The Best Dunkin Donuts Secret Menu Items You Have To Try
If you've adopted Dunkin Donuts' "America runs on Dunkin" slogan as your own personal mantra, you clearly have a coffee habit. And when coffee is life, you can't be bound by things as trivial as menu boards. No, your love for Java is next-level. It requires extra nurturing — the kind that can only come from feeding your Java-lust with a steady supply of classic caffeinated beverages and new favorites. Luckily, finding both can be as easy as hitting the Dunkin' Donuts drive-thru. There, you'll find the standard cuppa joe in all its incarnations. After all, their regular menu contains over 25,000 delicious possibilities. But, if you play your cards right, you can also drive away with one (or more, we're not judging) of the Dunkin' Donuts secret menu items.
In the realm of coffee chains, Starbucks tends to get all the credit when it comes to secret menu offerings. It's high time Dunkin' Donuts got its due, though. From once-seasonal items to off-the-wall concoctions, Dunkin' makes many worthwhile beverages available through their — maybe lesser-known but nonetheless impressive — secret menu. Sometimes, they even offer up the "secret" recipes themselves. So, for those mornings when a regular drip coffee or vanilla latte simply won't do, consider what you can find when you read between the lines of the Dunkin' Donuts menu to the invisible ink beyond.
Here are a few highlights. Still, it's safe to assume many more hidden treasures await discovery by fearless caffeine explorers like yourself.
Hazelnut mocha iced coffee
Anyone can roll through Dunkin' D's and order an iced coffee. Described as the perfect pick-me-up, this menu mainstay consists of freshly brewed and full-of-flavor coffee. It comes in one of three choices: original blend, dark roast, or Dunkin' decaf. It's sure to give you the kick you need to start your day (unless you order decaf, in which case what even is your life?).
But, as any proper Dunkin' aficionado knows, you can also ask for flavor shots and/or flavor swirls in your iced coffee. The shots contain no sugar, while the swirls fall on the opposite end of the spectrum — sweet, creamy, and indulgent. And last spring, Dunkin' let fans in on a little secret menu hack about a specific iced coffee combo.
In celebration of the first day of spring in 2018, the coffee purveyor released a blog post encouraging patrons to try a flavorful twist on their typical iced coffee order. Said Dunkin', "Add mocha flavor swirl and the hazelnut flavor shot into your iced coffee for an instant chocolatey, nutty upgrade." Sounds yummy, right?
Coco berry iced latte
If you've never experienced the joy that is chocolate-covered blueberries, you're missing out. Even the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (yep, that's legitimately a thing) recommends combining the two to create a flavor profile that's out of this world. But since you can't always find time in the day to hand-dip fresh blueberries into melted milk chocolate, Dunkin' offers a viable alternative — drinking up this flavor duo instead.
It's refreshingly simple to do so, too. You start by ordering an iced latte, which Dunkin' makes by blending milk with freshly ground and brewed espresso. Just as you can with iced coffee, you have the option of infusing your iced latte with flavor shots and flavor swirls. Among the sugar-free flavor shot options is blueberry. Among the sweet and creamy flavor swirls is mocha. So, in a blog post to celebrate the arrival of spring in 2018, Dunkin' offered a logical next step of evolution, suggesting, "Add a blueberry flavor shot to your iced mocha latte for a yummy iced berry treat with plenty of coffee taste."
And if you're really feeling adventurous, you could make sure your coco berry iced latte lives up to the "berry" in its name by adding an additional flavor shot of raspberry.
Toasted French vanilla iced coffee
There's something about "toasted" anything that just makes it sound super-cozy and alluring. Toasted coconut, toasted marshmallow, toasted white chocolate — you catch the drift. And, don't get us wrong, Dunkin' Donut's regular menu does contain a toasted option totally worth your time: the toasted almond flavor shot for iced coffee. Rest assured, though, a secret menu hack can make it even more delicious.
"Pay attention, this one's a little more complicated but your iced coffee will be extra delicious!" Dunkin' teased during a spring promotion on their blog in 2018. "Add the French vanilla and toasted almond flavor shots to an iced coffee with almond milk for a dairy-free toasted French vanilla treat." Toasted goodness that happens to also be dairy-free? Yes, yes, yes.
Even better? If a bit of indulgence doesn't intimidate you, you could always add a French vanilla flavor swirl to your secret menu iced coffee. That ought to kick the coziness up a notch. Of course, if iced coffee isn't your thing (or if it's a particularly chilly day), you can always ask for a hot toasted French vanilla coffee. But make sure you specify which one to avoid any confusion.
Chocolate-covered raspberry hot chocolate
Who doesn't love hot chocolate? If you know someone who doesn't, it might be time to cut ties — you don't need that kind of negativity in your life. On the flip side, you undoubtedly know many people who adore a steamy cup of hot cocoa. Those people deserve to be invited along when you visit Dunkin' to try out a secret menu item any hot chocolate lover is sure to appreciate.
For this craveable cup, you start with a Dunkin' Donuts staple. "For a sweet take on our classic hot chocolate, try adding in a raspberry flavor shot," Dunkin' wrote in a blog post celebrating National Hot Chocolate Day in January 2018. "The combination was inspired by chocolate covered raspberries!" If you want to make your drink even more decadent, you might think about also asking for a flavor shot of hazelnut.
Chocolate-covered raspberry hazelnut hot chocolate? Sounds romantic, if you ask us. Come to think of it, perhaps you should share this secret menu item with a secret love.
English toffee hot chocolate
We all have that friend. You know, the one who's obsessed with English toffee. Whether it's stocking up on Heath bars or special ordering old-fashioned toffee candy, that friend has never met anything toffee-flavored they wouldn't readily consume. In your circle, you might be that friend. If so, you're going to go gaga over this secret menu hot chocolate hack.
As part of their National Hot Chocolate Day in January 2018, Dunkin' Donuts revealed a secret menu item perfect for any toffee fanatic. "To create an indulgent take on an English toffee, add in toasted almond and French vanilla flavor shots to the salted caramel hot chocolate," Dunkin' shared.
You should be able to get this simply by asking for an "English toffee hot chocolate." However, you can spell it out by asking for a hot chocolate in the salted caramel variety with two flavor shots: French vanilla and toasted almond. Or, you know, however many shots you need until it reaches your desired toffee taste level.
Coconut mint hot chocolate
When it comes to killer flavor combinations, chocolate and mint are right up there with chocolate and peanut butter. And one surefire way to give mint the edge is to add a third ingredient: coconut. Interesting, no? That's what makes this next secret menu so appealing — the mint and coconut balance out the richness of chocolate, making it a tasty treat all-year round. It feels light and refreshing in the summer when your sweet tooth kicks in yet feels comforting in the winter. It's a unicorn drink if you will.
So, how do you order it? "Bring together the flavors of mint, chocolate, and coconut with this DD menu hack!" the Dunkin' blog teased in 2018. "Add a coconut flavor shot to our mint hot chocolate for a fun and flavorful drink." Did you get that? It's easy, really. Your base will be Dunkin's classic hot chocolate in the mint variety. Then, of the six flavor shots available, you choose one — coconut. It's a little unexpected, but it adds the kind of complexity you'll come to crave.
Nutella surprise iced coffee
If you've ever joked that you love Nutella so much you could put a straw in it and drink it, well, today's your lucky day. You can order a drink the next time you swing through Dunkin' Donuts that replicates the taste of everyone's favorite hazelnut spread.
Here's how, according to one Twitter fan. Start with ordering a freshly brewed Dunkin' Donuts iced coffee in the original blend. For your flavor swirl, choose mocha. For your flavor shots — and this part is important — you're going to order two shots of hazelnut. That's right; you're going to double up on hazelnut. How else did you think you could possibly create a concoction that would come close to Nutella's richness? But be forewarned, says Twitter user @selfcareroll, "This drink is very chocolatey!"
Although perhaps you're the type who isn't afraid of a little chocolate overdose. You laugh in the face of such perceived chocolate danger. In that case, try swapping your chocolate flavor swirl for a hazelnut flavor swirl. To be clear, though, hazelnut-on-hazelnut-on-hazelnut isn't for the faint of heart. Diehard Nutella fans, prepare to meet your match.
Birthday cake Coolatta
There are two types of people in the world — those who have a fundamental appreciation for the brightly colored pops of confetti in birthday-cake-flavored food, and those who don't. Let's focus on the first group since those are the best people anyway, right? For us, er, those people, a happy surprise awaits via Dunkin' Donut's secret menu. If you guessed a birthday cake Coolatta, you'd be right.
The Coolatta is the Dunkin' equivalent of Starbucks' Frappuccino (depending on the flavor) or a Sonic slush. A slushy beverage, it comes in three varieties: strawberry, blue raspberry, and vanilla bean. To create the birthday cake Coolatta, your first request will be the vanilla bean variety. However, you're not done there. To elevate this drink to birthday-cake-flavor status, you have to make a special request.
There are a few different versions of this secret menu item floating around the internet, so your best bet is to try them all and see which one strikes your fancy the most. The most widely-spread secret menu recipe for a birthday cake Coolatta seems to be a vanilla bean Coolatta plus one pump of hazelnut swirl. However, Twitter user @LThreadsx recommends one pump of hazelnut swirl for a small Coolatta, two pumps for a medium and a whoppin' three pumps for a large.
Whichever way you decide to go with this secret menu item, though, don't forget to ask for whipped cream. It's your birthday (cake Coolatta), so live a little.
Peaches and cream Coolatta
It doesn't matter if you're in the stretch of the calendar year that actually qualifies as summer — one spoonful of fresh peaches with cream will transport you to lazy, hazy days spent languishing in the sun. If that sounds like heaven to you, you're going to want to pay attention to the instructions for ordering this special menu Coolatta.
For starters, bypass the strawberry and blue raspberry Coolatta flavors and go straight for the vanilla bean. This will be your base. Next, ask for a shot of peach. Now, in full disclosure, peach shots don't appear to be a regular menu item offering anymore. Since that means it likely isn't used in drinks on a routine basis, your local Dunkin' may not have peach shot on hand. Don't fret if they don't, though, because fruited iced teas are still on the menu with fresh peach as an option. So, worst case scenario (which, let's be real, is still pretty great), you'll end up asking Dunkin' to blend fresh peaches into your vanilla bean Coolatta.
All that's left to do after that is request whipped cream on top and voila! You'll be sipping a peaches and cream Coolatta, aka a summer time-machine you can drink.
Upside-down iced caramel macchiato
When you order a caramel macchiato at Dunkin' Donuts, you know your drink will come in layers. It's right in the beverage's blurb, which reads, "Looking for layers on layers of handcrafted deliciousness? Made with layers of creamy milk and two shots of espresso then served over ice, our iced macchiato is just what you need." It's a strong drink, yet sweet enough to be palatable for those of us who can't stomach black coffee. But there's a conundrum with iced caramel macchiatos. What if you can't get enough of the flavor profile but wish it was blended a bit better?
Good news, gang. You don't have to rely on the old-fashioned method of feebly attempting to stir the drink with your straw. As YouTube channel The Showstopper Shows pointed out in a 2015 video post, the key lies in ordering the secret menu version of the drink. "The difference between this one and the regular macchiato, as you can see, is you don't see the layers of cream, of the steamed milk, and of the espresso," said vlogger Josiah Ryan. "No, I had them make it upside down, which basically mixed it all up together."
And that's it for this secret menu item. It's that gloriously easy. Just roll up, ask for an upside down iced caramel macchiato in whatever size you prefer, and enjoy.
Almond Joy iced coffee
Occasionally, Dunkin' Donuts unveils special edition drinks to coordinate with a certain time of the year or special promotion. In 2016, the special event was summer and the special edition drinks tasted like candy bars. 'Twas a truly sweet treat for Dunkin' fans. At the time, Dunkin' gushed that the beverage evoked "the fun and happiness" of a famous Hershey candy bar flavor: Almond Joy.
Sadly, the Almond Joy iced coffee seemed to go as quickly as it came. Then, in 2017, a hero emerged from the depths of the internet to clue us all in on an exciting fact — you can still have your Almond Joy iced coffee. Now a secret menu item, it can be ordered by name. Alternatively, you could follow the lead of Twitter user @shychiguy and ask for an original blend iced coffee with two pumps milk, one flavor shot of toasted almond, one flavor shot of coconut, and a flavor swirl of mocha.
It's either this or resorting to tossing a few Almond Joy bars into a blender. One is considered socially acceptable. The other, not so much.
Pina colada Coolatta
Cue Rupert Holmes "Escape"! "If you like pina coladas, and getting caught in the rain, if"— well, it doesn't really matter if you're into yoga. You'll dig this secret menu drink whether you can do downward-facing dog or your favorite mantra is "nama-stay in bed." Although to be clear, you do have to leave the comfort of your California King to order Dunkin' Donuts' secret menu pina colada Coolatta.
This secret menu item has a bit of a fun backstory, too. In 2013, an apparent patron of Dunkin' came up with her own version of a pina colada Coolatta. Per a text from this patron's friend, who was a then-employee of Dunkin,' the manager of the store began offering it as an option and it started to take off. Fast forward to 2016, and the dreams of that inventive Dunkin' patron clearly never came to fruition. However, now another then-employee has emerged with her own rendition of the secret menu drink.
Which brings us to the present, a point in time where the pina colada Coolatta still hasn't gone mainstream. But it stands to reason (and Business Insider seems to agree) that you can simply use a combination of previously offered Coolattas and former flavors to create a pina colada variety. Business Insider's recommendation? Ask for a pineapple Coolatta with a flavor swirl of coconut crème pie.
Captain Crunch Coolatta
Life can be tough, and sometimes you need a blast from the past to remind you of better days. Enter one of the most nostalgic cereals on the market: Captain Crunch. Or, in the case of Dunkin' Donuts secret menu, a Captain Crunch Coolatta. Bless Twitter user @GiGiCalico for sharing this scrumptious hack. It proves to be the perfect secret menu beverage for those who worry about being a bother to their Dunkin' barista — it's easily made using a standard strawberry Coolatta as a base.
From there, per @GiGiCalico, ask for two shots of blueberry syrup and two shots of raspberry syrup (both of which should be readily available based on existing menu items). Then, naturally, you're going to want to top the whole thing off with whipped cream. It's every drop as delicious as it sounds, too. One Twitter fan dubbed it "heaven in a cup."
Should you still feel uncertain about trying your hand at secret menu ordering, you could always take the much less conventional (and, you know, kind of weird) approach Twitter user @_Nihao has for recreating the Captain Crunch Coolatta taste. Just order a vanilla bean Coolatta and drink it in tandem with eating Sunchips. What? We told you it was weird. We recommend sticking with the secret menu hack instead.
Snickers coffee
It's well-established by now that everyone loves chocolate, right? Great; glad we're all on the same page. Because this next secret menu hack boasts the distinctive flavor of a super-popular chocolate candy bar. You may have heard of it — it's a little treat called Snickers. Happily, someone discovered a way to turn Dunkin' Donuts drinks into a version of Snickers you can imbibe. To which we emphatically say, What a time to be alive.
As far as secret menu items go, it's an easy one to boot. Per Twitter user @LThreadsx, who's practically the patron saint of the Dunkin' Donuts secret menu, you can order a Snickers coffee one of two ways. With the first option, you start with an original blend iced coffee with a hazelnut flavor swirl. Then, ask for an additional swirl of salted caramel. The second option is for those who prefer regular dark roast coffee. Start with that, then simply ask to add the swirls of hazelnut and salted caramel to your cuppa.
However, let it be said that we have a hunch if you really want to go for an authentic Snickers flavor, adding a shot of toasted almond could do the trick.