Finding the Best Coffee for Dessert Pairings: One Sweet Guide

The Tastiest Coffee for Dessert Options to Pair Up, Bake, and Sip 

Food and alcohol pairings are pretty easy to find. Beef and merlot, white wine and chicken, whiskey and chili, beer and grilled cheese sandwiches… you get the gist. However, when it comes to coffee with dessert, there’s not a lot of information out there. We think that’s a crime! 

The right coffee with dessert can totally transform a meal. At the very least, it can make for a far better flavor experience. Plus, did you know that drinking coffee after a meal can be good for your metabolism? Now that you know that little fact, that slice of pie after dinner is all the better; just remember to drink a cup of coffee with it for the fat-burning bonus.

So what are the best dessert and coffee pairings? What is the best dessert for coffee? Or, maybe you want to know what coffees go best with dessert recipes? In this guide on desert coffees, we will go over anything and everything you could ever want to know on the topic to create the most delicious flavor pairings possible! Then, you can wow your guests, impress your friends, or simply create tastier meals for your loved ones. 

What Desserts Go Best With Coffee: Top 5 List 

First, let's talk about the best dessert for coffee. We've included some delicious pairings of cake, fruit tarts, cookies, hot fudge chocolate pudding cake, and coffee. We’ll go over which style of coffee to have for each of these following desserts for a flavor symphony in your mouth. 

1. Espresso or Americano and Rich Chocolate Cake

First off is the combination of espresso and dark/double chocolate cake. The flavor notes of espresso tend to be slightly stronger than those of regular drip grind coffee. That’s why espresso is served by the shot. Plus, espresso offers a great caffeine boost to give you a pick-me-up after eating heavy and decadent cake. This concentrated form of coffee is full-bodied and bright, meaning it pairs beautifully with the rich nuances of chocolate or dark chocolate. Flourless chocolate cake, layered chocolate cake, and “double” chocolate cake are all great options for espresso or, slightly more watered down, espresso Americano coffee beverages. 

2. Creamy Coffee and Carrot Cake 

Lattes, coffee with cream added, or french vanilla brews, are wonderful when paired with carrot cake. Carrot cake is slightly lighter and more delicate in flavor than other types of cake. It also has creamy and earthy notes from the cream cheese frosting and carrot shreds. As such, if you will be having carrot cake, a great choice would be a latte, french vanilla-flavored brew, or regular coffee with a little bit of cream added. This will naturally accentuate the notes of the carrot cake itself. 

3. Buttercream Cupcakes and Regular Coffee

Few things go together more beautifully than a buttercream cupcake and a fresh-brewed coffee steaming in a cozy mug. Buttercream is incredibly rich and sweet. Coffee is slightly bitter and bright. When combined, the results are simply divine. We highly recommend choosing a premium Arabica brew like the ones sold here if you want a great way to enhance the taste of your favorite buttercream cupcakes! 

4. Cafe Au Lait with Tiramisu

Cafe Au Lait directly translates to “coffee with milk”. This French take on coffee is slightly different from a latte but still offers deliciously creamy flavor nuances. When paired with Tiramisu, a dessert that already contains coffee, the flavors are easily emphasized to create a symphony in your mouth. This pairing is a true classic!

5. Any Medium-Roast Coffee with Milk Chocolate Chunk Brownies

Familiar coffee flavors tend to pair beautifully with heavy and rich desserts. As such, a balanced medium roast goes perfectly with milk chocolate chunk brownies. Remember to always brew your coffee fresh for the tastiest results! 

The Best Coffee Flavor Dessert Options: Top 3 Desserts Made Using Coffee

So what if you want to enjoy a dessert that has coffee flavors merged into it? Well, there are plenty of amazing options to try! Tiramisu, for instance, is made using coffee to create a sweet yet slightly nuanced dessert that is light, satisfying, and simply irresistible. There are also many coffee dessert recipes for brownies, cookies, and cakes that integrate freshly brewed Java as a staple ingredient. Here are a few of our favorite options! 

1. Gourmet Tiramisu 

Tiramisu is a classic Italian dessert. The name roughly translates to “pick me up”, or “cheer me up” in the Italian language. Obviously, this is because this delicious treat contains coffee. This coffee-flavored pleasure is made using lady fingers dipped in coffee and some variation of a whipped mixture of mascarpone and sometimes custard or pudding. The resulting flavors are bright, nuanced, creamy, decadent, complex, and downright wonderful. There are many ways to make tiramisu. Here is one of the easiest and most delicious recipes to try! 

Click Here for a Great Tiramisu Recipe

For a truly gourmet touch, we recommend using this Italia to make your tiramisu. 

2. Home-Made Coffee Ice Cream 

Coffee and ice cream pair together to create a creamy and dreamy flavor duo that is as refreshing as it is delicious. Churning your very own homemade coffee-flavored ice cream is incredibly rewarding. Coffee ice cream can be served with chocolate cake or eaten on its own for a delicious pick-me-up! Just be sure to use decaf if you will be sharing with the kids. Here is our favorite homemade coffee ice cream recipe to try!

Click Here for the Recipe Page

To get bold, smooth, and delicious coffee flavors in your ice cream, we recommend using this wonderful Ethiopian coffee. 

3. Extra Chewy Coffee Brownies

It’s really not a secret that coffee can be used to enhance the taste of chocolate. In fact, many restaurant desserts are made with coffee as a secret ingredient to make the chocolate notes “pop”. To make coffee brownies that are extra moist, just use fresh coffee in place of water with your boxed brownie mix. Yep, it’s that easy! The resulting chocolate fudge brownies are so moist, sweet, and chewy; you might just have to hide them from your family (or spouse) to ensure that they aren’t immediately devoured. Here are some tips for making amazing brownies with coffee and more. 

Click Here for Brownie Tips! 

For these brownies, we recommend our rich, bold Guatemalan coffee. 

Calorie-Free Dessert Coffees: Top 3 Flavors You Probably Haven't Tried

Okay, so what if you want to access tasty dessert flavors, but are also trying to stay in shape? Well, maybe you should try our flavored dessert coffees. All of these coffees are made with delicious flavor notes and contain 2 or fewer calories and zero carbs. If you add in a splash of heavy whipping cream, they are creamy and carb-free. Here are some of our finest, fresh-roasted flavored dessert coffees to keep those cravings at bay while also satisfying your palette!  

Pecan Pie Flavored Coffee

This decadent pecan pie flavored coffee as creamy essences of crunchy pecans with notes of caramel and a deliciously smooth profile. Brown butter notes and syrupy flavors are infused with premium coffee beans to create a flavor combination that you are sure to fall in love with. If you have been craving decadent Southern pecan pie, this coffee is a game-changer. 

Try it by clicking here! 

Bananas Foster Dessert Coffee

All right, we understand that this flavor is a wild one. Bananas and coffee? That's pretty far out there! However, this coffee has consistently been a fan favorite for anyone who enjoys the classic Bananas Foster dessert. The flavors are absolutely spot on! Not only is it slightly sweet and insanely smooth, but it has distinguishable notes of caramel and brown sugar. With undertones of rum and a velvety soft mouthfeel, it's a flavor extravaganza that you're sure to adore! 

Try it by clicking here! 

Linzer Torte Dessert Coffee

This coffee is incredibly delicious with almond and raspberry flavors. It tastes just like the Linzer Torte dessert that so many people enjoy during the holidays in Germany, France, England, and other locations in Europe. Think fresh handmade raspberry preserves with smooth creamy vanilla and toasted almonds for marzipan-type flavors. This is a wonderful coffee if you have been craving something extraordinary. 

Try it by clicking here! 

Final Thoughts on Coffee With Dessert 

Whether you have been craving coffee with dessert, a dessert made using coffee, or coffee flavored like your favorite desserts, rest assured, One Great Coffee has something to satisfy your cravings. We have over 100 delicious dessert coffee flavors for you to brew your way through! Each one comes freshly flavored, roasted, and ground to your specifications on the same day your order is shipped out. Your caffeine routine will never get old with these “coffee for dessert” flavor options. What are your favorite desserts with coffee? Comment below and share your recipes so that we can use them this holiday season!