How to Eat Keto at Dunkin’ Donuts: 15 Low-Carb Foods and Drinks We Love
Nothing beats a light-and-sweet Caramel Swirl Latte from Dunkin’…but now that you’ve gone keto, your usual is off the menu. Since the diet is low carb, you’ll need to avoid bread and sugar on your morning coffee run to stay in ketosis. Better yet, you’ll have to load up on protein and fat to stay satiated. While it may take some forethought, you can definitely eat keto at Dunkin’ Donuts, and we’ll prove it.
The coffee chain, unfortunately, doesn’t have a nutrition calculator on its website, but it does list nutrition and allergy info for all of their menu items. So, it’ll take a bit of guesswork to figure out the net carbs of your adjusted food and drink orders. (The nutrition info that follows each menu item below doesn’t account for keto-friendly modifications.) Nevertheless, it’s totally possible to work Dunkin’ into your meal plan. Read on for 15 menu items, plus tips from an expert on going keto.
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Meet the Expert
Dr. Felicia Stoler, DCN, is a registered dietitian, nutritionist and exercise physiologist. She’s the author of Living Skinny in Fat Genes: The Healthy Way to Lose Weight and Feel Great and the former host of TLC’s Honey, We're Killing the Kids.
Tips for Going Keto
“The keto diet is effective for helping people lose weight, but it’s not effective as a lifetime lifestyle diet,” Stoler explains. There are no studies that examine the long-term effects of going keto for years, but it’s a fact that high dietary fat intake (especially paired with low fiber intake) puts a person at risk for heart disease, cancer and digestive issues. “[Keto] is certainly not the healthiest, and let’s acknowledge that in all of the longevity regions of the world, the centenarians’ diets include the same starchy carbs that are no-no’s for keto,” she says. Nevertheless, if you’re someone with a large amount of weight to lose, keto could be an effective way to jumpstart the process. While Stoler stresses that all foods can fit into a healthy diet, here are her tips for trying keto:
Now that you have the deets, read on for 15 of our favorite ways to eat and drink keto at Dunkin’ Donuts.
Coffee Drinks
1. Coffee, Hot or Iced
Dunkin’
Nutrition information: 5 calories, 0g fat, 0g carbs, 0g protein, 0g sugar, 0g fiber
Make it keto: no modifications needed
Black coffee is always the safest bet, since it contains minimal calories and no sugar. Feel free to top it with regular or non-dairy milk for 20 to 30 calories more, depending on the size of your cup. You can also spice things up with a sugar-free flavor shot. (The chain’s flavor shots are unsweetened and sugar-free, not to be confused with flavor swirls, which contain sugar. Flavor shots will only add about 5 to 20 calories to your bev, and they’re available in vanilla, hazelnut, toasted almond, blueberry, raspberry and coconut.) Supplement the flavor shot with a zero-calorie sweetener if it’s still too bitter for your taste.
2. Cold Brew
Dunkin’
Nutrition information: 5 calories, 0g fat, 0g carbs, 0g protein, 0g sugar, 0g fiber
Make it keto: no modifications needed
Just like hot coffee, cold brew can be spruced up with milk and flavor shots without racking up sugar. Iced coffee is just as reliable, but we like cold brew for its minimally bitter, smooth flavor, a product of the gentler, longer brewing process. Even better, cold brew contains more caffeine than iced coffee due to how it’s made. Add a splash of cream, milk or nondairy milk, plus any sugar-free sweetener you’d like.
3. Espresso
Dunkin’
Nutrition information: 5 calories, 0g fat, 1g carbs, 0g protein, 0g sugar, 0g fiber
Make it keto: no modifications needed
Like black coffee, espresso is essentially free of carbs. While it’s not sweetened or flavored, you can taste notes of caramel and chocolate in every sip of Dunkin’ espresso. Order one or two shots (or three on a rough morning) to sip plain or add a splash of cream or coconut milk to mellow the bitterness. You can even add sugar-free sweetener while you’re at it to make what’s essentially the cutest, tiniest keto latte ever created.
4. Americano, Hot or Iced
Dunkin’
Nutrition facts: 10 calories, 0g fat, 2g carbs, 0g protein, 0g sugar, 0g fiber
Make it keto: no modifications needed
Nutritionally speaking, Americanos are very similar to black coffee, except instead of being brewed like drip, they’re made by combining hot water (or cold water for iced) and fresh espresso. You can add flavor shots, zero-calorie sweetener or a splash of milk if you’re a light-and-sweet kind of person.
5. Skim Latte, Hot or Iced
Dunkin’
Nutrition facts: 100 calories, 0g fat, 15g carbs, 9g protein, 14g sugar, 0g fiber
Make it keto: no modifications needed
Technically, the lowest carb option on the menu latte-wise is a coconut milk latte, which contains only 1 carb if you order a medium. But the protein content in a skim latte might make it more worth the keto dieter’s while, even if it costs them 14 grams of sugar (or less if you order a small).
Note: Don’t expect to get a sugar-free latte here (or anywhere, really). All the milks and nondairy options contain some sugar, so the best you can do is a low-sugar latte. (If your goal is to cut calories, coconut milk is your best bet. Just avoid the oatmilk and almond milks, which contain added sugar.)
6. Skim Cappuccino, Hot or Iced
Dunkin’
Nutrition facts: 70 calories, 0g fat, 10g carbs, 6g protein, 9g sugar, 0g fiber
Make it keto: no modifications needed
Cappuccinos call for the same ingredients as lattes, but the milk is steamed longer for a frothier, lighter texture. Because they’re steamed more, cappuccinos require less milk than lattes when served hot—that’s why they’re lower in calories, carbs and sugar despite containing the same ingredients. Substitute coconut milk or half-and-half for skim milk or make the bev your own with flavor shots or zero-calorie sweetener.
7. Skim Macchiato, Hot or Iced
Dunkin’
Nutrition facts: 70 calories, 0g fat, 10g carbs, 6g protein, 9g sugar, 0g fiber
Make it keto: no modifications needed
A traditional macchiato is a shot of espresso topped with an ounce or two of steamed milk. In the U.S., it’s typically a full-sized upside-down latte, meaning the espresso is poured on top of the milk instead of the other way around, giving the drink a layered appearance. As long as you don’t add any fancy syrups or sweeteners, keto dieters should be able to indulge without modifications; just ask for skim milk, coconut milk or cream.
8. Hot Tea, Any Flavor
Dunkin’
Nutrition information: not available
Make it keto: no modifications needed
The hot teas at Dunkin’ have no nutritional value as long as they’re unsweetened. Since they’re made to order, be sure to ensure that there’s no sugar being added. Request a lemon wedge for flavor or add zero-calorie sweetener or milk of your choice if you don’t like your tea plain. Varieties include Bold Breakfast Black Tea (both caffeinated and decaf), Chamomile Fields Herbal Infusion, Cool Mint Herbal Infusion, Hibiscus Kiss Herbal Infusion and Harmony Leaf Green Tea.
9. Unsweetened Iced Tea, Black or Green
Dunkin’
Nutrition information: 5 calories, 0g fat, 1g carbs, 0g protein, 0g sugar, 0g fiber
Make it keto: no modifications needed
Get your medium iced tea sweetened and it clocks in at 230 calories with 58 grams of sugar. Skip the sweetener and the nutrition stats are just as negligible as plain hot tea. Choose from black or green, then zhuzh it up with a spritz of lemon, a splash of milk, zero-calorie sweetener or even a flavor shot (we’re partial to raspberry).
*Note: Avoid all Coolattas, chai lattes, matcha lattes, hot chocolates and Refreshers on keto, since they contain sugar that can’t be modified or removed.
Food
10. Sweet Black Pepper Snackin’ Bacon
Dunkin’
Nutrition information: 190 calories, 12g fat, 10g carbs, 10g protein, 9g sugar, 0g fiber
Make it keto: no modifications needed
Yes, this sweet-and-savory delight contains added sugar. But due to the small quantity, you can work it into a keto diet as long as you don’t overdo it at another meal. (Most keto eaters consume anywhere from 20 to 50 grams of carbs per day.)
11. Hash Browns
Dunkin’
Nutrition information: 110 calories, 6g fat, 13g carbs, 1g protein, 1g sugar, 1g fiber
Make it keto: no modifications needed
We can’t get enough of these poppable, golden brown gems of deliciousness. Keto dieters need to go easy on potatoes, but because there are only six small pieces per order, they can afford to work these into their meal plan when a craving strikes (and even a packet of ketchup for dipping). They’re lower in sugar than the bacon, as all of their carbs come naturally from the spuds instead of added sugar.
12. Wake-Up Wrap, Any Variety
Dunkin’
Nutrition information: 180-290 calories, 10-21g fat, 14-15g carbs, 7-11g protein, 1g sugar, 0g fiber
Make it keto: no modifications needed (or ask for no wrap)
You’ll be surprised—and overjoyed—to learn that these morning wraps don’t require any tweaks to be keto-friendly. Whether you order one with bacon, sausage, turkey sausage or no meat at all (just egg and cheese), they’re small enough that the carb count won’t take you out of ketosis. But if you want to play it as low-carb as possible, nix the wrap.
13. Sausage, Egg and Cheese
Dunkin’
Nutrition information: 560-720 calories, 35-52g fat, 40-42g carbs, 21-26g protein, 4-8g sugar, 2-5g fiber
Make it keto: ask for no bread
Most Dunkin’ sandwiches can come on a bagel, croissant or English muffin. Even the lowest carb option is too high for keto dieters, so to fit one of these into your meal plan, you’ll need to ask for it without bread. Once it’s gone, you’ll be left with protein and fat. Just know that nixing the bread will likely bring down the fiber count as well.
14. Bacon, Egg and Cheese
Dunkin’
Nutrition information: 400-560 calories, 18-36g fat, 39-67g carbs, 17-23g protein, 3-8g sugar, 1-4g fiber
Make it keto: ask for no bread
Much like its sausage counterpart, you’ll need to skip the bread to indulge in this sammy on keto. It’s available on a bagel, croissant, biscuit and English muffin, but they’re all too high in carbs to accommodate the keto diet. Settle for the protein- and fat-filled toppings instead and you’ll be good to go.
15. Turkey Sausage, Egg & Cheese
Dunkin’
Nutrition information: 470 calories, 25g fat, 39g carbs, 23g protein, 4g sugar, 1g fiber
Make it keto: ask for no bread
For those trying to minimize both fat and carbs, turkey sausage is leaner than regular sausage. (Although the bacon sandwich is technically lower in both calories and fat, depending on the bread.) Nevertheless, you’ll need to pass on the English muffin to stay in ketosis. Might we suggest slathering the fillings in your favorite condiments, like spicy mayo or guacamole?
*Note: Doughnuts, muffins, pastries and breads are off the table because of their sugar and carb content.
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Taryn Pire is PureWow’s associate food editor. A former bartender and barista, she’s been writing about all things delicious since 2016, developing recipes, reviewing restaurants and investigating food trends at Food52, New Jersey Family Magazine and Taste Talks. When she isn’t testing TikTok’s latest viral recipe, she’s having popcorn for dinner and posting about it on Instagram @cookingwithpire.
