5 Delicious Flavor Shot Ideas For Your Next Dunkin Drink Order

Dunkin' may have made a name for itself by offering up that classic combo of coffee and donuts, but these days the national chain is known for so much more than that. Between its deliciously hackable breakfast sandwiches and its seasonal lineup of flavorful sips and snacks, there's a Dunkin' creation for just about every craving. Of course, you don't have to settle for what's listed on the menu. From various milk options to sugary syrup swirls, Dunkin's wide range of customization options allow you to put your own creative twist on pretty much all of the shop's drinks. While there's no shortage of ideas to be found on Dunkin's secret menu (which we've personally ranked and reviewed), sometimes all it takes is a simple flavor shot to elevate your basic beverage into something decadent and, dare we say, dessert-worthy.

As of the time of writing, you can find six flavor shots available at Dunkin': vanilla, hazelnut, toasted almond, blueberry, raspberry, and coconut. Unlike the chain's flavor swirls, which are sweetened (and can therefore make sips a little too saccharine depending on other additions), these "shots" are unsweetened and sugar-free, so they allow you to add fresh flavor to your order without overpowering its profile. On that note, if you're seeking some brilliant flavor shot combos to build a better bevvie, you've come to the right place. Read on for five fantastic drink and flavor shot pairings to try the next time you pull up to your local Dunkin'.

One of Dunkin's most beloved winter offerings, the peppermint mocha iced latte truly captures the flavors of the season, combining the richness of espresso and mocha with the bright zing of mint. Indeed, you can pretty much consider it a drinkable peppermint patty. And while the whipped cream and cocoa powder-topped creation is certainly the perfect seasonal treat as is, we can't resist the opportunity to give it a festive, fruity upgrade courtesy of a raspberry flavor shot. Slightly sweet and refreshingly tart, raspberry is an excellent tried-and-true companion to both chocolate and mint. It also plays well with the creaminess of the milk component, whether you choose to go with regular dairy or available alternatives like oat and almond milk.

A small size of the latte features two pumps of peppermint mocha flavoring, a medium size features three, and a large, four. To ensure that the unsweetened raspberry flavor stands up to the powerful presence of the mocha mint, you should ask for an equal amount of raspberry shots relative to the size of your drink. The result? A flavorful burst of fruity, chocolatey, minty goodness that tastes like Christmas in a cup.

When you're in the mood for a warming sip, you can't go wrong with a classic French vanilla latte. Tempering the strong footprint of espresso and complementing the creamy presence of milk, the French vanilla flavor swirl (which, we should note, is distinct from the sugar-free vanilla shot) adds a nice touch of sweetness. But if you want to take your hot drink up a notch, we suggest adding hazelnut and blueberry shots to the mix. Hear us out.

For one thing, the hazelnut flavor shot is the secret behind Tasting Table's favorite sugar-free Dunkin' drink, which also sees it combined with vanilla to add depth and create a well-rounded aromatic profile. Now, if you also incorporate blueberry with the nutty, buttery notes of French vanilla and hazelnut, you'll end up with a delectable twist on a Dunkin' secret menu favorite that tastes just like grandma's blueberry cobbler. Although you can also bring this rich and fruity drink to life with a base of regular hot or iced coffee, we think the additional creaminess of a latte adds to its dessert-like decadence. You can try playing with proportions depending on which flavors you'd prefer to bring out, but for a perfectly balanced blueberry cobbler-inspired sip, we recommend starting with a 1:1:1 ratio of French vanilla syrup, hazelnut, and blueberry flavoring.

Though they both hail from the same Japanese plant, offer a dose of jitter-free caffeine, and are each packed with antioxidants that offer a slew of health benefits, green tea and matcha are, in fact, quite different. Green tea can taste herbaceous and slightly bitter, while matcha, a finely pulverized powder rather than a tea leaf, has an earthy, umami sweetness to it that makes it a wonderful base for a milky latte.

Indeed, there's just something about the vibrant hue and earthy taste of matcha that puts us into a relaxed, vacation mindset, especially when the verdant powdered tea is served on ice. We can confirm that Dunkin' delivers a fabulously frothy take on an iced matcha latte, but if you would really like to lean into the vacation vibes, we recommend asking for the addition of a coconut shot or two. Combined with the mild profile of matcha, the slightly sweet and nutty coconut brings out a brightness in the creamy bev, transforming it into a tropical creation we could easily imagine sipping on a beach somewhere — directly out of a coconut, perhaps. For a fully plant-based version of the drink that plays up the nutty flavoring even further, you can request your iced matcha (and coconut) latte to be made with almond milk instead of whole milk. Either way, expect some chilled, creamy, earthy perfection that's good for you to boot.

A chilly weather favorite, even the aroma of a hot chai tea is enough to deliver a sense of coziness and warmth. In our opinion, Dunkin's take on the Indian-spiced beverage is beautifully full-bodied, filled with the flavors of cinnamon, cardamom, and nutmeg, able to instantly transport you to the fireplace of a rustic mountainside cabin. And what could pair better with those warming spices than a subtly sweet hint of vanilla? We suggest adding a sugar-free vanilla shot to the tea in order to add some nice balance to those built-in chai flavors without completely overshadowing them. After all, that signature bit of bite is what makes a chai so special.

If regular milk isn't your cup of tea (no pun intended), Tasting Table's preferred plant-based version, an oat milk chai latte, is a great alternative. The oat milk provides plenty of creaminess and density to the drink, sans any actual dairy. Either way, though, you can count on your vanilla-accented Dunkin' chai latte to be rich, spicy, and multifaceted enough to make your palate sing in any season.

We don't know about you, but we can never resist the opportunity to munch on an Almond Joy bar (even if it means scouring our kid's trick-or-treat bag on Halloween). To bring that chocolatey, coconut-y, almond-y flavor to life in the form of a frozen, slurpable treat, look no further than this secret Dunkin' drink hack.

You'll first want to start with the chain's frozen chocolate, a delectably indulgent slushy sip finished off with a chocolate syrup swirl and a mountain of whipped cream. Although it can be customized with Dunkin's other sweetened flavors, one of the reasons we recommend going the sugar-free flavor shot route is to avoid a total sugar overload. The other reason is that we can achieve that perfect Almond Joy flavoring by combining two of the shot options: toasted almond and coconut. Start with one shot of each for a small, two for a medium, and three for a large.

Although it may not feature the beloved candy bar's signature crunch, the resulting creation definitely nails the taste. For a slightly less intense chocolate flavor, however, you can try adding the toasted almond and coconut shots to a regular mocha latte. Pair it with a batch of Tasting Table's oatmeal Almond Joy cookies and you'll really be set.