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If you’re desperate to enjoy the festive flavors of coffee this holiday season, Keurig He has them in spades. The world’s most popular single-serve coffee maker has inspired dozens of companies to launch a wide range of seasonal specials, from spiced Christmas blends and chilled peppermint mochas to proven pumpkin spice lattes and delicious sugar cookie espressos.
But not all K-Cups are on Santa’s nice list this year. I put my taste buds (and stomach) through the wringer by sipping a whopping 32 flavor offerings to determine which are the best of the best (the nice list), the only ok ones (the middle of the pack) and the ones to skip (the naughty list).
I brewed all my holiday coffee pods to find these 10 sausages.
Although taste is subjective, I have kept my brewing and preparation methods consistent. Each capsule is prepared in a standard 8-ounce capacity and combined with 1 tablespoon of vanilla creamer and 1/2 packet of sugar.
Although there’s nothing quite like the caffeine drink of a hot coal, some definitely shined brighter than others. Here’s a comprehensive ranking, keeping in mind that there are dozens of other companies and flavor offerings that we weren’t able to get our hands on in time.
And if you don’t like sweet or spicy coffee, this is it Best K-Cups (non-holiday) out of 40 we tested.
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Top 10 Holiday Cups: The Cool List
The notes were more caramel and toffee-like, but this was a hit and practically requested spiced rum and whipped cream.
The apple flavor was faint, though somewhat artificial. However, it tasted great with a little added sweetness and creaminess, making it one of the most unique of the bunch.
This didn’t taste like pumpkin spice but I found the smoothness exceptional, especially when extracted from a plastic cup. And for true coffee lovers who prefer a press or espresso machine, we appreciate anything that comes even slightly close to the gold standard.
If you’re looking for the best mint-based K-Cup, Starbucks has you covered with its Peppermint Mocha. While this scent wasn’t amazing, the mint didn’t overpower it and paired flawlessly with the chocolate mocha. They’re certainly not as good as the store-bought variety, but they make an excellent at-home alternative if you’re trying to save your hard-earned money for gifts.
This came as a shock to me, because I’m guilty of gravitating towards exotic candy flavors rather than the signature holiday mix. But Starbucks really came out of the North Pole with this roast that will probably feed Rudolph’s red nose, because the caffeine hits like an oversized snowflake.
Oddly enough, roasting coffee brings out the flavor of fresh biscuits that can only be obtained from the oven. Although this is not something I drink every day, I felt like it had enough seasonal excitement to be part of my December rotation.
This was perhaps the most appealing to the nose, then served up further by a spice-boosted upgrade to a regular cup. Pair this with flavored cream to up the ante and take advantage of its versatility.
Admittedly, the K-Cup came with a lot of fanfare from friends, family members and colleagues, so it was no surprise that it ranked so highly. It’s sweet, spicy, and — dare I say — buttery, making it a welcome addition to cold winter mornings in flannel pajamas and the dread of holiday shopping.
Since this comes pre-sweetened and with milk, it definitely has an advantage. And while Judge Judy– Witnessing the equality inside me wanted to be removed from the competition as a matter of fairness, and I felt as if I needed to share it with the world as a degenerate departure from the norm.
Warning: It’s so sweet and so creamy it’s worth getting an Uber to track down.
As an author Basic bitchI know a good pumpkin spice latte when I taste one. This is one of the best I have ever gotten from one capsule. There was an incredible balance between the clove and cinnamon notes, unlike most mainstream brands that pile on headache-inducing amounts to mask cheap coffee.
I didn’t go into this taste test assuming that a pumpkin spice offering would snatch gold, but here we are, and here I am getting ready to serve this to Santa on Christmas Eve with his cookies.
Middle of the collection: Holiday cups that I liked but didn’t love
These holiday K-Cups were just fine.
Crazy cups with mint, chocolate and mocha: It smelled and tasted so much like chocolate that it overpowered the mint. This is not easy and somewhat defeats the purpose of purchasing a product that contains a reputable ingredient.
Gingerbread Mod Spice: Spice It Up has not added flavor to my life. In fact, it was a bit one-dimensional and would have benefited from more robust additions, like actual ginger.
MAUD It’s the great pumpkin, Mrs. Brown: Spoiler alert: It’s not great, Ms. Brown. The pumpkin was present but was overshadowed by the cinnamon which practically eliminated all the natural sweetness.
Green Mountain Vacation Blend: Coffee without the holiday bells and Santa’s reindeer whistle. It didn’t disgust me but it melted into the background when compared to most alternatives.
Crazy cups, vanilla, pumpkin, spices: Here things started to take a turn for the better. Although I wasn’t particularly fond of the vanilla and pumpkin spice, it wasn’t disappointing. A solid choice for those whose primary diet is white bread, mashed potatoes, and dry chicken.
McAfee Horchata Latte: This one amazed me. It’s brewed pre-sweetened but tastes almost like clove-infused sugar water. However, I also couldn’t stop drinking it, so I think “I love it.”
Starbucks Toasted Coconut Mocha: I’m not entirely sure this qualifies as a holiday flavor but it was labeled as a limited release in December. I loved the toasted coconut flavour, but I almost wish it would be paired with white chocolate to delight true Christmas lovers.
Maude Holiday Spice: I appreciated the fact that this didn’t assault the taste buds like some of Maud’s other flavors, which were a bit heavy in the spice department. A solid choice after holiday dinner to supplement cakes, cookies, and digestive problems.
Crazy Caramel Eggnog Cups: There was nothing ‘natural’ about this flavor combination, however I enjoyed its attempt to capture the essence of the most festive Christmas drink and add a little more sugar to it.
Starbucks Maple Pecan: This had a wonderful maple taste that made me wish I was sipping it with a stack of pancakes or pancakes.
The Naughty List: Holiday cups you can skip
Here are some holiday K-Cups you can skip.
Zinbin Pumpkin Spice: This tastes more like spruce than anything pumpkin or cinnamon based.
Donut Café Pumpkin Spice: Coffee shouldn’t taste as sour as a pickle, however this pod proved me wrong.
Zainabin Holiday Spice: The taste of Play-Doh placed this “holiday spice” set near the bottom of the list.
Entenmann’s Pumpkin Spice: I love their baked goods, but I hated the pumpkin spice variety, which is, dare I say, burnt and almost smoky.
Zinbin Mint Mocha: If you’re looking for a coffee that tastes like drywall mixed with menthol, this is the coffee for you.
The Original Peppermint Bark Donut Shop: This created a cult following and I may be in the minority, but Mint was just a whisper and not a leadership role.
Maud merry cherry: Admittedly, I was very excited about this product because I adore Nespresso’s fruit-based pods, but this was straight-up Robitussin masked by an amazing scent.
Caribou Reindeer Coffee Blend: There was nothing wrong with this coffee but I found it basic, boring and unmemorable.
Maude Cinnamon Sugar Cookies: Too much cinnamon and not enough biscuits, which is not a good problem at all.
Skinnygirl pumpkin spice: The only word she wrote was “bleh,” which can be better translated as lacking depth and character.
Spiced ginger crazy cups: I’m not sure why this perfume tastes like the fragrance section at Macy’s, but what did it lack in gingerbread, it made up for with a floral scent?
Maude Frosted Mint Chip: While the mint flavor was subtle, it left a lasting impression with the mouthwash. I think drinking it kills two birds with one stone, which may be attractive to those who prioritize oral hygiene.