Review: Dunkin Iced Chai Latte (Is It Any Good?)
I drink chai tea at home and enjoy the spicy flavor with nutty undertones. My favorite time to brew a cup of chai tea is in the early evening when the outdoor temperatures start to cool.
Alas, the mercury doesn’t fall during summers in Southeast Florida. Every day is a hot day. So I went to our local Dunkin’ and ordered an Iced Chai Latte.
Did the cold sweet and spicy drink meet my expectations? Find out in this in-depth, honest review of the Dunkin’ Iced Chai Latte.
Dunkin’ Iced Chai Latte Review
How the Latte is Made
Unlike the traditional hot version of the chai latte, the iced drink does not have foam. Rather, this chai drink is made using the same method that Dunkin’, Starbucks, or your local coffee shop makes an iced coffee with milk.
It’s a simple process. They place ice in a cup, add milk and chai syrup, then twirl the cup to combine. It’s a smooth drink you can enjoy through a straw.
All that said, if you like foam, Dunkin’ does offer cold foam as an add-on menu item.
Dunkin’ Iced Chai Latte Flavor
My first sip reminded me of the seasonal flavors of fall. It brought back the times I baked cardamom biscuits during the holidays when we lived in the Northeast. But I digress. Let’s put this review back on track
I have more to say than this drink offers seasonal flavors and tastes like chai.
Spicy Flavors
In my opinion, the strongest flavors are cardamom and nutmeg. There is a slight cinnamon flavor. Overall, the flavor comes through as a potpourri of warm spices.
As you can see from the list of ingredients below, Dunkin’ uses tea extract, chai spice, and chai tea syrup.
In fact, I watched the young girl who made my drink pump the syrup into the cup. That chai concentrate is the main reason for the strong flavor.
Sweetness
Dunkin’ uses cane sugar and the amount of added sugars is high for a single menu item. I expected the drink to taste too sweet. In my opinion, that rang true. The drink is sweet. Very sweet.
Some reviewers enjoy the unexpected earthy flavor of this drink, but I think the Starbucks Chai Latte may have a better balance of sweet and spicy.
Compared to Traditional Hot Chai Latte
For full disclosure, while the flavor is strong, it doesn’t have the same crispness as a traditional chai tea. I believe that’s a result of using syrup to accentuate the flavor rather than steeping a bag of chai tea leaves in pure water. That said, the flavor is similar (but not as good) to the hot chai latte, albeit without the foam.
This review reflects my honest opinion. I was not compensated or reimbursed for my review. I purchased a small Iced Chai Latte from a Dunkin’ located on Yamato Road in Boca Raton, Florida.
Customize Iced Chai Latte
The standard cold Dunkin’ chai latte is made with whole milk or skim milk. Because this is an iced drink, I prefer whole milk. The reason is because without whole milk, the drink becomes too thin and watery.
Skim milk doesn’t offer enough creaminess, especially as the ice continues to melt and water down the drink. That said, usually when I order a regular hot chai latte, I enjoy it with skim milk.
Less Syrup
One customization request I would personally make is to one less syrup pump. In my opinion, the flavors are too strong and using less of the chai concentrate that may create a better balance.
Non-Dairy Substitutions
As mentioned above, I ordered the standard latte with whole milk. At the Dunkin’ location where I ordered my drink, they offer two non-dairy alternatives to milk: oatmilk or almond milk.
There is an extra fee when ordering the drink with one of the non-dairy substitutions.
If you have tried one of these vegan alternative options, let us know in the comments below. Although it wasn’t listed at our Dunkin’, I would like to know if this latte is any good with coconut milk.
Nutrition Facts Overview
Calories and nutrition facts vary based on drink size and type of dairy selected. You can order the latte with whole milk or skim milk. Here is a quick nutrition facts summary based on a small drink with whole milk:
- 200 total calories
- 6 grams of fat
- 27 grams of sugar
I recommend reading our comprehensive overview of nutrition facts and ingredients to learn more about macronutrients (fat, carbs, protein) and caffeine. You may be surprised to learn how many calories from added sugars are in a single serving of the latte (answer: 72 calories).
Sodium
Despite the creamy sweetness of this drink, the amount of sodium is worth mentioning. There are 110 milligrams of sodium in a small drink. That’s comparable to the amount of sodium in Triscuit Four Cheese & Herb Wheat Crackers (without the benefit of 3 grams of fiber).
Caffeine in the Iced Chai Latte
The amount of caffeine can vary significantly based on brewing methods and how long the black tea is steeped in water. The standard report from Dunkin’ shows that the Iced Chai Latte has between 70 milligrams and 140 milligrams of caffeine, depending on drink size.
Ingredients
I may have given this drink a higher ranking if it was made with wholesome ingredients. As it is, my taste buds had a visceral reaction to the unnatural sweetness. Maybe the use of preservatives overpower any natural flavors.
Preservatives
The drink is made with Sodium Benzoate and Potassium Sorbate, both of which are preservatives commonly used in the food industry. The latte also includes Xanthan Gum, a food additive that is often used as an emulsifying or thickening agent.
Full List of Ingredients
Here is the full list of ingredients in this drink.
Milk, Chai Tea Syrup [Brewed Chai Tea Extract (filtered water, black tea, and chai spice), Cane Sugar, Natural Flavors, Xanthan Gum, Potassium Sorbate (preservative), Citric Acid, and Sodium Benzoate (preservative)].
Is Dunkin’ Chai Vegan?
The short answer is no, but certain substitutions may shift it into the vegan category. Let me explain. The standard drink order is made with either skim milk or whole milk. Accordingly, when ordered straight off the menu, it is not a vegan drink.
There is, however, an option to have the drink made with either almond milk or oat milk. Note that Dunkin’ charges an extra fee if you order the latte with a non-dairy substitution.
We would love to hear what you think of the Iced Chai Latte. Have you tried the non-dairy options? Do you include any other flavors such as toasted almond or coconut? Thank you for leaving your comments below.
Pros and Cons
All in all, this drink is sweet, cold, and full of flavor. Here is a quick overview of the pros and cons of the Dunkin’ Iced Chai Latte.
Pros
The creaminess of the milk blends well with the spices. Other customers praise the Dunkin’ Donuts Chai Latte for being delicious and creamy.
Most consumer feedback is centered around the earthiness of the flavors, especially the robust nutmeg, cardamom, and cinnamon. I didn’t taste any pepper flavors, but a few online reviews I found did make note a hint of black pepper.
Cons
My one criticism is that the flavor is a little too heavy and unnatural. The syrup comes through too strong for my liking. I can’t help but compare Dunkin Donuts Chai Lattes to the simple chai tea I make at home (with a few drops of half-and-half cream).
That said, after the ice melted a bit, the flavor settled and the drink was more enjoyable.
