessert or a side pairing with hot breakfast pastries.
Out Of The Grey Chocolate Macadamia Nut
The lush combination of warm chocolate and delicate fruitiness of macadamia nuts makes this Out of the Grey coffee choice a great option in both decaf and regular.
If your idea of a great meal includes a cup of even better coffee, this coffee might be for you.
Chocolate and macadamia nut coffee in a Turkish grind could also be a fun addition on any dish you want to dust with cocoa powder.
Imagine the aroma rising off your freshly dusted tiramisu if you could mix in even a pinch of finely ground decaf flavored with sweet chocolate and macadamia nuts.
If quitting or lightening up on your caffeine intake, consider this coffee as your reward. You can blend this into your regular grind for a flavor boost with no caffeine edge. This is a decaf you can celebrate!
Out Of The Grey Gingerbread Man
Christmas morning will be even more special with a delicious cup of Out of the Grey Gingerbread Coffee!
This coffee offers a bit of spicy tang and an edge of sweetness in any brew. Add a dollop of whipped cream for warmth and sweetness!
This coffee is available in the six grinds listed above as well as in whole bean. Consider laying in a supply of this in both regular and decaf so you can enjoy a cup any time of the day.
From the day you put the tree up until Boxing Day, this coffee will delight you and your guests.
Volcanica Flavored Coffee Gift Box
If you just can’t decide, the hearty Volcanica Collection of flavored coffees, contain everything from sweet to nutty to chocolate.
In this gift box are:
- Amaretto
- Butter Scotch Toffee
- CocoLua
- Hazelnut
These flavored coffees are all available with caffeine, except for the CocaLua which is decaffeinated. You can enjoy this coffee as a winter treat for yourself, or give the satin-lined gift box with its delicious offerings as a gift to a fellow coffee fan.
Each of these coffee options offers a flavor that has a bit of weight to it. However, if you won’t get to these before summer comes, don’t worry. Each of these choices would make an excellent iced coffee treat on the hottest day. Savor the richness!
How Is Flavored Coffee Made?
Mild Roasts Are Used As A Base
As stated above, coffee flavorings are applied to the bean after the roasting process.
In this application, milder roasts are often used as a starting point; they require less alteration and are often easier to pair with different flavor combinations for a more subtle flavor package.
Spray vs Powder
The flavor enhancements are applied in a couple of different ways. If the flavor components are available in dry form, the formulation may be applied to the beans as a powder after roasting and before grinding.
For flavor additions in oil format, the flavor package blend is diluted with another liquid.
This liquid keeps the flavor additions in suspension while coating the beans in the flavor formula after roasting; once the beans dry, they’re ready to grind or package and ship to the customer.
Grinding Your Own Flavored Coffee
The flavoring format may be hard on your grinder, particular if you use a stainless steel blade. These flavoring products can cause a sticky film to form on your grinder surfaces.
If you purchase flavored coffee as an occasional treat, consider purchasing it already ground to save your grinder from this residue.
Other Interesting Options
Creamers and other flavor concentrates in both powder and liquid formats can deliver flavored coffee without gumming up your grinder.
Another unique option is to prepare coffee in a standard drip pot through a flavored coffee filter.
This is quite new technology, but Invention Resource International offers a sneak peek at the inventor, Erik B., and his intention to take a regular cup of wonderful coffee and make it even more remarkable, with no extra work or the need to maintain a library of coffees.
Final Thoughts
Flavored coffee beans require a great deal of scientific experimentation to get things right. Flavored coffee products are added to the beans after roasting and designed to enhance the coffee flavor, not overpower or alter it.
All of our picks are an excellent way to enjoy flavored coffee without being overpowered by sweetener.
While sweetness is certainly an enjoyable flavor addition to many foods, some coffee flavorings are simply too heavy handed. Coffee has its own flavor and should be enjoyed and enhanced by other flavors.
For a gentle touch of flavor in your coffee, consider the Out of the Grey Chocolate Macadamia Nut coffee.
If you have a French press, all the better. Not only will you get to drink delicious coffee, you’ll get to linger over the aroma for four whole minutes!
