Jingle Beans: Christmas Coffee Flavors That Capture the Holidays

‘Tis the season for some Christmas coffee fa la la la la la la la la…

Everyone still drinks coffee on Christmas. Just because it’s the holidays doesn’t mean we skip the java. And what makes a regular cuppa different from Christmas coffee drinks? Plain and simple, it’s the flavours. 

Think about it. When the season starts, you’ll find an array of pumpkin-spiced this, peppermint that, and caramel those… People still do enjoy a regular cup of coffee on Christmas but it’s really the flavours or the taste that makes it feel different, you know?

Capturing Christmas Coffee Flavours

So how do you make your cup of Christmas coffee more festive? We’ll give you some quick and easy recommendations to perk up that brew. Whether you drink yours piping hot or ice cold, these tricks will work great. 

Cinnamon or Pumpkin Spice

We’ll start with an ingredient you may already have at home, and that’s cinnamon, which is one of the most common Christmas coffee flavours. It’s actually one of the core spices that make up pumpkin spice and, even on its own, can make your coffee taste better.

If you prefer to add pumpkin spice, which is readily available in stores, go for it! We just find we have more uses for cinnamon rather than premixed pumpkin spice. The latter might end up sitting in your spice cabinet after the holidays and it’s such a shame to go to waste. 

Cinnamon or pumpkin spice works particularly well if you want to cut more bitter coffee. Try adding cinnamon to dark roasts (which are usually more bitter than light roasts) like the Inga Aponte Single-Origin Colombian Coffee. It would also blend perfectly with the cocoa and plum notes!

Caramel or Vanilla Syrups

Another thing you can add to your Christmas coffee is a pump or two of vanilla or caramel syrups. For the time being, don’t worry about the extra calories or sugar you’ll be adding - it’s the holidays, after all. Enjoy yourself!

Though you’re more than welcome to make your own caramel syrup at home and add that to your coffee, you can easily pick up some from your local store. We’re sure they’ll be in abundance since it’s the season for them. Light, medium, dark… Caramel and vanilla syrups taste great in just about any brew.

The Montelin Single-Origin Nicaraguan Coffee has festive notes of apricot, chocolate mousse, and nougat. Instead of adding sugar, add sweetness in the form of syrups!

Chocolate

It’s Christmas so there’s bound to be a whole lot of chocolate! Adding chocolate flavour to your coffee could be as easy or as fancy as you want it to be. Grab a full bar and a grater and add chocolate shavings to your coffee or blend chunks up with your brew and some ice to make yourself a homemade frappe.

You can also melt some chocolate to stir into your Christmas coffee. Or grab some chocolate syrup, which you may already have at home, and just use that! 

Similar to caramel or vanilla, chocolate is one of those Christmas coffee flavours that go well with any kind of roast. Try it with the already chocolatey Fazenda Eldorado Single-Origin Brazilian Coffee. That and its cherry and hazelnut notes will pair perfectly with chocolate. 

Whipped Cream and Flavoured Milk or Creamers

Make a creamy brew just the way you like, with a generous splash of milk or with a topping of whipped cream. Some folks want a taste of Christmas without messing up their usual morning coffee. If you’re one of them, you can grab flavoured Christmas coffee milk or creamers to give yourself a feel of the holidays. We’re sure you can find some flavoured in caramel, vanilla, or even chocolate.

A huge spritz of whipped cream to both hot and cold coffees will also do the trick! Everyone usually has a can of whipped cream in the fridge - it goes well with pies, cakes, and other holiday desserts. Just take that can and top off your coffee with it, too. While you’re at it, maybe sprinkle on some mini marshmallows to make it extra fun. 

Our Bombe Sidama Single-Origin Ethiopia Coffee is one of our bestsellers because it already tastes great. You can certainly have it creamier when you add either milk, creamers, or whipped cream. Have it your way!

Make Your Christmas Coffee Drinks With Portfolio!

As you can see, a lot of our recommendations are easy to do. These mostly consist of ingredients every Christmas-celebrating home may already have, and that’s what we’re going for. With many of us travelling home for the holidays, we wouldn’t want to be a burden for gracious hosts. Making a holiday-filled Christmas coffee shouldn’t be so hard to do!

If you are hosting and want to impress your guests with some delicious coffee, look no further than Portfolio Coffee. We’ve got a lot of tasty picks for you and your family.