If you're one of those coffee lovers who can't stand the taste of black coffee, but still need your caffeine fix, don't worry—no judgment here. Not much, anyway.
As someone who grew up with Cuban café con leche on every corner (sure, I'll blame it on that) and likes to add a little coffee to his morning cup of milk, I completely understand.
Sure... I could do the basic, "mock you and say that you're not a true coffee lover because you can't appreciate the simple, delicious taste of a hot cup of black coffee. What are ya—goofy or something?" thing. But I'm not going to do that.
I’m not here to mock. In fact, I'm here to help.
I've forced down enough horrific office coffee in my life to know that sometimes, ya just need to add things to other things to make them taste good—or at least palatable. Sometimes a single packet of sugar can be your salvation.
But what if you're out of sugar, or you don't want to use sugar, and you're forced to improvise?
Don't worry—I'm here to help you out with a whole bunch of options for how to how to make coffee taste good without sugar:
Before We Get Started:
Note that some of these options contain sugar—just not as much as just pouring pure white sugar into your coffee cup. As much as possible, I've tried to include ideas that contain little-to-no sugar. If you can't have sugar at all or are watching your intake for health reasons, stick to options you know are sugar free.
Also, if you're here because you just can't drink black coffee (again, no judgment) it may be worth looking at the coffee you buy. Don't underestimate the importance of starting with good, high-quality coffee. If you're using some cheap random grounds from the grocery store, it's probably not going to taste that great no matter what you do to it.
Now, in no particular order, here are a few things you can try adding to your coffee to make it taste sweeter—that aren't just adding white granulated sugar.
#1 - Maple Syrup
A little bit of maple syrup can go a long way in terms of sweetening up your coffee. It's a natural sweetener that can add a unique—yet familiar—flavor to your cup of joe that’s in dire need of some sweetening. Just add a few drops of maple syrup to taste, and stir frequently.
Bonus: trying this automatically gives you Canadian dual citizenship—just watch out for the double taxation, eh?
#2 - Vanilla Extract
Vanilla extract is another great way to sweeten coffee. A few drops of vanilla extract can add a lovely sweetness and depth of flavor to your morning cup; a welcome respite from dumping spoonfuls of sugar. Just be careful not to add too much, as artificial vanilla extract (which most vanilla extract you’ll find at the grocery store is) can also impart a bit of a… well… “artificial” aftertaste if you're not careful.
#3 - Unsweetened Vanilla Almond Milk
Despite being “unsweetened,” vanilla almond milk can actually make coffee taste sweeter. Just as with vanilla extract, the reason is because of the subtle sweetness of vanilla even when no sugar is added. You can also try using other types of unsweetened vanilla non-dairy milks like cashew, soy, or coconut. (Personally, I don't recommend cashew as much because the texture is noticeably thinner than the others, but it'll work in a pinch.)
Just add a splash of your favorite unsweetened, vanilla-flavored plant milk to your coffee, and in no time at all, you’ll be in "flavor town." Just watch out for Guy Fieri once you get there. He has a tendency to show up unannounced and ruin everything.
Don’t worry, you'll know he's coming when you think you see a fire burning off in the distance, but it's just his shirt.
#4 - Sea Salt
Yes, you read that correctly. A pinch of sea salt definitely won't make your coffee taste sweet, but it will help to balance out the bitter flavors. So, if you're mainly sweetening your coffee because you find the taste to be too bitter, try adding a pinch of sea salt and see if that does the trick.
Why sea salt? Because that's the kind of salt I used to test this to make sure it wasn't B.S. before I included it in the list.
Use any kind of salt you want. Like that pink one that comes from the Himalayas. Or whatever. It'll probably taste exactly the same.
#4 - Cinnamon
I know what you're thinking. Cinnamon isn't exactly "sweet," but it can impart a subtle, warm, flavor upon your cup that "evokes" sweetness. At a minimum, it helps to take the edge off of the bitterness of black coffee. I find cinnamon in coffee tastes a lot better with some kind of milk added as well, but that could just be me.
You can also try other spices like nutmeg, cardamom, or Jamaican allspice. Just remember a little can go a very long way with these.
#5 - Honey
Honey is a classic way to sweeten coffee. Just add a spoonful (or to taste). Honey is pretty sweet, so you don't need to use very much.
There's really not a lot more to say about honey. You know what it is, you know what it tastes like, so let's move on.
#6 - Agave
Agave* is another great sugar-free way to sweeten coffee. Just add a little bit to taste. Like honey, agave is pretty sweet, so you really don't need to use very much.
*The syrup, not the plant itself—that would be weird. I'm sure there's some Prospect Park coffee shop that serves a $1000 Agave Latte with a gold-encrusted century plant leaf sticking out of it, but that's not what we're going for here.
#7 - Coconut Oil
Coconut oil adds a tropical twist to coffee and can help to make it more palatable for those who find black coffee too bitter. Just add a spoonful (or to taste). It’s solid at room temperature, so you may want to warm it up a bit before you attempt to mix coconut oil in your coffee.
#8 - Cocoa Powder
Chocolate syrup is packed with sugar, but cocoa powder is not. So, if you're looking for a way to add a little flavor (and chocolatey-ness) to your cup without any sugar, try adding a spoonful of cocoa powder. (You might also want to add a splash of some type of milk to help the cocoa powder dissolve.)
#9 - Stevia
Some people think stevia is gross, because it's all natural and doesn't have any tasty artificial chemicals. Well, I’m here to tell you that if you’re trying to avoid pouring white sugar in your coffee, stevia’s an ideal alternative.
Stevia is a natural sweetener that's derived from the plant of the same name. It's incredibly sweet, so you only need to use a tiny bit. Just add a few drops (to taste)—but go easy at first. If your grocery store doesn't carry it, you can find it at most health food stores.
#10 - Mint
Mint can actually make coffee taste sweeter. Just add a few mint leaves and stir gently. This is a great option if you're looking for a way to add some sweetness to your coffee without using any sugar.
The compounds in mint can also help to mask any bitterness that might be present. Not only can a little mint make bitter coffee taste better, it’s also pretty damn refreshing.
#11 - Orange Zest
Have an orange and a grater? Adding a little bit of orange zest to your coffee can give it a subtle sweetness and a citrusy flavor. Just add a little bit to taste, and your coffee will taste zest-fully sweet.
Fruit in your coffee not a-peeling? Don't worry, I've got one more option for you.
Honorable Mention
If you're not wanting to use sugar as a sweetener, you probably won't want to use this one either. But, if you're just out of sugar and looking for an alternative sweetener for your coffee, I highly recommend...
Ice cream!
Just add a scoop or four. Not exactly "healthy," but it is "good." And this ain't some janky jury-rigged makeshift sugar substitute. They even have an elegant-sounding name for it: Affogato. So feel sophisticated as you enjoy your afternoon coffee with a huge scoop of Extreme Moose Tracks ice cream. You’ve earned it.
There you go, 11 + 1 ways to make coffee taste sweeter—or at least less bitter—besides adding pure sugar. (And if you're looking for tips on how to make better tasting coffee, check out our Ultimate Coffee Brewing Guide.)
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