Vegan Holiday Drinks at Dunkin’ 2021 – Halloween has been and gone. You got dressed up, you ate a lot of (vegan) candy and you drank copious amounts of Pumpkin Spiced Latte (even though most of them are not vegan – except at Peets). Now it’s time to welcome in the holidays with some seasonal coffee-themed drinks. It is the most wonderful time of the year (see what I did there). I have already covered the Dunkin’ Donuts menu – if you want to know what’s vegan and what’s not at Dunkin’ then check out my post: Vegan Drinks at Dunkin’ Donuts – How To Actually Order Vegan. What that article didn’t cover was Dunkin’s seasonal holiday drinks (because they were not out at the time of writing). So, what are the holiday drinks at the second-largest coffee chain in America? And most importantly, are they vegan? It’s time to break down the Vegan Holiday Drinks at Dunkin’ in 2021.
What Dunkin’ Holiday Drinks Are Vegan?
There are three Dunkin’ drinks and two Dunkin’ blends for the 2021 Holiday Season. The Holiday Blend and take-home Midnight Blend are vegan. The White Mocha Hot Chocolate and the Toasted White Chocolate Signature Latte cannot be made vegan. A vegan version of the Peppermint Mocha Signature Latte can be vegan by ordering a vegan latte with a peppermint mocha swirl added.
Vegan Holiday Drinks at Dunkin’ 2021
| Vegan Dunkin’ 2021 Holiday Drinks | Non-Vegan Dunkin’ 2021 Holiday Drinks |
|---|---|
| Peppermint Mocha Latte with plant-based milk (do not order as a signature latte – see below) | Toasted White Chocolate Signature Latte |
| Dunkin’ Holiday Blend | White Mocha Hot Chocolate |
| Dunkin’ Midnight Blend (bag and k-cup format) |
When Were Dunkin’s 2021 holiday drinks released?
Dunkin’s holiday drinks were released in stores on Wednesday 3 November (a day before Starbuck’s holiday drinks were released – if you didn’t know Starbucks is the Coca-Cola to Dunkin’s Pepsi). But the most important question is – are any of them vegan, or can any of them be made vegan?
What Are Dunkin’s 2021 Holiday Drinks?
Dunkin’s 2021 holiday drinks consist of the following:
- Peppermint Mocha Signature Latte (back by popular return);
- Toasted White Chocolate Signature Latte (new);
- White Mocha Hot Chocolate (new);
- Dunkin’ Holiday Blend (new); and
- Dunkin’ Midnight Blend (new – bag and k-cup format to take home).
I will break down each one drink by drink below.
Do You Love Coffee?
Do you love coffee and just want an easy and complete guide that tells you all the rules of thumb on how to order vegan coffee or drinks at any coffee chain or restaurant? If you do – great then check out my complete guide to ordering vegan coffee below:
Before we dig in, what if you can’t get to a Dunkin in person but still fancy making a vegan Dunkin coffee at home? You are in luck – you can make Dunkin cold brew at home using these Dunkin cold brew packs from Amazon here. If hot vegan Dunkin coffee is your thing then check out Dunkin’s original medium roast ground coffee on Amazon here. You can even buy Dunkin K-cup pods on Amazon here (compatible with this machine). For recommendations on which vegan creamer or milk to add to your at-home Dunkin brew check out this post – Is Coffee Vegan – How To Find Out The Truth.
1. Is Dunkin’s Peppermint Mocha Signature Latte Vegan?
Dunkin’s Peppermint Mocha Signature Latte is a returning drink by popular demand. But is it vegan, or can it be made vegan? Let’s look at each of the ingredients in turn. The Peppermint Mocha Signature Latte is made up of the following four ingredients:
- Milk;
- Whipped cream;
- Cocoa powder; and
- Peppermint mocha sauce.
Simply based on those ingredients it clearly isn’t sounding vegan. Ordered as it, the Peppermint Mocha Signature Latte is not vegan. However, can it be made vegan?
Does Dunkin’ Donuts Have Non-Dairy Milk?
First, let’s deal with the milk. Does Dunkin’ have plant-based milk alternatives? Yes, it does. Dunkin’ has oat, almond, and coconut milk available as milk substitutes. There is an additional charge for these. Okay, great so the dairy milk can be substituted for plant-based milk of your choice.
Is Dunkin’ Donuts Whipped Cream Vegan?
The whipped cream that comes on top of some drinks at Dunkin is not vegan. To order a vegan Dunkin’ latte make sure to ask for it without whipped cream. That means you can’t have whipped cream on the Peppermint Mocha Latte. This is the case with almost all other coffee chains as well.
Is Dunkin’s Cocoa Powder Vegan?
Dunkin’s cocoa powder is not vegan as it contains dairy. Okay, so hold the cocoa powder on your peppermint mocha latte.
Is Dunkin’s Peppermint Mocha Sauce Vegan?
Dunkin’s Peppermint mocha sauce does not contain dairy. Cha-ching! RESULT – that means if you are vegan, you can at least enjoy some form of the Dunkin’ Peppermint Mocha Latte.
It is the case at a lot of coffee chains that the only flavor sauce that is dairy-free is the mocha (dark mocha not white mocha) sauce. The same is the case at Starbucks – see my post: How To Actually Order Vegan Starbucks Drinks.
A Point On Sugar
Caution – at this point I should just flag that the peppermint mocha sauce does contain sugar. As is always the case with sugar that is not marked as organic, raw, or beet it could have been processed with bone char (it is very hard to know either way). Some vegans are comfortable consuming sugar. Some stricter vegans are not – which could be a deal-breaker for them.
2. How To Order a Vegan Dunkin’s Peppermint Mocha Latte
Can a vegan have the Peppermint Mocha Latte at Dunkin’? Yes, in order to order a vegan Dunkin’s Peppermint Mocha Latte you need to do the following:
- Order the latte made with your choice of oat, almond or coconut milk, with peppermint mocha sauce added.
- DO NOT just order the Peppermint Mocha Signature Latte (with plant-based milk) off the holiday menu – it will still contain cocoa powder and whipped cream and still will not be vegan.
There you have it. If you are vegan, you can still enjoy a holiday season latte at Dunkin’s. This leads us to the other holiday latte on the menu at Dunkin’.
3. Is Dunkin’s Toasted White Chocolate Signature Latte Vegan?
Dunkin’ Toasted White Chocolate Signature Latte features a creamy white chocolate flavor in a signature latte topped with caramel drizzle, whipped cream, and cinnamon sugar.
The white chocolate, caramel drizzle, and whipped cream are all not vegan making Dunkin’s Toasted White Chocolate Signature Latte not vegan, nor able to be made vegan.
This isn’t a huge surprise. If you have read any of my previous coffee chain posts (such as Starbucks – How To Actually Order Vegan Starbucks Drinks) you will have discovered that white chocolate drinks are always one of the only types of drinks that cannot be made vegan at coffee chains. It is also the case that all of the Dunkin’ signature lattes cannot be made vegan – you can read more about it here: Vegan Drinks at Dunkin’ Donuts – How To Actually Order Vegan.
4. Is Dunkin’s White Mocha Hot Chocolate Vegan?
Dunkin’s White Mocha Hot Chocolate is not vegan and cannot be made vegan as the white mocha contains dairy.
Again, this is not hugely surprising as it is the case that none of Dunkin’s hot chocolates can be ordered vegan.
5. Is Dunkin’s Holiday Blend Coffee Vegan?
Dunkin’ Holiday Blend Coffee combines Columbian and Ethiopian coffees, resulting in notes of sweet molasses and dried fruit.
As Dunkin’ Holiday Blend Coffee is simply black coffee it is vegan as-is. Black coffee is always vegan (with one exception – you can read about it here: Is Coffee Vegan? How To Find Out The Truth).
Personally, I would just order the holiday blend with oat milk, but if you want to fancy it up further, and are comfortable with sugar, you could add a flavor shot such as toasted almond for all the wintery feels.
And the good news doesn’t end there – from November 3-December 1, 2021, you can order a Medium Holiday Blend Coffee for only $2 at participating locations.
6. Is Dunkin’s Midnight Coffee Vegan?
Dunkin Midnight, which is the chain’s darkest roast yet, is available to take home in both bags and K-Cups. As Dunkin’s Midnight Coffee is simply black coffee, it is vegan.
You can attempt to create some holiday coffees at home with it. If you are not quite ready to say goodbye to pumpkin spice quite yet you can check out some delicious vegan pumpkin spice creamers, or how to make your own here – see my post: Is Starbucks Pumpkin Spiced Latte Vegan? The Amazing Truth.
Vegan Holiday Drinks at Dunkin’ 2021 – The Final Sip
Who doesn’t get excited about holiday special drinks? They come at just the right time when you have just about had enough of all things Pumpkin Spice. Urgh, I am so over Pumpkin Spice … until next year. While it is great to see new flavors arriving at your favorite coffee shop the problem is that most of them will not be vegan. For example, out of the 5 Dunkin Holiday Drinks – two are black coffees, one can be made vegan, and two just can not be vegan-ized. Luckily Peppermint Mocha is my favorite flavor even if I can’t have whipped cream on top – but think of the calories you’ll save this holiday season. And, yes, I will do a Starbucks Holiday Drink 2021 menu breakdown as soon as they release their drinks.
…now you know.
Beverage makers may change ingredients and/or manufacturing processes. Always double-check ingredients before purchasing any beverages.
Like What You Are Reading
Want to know what is and is not vegan at other coffee chains and restaurants, such as Starbucks, Coffee Bean, Dunkin’ Donuts, Peet’s, Philz’s, or Dutch Bros. If you do, then check out my other posts below:
- How To Order Vegan Coffee? What Every Vegan Must Know
- How to Actually Order Vegan Starbucks Drinks
- Vegan Drinks at Dunkin’ Donuts – How to Actually Order Vegan
- Which Dutch Bros Drinks Are Vegan? The Complete Guide
- Vegan Drinks at Gloria Jean’s – How To Know What’s Vegan
- Vegan Drinks at Peet’s – How to Know What’s Vegan
- Vegan Drinks at Philz – How to Actually Order Vegan
- Vegan Drinks at Panera – How to Know What Is Vegan
- Vegan Drinks at Coffee Bean – How to Order Vegan
- Vegan Drinks at Biggby Coffee – How To Really Order Vegan
- Vegan Drinks at Costa – How To Order Vegan
- Vegan Drinks at Scooter’s – How To Order Vegan Coffee
- Is Starbucks Pumpkin Spiced Latte Vegan? The Amazing Truth
