Dunkin’ Donuts’ frozen coffee is the most popular beverage served by the chain. It’s made by combining coffee syrup with ice and milk before blending to create a smooth, thick, slushy, milkshake-like brew.
The Dunkin Frozen Coffee contains anywhere from 196 mg of caffeine all the way up to 393 mg (depending on what size you get).
The Caffeine in Dunkin’ Frozen Coffee
Dunkin’ Donuts’ popular iced beverage, the “Frozen Coffee,” contains between 196 mg and 393 mg of caffeine. The exact amount of caffeine in a frozen coffee depends on the serving size.
Here’s the caffeine content in Dunkin’ frozen coffee by serving size:
- Small Frozen Coffee (16 oz) — 196 mg of caffeine.
- Regular Frozen Coffee (24 oz) — 295 mg of caffeine.
- Large Frozen Coffee (32 oz) — 393 mg of caffeine.
How Much Caffeine in Other Dunkin’ Beverages?
Now that you know how caffeine is in Dunkin’ frozen coffee, how does it compare to other beverages from Dunkin’ Donuts?
Let's take a look:
1. Dunkin’ Iced Coffee
Dunkin’ iced coffee is a chilled, milky, sweetened beverage served over ice. Like the frosted coffee, it's available in three sizes. Surprisingly, Dunkin’ iced coffee contains more caffeine than its frosted coffee.
Here's how much caffeine is in Dunkin’ iced coffee:
- Small Iced Coffee (16 oz) — 234 mg of caffeine.
- Regular Iced Coffee (24 oz) — 357 mg of caffeine.
- Large Iced Coffee (32 oz) — 469 mg of caffeine.
2. Dunkin’ Cold Brew Coffee
Dunkin’ cold brew coffee is made from 100% arabica beans. The restaurant steeps its coffee in cold, fresh water for 12 hours to extract its flavors and caffeine. Surprisingly, Dunkin’ cold brew contains less caffeine than frozen coffee and iced coffee from the chain.
Here’s how much caffeine is in Dunkin cold brew:
- Small Cold Brew Coffee (16 oz) — 174 mg of caffeine.
- Regular Cold Brew Coffee (24 oz) — 260 mg of caffeine.
- Large Cold Brew Coffee (32 oz) — 347 mg of caffeine.
3. Dunkin’ Latte
Dunkin’ latte is made with freshly brewed 100% arabica espresso and steamed, frothy milk. Like all of Dunkin’s brews, it’s served in three sizes. The caffeine content of this coffee latte is much lower than the other brews offered by the chain.
Here’s how much caffeine is in Dunkin’ latte:
- Small Latte Coffee (16 oz) — 118 mg of caffeine.
- Regular Latte Coffee (24 oz) — 166 mg of caffeine.
- Large Latte Coffee (32 oz) — 252 mg of caffeine.
4. Dunkin’ Americano
Dunkin’ Americano is made with 100% arabica espresso that’s diluted with hot water. The caffeine content of this americano coffee drink varies depending on the serving size.
Here’s how much caffeine is in Dunkin’ Americano coffee:
- Small Americano Coffee (16 oz) — 180 mg of caffeine.
- Regular Americano Coffee (24 oz) — 210 mg of caffeine.
- Large Americano Coffee (32 oz) — 270 mg of caffeine.
5. Dunkin’ Macchiato
Dunkin’ macchiato isn’t a traditional Italian macchiato. It’s made with creamy, frothed milk that’s topped with three regular shots of espresso. This brew is strong, but surprisingly, it contains around the same amount of caffeine as Dunkin’ iced coffee.
Here’s how much caffeine is in Dunkin’ macchiato coffee:
- Small Macchiato Coffee (16 oz) — 237 mg of caffeine.
- Regular Macchiato Coffee (24 oz) — 284 mg of caffeine.
- Large Macchiato Coffee (32 oz) — 371 mg of caffeine.
How Much Caffeine Is Considered Safe?
The FDA suggests that up to 400 mg of caffeine per day is considered safe for healthy adults to consume. This is surprising considering the high caffeine levels in most of Dunkin’ Donuts’ coffees.
Here’s what you can drink from Dunkin’ Donuts while abiding by the FDA’s caffeine recommendation:
- One large serving of Dunkin’ frozen coffee.
- One regular serving of Dunkin’ iced coffee.
- One large serving of Dunkin’ cold brew.
- Two to three regular Dunkin’ lattes.
- Two to three small Dunkin’ Americanos.
- One large Dunkin’ macchiato.
Healthier Alternatives to Dunkin’ Frozen Coffee
Dunkin’ Donuts’ frozen coffee is far from healthy. This brew contains a shocking amount of calories. A small frozen coffee contains 390 calories, a regular contains 720 calories, and a large contains 820 calories. If you’re conscious about your health and weight, it may be best to avoid this brew.
Here are some similar alternatives to frozen coffee that are much healthier:
1. Cold Brew Coffee
Cold brew coffee is generally served black. It contains no added sugar or milk, so its calorie content is extremely low. It’s much less acidic compared to hot-brewed coffee, which could be better for people with acid reflux or chronic heartburn.
Cold brew also (usually) contains more caffeine than hot-brewed coffee — this can be a benefit for some but not for others. If you have caffeine sensitivity, it may be best to avoid it.
Dunkin’ cold brew only has 15 calories per (large) serving. If you want to select a healthier beverage from the chain, cold brew is a good choice. With that said, it’s cheaper and possibly better to make cold brew yourself.
It's easy to make, and you can prep large amounts at once, so you have a week's supply of coffee ready to go. Learn how to make cold-brew coffee here.
2. Unsweetened Iced Coffee
Iced coffee is made by hot brewing a concentrated shot of coffee, pouring it over ice, and diluting it with milk. Iced coffee is often sweetened with sugar or syrup to balance out the intense flavors of the coffee. However, you can drink it unsweetened — and it’s delicious.
Dunkin’ iced coffee contains around 260 calories per regular serving because the chain uses concentrated coffee syrup with high amounts of sugar. It’s not possible to order a sugar-free iced coffee from Dunkin’ Donuts. However, it’s easy to make unsweetened iced coffee at home.
An iced coffee made with milk but no sugar contains around 34 calories per 8 oz (240 mL) serving — that’s 226 less than Dunkin’s offering.
→ Learn how to make healthy iced coffee with a French press here.
3. Sugar-Free Frozen Coffee
Dunkin’ Donuts’ frozen coffee is made with the chain’s coffee syrup, which contains high levels of sugar. It’s not possible to order a sugar-free frozen coffee from Dunkin’ Donuts. However, you can make one at home.
Homemade sugar-free frozen coffee contains the same amount of calories as an iced coffee because it uses the same ingredients. An 8 oz (240 mL) serving of unsweetened frozen coffee contains around 34 calories.
→ Learn how to make healthy frozen coffee here.
4. Vietnamese Ube Iced Latte
Vietnamese ube iced latte is a delicious chilled beverage made by brewing robusta coffee and combining it with frothed coconut milk and purple yam extract. This vivid purple brew is relatively healthy if made unsweetened.
The average Vietnamese ube iced latte contains roughly 70 calories per 8 oz (240 mL) serving. The robusta beans used in this beverage may also contain more antioxidants compared to arabica coffee. However, there is twice amount of caffeine in robusta coffee, so be mindful of your intake.
→ Learn how to make a Vietnamese ube iced latte here.
How To Make Dunkin’ Frozen Coffee at Home
It’s easy, fast, and cheap to make frozen coffee at home. With a few simple ingredients that you probably already have and just five to 10 minutes, you can enjoy a delicious frozen coffee.
Here’s how to make Dunkin’ frozen coffee at home:
What You Need:
- Strong Black Coffee — You’ll need a strong, concentrated coffee shot. You can make this using an espresso machine, moka pot, French press, phin filter, or drip coffee maker. We recommend using a 100% arabica
- Whole Milk — You'll need around one cup of whole milk or a dairy-free alternative such as coconut, oat, or almond milk.
- Ice — Around one cup of ice is needed per serving.
- Sugar or Syrup — Sugar or a coffee syrup of your choice (vanilla syrup works well) can be added to sweeten the brew.
- Blender — You need a blender that’s capable of crushing ice.
- Large Glass — Use a large glass with a volume of 8 oz (240 mL) or more to serve the frozen coffee.
- Straw (Optional) — Frozen coffee is best drunk through a straw, although this is optional.
1. Grind Your Coffee
The best frozen coffee is made from freshly ground, high-quality arabica beans such as DaLat. Grind your beans to the consistency needed for your chosen brewing method.
For espresso, moka pot, and Aeropress brewer, a fine grind is required. For most immersion brewing methods, such as French press and pour-over, a medium-coarse to coarse grind is needed.
2. Brew the Coffee
Brew a strong black coffee using a brewing method of your choice. You want to end up with a concentrated shot with a volume of 30 to 60 mL.
Once you’ve brewed the concentrated coffee shot, allow it to cool to room temperature. You can speed up this process by pouring the shot back and forth between two cups.
3. Combine Your Ingredients
In a blender, add the concentrated coffee shot, one cup of whole milk, one cup of ice, and a tablespoon of sugar or coffee syrup (optional).
4. Blend the Ingredients
Secure the lid on your blender and blend on a low speed until the ice is roughly crushed. Once the ice is crushed, increase the speed and blend until a smooth, slushy consistency is achieved.
5. Pour and Enjoy
Pour your frozen coffee into a large, tall serving glass. Add a straw (optional) and enjoy the brew while it's ice cold.
FAQs: Caffeine in Dunkin’ Frozen Coffee
Want to learn more about Dunkin' Frozen Coffee and the caffeine levels in other brews?
Read through the answers to the frequently asked questions below.
1. What is Dunkin’ Frozen Coffee?
Dunkin’ frozen coffee is an iced beverage made with coffee, milk, sugar, and ice. The ingredients are blended to create a thick milkshake-like coffee with a slushy texture.
2. Can You Make Dunkin’ Frozen Coffee at Home?
Yes. You can make Dunkin’ frozen coffee at home. The process is simple. Brew a concentrated shot of coffee and add it to a blender with ice, sugar, and milk. Blend the ingredients until a thick, chilled, slushy coffee has been produced.
3. How Many Calories in Frozen Coffee?
The calories in Dunkin' Frozen Coffee vary depending on volume.
Here are the calories in small, regular, and large frozen coffee from Dunkin’ Donuts:
- Small Frozen Coffee (16 oz) — 390 calories.
- Regular Frozen Coffee (24 oz) — 720 calories.
- Large Frozen Coffee (32 oz) — 860 calories.
4. How Much Caffeine in Dunkin’ Iced Coffee?
Dunkin’ iced coffee is a sweet, milky chilled brew that’s served over ice. Surprisingly, Dunkin’ iced coffee contains more caffeine than frozen coffee.
The amount of caffeine in Dunkin’ iced coffee varies depending on serving size:
- Small Iced Coffee (16 oz) — 234 mg of caffeine.
- Regular Iced Coffee (24 oz) — 357 mg of caffeine.
- Large Iced Coffee (32 oz) — 469 mg of caffeine.
5. Is Cold Brew Healthier Than Iced Coffee?
Cold brew is generally considered healthier than iced coffee because it’s typically served black and unsweetened. However, unsweetened, black iced coffee is just as “healthy” — it’s more acidic but contains less caffeine than cold brew.
6. How Much Caffeine in Cold Brew Coffee?
Cold brew coffee is surprisingly strong. The slow, cold extraction process produces a brew with a high caffeine level. The average 8 oz (240 mL) glass of cold brew coffee can contain anywhere between 80 and 160 mg of caffeine.
7. What’s Stronger — Frozen Coffee or Vietnamese Iced Coffee?
Although Dunkin’ Donuts' frozen coffee is highly caffeinated, Vietnamese iced coffee is generally much stronger. The average 8 oz (240 mL) serving of Vietnamese iced coffee contains around 130 mg of caffeine — the same size serving of frozen coffee contains around 98 mg.
8. What Type of Coffee Does Dunkin’ Use?
Dunkin’ frozen coffee is made with concentrated coffee syrup. This syrup contains 100% arabica coffee extract.
9. What’s the Best Coffee for Making Iced Coffee at Home?
The best coffee for making iced coffee at home should be fresh, high-quality, and freshly ground. Opting for whole-bean coffee and grinding it just before brewing will result in a more complex chilled beverage. Arabica produces a sweet, mellow brew, robusta beans produce a dark, bold brew, and blends offer a balance of the two beans.
10. Can You Make Iced Coffee With a French Press?
Yes. You can make iced coffee with a French press. This brewer can be used to create a concentrated hot-brewed coffee that can be cooled, poured over ice, and diluted with milk to create a delicious iced coffee.
