Top 5 Toasty Coffees for Fall

Perhaps one of the best things about cool weather is setting down with a hot cup of coffee – especially if your java is one of these sweet flavors.

The leaves are beginning to change from verdant green to sunny yellow, burnt orange and deep red, which means trading in your iced coffees for something a little more warming.

If your everyday roast doesn't seem like a fair tradeoff to summer's fun, icy drinks, consider giving your beans a boost of autumn-inspired flavor. Here are our top five faves for fall.


Cinnamon
Coffee and cinnamon go together like apples and cider, because the spicy sweetness of cinnamon expertly complement the bitter, nutty flavors of java. For those of you who want just a hint of cinnamon in your cuppa joe, store your beans or grounds with a couple of cinnamon sticks until the spicy flavor has a chance to permeate. Want a more intense brew? Mix powdered cinnamon with your coffee and let the combo sit for a day or two before trying it out.

Maple
Ah, yes – maple. There's nothing quite like the flavor of everyone's favorite sap-derived product. If you don't mind a little sweetness in your coffee, you can simply add some pure maple syrup or maple sugar to your brew. Those of you who like to embrace the bitterness of your joe can instead mix a couple of teaspoons of maple extract to your whole beans before grinding and brewing.

Pumpkin Spice
Sure, you can head to your local grocery store or chain coffee shop and buy a bag of pumpkin spice flavored beans, or you can just make it on your own. To make the perfect cup of coffee to go with your pumpkin pie this fall, just add 1 teaspoon (tsp.) of ground cinnamon, 1 tsp. ground ginger, 1/2 tsp. allspice, 1/2 tsp. nutmeg and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract to your whole beans. For the best flavor, store the mixture for a day or two before trying it out.

Almond
Dunno about you, but we're feeling like hazelnut coffee is getting a little played out, while almond is underrated. To make your own almond flavored coffee, you can grind some toasted nuts to a fine powder and add them to your beans or grounds. One caveat: This may end up clogging the filter, depending on what type you're using, so keep an eye on it. You may also simply add a teaspoon of almond extract to your beans.

Caramel
The caramel flavored beans and syrups that abound on store shelves right now tend to leave something to be desired. Namely – true caramel flavor, that bittersweet taste of perfectly toasted sugar. Not to worry, however, because making caramel is super simple: Just heat sugar and water until it turns into a nice golden brown. You can either add the warm syrup to your joe, or, if it hardens, break it up into pieces and let the candies melt in your cup.

Perfect companions for your flavored coffee
Because coffee is great on its own but way better when accompanied by something sweet and carb-heavy, we think you might want to bake up a Coffee Swirl Cake, Streusel Coffee Cake or even some Cafe Coffee Cookies to go along with your autumnal beverage.