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Dunkin' Iced Coffee

Dunkin' Iced Coffee
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Prep 5 min Cook 5 min Serves 4
Quick answer: Dunkin' Iced Coffee is medium-roast brewed coffee, sweetened while hot and poured over ice — simple but formulated to stay smooth and un-bitter even after chilling. It takes 10 minutes (5 min brew, 5 min cool). Make 4 servings for about $0.50 each vs. $4–5 per cup at Dunkin'.

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Dunkin' Iced Coffee

Brew smooth, perfectly sweetened Dunkin' Donuts-style iced coffee at home that tastes just like the drive-through original.

Easy Prep: 5 min Cook: 5 min Total: 10 min4 servings ~$2.45/serving
Prep5 min
Cook5 min
Total10 min
Servings
4
At home~$2.45/serving
vs
Restaurant~$11.02/serving
You save ~78%

The Story Behind the Recipe

Brew smooth, perfectly sweetened Dunkin' Donuts-style iced coffee at home that tastes just like the drive-through original.

Nutrition Facts

Per serving (4 servings)
Calories150
Total Fat5g
Total Carbs25g
Dietary Fiber0g
Sugars20g
Protein5g
Sodium50mg

* Estimated values based on standard recipe preparation. Actual values may vary.

Ingredients

Instructions

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Pro tip: This recipe tastes even better the next day. The flavors need time to meld together in the fridge.
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Storage: Keeps in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. Freezer-friendly for up to 3 months.
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Dunkin’ Donuts iced coffee has a devoted following that rivals any coffeehouse chain. It is smooth, sweet, and endlessly drinkable — the kind of coffee you can sip all morning without it getting harsh or bitter. The secret is simpler than you think, and this recipe captures that signature Dunkin’ flavor perfectly.

Why This Recipe Works

Dunkin’ uses a medium-roast coffee, which produces a smoother, less acidic flavor than dark roasts. They also sweeten their drinks with liquid sugar rather than granulated, which is why the sweetness is always perfectly distributed. The simple syrup in this recipe replicates that technique. Brewing the coffee stronger than normal compensates for the dilution from ice.

Pro Tips
  • Medium-roast beans are the key to the Dunkin’ flavor profile. Dark roasts will taste too bitter and bold.
  • Make a large batch of coffee and simple syrup at the beginning of the week for instant iced coffees all week long.
  • For a Dunkin’-style flavor swirl, add 2 tablespoons of caramel, mocha, or hazelnut syrup instead of plain simple syrup.
  • Use whole milk for the creamiest result, or switch to oat milk for a popular dairy-free option.
More Dunkin’ Copycat Recipes
  • Dunkin’ Butter Pecan Iced Coffee — the seasonal fan favorite: same cold brew base with toasted butter pecan syrup and a splash of cream.
  • Dunkin’ Glazed Donuts — the classic pairing; light yeasted donuts with a thin vanilla glaze, fresh in under two hours.
  • Dunkin’ Munchkins — bite-size donut holes in glazed, powdered, or chocolate; the easy option when you want fresh donuts without the ring-cutting step.

See all Dunkin’ copycat recipes →

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Make It Healthier

Love Dunkin' Iced Coffee but want a lighter version? Try these simple swaps:

  • ✓Reduce granulated sugar or use a sugar substitute.
  • ✓Use skim milk or unsweetened almond milk instead of whole milk/cream.
  • ✓Brew coffee stronger to reduce need for added flavor/sweetness.
  • ✓Skip the vanilla extract or use a sugar-free version.

Frequently Asked Questions

What coffee does Dunkin' use for their iced coffee?

Dunkin' uses their own proprietary medium roast blend brewed fresh throughout the day at each location. The beans are a blend of arabica coffee, roasted to a medium level that's lighter and less bitter than dark roasts — this is what gives Dunkin' iced coffee its smooth, drinkable quality compared to the bolder, more acidic Starbucks style. For the best home result, use any quality medium-roast arabica ground coffee, brewed about 25% stronger than normal to account for ice dilution.

Why is Dunkin' iced coffee less bitter than Starbucks iced coffee?

Two reasons: Dunkin' uses a lighter medium roast (lighter roasts have less bitterness and more natural sweetness), and they brew at lower strength overall compared to Starbucks. Starbucks iced coffee uses their Terraza Blend, which is a dark roast brewed as a concentrate — stronger, bolder, and more acidic. Neither approach is wrong, but the Dunkin' style prioritizes smooth drinkability over coffee intensity, which is why it appeals to people who find Starbucks iced coffee too strong.

How do you make Dunkin' sweet cream iced coffee at home?

For Dunkin'-style sweet cream, heat ½ cup heavy cream with 2 tablespoons sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract in a small saucepan until sugar dissolves. Let it cool, then pour it over iced coffee as the cream component instead of plain milk. This produces the slightly sweet, vanilla-kissed cream that Dunkin' uses in their flavored iced lattes. For a lighter version, use half-and-half instead of heavy cream.

Why do you need to brew coffee stronger for iced coffee?

Ice melts and dilutes the drink significantly — a glass of iced coffee can contain 20-30% water from melted ice by the time you finish it. Brewing at normal strength produces a watery, thin iced coffee. The standard fix is to brew at 25-50% stronger than usual (the 1:4 ratio in this recipe vs. the typical 1:6-8 coffee-to-water ratio), or to brew a cold brew concentrate. Alternatively, freeze leftover coffee into coffee ice cubes so melting doesn't dilute the flavor at all.

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Dunkin' is a trademark of its owner, used here only to describe the dish this recipe recreates. This is an independent copycat written in our own words — Copycat Spices is not affiliated with, endorsed by or sponsored by Dunkin'.

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