What caramel does Dunkin use? Why I love it in my coffee

What brand of caramel does Dunkin Donuts use?

What caramel does Dunkin use?

Dunkin’s caramel is the Torani Caramel Syrup.

Torani is a gourmet flavor company with roots in the motherland of savory, delicious coffee: Italy.

That Italian, full-bodied coffee profile is part of why Torani syrup reads as rich and creamy, with a light vanilla note underneath.

For me, that vanilla note is what keeps the caramel from tasting flat.

A brief history of Torani

Torani has been around since 1925, so it is hardly a newcomer in coffee.

The founders, Rinaldo and Ezilda Torre, brought that Italian influence to San Francisco, California.

The early flavors included Anisette, Grenadine, Leon, Orgeat, and Tamarindo.

In 1982, Torani launched vanilla syrup, which ended up in some of the first flavored lattes.

After finding success with a mix of natural and artificial flavors, Torani shifted its focus toward specialty coffee drinks.

By 1994, the brand had gone global, moving into specialty cafes and plenty of other coffee counters.

Today, it still operates out of San Leandro, California, with a 330,000 square foot “flavor factory”.

Does Dunkin use caramel sauce or syrup?

Dunkin Donuts Caramel is an all-natural syrup created and crafted with care by Torani – a shining example of coffee flavor excellence for nearly 100 years.

Here’s the difference between caramel sauce and syrup:

Comparison table

Dunkin’s caramel drinks are a good place to notice how syrup and sauce behave differently once they hit the cup.

What’s in Dunkin Donuts caramel?

A few things stand out about Dunkin’s caramel:

Ingredients breakdown

Torani’s caramel flavor is a big part of why the drinks taste so rounded.

Ingredient list:

Sodium benzoate and potassium sorbate help preserve freshness, which is why the syrup keeps so well.

Sugar content

Torani caramel swirl syrup has 22 g of sugar per 2 tablespoons, or 38% of a 2,000-calorie daily intake.

How many pumps?

For Dunkin, measuring comes down to the pump system, where each Dunkin’ Donuts drink size keeps the amount of flavor consistent:

A small Dunkin Caramel Swirl gets 2 pumps, a medium 3, and a large 4.

A pump is generally about half a tablespoon, or 1/4 fluid ounce, so that works out to 1 tablespoon for a small, 1.5 for a medium, and 2 for a large.

Fat content

Dunkin Donuts caramel swirl syrups are fat-free, so they mix into coffee without adding much weight.

I notice that fat usually carries flavor and gives sweeter coffees a fuller, more velvety feel.

Without it, the syrup stays lighter and mostly changes the taste rather than the mouthfeel.

Calorie content

Dunkin Caramel Flavored Swirl Syrup is 80 calories per 2 tablespoons, or 20 per pump.

For contrast, Starbucks caramel flavored syrup is listed at 40 calories per pump.

That makes Dunkin’s caramel syrup the lighter option on paper.

Full nutritional guide

What caramel options does Dunkin Donuts have? (Our top picks!)

1. Caramel Swirl

The Dunkin Caramel Swirl is made with freshly brewed coffee, high-quality creamers, real cane sugar, and a creamy caramel flavor.

A splash of skim milk brings out the nutty, almost hazelnut-almond notes in the signature blend.

I like that I can swap milk types, add or skip flavor swirls, change espresso shots, and still end up with something that feels personal instead of default.

The caramel swirl is the base for several other Dunkin caramel drinks, including the Caramel Iced Coffee.

2. Caramel Iced Coffee

The Caramel Iced Coffee is the one that got me into iced coffee, mostly because it still tastes like coffee instead of dessert ice, even with the sweetness.

A lot of iced coffees I tried before that ended up tasting thin once the ice melted, which was the part that put me off.

Dunkin’s Caramel Iced Coffee stays sturdy enough that the flavor does not fall apart as it dilutes.

The caramel sweetness gives it a softer, more indulgent finish without burying the coffee underneath.

3. Caramel Craze Signature Latte

The Caramel Craze Signature is velvety and rich, with Italian espresso, frothy milk, caramel syrup, and whip.

I usually gravitate toward lattes because they give me caffeine without tasting harsh or overly sharp.

The whip, caramel drizzle, and cinnamon sugar make this one feel closer to dessert than an everyday coffee.

That is pretty much the point, and it lands that way.

Bonus: Caramel Drizzle

The Caramel Drizzle can be added to nearly any Dunkin coffee, and it shifts the drink toward a sweeter, more dessert-like finish without changing the base coffee too much.

For the caramel sauce, Dunkin uses a blend of condensed milk with smooth melted caramel.

I like the sauce on a macchiato because it plays well with the light cream and toasted nutty note.

FAQs

Is the caramel at Dunkin dairy free?

Dunkin’s caramel is dairy-free, but the swirls do contain dairy.

Does Dunkin Donuts sell their caramel?

Dunkin does sell their caramel, and I’ve seen it at major retailers and on Amazon.

Does Dunkin have caramel cream?

Dunkin does make caramel creamer, and the Salted Caramel Creamer is a popular one.

Does Dunkin use unsweetened caramel?

Dunkin also uses unsweetened caramel, plus hazelnut and mocha syrups without sugar.

Add caramel to your Dunkin' Drinks today!

Dunkin’s signature Torani caramel syrup is still part of the lineup.

That gives you a sweet base to work with in cold brew, iced coffee, macchiatos, and lattes, depending on how sweet I want the drink.

I like the savory-sweet Torani caramel flavor, and I sometimes ask for a couple of extra pumps when I want it to stand out more without turning the drink completely syrupy.