It’s practically a sin to start the day without your morning cup of joe - but is it safe to consume coffee if you’re avoiding gluten? Let’s take a look at whether coffee is gluten-free.
Coffee is the beverage of choice for millions of Americans. A 2024 study shows that a whopping 73% of Americans drink coffee daily. If you are recently diagnosed with Celiac or are avoiding gluten, you might wonder if you’ll need to give up your morning coffee fix. Here’s everything you need to know.
A quick review: What is Gluten?
Gluten is a protein that naturally occurs in wheat and other grains like barley and rye. Unfortunately, determining if a product is gluten-free isn’t as simple as checking the label for wheat, barley and rye. Gluten lurks in sneaky ingredients like soy sauce, malt, and even in some colorings and “natural” flavorings.
Is coffee gluten-free?
Black coffee is made using ground coffee beans and water. Coffee beans grow on coffee trees. Those trees produce fruit called coffee cherries - and what we call coffee beans are actually the seeds of that fruit.
All fruits and their seeds are gluten-free, meaning black coffee is a naturally gluten-free beverage.
What about flavored coffee, frappuccinos, and other coffee-based beverages?
Black coffee is naturally gluten-free. However, some coffee-based drinks are not. If you plan on ordering any blended or mixed coffee-based drink and are avoiding gluten, it’s best to do your homework. This is important because some add-ins like syrups, powders or creamers, or flavorings may contain gluten.
Sometimes, figuring out whether a drink contains gluten is pretty obvious. If you’re avoiding gluten, you probably wouldn’t order the Cookies and Cream Ice Blended at Coffee Bean. Other times, it’s much less apparent. The Chocolate Cream Cold Brew at Starbucks might seem like a safe choice for Celiacs, but it’s not. The chocolate powder in this drink contains malt powder made with barley, and barley contains gluten.
Oat milk is another ingredient to keep an eye on. Oats are always a concern because of the high risk of cross-contamination during processing. Before ordering that Oat Milk Cold Brew, make sure your favorite coffee joint uses a certified gluten-free brand.
Most coffee shops list the nutritional information or potential allergens on their websites (and we’ve linked a few of them for you below).
How to tell if a coffee drink is gluten-free
Many of your favorite coffee shops offer a variety of gluten-free drinks. That doesn’t mean you don’t have to do your homework. Menus, recipes, and preferred brands change regularly. It’s always a good idea to check the list of ingredients, ask the barista if the oat milk is certified gluten-free, or if there’s a risk that your drink might be prepared using shared equipment that could have been contaminated. Yes, that sounds high-maintenance - but guess what my darlings - so are you. Welcome to gluten-free life.
What drinks are gluten-free at Starbucks?
Looking for a gluten-free menu on the Starbucks website? You won’t find one. While many of their drinks are made with gluten-free ingredients, Starbucks chooses not to label those drinks as gluten-free. Why? The same foamer, shakers and blenders are used to craft drinks containing gluten - so there’s a pretty high risk of cross-contamination. If you’re extremely sensitive, when at Starbucks you should stick with either black coffee or iced drinks that are made in the cup like Cafe Americano or Iced Espresso. If you’re wondering if it’s safe to add a splash of oat milk to your Iced Espresso, the answer is “yes”. Starbucks baristas use Oatly, a certified gluten-free oat milk.
What drinks are gluten-free at Dutch Bros?
According to this 2024 list, all Dutch Bros drinks are wheat-free. However, the oat milk used in their beverages is not certified gluten-free. Celiacs and highly sensitive individuals should choose certified gluten-free oat products due to the high risk of cross-contamination. For this reason, we recommend avoiding any Dutch Bros drinks made with oat milk.
What drinks are gluten-free at Dunkin' Donuts?
Per their 2023 Ingredient and Allergen Guide, all coffee drinks at Dunkin' Donuts are gluten-free. We’re not exactly sure why you’d be at Dunkin' Donuts if you’re avoiding gluten - but if you do find yourself there, the drinks are far less likely to kill you than the donuts. Bonus points if you score one of their super sweet track suits, á la the The DunKings.
What drinks are gluten-free at The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf?
The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf has an extensive menu with many gluten-free options. However, according to their Nutrition Guide a few of the ice blended drinks on their menu do contain gluten. Because shared equipment is used to craft their beverages, it’s best to avoid ordering their ice blended drinks. As of February 2024, The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf uses Oatly, a certified gluten-free oat milk.
What drinks are gluten-free at Peets Coffee?
According to the folks at Peets, all of their beverages are made with gluten-free ingredients. This includes their oat milk drinks, which are made with Chobani Oatmilk. However, they avoid making any gluten-free claims. Their sandwiches and flatbreads are not gluten-free, so they instead state that “while employees are trained to reduce the risk of cross-contamination…our drinks are not certified gluten-free”. In this particular case, it seems like more of a liability disclaimer. Since none of the drinks contain gluten, contamination from shared equipment shouldn’t be much of a concern.
Be your own barista
It’s easy to make your own gluten-free (and dairy-free) coffee drinks at home! Check out a few of our favorites.
Dairy-Free Mocha
Coconut milk creamer and coconut nectar give this Dairy-Free Mocha just a hint of sweetness. It’s the perfect afternoon pick-me-up!
Affogato
If you’ve never tried Affogato, we need to change that immediately. Our friends at Salt and Wind shared their recipe for this simple but oh-so-satisfying Italian float. If you’re feeling ambitious, you can even make your own Dairy-Free Coffee Ice Cream.
Toasted Coconut Cold Brew Horchata
We can’t get enough of this creative coffee drink from Hola Jalapeno. Yes, you’ll need to do some prep the night before - but we promise this Toasted Coconut Cold Brew Horchata is well worth the effort.
Ever tried cooking with coffee?
Roasted Espresso Chipotle Shrimp
Looking for an easy appetizer or light entrée that's full of big flavors. You'll love this recipe for Roasted Espresso Chipotle Shrimp.
Espresso Candied Bacon
Just when you thought there was no possible way to make bacon better....enter Espresso Candied Bacon. Mic drop.
Want more delicious gluten-free coffee recipes?
Check out Made with Coffee, a cookbook I created with my buddy Jerry James Stone!
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