8 Types of Coffee Drinks to Start Your Day Right

Millions of Americans start their morning with various different types of coffee drinks. Whether you drink it black and hot or creamy and iced, there’s a tasty coffee drink for anybody looking for an early morning pick-me-up. From sweet to bold and decaffeinated to espresso, there’s a coffee drink to start your day right!

1. Americano

Americano coffee drinks are made with espresso and hot water. The espresso is added to the hot water in a way that keeps the flavor bold and strong, and allows for a bright and quick boost. This one is perfect for those of you who love the taste of coffee, and prefer a darker roast, as the coffee is able to stay more concentrated throughout this process.

At roughly the same strength as regularly brewed coffee, the Americano is perfect for those of you who want a subtle boost with bold flavor. You can order this coffee drink from any of your favorite coffee stops, whether it’s Dunkin’ Donuts, Starbucks, or Tim Horton’s.

2. Latte

I think most coffee drinkers have had a latte at some point in their adult life. Lattes are a sweeter option than the americano mentioned above. Lattes are made with espresso and rather than water, with steamed milk. At the end, there’s a bit of milk foam added to top it off! Three layers of flavor in this one, which is sure to keep your taste buds on high alert!

Lattes are especially fun because you can add a flavor to them, such as vanilla, mocha, hazelnut, or caramel. Places like Starbucks and Dunkin’ Donuts often offer special seasonal flavors, such as peppermint, pumpkin, and red velvet flavors!

3. Cappuccino

Cappuccinos are coffee drinks that many find themselves comparing to lattes. Once again, we have espresso, but this time it is served with steamy foamed milk. This creates a bold yet smooth taste that is constantly sweetened by the frothy, foamy milk with almost a light and airy sort of texture.

Cappuccinos can be flavored in various ways, but a favorite of many is adding a dash of cinnamon or chocolate powder to give it a bit of sweetness. With cappuccinos flavored this way, they taste like a dessert, but pack a strong caffeine boost! Perfect for those of you who don’t necessarily love the taste of coffee, this sweet and fluffy version is sure to hit the spot!

4. Cold Brew

Are you the girl who gets teased every winter because your iced coffee order never changes? Many of us just love the taste of cold coffee, There’s a smoothness to each sip that simply makes it different than hot coffee, and no matter how cold it is outside, some of us just prefer that taste!

Cold brew is a newer addition to the famous coffee drinks on our list, but it’s quickly gained popularity, especially in the U.S. Cold Brew coffee is made by adding only cold water (never hot!) to the concentrated coffee, resulting in a strong and chilled coffee that actually has a lower caffeine count, if you’re watching your caffeine intake.

5. Macchiato

Macchiato is perhaps the hardest coffee drink on the last to pronounce, but it’s one of the best. A macchiato is similar to a latte and cappuccino in the fact that all three are made with espresso. More closely related to the cappuccino, macchiatos are produced with a shot of espresso mixed with only a dash of frothy steamed milk. This creates a smaller yet stronger and boldly flavored drink.

Often flavored with things like caramel, mocha, and vanilla, macchiatos are generally served with two or three shots of espresso with a “dash” of frothy milk for each shot when ordered from places like Starbucks and Dunkin’ Donuts, as it creates a larger drink.

6. Frappe

Frappes are coffee drinks made to be frozen. Often served in a “slushy” texture, the frappe is generally made of either instant coffee or cold brew, mixed with milk and ice to create something like a coffee milkshake. If coffee just isn’t your thing, but you’ve always wanted to try it or get the benefit of the caffeine, this is the perfect choice for you!

Starbucks really popularized this coffee drink by adding tasty flavor drizzles and whipped cream to make it seem more like a dessert than a drink. As it’s served frozen, this is a perfect option for those extra sweaty summer days that make you want to chill.

7. Marocchino

Marocchino is an Italian coffee drink that was originally served with a shot of espresso, cocoa powder, and frothy milk. In certain parts of Northern Italy, a very thick hot cocoa is mixed with espresso and milk froth. In Alba, Italy, where Ferrero Rocher was founded, more modernly, Nutella has been used!

If chocolate is your thing, this coffee drink is the rich and delicious one for you to try. Get a quick caffeine boost and enjoy the sweet flavors of cocoa mixed with frothy milk all at the same time. This is a coffee drink that Starbucks and Dunkin’ Donuts do not sell, so you may have to try a few coffee shops before you find it. Or, better yet, try to make it yourself!

8. Dalgona (Whipped) Coffee

Dalgona is a type of coffee that was invented literally less than a year ago, by someone who got bored during quarantine. Dalgona coffee is an unofficial name for whipped coffee. This type of coffee has a consistency similar to Cool Whip, which is a type of whipped cream that isn’t kept in an air pressurized can. To make it, you’ll need to whip equal parts of instant coffee, sugar, and hot water.

Once the mixture is whipped evenly and at a fluffy consistency, you can add it to either cold or hot milk, and enjoy! This drink option is made with instant coffee, which isn’t quite as bold as freshly brewed coffee, so this and the frappe, are great for those of you who want something sweet and sugary!