When it comes to enhancing the flavor of your favorite brew, having a variety of sweeteners on hand is essential to cater to the diverse preferences of your customers. From classic sugar and honey to trendy syrups and natural alternatives, offering a selection of sweeteners ensures that every cup of coffee can be customized to perfection.
Shop All Sugars and Sweeteners1. Granulated Sugar
When it comes to sweetening your coffee, granulated sugar is a classic choice that customers of all ages will turn to. It adds sweetness to coffee without altering its taste, allowing customers to enjoy the rich flavor notes of your signature brews. Compared to other types of sugar like brown sugar, granulated sugar easily dissolves into coffee.
Granulated sugar is also perfect for placing on self-service counters and dining tables. It can be easily dispensed from a shaker or supplied in individual packets, making it a user-friendly choice for customers who prefer to sweeten their coffee to their liking. The drawback of granulated sugar is that it is a refined sugar, which can have negative health effects.
- Granulated sugar tasting notes: Clean, neutral sweetness
- Best coffee roast to pair with granulated sugar: All coffee roasts
- Best coffee drinks to sweeten with granulated sugar: Black coffee, iced coffee, and cold brew
2. Simple Syrup
If you want to sweeten lattes, cappuccinos, and other coffee drinks without adding flavor, then simple syrup is the perfect sweetener to use. It is made from just two ingredients: pure cane sugar and water. Its clean, neutral flavor is perfect for enhancing the sweetness of a drink without changing its taste. It’s also ideal for making sweetened matcha lattes and bubble tea.
Simple syrup dissolves more readily into drinks than regular sugar, making it an excellent alternative to granulated sugar while still delivering the same desired sweetness. It is easy to make yourself, but if you purchase it be sure to check the product's ingredient list as some are made with high-fructose corn syrup instead of pure cane sugar.
- Simple syrup tasting notes: Clean, neutral sweetness
- Best coffee roast to pair with simple syrup: All coffee roasts
- Best coffee drinks to sweeten with simple syrup: All coffee drinks
3. Flavoring Syrup
Coming in a wide range of flavors, these syrups allow you to create signature drinks while simultaneously sweetening the coffee. They are great for creating an exciting and diverse menu full of classics like a vanilla latte or specials like a strawberry matcha latte. Beyond coffee, flavoring syrups can be used to create a variety of beverages, including lemonades, smoothies, and cocktails.
There are several flavoring syrup options to choose from, including all-natural, sugar-free, and organic. However, not all syrups are made equal. More premium syrups are made with real flavors and pure cane sugar while more budget-friendly options may include artificial flavors or high-fructose corn syrup, so it’s important to look at ingredients when selecting syrups for your shop.
- Flavoring syrup tasting notes: Various flavors include nutty, fruity, floral, and herbal
- Best coffee roast to pair with flavoring syrup: All coffee roasts
- Best coffee drinks to sweeten with flavoring syrup: Lattes, macchiatos, and cappucinos
4. Honey
Honey isn't limited to tea - it also adds a delicious touch to your coffee! It is a great substitute for sugar or artificial sweeteners, offering many health benefits in addition to its sweet taste. While it is a more high-calorie option, it’s a natural sweetener rich in antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals. When adding honey, be sure that the coffee is not too hot or you may lose some of the honey’s nutritional value.
The type of honey you choose will have a direct impact on the desired flavor of your brew. Coffees with floral, fruity notes like Ethiopian and Hawaiian coffee pair especially well with honey. Choose mild, clean-tasting options like acacia or clover honey that will sweeten and highlight coffee without masking its flavor.
- Honey tasting notes: Floral, earthy sweetness
- Best coffee roast to pair with honey: Light, Ethiopian, and Hawaiian roasts
- Best coffee drinks to sweeten with flavoring syrup: Lattes, iced coffee, and cold brew
5. Maple Syrup
Maple syrup is a natural sweetener with notes of vanilla, caramel, and toffee, making it a great pairing for coffee. It’s a popular fall flavor perfect for crafting custom maple lattes or cold brews. Compared to granulated sugar, maple syrup has a lower glycemic index and dissolves more easily. It is also rich in antioxidants and nutrients like potassium and magnesium. Maple syrup is slightly more thick than simple syrup so make sure to stir well when adding to your drink.
When choosing maple syrup for your coffee, be sure to look at the grade and steer clear of pancake syrup (syrup made from corn syrup and sugar), which is different from pure maple syrup. Grade A syrup is lighter in color and flavor, adding a subtle maple flavor to coffee, while Grade B is darker in color with a more robust taste, adding a stronger maple flavor to coffee. Neither choice is wrong, and the decision ultimately hinges on the flavor profile of your beans.
- Maple syrup tasting notes: Distinctive sweetness with notes of vanilla, caramel, and toffee
- Best coffee roast to pair with flavoring syrup: Pair Grade A maple syrup with light roasts and Grade B maple syrup with dark roasts
- Best coffee drinks to sweeten with flavoring syrup: Lattes, macchiatos, and cappucinos
6. Stevia
Stevia is a natural sugar substitute with zero calories and zero carbs, making it a popular option for health-conscious customers who want to cut down on sugar intake. Derived from the leaves of the South American Stevia rebaudiana plant, stevia is a healthier alternative to traditional sugar and boasts a zero glycemic index. It does not spike blood sugar levels, making it a great choice for diabetics or anyone looking to manage their blood sugar levels.
Stevia is 200 times sweeter than sugar in its purified form, so a little goes a long way in adding sweetness to your favorite brew. Offer stevia packs in addition to regular sugar for those who want to sweeten their black coffee to their liking. Since stevia can be used in a 1:3 ratio in your recipes, use it to craft other drinks like lemonade or sweet tea, or even use it to make housemade zero-calorie simple or flavoring syrups!
- Stevia tasting notes: Intense neutral sweetness
- Best coffee roast to pair with stevia: All coffee roasts
- Best coffee drinks to sweeten with stevia: Black coffee, iced coffee, and cold brew
7. Monk Fruit
Monk fruit is a small melon-like fruit, native to Southeast Asia. Monk fruit sweeteners are created through a process that involves separating the seeds and skin of the fruit, crushing it, and then filtering and extracting its sweet components into both liquid and powdered forms. It can be sold in those forms or combined with erythritol to achieve a taste and appearance similar to table sugar. Monk fruit gets its sweet taste from antioxidants called mogrosides. It does not contain any fructose, glucose, calories, or net carbs, making it a great option for those looking to cut down on sugar intake.
Cafes looking to cater to health-conscious customers or individuals following specific diets can benefit from having monk fruit sweetener on hand. Monk fruit sweeteners are around 100-250 times sweeter than sugar, so a little goes a long way.
- Monk fruit tasting notes: Intense neutral sweetness
- Best coffee roast to pair with monk fruit: All coffee roasts
- Best coffee drinks to sweeten with monk fruit: Black coffee, iced coffee, and cold brew
8. Agave Nectar
Agave nectar, or agave syrup, is a natural sweetener with a slightly thinner consistency than honey that blends seamlessly into hot and cold beverages. Agave nectar is available in light, amber, dark, and raw options, with the syrup developing a more intense caramel flavor as it gets darker. Its caramel-like flavor adds a delightful touch to beverages like macchiatos and cold brews, enhancing the overall taste experience for your customers. Derived from the agave plant, this sweetener is a popular choice amongst vegan customers.
Agave nectar boasts a low glycemic index but is high in fructose. Approximately 1.5 times sweeter than traditional sugar and 50% sweeter than honey, its distinctive taste and adaptability make it a valuable inclusion in your sweetener selection. Its refining process strips most of its nutrients, so choose raw agave syrup to maximize its health benefits. If you seek a healthier sugar substitute, honey, maple syrup, or stevia might be preferable options over agave syrup.
- Agave nectar tasting notes: Intense sweetness with mild to strong caramel notes
- Best coffee roast to pair with agave nectar: Light and medium coffee roasts
- Best coffee drinks to sweeten with agave nectar: Macchiatos, iced coffee, and cold brew
9. Date Syrup
Unlike some other sweeteners that can mask the delicate flavors of coffee, date syrup adds a subtle sweetness that enhances the natural notes of the brew. It adds a rich caramel-like sweetness while also bringing a host of health benefits to the table. Packed with antioxidants, trace minerals, and essential nutrients, date syrup offers a more wholesome alternative to traditional sweeteners. Its thick, sticky texture is slightly thinner than honey and blends into liquids better than date sugar.
Date syrup is particularly well-suited for enhancing the full-bodied taste of Central and South American coffees with nutty, chocolatey notes. Whether you're whipping up an iced mocha or infusing your brew with spiced flavors like cinnamon or cardamom, date syrup can take your coffee experience to the next level.
- Date syrup tasting notes: Rich caramel sweetness
- Best coffee roast to pair with date syrup: Central and South American coffee roasts
- Best coffee drinks to sweeten with date syrup: Lattes, mochas, and cortados
10. Sucralose
Sucralose is a popular choice for those looking to sweeten their coffee without the added calories. This artificial sweetener is sold under the brand name Splenda and is approximately 600-800 times sweeter than sugar. Despite this, sucralose can typically be substituted in a 1:1 ratio for traditional sugar. Unlike some other artificial sweeteners, sucralose is heat-stable, making it ideal for hot beverages like coffee.
Sucralose is versatile and can be used in a variety of coffee beverages, from lattes to iced coffees, without altering the flavor profile of the drink. While artificial sweeteners, in general, have recently faced some scrutiny for potential long-term health effects, they continue to be a favored option for many, including diabetics and those watching their weight. Having sucralose packets on your cafe's self-serve counter and tables can be a great way to cater to customers looking for a sugar-free alternative to sweeten their coffee.
- Sucralose tasting notes: Intense neutral sweetness
- Best coffee roast to pair with sucralose: All coffee roasts
- Best coffee drinks to sweeten with sucralose: Black coffee, iced coffee, and cold brew
Finding the perfect sweetener can elevate your coffee experience, whether you prefer a classic sugar taste, a sugar substitute, or an artificial sweetener. While traditional sugar adds a familiar sweetness, alternatives like stevia are great for those looking to cut down on calories. Artificial sweeteners like sucralose offer a sugar-free option with a similar taste profile. For a natural touch, consider honey or maple syrup for a unique and flavorful addition to your morning brew.
