How often have we enjoyed a delicious coffee accompanied by an English muffin from Dunkin’? It may be on many occasions. And the fact is that Dunkin’ Donuts is one of the world’s leading chains of coffee shops. Characterized by its wide variety of donuts and delicious high-quality sandwiches.
However, if we talk about Dunkin’, we have to mention their iconic coffee beverages characterized for being a product of unique quality. In this regard, if it is about individual and original flavors, the Dunkin Pumpkin Spice is the one. But, Is this drink suitable for vegans?
What is in the Dunkin Pumpkin Spice?
According to the description of Dunkin’, the Pumpkin Spice is a combination of espresso with flavors of pumpkin and vanilla that, in the end, is covered by whipped cream, candy, and cinnamon sugar rain. The table of ingredients includes:
| Ingredients |
| · ¼ Cup of milk (or a dairy product of your choice)
· ¼ Cup of Dunkin´ Caramel Extra Creamer · 1 Capsule Dunkin´ Pumpkin Spice k-Cup · Pumpkin Spice Syrup · 1 Tablespoon of whipped cream · A pinch of cinnamon |
However, if you research the list of ingredients in the pumpkin spice capsule of Dunkin’, you can notice that Dunkin’ does not publish the ingredients for their PSL. But, we can get an idea of the ingredients if we compare them to the Pumpkin Spice Syrup that Starbucks implements in their Pumpkin Spice Latte.
According to Starbucks’ PSL, their Pumpkin Spice Syrup is made of sugar, nonfat milk, pumpkin puree, 2% fruit, and vegetable juice for the color. In addition, salt, annatto, and potassium sorbate.
Likewise, in the manner of nutrition, if you examine the nutrition guide of Dunkin’, you can imagine what this drink provides. They point out that a small coffee with milk and pumpkin spice with whole milk possesses 300 calories, besides 11gr of fat, 8gr of protein, 42gr of carbs, and 38gr of sugar.
How Is the Pumpkin Spice Prepared?
If you are into pumpkin espresso beverages, making your own homemade Dunkin’ Pumpkin Spice will be great. However, the instructions that I am going to give you now is the one that Dunkin’ carried out to prepare its drink.
Now then, the process is not that complicated; you just need to have the right ingredients to make it and your coffee maker. If this is your case, the following steps to prepare your caramel color drink are:
- Prepare a cup of coffee of your choice.
- Add milk and cream to the frothing pitcher.
- Then, you have to press the CAPP button of your coffee maker to lather the foam.
- The next step is to prepare your k-cup capsule (you can buy it online in the Dunkin’ store). To do this, you must press the CAPP button of your coffee maker, followed by the BREW button.
- Take the frothed milk, pour it over the previously prepared coffee, and sweeten it to your preference if desired.
- Cover it with whipped cream.
- Finish with a pinch of cinnamon.
Is the Dunkin’ Pumpkin Spice Suitable For Vegans?
The Dunkin’ with pumpkin milk is a sales hit in the fall season, even above its rival: the Starbucks version of the same drink. However, this delightful espresso coffee with pumpkin flavor is unsuitable for vegans. Why? There are several reasons.
- The original version is not vegan since the base ingredients use whole milk; this is the mix with the expresso and pumpkin spices, cinnamon, and vanilla.
- Changing the whole milk can be easy; for example, you could use oat milk. The difficulty is in the pumpkin-flavored swirl syrup. This delicious syrup is elaborated with milk, making the drink unsuitable for vegans. Furthermore, depending on the size you ask for, you can get two or four flavor shots of pumpkin syrup.
- The cold version of this beverage implements cold beer with pumpkin cream. These are combined with milk and sugar; therefore, it is not a 100% vegan beverage either.
Even if the whole milk is replaced with suitable milk for vegans, it is hard to put this drink on a vegan’s table, since not only there is milk used in the drink’s base but also other dairy products are used in the whipped cream and the pumpkin syrup; and changing these two ingredients would be pretty tricky to do.
Other vegan-friendly beverage options at Dunkin’
- Dunkin’ apple and blueberry drink: This beverage is completely suitable for vegans and is a great option to warm yourself in this cold season. It is made with apple and blueberry flavors and a lovely Green tea and vitamin B. An ideal drink to recharge your body that also contains malic acid, vegetable juice, pyridoxine hydrochloride, and Calcium D-pantothenate.
- Apple Cranberry Dunkin: This is the creamy version of the drink above, thanks to the coconut milk that was used to make it. The base of the ingredients is similar, with cranberry and apple concentrate and vegetable juice and green tea extract. The natural flavor is perfect for vegans.
- Hot lattes: These only need to be ordered in their vegan milk version, coconut, oat, or almond milk.
- Hot or iced matcha latte: This is a beverage that has almond milk, coconut, and oatmeal.
- Consolata: You can order this in the flavors of Frozen Arnold Palmer, Mango Passion Fruit, and Minute Main Orange.
- Mocha Swirl: This beverage is found on the Dunkin’ vegan menu since it is made without cow milk or any subproducts from animals.
Vegan Alternatives In Other Places
- Starbucks: Seeking to reconcile with the vegan public, Starbucks has been developing its menu free of animal sources. In the case of its coffees and beverages, they have taken a big step in creating their unique vegan coffee creamer so that you can order drinks with this ingredient without any problem.
- Watercourse Foods: This exceptional coffee is a Pioneer in the vegan community of Colorado. Its menu is entirely meat-free, and comfort food abounds as is the home of the vegan chicken and vegan waffles.
- Blaze Pizza: Ideal for all vegans who love pizzas, salads, and more. Blaze Pizza is characterized by its traditional dough of great sponginess and without gluten, with vegan cheese and a great variety of other meals suitable for the vegan community.
- TGI Friday: Although their specialty is not vegan food (actually, they still have a long way to go to develop a vegan menu), their menu offers the Beyond Burger, a vegan burger of excellent quality and flavor; you just have to ask for it without mayonnaise and cheese.
- PF Chang: The great advantage of PF Chang is that almost all of its menu with meat is replaceable with tofu, and you will be enjoying a vegan dish. Without counting that, they already have meals qualified as vegan, like Harvest Thai Curry, Ma Po Tofu, and Coconut Curry Vegetables.
- In Conclusion
Dunkin’ is a fantastic chain of coffee shops; however, if you are vegan and wish to taste their Pumpkin Spice, sadly, there is no vegan option for you.
But you can opt for some vegan drink options, which are still of excellent quality and taste. Also, pair them with a tasty vegan sandwich (avocado toasts are delicious and healthy).
F.A.Q:
Are Dunkin’ pumpkin swirls vegan?
No, Dunkin’ pumpkin syrup is not vegan.; this is elaborated with milk, high fructose corn syrup, sugar, brown sugar, and water. Therefore, if you are vegan, this is not an ingredient you want to have in your beverages.
Do Dunkin’ flavored swirls contain dairy products?
If it is about the flavored drinks of Dunkin’, it should be clarified that these do not contain dairy products, but if it is about the flavored swirls, these do include dairy products, with some exceptions.
The Dunkin’ flavored swirls are made with condensed sugar milk, fewer shots of vanilla flavor, almond, coconut, mocha, and toasted almond.
Does Dunkin have non-dairy milk?
Yes, in the last few years, the business has made an effort to not only have a variety of coffees but also have dairy-free drinks. As an alternative to whole milk, the chain of coffee shops put at disposal of their clients, almond, hazelnut, oatmeal, and coconut milk.
If you are new to consuming this type of milk, I recommend you try a vegan version of chai latte and Matcha lattes to taste the change in the milk. Similarly, you can order these non-dairy kinds of milk in your hot coffees, ice creams, espresso beverages, and special drinks.
Does Dunkin’ Cold Foam contain dairy products?
Yes, this creamy and velvety ingredient is made from milk, which can be added to all its cold beverages. However, Dunkin’ offers a cream foam alternative, which can be made from vegetable milk.
