How Is Flavoured Coffee Made? (And Does It Have Sugar?)
Most flavoured coffee is made by adding flavouring to coffee beans right after roasting, while they are still warm, so the flavour soaks into the bean. The coffee itself is ordinary coffee; the vanilla, hazelnut or maple comes from a small amount of added flavour. Flavoured beans and grounds usually contain no sugar and almost no calories. The sugar people associate with flavoured coffee comes from syrups and creamers added in the cup, which is a different thing entirely.
Four ways coffee gets its flavour
"Flavoured coffee" (or flavored coffee, in the US) gets used for four quite different things:
| Type | What it is | Added sugar? |
|---|---|---|
| Tasting notes | Flavours that come from the bean itself, its origin and its roast. Nothing is added. | No |
| Flavoured beans or grounds | Flavouring applied to coffee after roasting. This is what most bags labelled vanilla, hazelnut or caramel are. | Usually no |
| Spices and ingredients | Real ingredients mixed with the grounds, such as cinnamon, cardamom or chicory. | No |
| Syrups and creamers | Sweetened flavour added to brewed coffee, like a café vanilla latte. | Usually yes |
When a coffee bag says "notes of jasmine and cranberry", that is the first kind. When it says "vanilla flavour" in the ingredients, that is the second.
How flavoured coffee is made
- The beans are roasted first, exactly like unflavoured coffee. Flavour is not added before roasting, because the heat would destroy most of it.
- The flavouring goes on while the beans are still warm. Warm beans are more porous, so they absorb the flavour rather than just being coated by it.
- The beans are tumbled in a drum or mixer so every bean gets an even amount, which keeps every cup tasting the same.
- The coffee is ground and packed. For ground coffee and drip bags, the flavoured beans are ground afterwards, so the flavour runs through every particle.
Only a small amount of flavouring is used, measured per batch so the strength stays consistent from bag to bag.
What is the flavouring made of?
Flavourings for coffee are concentrated aroma compounds. Many commercial ones are carried in propylene glycol, a common food additive that helps the flavour spread evenly and stick to the bean; some use alcohol or oil instead. Coffee Review, which has tasted flavoured coffees for decades, found that heavy-handed carriers can leave a cloying, slightly metallic finish, which is one reason flavoured coffee has a mixed reputation among coffee people.
Natural flavour vs artificial flavour
These terms have legal meanings in both Canada and the US. A natural flavour has to come from a plant or animal source, such as vanilla beans, nuts, fruit or spices. An artificial flavour is made synthetically to taste like something. Neither one contains sugar by default, and both are used in very small amounts. The ingredient list on the bag will tell you which you are getting.
Does flavoured coffee have sugar?
Usually no. Flavoured whole beans, ground coffee and drip bags normally contain no sugar at all, because the flavouring is an aroma rather than a sweetener. A vanilla coffee smells and tastes of vanilla, but it is not sweet the way a vanilla latte is.
Sugar comes in later, from syrups, sweetened creamers, whipped cream and the like. A flavoured syrup pump in a café drink can add several teaspoons of sugar; flavoured beans add none.
KNDZ flavoured coffees are made with no sugar added. The nutrition label on our drip bags lists 0 calories per 12 g bag.
Does flavoured coffee have calories?
Essentially none. Plain brewed coffee has only a couple of calories a cup, and the tiny amount of flavouring does not change that in any meaningful way. Calories in a flavoured coffee drink come from milk, cream and sugar, not from the coffee.
Is flavoured coffee bad for you?
For most people, a cup of flavoured coffee is simply a cup of coffee. The flavouring is used in very small amounts and is made from ingredients approved for food. The things worth watching are the same as with any coffee: how much caffeine you have in a day, and how much sugar and cream you add. If you have an allergy, for example to nuts, check the label on nut-flavoured coffees, and ask the roaster if anything is unclear.
Is flavoured coffee lower quality?
It can be, and this is where the reputation comes from. For a long time, flavouring was used to cover up stale or cheap beans, since a strong vanilla or hazelnut aroma hides a lot. The flavouring itself is not the problem; what matters is the coffee underneath.
Two things to check:
- What beans are used. Look for 100% Arabica and, ideally, the origin. If the bag will not tell you, there is usually a reason.
- Whether it is fresh. A roast date or roast month means the roaster is not hiding the age of the coffee behind the flavour.
Why flavoured coffee works well in drip bags
Flavoured whole beans have a practical problem: the flavouring coats the inside of a grinder and makes the next unflavoured coffee taste of hazelnut. Coffee people often keep a separate grinder just for flavoured beans for that reason.
Pre-ground, single-serve drip bags avoid that entirely. Each bag is sealed individually, so the flavour stays in that cup, and you can drink maple in the morning and an unflavoured dark roast after lunch without anything carrying over.
KNDZ flavoured coffees
Our flavoured range uses the same 100% Arabica beans from Ethiopia and Colombia as our unflavoured coffee, medium roasted in micro-batches in Toronto by a Certified Q Grader, with a roast month on every pack. Each one lists two ingredients: the coffee and the flavour.
| Coffee | Flavour | Tastes like |
|---|---|---|
| True Maple | Maple | Warm, cozy maple syrup |
| Caramel Glow | Caramel | Smooth and warm |
| Vanilla Comfort | Vanilla | Soft and sweet smelling |
| Chocolate Mood | Chocolate | Deep and velvety |
| Creamy Coconut | Coconut | Light and creamy |
| Mellow Banana | Banana | Mellow and fruity |
Not sure which to try? The 9-flavour Coffee Gift Box puts nine flavours in one box, and single-serve bags let you test one cup at a time.
Frequently asked questions
How is flavoured coffee made?
The beans are roasted first, then flavouring is added while they are still warm and porous, and the beans are tumbled so the flavour is spread evenly. The coffee is then ground and packed. Only a small amount of flavouring is used.
Does flavoured coffee have sugar in it?
Usually no. Flavoured beans, ground coffee and drip bags normally contain no sugar, because the flavouring adds aroma rather than sweetness. The sugar in flavoured coffee drinks comes from syrups and sweetened creamers added afterwards.
Does flavoured coffee have calories?
Essentially none. Plain brewed coffee has only a couple of calories a cup and the flavouring does not change that meaningfully. KNDZ drip bags list 0 calories per 12 g bag on the nutrition label.
Is flavoured coffee bad for you?
For most people it is no different from regular coffee. The flavouring is used in very small amounts and is approved for food. Watch your total caffeine, and the sugar and cream you add, and check the label for allergens such as nuts if that applies to you.
What is the difference between natural and artificial flavour?
A natural flavour must come from a plant or animal source, such as vanilla, nuts, fruit or spices. An artificial flavour is made synthetically to taste like something. Both are used in tiny amounts and neither contains sugar by default.
Can you grind flavoured coffee beans in a regular grinder?
You can, but the flavouring tends to stay in the grinder and carry over into your next coffee. Many people keep a separate grinder for flavoured beans, or buy flavoured coffee pre-ground or in single-serve drip bags.
Related guides
- Low acid coffee What makes coffee taste less acidic, and which roasts to try.
- Dark roast vs medium roast How roast level changes taste, caffeine and acidity.
- Arabica vs robusta The two coffee species compared on taste, caffeine and quality.
- Coffee stocking stuffers Small coffee gifts under $10 and $25.