How Much Caffeine is in Dunkin’ Donuts Coffee?
If you’re a coffee enthusiast, you have likely stopped by a Dunkin’ Donuts coffee shop a time or two. As you order your hot drink or iced beverage, have you ever wondered how much caffeine is in a Dunkin’ coffee?
A few of our readers have asked us that very question, which prompted me to do the research and publish this caffeine report.
Read this guide for a complete overview of the amount of caffeine in hot coffees, iced coffees, and specialty frozen drinks on the Dunkin’ menu.
Caffeine Information Guide
Dunkin’ Coffee
Here is a quick reference guide to the amount of caffeine (based on standard brewing methods) in the various coffee beverages at Dunkin’ Donuts.
The top half of the table summarizes caffeine content in original brewed coffee and hot espresso-based drinks.
The bottom section of the table lists caffeine values for cold drinks. The coffee lover can check the amount of caffeine in Dunkin’s iced coffee and other cold espresso drinks (listed by available sizes) to make a more informed decision when ordering.
Amount of Caffeine in Dunkin’ Coffee Drinks
Caffeine amounts listed in milligrams (mg)|
MENU ITEM |
SMALL |
MEDIUM |
LARGE |
|---|---|---|---|
|
180 |
210 |
270 | |
|
Latte |
118 |
166 |
252 |
|
Cappuccino |
118 |
284 |
252 |
|
Americano |
237 |
284 |
371 |
|
Macchiato |
237 |
284 |
371 |
|
Espresso (1 shot) |
118 |
— |
— |
|
Cold Brew |
174 |
260 |
347 |
|
Iced Coffee – Butter Pecan |
196 |
294 |
392 |
|
Iced Coffee – Mocha Swirl |
176 |
265 |
353 |
|
Iced Latte |
118 |
289 |
252 |
|
Iced Cappuccino |
118 |
166 |
252 |
|
Iced Americano |
237 |
166 |
371 |
|
Iced Macchiato |
237 |
284 |
371 |
Based on standard product formulations without substitutions or flavors added.
Caffeine is an approximate value based on standard brewing processes. Actual values may vary due to variations in brewing equipment or how the drinks are prepared.
Amount of Caffeine Decreases When Milk is Added
Ordering milk with your coffee reduces the amount of caffeine per serving.
The main reason is because the milk takes up space in the cup. As a result, there is less coffee and less caffeine.
Here is a quick list of the amount of caffeine in a hot brewed coffee with whole milk, by size:
The amounts of caffeine are the same whether you select skim milk, whole milk, or a non-dairy option such as almond milk.
A small iced coffee has 196mg of caffeine, half the amount of caffeine in a large size. Adding a dairy option reduces the caffeine value by approximately 20 milligrams.
Flavored Iced Coffees Have Less Caffeine
If you’re a coffee drinker who enjoys a sweeter cup of coffee, stop by the popular fast food chain and choose from various flavors, including French vanilla, mocha swirl, butter pecan, or caramel swirl.
Adding a flavored syrup decreases the total amount of caffeine in a Dunkin’ iced coffee compared to a standard unflavored drink.
Here is a quick summary of the caffeine content, based on a size medium:
Hot & Iced Teas
Dunkin’s reports indicate that an iced chai latte has approximately the same amount of caffeine as the standard hot version of the chai latte.
Here are the caffeine levels in Dunkin’s hot teas and iced teas, including decaf and sweetened teas.
Amount of Caffeine in Dunkin’ Tea Drinks
Caffeine amounts shown in milligrams (mg)|
MENU ITEM |
SMALL |
MEDIUM |
LARGE |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Bold Breakfast Black |
90 |
90 |
270 |
|
Harmony Leaf Green Tea |
70 |
70 |
140 |
|
Chamomile |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Cool Mint Herbal Infusion |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Decaf Breakfast Black |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Hibiscus Kiss Herbal Infusion |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Chai Latte |
70 |
105 |
140 |
|
Iced Chai Latte |
70 |
105 |
140 |
|
Iced Sweet Tea |
42 |
63 |
84 |
|
Iced Unsweetened Tea |
45 |
67 |
90 |
|
Iced Sweetened Green Tea |
42 |
64 |
85 |
|
Iced Unsweetened Green Tea |
45 |
68 |
91 |
Based on standard formulations excluding any additional flavors or sweeteners.
Caffeine is an approximate value based on standard steeping processes. Actual values may vary due to variations in steeping methods or amount water used in beverage.
Dunkin’ has not yet provided a report of how much caffeine is in a matcha latte, but our beverage guide for the frozen matcha latte provides nutrition facts, calories, and ingredients.
Hot Chocolate
An Original hot chocolate drink from Dunkin’ contains a fairly nominal amount of caffeine. The small drink has nine milligrams of caffeine per serving.
Coffee lovers who enjoy the blended flavors of a mocha style hot chocolate can select the Espresso Hot Chocolate. It contains brewed espresso coffee and between 127mg and 136mg of caffeine, depending on size.
Review the following table for the amount of caffeine in hot chocolate drinks, by size.
Caffeine in Dunkin’ Hot Chocolate
Caffeine amounts shown in milligrams (mg)|
BEVERAGE |
SMALL |
MEDIUM |
LARGE |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Original |
9 |
13 |
18 |
|
Espresso |
127 |
131 |
136 |
Caffeine is an approximate value based on standard brewing and mixing processes. Actual values may vary due to any variations in how the drinks are prepared.
Nutritional Notes
Hot chocolate is made with a significant amount of added sugars. Ingredients include sugar and corn syrup solids.
Here are select nutrition facts for a Dunkin’ Original Hot Chocolate beverage (based on a size medium).
Percentage daily value (% DV) illustrates how much a nutrient contributes to a daily diet of 2,000 calories, the standard amount used by the FDA for general nutrition advice (your value may be higher or lower).
As noted above, 45g of added sugars equate to a 90% daily value. That is significant.
Said differently, a medium hot chocolate contains 90% of the recommended limit of added sugars (50 grams) for an entire day.
Informational Allergen Notice: Dunkin’ drinks and food products are prepared in a common facility and/or using shared equipment. Accordingly, all food and beverage products may contain or come into contact with allergens, including nuts, fish, soy, sesame, milk, and wheat.
Refreshers & Frozen Drinks
Made with green tea and infused with B vitamins, flavored iced Refresher drinks are a popular choice in the summer.
Select Strawberry Dragonfruit or Mango Pineapple. The amount of caffeine is the same for either flavor option.
Caffeine in Dunkin’ Refreshers and Frozen Drinks
Caffeine amounts shown in milligrams (mg)|
FLAVOR |
SMALL |
MEDIUM |
LARGE |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Mango Pineapple |
66 |
99 |
132 |
|
Strawberry Dragonfruit |
66 |
99 |
132 |
|
196 |
295 |
393 | |
|
Frozen Coffee with Mocha Swirl |
213 |
324 |
422 |
Caffeine is an approximate value based on standard brewing / steeping methods and times. Caffeine values in the actual product may differ due to any variations in the process.
Availability of flavors may vary by location.
Customize a Dunkin drink for your individual preference by selecting from a wide array of flavors. Frozen coffee can be made with butter pecan swirl, caramel swirl, French vanilla swirl, or mocha swirl.
With the exception of mocha swirl, adding flavor shots do not change the amount of caffeine in a frozen coffee.
That said, adding flavor does change the ingredients.
Ingredients in Frozen Coffee
Here is the ingredient information for Dunkin’s frozen coffee and the flavored syrup options.
Frozen Coffee Ingredients
|
Frozen Coffee |
|
Water, Milk, Cane Sugar (sugar, water, potassium sorbate, malic acid) |
|
Coffee Swirl Syrup |
|
Water, Sugar, Coffee, Natural Flavors, Dipotassium Phosphate, Phosphoric Acid, Salt, Sodium Benzoate and Potassium Sorbate, Xanthan Gum |
|
Mocha Flavored Swirl Syrup |
|
High Fructose Corn Syrup, Sugar, Water, Cocoa processed with alkali, Natural Flavor, Potassium Sorbate, Citric Acid, Salt |
Dunkin’ Caffeine FAQs
Nutritional information, including caffeine content, is sourced directly from Dunkin’. Restaurants and suppliers may change their formulations without notice. Check directly with Dunkin’ for the most up-to-date information. This post is provided for informational purposes only. Always consult your physician for dietary advice.
Coffee product image courtesy of Dunkin Donuts. Original designs by Nutrition & Ingredients for purposes of fast food research and commentary.