Hazelnut coffee holds a special place in the coffee world, offering a comforting and aromatic experience that feels like a warm embrace in a mug. Its sweet, nutty character can turn a simple morning routine into a cozy ritual, making it a perennial favorite for those who enjoy a flavorful brew without overwhelming intensity.
With so many options available, from whole bean to convenient single-serve pods, finding your perfect nutty blend can be a journey. This roundup is designed to guide you through some of the top-rated hazelnut coffees, highlighting their unique features and benefits to help you make an informed choice for your next bag or box.
The Ultimate Hazelnut Coffee Lineup
- Hazelnut Flavored Coffee, Ground, Fresh Roasted
- San Francisco Bay Coffee Hazelnut Crème Whole Bean
- Seattle’s Best Coffee Toasted Hazelnut Ground Coffee
- Don Francisco’s Hawaiian Hazelnut Ground Flavored Coffee
- Cameron’s Coffee Roasted Hazelnut Whole Bean Coffee
- New England Coffee Hazelnut Crème Ground Coffee
- The Original Donut Shop Hazelnut K-Cup Pods
- Green Mountain Coffee Roasters Hazelnut Decaf K-Cup Pods
Hazelnut Flavored Coffee, Ground, Fresh Roasted
This Fresh Roasted ground coffee is celebrated for its aromatic profile with distinct sweet and nutty overtones, resulting in a remarkably smooth and creamy flavor. The medium roast is expertly calibrated to let the true characteristics of the bean and the hazelnut flavor shine through for a balanced and satisfying cup.
A significant benefit of this brand is its commitment to safety and quality. The coffee undergoes rigorous phytosanitary testing before export and a detailed lab analysis upon arrival to check for mycotoxins and mold. The roasting process at over 400°F further guarantees a fresh, safe, and impurity-free coffee experience.
San Francisco Bay Coffee Hazelnut Crème Whole Bean
San Francisco Bay Coffee offers an ideal flavored coffee experience with its Hazelnut Crème blend. This medium roast features a fragrant hazelnut aroma, a rich flavor, and a subtle hint of sweetness that creates a well-rounded and enjoyable cup. Using whole beans allows you to capture the peak of freshness when you grind them just before brewing.
The quality is rooted in their use of 100% Arabica beans that are hand-picked and grown at high altitudes. This commitment to quality is backed by a satisfaction guarantee, giving you confidence in your purchase. For the finest taste, the company recommends storing the beans in a cool, dark place.
Seattle’s Best Coffee Toasted Hazelnut Ground Coffee
Seattle’s Best Coffee brings its signature smooth taste to this Toasted Hazelnut flavored ground coffee. The medium roast utilizes premium beans that are specially roasted to achieve a consistently smooth base, making it an accessible and crowd-pleasing option.
The flavor is sweetly aromatic with clear, nutty notes of roasted hazelnut that complement the coffee without overpowering it. For those who appreciate guidance, the packaging includes a recommendation for the perfect brew: use one tablespoon (5 grams) of ground coffee for every six fluid ounces (180 milliliters) of water.
Don Francisco’s Hawaiian Hazelnut Ground Flavored Coffee
Don Francisco’s offers a unique tropical twist on the classic hazelnut profile. This blend combines 100% Arabica coffee with the rich, nutty essence of hazelnut and a subtle hint of coconut. The result is a complex and aromatic cup that provides a mini-escape to a tropical paradise with every sip.
The coffee is expertly roasted and ground to ensure a consistently smooth and flavorful brew, meeting the standards of a premium, gourmet experience at home. The convenient packaging includes three 12-ounce recyclable cans, providing an ample supply. The sturdy cans are designed to help preserve the freshness and flavor of the ground coffee over time.
Cameron’s Coffee Roasted Hazelnut Whole Bean Coffee
For those who prefer to grind their beans fresh, Cameron’s Coffee offers a Roasted Hazelnut whole bean option. Whole bean coffee is excellent for preserving the delicate oils and aromas that contribute to a fuller flavor profile. Grinding just before brewing allows you to customize the coarseness to your preferred method, whether it’s a drip machine, French press, or pour-over.
Cameron’s is known for its specialty roasts and attention to flavor. Their Roasted Hazelnut blend is designed to provide a balanced and aromatic experience where the nutty notes enhance the natural character of the high-quality coffee beans rather than masking it.
New England Coffee Hazelnut Crème Ground Coffee
New England Coffee has a long history of producing flavorful coffees, and their Hazelnut Crème ground coffee is a popular choice. This pre-ground option offers great convenience without sacrificing the distinctive hazelnut aroma and taste. It’s an straightforward way to prepare a flavorful pot of coffee quickly.
The “Crème” in the name suggests a smooth, creamy flavor profile that pairs the nuttiness of hazelnut with a velvety finish. This makes it a great choice for those who enjoy their coffee with a splash of milk or cream, as the flavors harmonize well.
The Original Donut Shop Hazelnut K-Cup Pods
For Keurig machine owners, The Original Donut Shop provides a quick and easy solution for a nutty coffee fix. These single-serve K-Cup pods are all about convenience and consistency, delivering a single cup of hazelnut coffee with no mess and minimal cleanup.
The flavor is designed to be approachable and satisfying, reminiscent of the flavored coffee you might enjoy at a donut shop. It’s an excellent option for busy mornings, office break rooms, or for households where everyone has different coffee preferences.
Green Mountain Coffee Roasters Hazelnut Decaf K-Cup Pods
Green Mountain Coffee Roasters caters to those who love the flavor of hazelnut coffee but prefer to avoid caffeine. These decaffeinated K-Cup pods offer the same convenience and quality you expect from the brand, but in a form that can be enjoyed any time of day or night.
The decaf process is designed to preserve the coffee’s flavor, ensuring you still get the sweet, nutty aroma and taste of hazelnut in every cup. This is an ideal choice for evening coffee drinkers or anyone sensitive to caffeine who doesn’t want to compromise on flavor.
Buying Guide: How to Pick Your Perfect Hazelnut Coffee
When I’m picking out a new hazelnut coffee, the first thing I think about is the bean type. Do I want a single-origin coffee, or a blend? Blends are often crafted to create a balanced base that plays well with the hazelnut flavor, while a single-origin might offer unique tasting notes that add complexity. I also check if the beans are Arabica or Robusta. I personally lean towards 100% Arabica beans for a smoother, less bitter cup, which lets the nutty flavor shine without being overpowered by harshness.
The roast level is a huge deal. A light roast will have more of the bean’s natural acidity and fruity notes, which can sometimes clash with the sweet, warm hazelnut taste. A dark roast brings out bolder, chocolaty, and smoky flavors that I find pair beautifully with hazelnut, creating that classic, comforting profile. For me, a medium to medium-dark roast is the sweet spot. It gives you a rich coffee body that supports the flavoring instead of getting lost behind it.
Next, I always look at how the hazelnut flavor is added. There are two main ways: natural flavoring oils added after roasting, and synthetic flavorings. Many of the higher-quality brands use natural oils extracted from real hazelnuts. These tend to have a more authentic, nuanced taste. The synthetic ones can sometimes taste a bit artificial or overly sweet to my palate. I also consider if I want a pre-ground option for convenience or whole beans for maximum freshness. Grinding my own beans right before brewing makes a world of difference in aroma and taste, even with flavored coffees.
Finally, I think about my brewing method. A French Press or pour-over will give me a fuller-bodied cup where the hazelnut and coffee notes feel rich and intertwined. If I’m using a drip machine, I might choose a coffee where the hazelnut flavor is a bit more pronounced so it doesn’t get lost. And for a strong espresso, a dark roast hazelnut coffee can stand up to the intense brewing process and still deliver that wonderful nutty aroma. Thinking about these factors helps me find the best hazelnut coffees for my specific taste and setup, ensuring a great cup every time.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does hazelnut coffee actually contain nuts?
This is a really important safety question. In the vast majority of cases, no, the hazelnut flavor in coffee comes from flavoring oils and compounds that replicate the taste, not from actual nut extracts. However, if you have a severe nut allergy, you must be extremely cautious. The flavorings are typically safe, but there’s always a risk of cross-contamination in facilities that also process real nuts. I always recommend checking the manufacturer’s website or packaging for specific allergen information before purchasing.
How should I store my hazelnut coffee to keep it fresh?
Flavored coffees, including hazelnut, can be a bit tricky to store. The flavoring oils can sometimes cause the coffee to go rancid a little faster than unflavored beans. My method is to keep it in an airtight container, just like any other coffee. I use a opaque, ceramic canister with a rubber seal to keep out light, air, and moisture. I never store it in the refrigerator or freezer because the condensation that forms when you take it out can degrade the quality and mess with the flavor. A cool, dark cupboard is the perfect spot.
Can I use hazelnut coffee in my espresso machine?
You can, but you need to be a little careful. The oils from the flavoring in many hazelnut coffees can build up and gunk up the grinder and the inner workings of your espresso machine over time. If you have a dedicated grinder for flavored beans, that’s ideal. If not, and you only plan to have hazelnut occasionally, it might be better to buy pre-ground. To clean your machine, I’d recommend running a cleaning cycle with a dedicated espresso machine cleaner more frequently to prevent any oily residue from affecting the taste of your shots or damaging the machine.
Is hazelnut coffee high in calories or sugar?
On its own, a cup of brewed hazelnut coffee made just from the grounds contains virtually no calories or sugar. The flavoring is added during the roasting process and is oil-based, not sugar-based. The calories and sugar come from what you add to your cup—the cream, milk, sugar, or flavored syrups. So, if you drink your hazelnut coffee black, it’s a fantastic low-calorie, flavorful drink. It’s one of the reasons I enjoy it; I get a sweet, nutty aroma and taste without needing to add any sweeteners myself.
What’s the difference between a cheap and an expensive hazelnut coffee?
The main differences usually come down to the quality of the base coffee beans and the type of flavoring used. A cheaper hazelnut coffee might use a blend with more Robusta beans (which can be more bitter) and synthetic flavorings that taste more artificial or one-dimensional. A more expensive option will often use 100% high-quality Arabica beans as a base and natural flavoring oils, resulting in a smoother coffee taste with a more authentic, nuanced hazelnut profile. It’s one of those things where, for me, spending a little more makes a noticeable difference in the quality of my daily brew.