Krispy Kreme's Best Coffee Drink Tastes Like A Milkshake

Coffee and doughnuts are a match made in food heaven, a fact that Krispy Kreme has recognized with its line of caffeinated drinks. Offering everything from regular drip coffee to specialty beverages, the company provides customers with plenty of choice, and we recently tried and ranked Krispy Kreme coffees to find out which ones are worth ordering on your next visit. We assessed them based on quality, construction, and flavor balance, and found that the best is actually more like a milkshake than a coffee.

The Frozen Specialty Latte consists of an espresso base blended with milk, ice, and a sweet syrup. And while you might think that adding flavors like mocha, caramel, or vanilla make for a more interesting drink, it's the simplicity here that lets the coffee shine. Plus, the way the ingredients are blended together results in a dreamy ice cream-like texture.

This coffee drink is certainly as decadent as any of Krispy Kreme's baked goods, albeit much more refreshing. The Frozen Specialty Latte is rich enough to satisfy a sugar craving while still delivering the coffee flavor and caffeine boost that make it worth ordering in the first place. Paired with a doughnut, it feels less like a typical coffee order and more like a full-blown dessert.

The original Frozen Specialty Latte pairs well with nearly any Krispy Kreme doughnut on the menu, but it's not the only option. If you're feeling a little more adventurous, you could try one of the other frozen latte flavors. 

The permanent lineup includes vanilla, caramel, mocha, caramel mocha, and the Original Glazed Specialty Latte (which channels the flavor of the chain's famous Original Glazed Doughnut into coffee-milkshake form). Krispy Kreme also offers limited seasonal flavors like Pumpkin Spice and Cookie Blast. We think a caramel Frozen Specialty Latte would pair perfectly with an All-American Apple Pie Doughnut, while a rich mocha latte could complement the tangy fruit center of a Raspberry Filled Doughnut. The glazed doughnut drink is arguably the most intriguing option, and fans claim the flavor is pretty spot on – it sounds like it's worth tasting the two side by side to judge for yourself!

It's probably worth mentioning that Krispy Kreme's talent for making delicious dessert-style drinks extends beyond frozen lattes — it also came first in our ranking of coffee chain hot chocolates. Made with Ghirardelli chocolate, the drink tastes less like a standard hot chocolate and more like something you'd order from a dessert shop.