8 Crazy Cups Ground Coffee Flavors, Ranked

Sugary lattes are not something I want to be drinking year-round. However, occasionally I do want some kind of flavor, even if not from simple syrup. Luckily, Crazy Cups offers ground coffee flavors, including blueberry cobbler, Irish cream, and cinnamon French toast, that can satisfy a sweet tooth without any added sugar.

With such an intriguing list of flavors, I couldn't help but do a taste test to determine which ones are worth buying. I have participated in a few coffee tasting workshops around the world, and while I am by no means a sommelier, I do know how to observe many of the basic qualities of a cup of Joe. For instance, a coffee might be sweet as molasses or bright as a lemon. It also might be multilayered, or it might put everything on the table in the first sip.

Crazy Cups Caramel Eggnog coffee held up well against other eggnog-flavored products this holiday season, but I stuck to year-round flavors for this experiment. Each coffee is medium roast and caffeinated (though decaffeinated versions of each flavor are available online). I prepared each product as a 6-ounce hot cup of coffee in my DeLonghi Magnifica Start coffee machine to ensure a more consistent brew. I then ranked the coffees according to how outstanding and well-balanced the flavor and aroma were. After sampling each plain, I also added a dash of Oatly creamer to see how it performed with additional sweetness and body.

When I tried my friend's Ferrero Rocher gelato shake in Spain, childhood memories came flooding back to me in a single instant. I will never forget the time I squirreled away a box of Ferrero Rochers in my closet and savored them one by one. We may not get to enjoy the chocolate-hazelnut combination in the United States as much as folks do in Europe, but Crazy Cups gives us one more opportunity to do so with its chocolate-hazelnut-flavored ground coffee.

Unfortunately, this coffee was far more bitter than sweet, and it might leave fans of Nutella (such as myself) unsatisfied. In fact, even after I added creamer, this coffee remained extremely bitter. It had a light body and was too watery compared to the rich flavor I was expecting. On the bright side, this coffee offered some appealing smoky notes and a nutty aroma that I enjoyed. Plus, the brand's nut-flavored coffees contain zero real nuts, making this product safe for those with nut allergies.

If you are a fan of bitter coffee, I suggest enjoying this product alongside a sweet dish, such as a freshly made stack of Nutella French toast. Or you could opt for a dish with fruits like strawberries, raspberries, or cherries. For instance, you could blend this coffee into a healthy Black Forest smoothie to elevate its sweetness and bring you more of those European vibes.

If you ever have the pleasure of tasting my mom's fruit cobblers, you'll understand why I try to align my visits home with blueberry season. I couldn't wait to try this blueberry cobbler coffee, not only because I love blueberry cobbler, but also because this was one of the more novel flavors on Crazy Cups' website. Over the course of a few coffee workshops and tours, I had learned about the fruity notes of coffee beans themselves. However, I had never tasted a blueberry-flavored coffee — much less, one that incorporates the flavor of cobbler as well.

Unfortunately, this coffee disappointed me. The grounds and my freshly brewed cup offered aromas that were wonderful and smelled just like blueberry cobbler, but they promised too much. Upon taking my first sip, I found that this coffee was indisputably bright and summery, but that the blueberry flavor was too thin. If it had been more robust, I may have enjoyed the initial tasting notes of this coffee. Instead, the aftertaste is what satisfied me.

This coffee was somewhat acidic, and the creamer helped make it smell and taste sweeter. I recommend sipping this coffee in an iced latte, where the fruity notes can achieve more vibrancy. Overall, this coffee was just fine, but it may require some doctoring up to meet your needs.

As a trick-or-treater, my face always brightened when neighbors dropped chocolate bars into my Jack-o'-lantern-shaped bucket. I was never crazy about Cow Tales or Twizzlers, but Hershey's bars, KitKats, and Reese's? I couldn't get enough of them. However, as an adult who now prefers a mostly plant-based diet, I'm more picky about the chocolate I eat. Luckily, Crazy Cups' death by chocolate flavor is a way for drinkers to satisfy their sweet tooth and get a kick of caffeine simultaneously — without any added sugar or dairy.

This is the Crazy Cups flavor that I would reach for on an everyday basis if I didn't want an obvious flavor to my beverage. Though notes of chocolate were detectable, they weren't domineering. This coffee had a rich flavor and mouthfeel, and it was not bitter. With a small pour of creamer, it became smooth and almost velvety. On subsequent tastings, I enjoyed how a peppermint mocha-flavored creamer complemented this coffee. This coffee was enjoyable, but it ultimately was not one of my favorites because it could have been more unique. If the chocolate had been more conspicuous, it may have ranked higher.

While this flavor was fine when served black, you could also incorporate a shot of it into a frozen funky monkey banana mocha. Chocolate pairs beautifully with so many ingredients — including peanut butter, strawberries, mint, and salt — that the possibilities are endless for this coffee.

Despite being the most "normal" flavor on this list, you shouldn't dismiss the French vanilla créme-flavored ground coffee from Crazy Cups before trying it. It's an everyday classic that won't bore or overstimulate you, and it pairs well with plenty of other ingredients. You can add in spoonful of caramel sauce, a drizzle of sage simple syrup, or even a dose of whiskey.

French vanilla is different from regular vanilla in that it has a more custard-like flavor. Usually, French vanilla is associated with ice cream — specifically, ice cream that features eggs — but this flavor has also graced the labels of coffee creamers, yogurts, and even a Betty Crocker cake mix. When vanilla just seems too vanilla, French vanilla promises more elegance.

This coffee had a full body with smoky notes, making it comforting on a cold morning. It was slightly acidic and not as sweet as I expected, but that could be a good thing for those who find vanilla lattes  too cloying. I was also pleased with the aftertaste of this coffee, especially when creamer was included; it was smooth, creamy, and subtly sweet.

I had hoped that this coffee would fill my mouth with a floral, caramel-like aroma and flavor to enjoy long after my last sip. Instead, its tasting notes were too front-loaded and did not unveil themselves slowly as I would have liked. To help remedy this issue, amp up the French vanilla flavor of this coffee by incorporating one of the best vanilla coffee creamers that money can buy.

I'll be honest: Before this experiment, I never fully comprehended what Irish cream tastes like or the ingredients it includes. I had a vague memory of my brother incorporating it into coffee on Christmas morning, but I had rarely been given an opportunity to try it myself. Baileys is the most famous brand that sells Irish cream, and its classic product contains Irish whiskey and spirits, as well as a dairy-based cream and the flavors of chocolate and vanilla. Crazy Cups' Irish cream-flavored ground coffee gave me the perfect excuse to sample its flavors without any of the dairy or alcohol.

Vanilla, cocoa, and whiskey were all accounted for in this coffee, though the chocolate flavor was not as strong as it was in some other products. Instead, vanilla took the spotlight here, and its floral notes came out even more when I added creamer. By itself, this coffee was well-balanced while also being slightly acidic in the best possible way. It was naturally sweet in flavor and aroma, ultimately proving itself as a comforting cup of Joe. I don't necessarily have any complaints about this product, except to say that its flavors could have been a shade bolder. The products that ranked higher on this list made a more striking impression.

This coffee would pair nicely with ice cream in an affogato. It might also be what you choose to serve at a St. Patrick's Day party in the form of a coffee-based cocktail.

Chocolate and raspberries. The two ingredients were practically made to be eaten in tandem, given that their sweet and tart flavors enhance one another while awakening the palate. I love topping a chocolate cake with fresh raspberries, and Taza also makes an excellent raspberry crunch bar, which I believe is one of the brand's most exquisite flavors. With this past experience of tasting the power couple under my belt, I was unsurprised to find how much I enjoyed Crazy Cups' chocolate raspberry truffle flavor.

This coffee impressed me from the moment I tore open the bag's seal and inhaled a whiff of the coffee's sweet, chocolatey aroma. The zinginess of the raspberry was readily apparent in scent and flavor, and I appreciated how this coffee was slightly tart but not too acidic. A dash of creamer helped mellow its flavors even more. I would reach for this as a dessert coffee, especially because it was so smooth and comforting. The only reason it didn't earn a higher ranking was that the raspberry flavor could have been slightly bolder, which would have made this product more memorable.

To complement this coffee — perhaps for a Valentine's Day treat — try making a batch of dark chocolate raspberry cheesecake truffles at home. These truffles, which are rich, creamy, and contain the perfect balance of bitterness, tartness, and sweetness, will win over anyone who is lucky enough to taste them.

Lately, with a two-year-old who can't ever get enough bread to satisfy her, my family has been eating stacks and stacks of French toast. Drizzled with maple syrup, dipped in applesauce, or topped with a spoonful of honey, we love it every which way. One thing, though, remains constant: That French toast better have a generous amount of cinnamon mixed into its egg wash. Well, that and vanilla.

For the adults in the room, I would highly recommend ordering a bag of Crazy Cups' cinnamon French toast coffee. This coffee featured notes of butter and maple syrup, and it smelled and tasted shockingly similar to the breakfast delicacy that is its namesake. While I didn't love this coffee when served plain, it was easily one of my favorites after adding creamer. That's because the creamer helped draw out the "French toast" aspect of the coffee. Otherwise, the cinnamon was too domineering. This coffee was very close to securing the top ranking but lost out due to this flavor imbalance.

To amp up the French toast theme even more, I suggest sweetening this coffee with maple syrup or opting for a cinnamon French toast creamer, like that sold under the Great Value label. You could even prepare it as a cappuccino or latte and sprinkle cinnamon on top for a more decadent treat.

My Southern roots came alive when I saw the buttery maple pecan flavor on Crazy Cups' website. Pecan pie, pecan butter, and candied pecans — these foods run through my veins and nourish my soul with their complex, slightly earthy flavors. I love how you can almost taste the tree in a fresh pecan. My standards might have been high before sampling this coffee, but I was thrilled to find that it turned out to be my favorite.

Admittedly, the aroma of the ground coffee did not turn my head at first, but after brewing it, I was comforted by its nutty scent. It tasted a tad acidic when served black, but a dash of creamer balanced it out. In subsequent tastings, I enjoyed this coffee with a touch of agave syrup. This coffee's somewhat smoky flavor transported me to my favorite season: fall. I would go for a cup of this coffee any day, but especially on cold mornings.

I love incorporating coffee into baked goods whenever I'm in the mood for a bittersweet treat. Though recipes frequently call for instant coffee or espresso powder, some call for brewed coffee. This whiskey caramel-glazed coffee cake would taste superb with some freshly brewed buttery maple pecan coffee beaten into its batter.

Though each of these year-round offerings comes in a decaffeinated variation (which I prefer), I chose to sample the caffeinated products because I know that is what more than 90% of coffee drinkers prefer in the United States. It's worth saying, however, that while decaf coffees often get a bad rap for tasting inferior to their caffeinated siblings, I've found that Crazy Cups does decaf well.

I used a DeLonghi Magnifica Start coffee machine to brew 6-ounce cups of coffee, tasted them, and ranked them primarily by flavor and aroma. I tasted each coffee black and with Oatly creamer. While I didn't enjoy some of my favorite products black, they performed so well with creamer that they secured higher rankings. I looked for bold flavors that lived up to their product names. Coffees that were too acidic or bitter tended not to score well, while those with a fine balance of sweetness and a comforting aroma topped the charts.