Nov 5, 2026 · Nazir Mahmood

Cold Brew Flavors: How to Get Vanilla, Toffee and Cherry Notes at Home

The best flavored cold brew starts with beans that already taste like something. Five recipes with vanilla, cinnamon, orange peel and cocoa, and which Moodwell coffee suits each.

Short answer: the best flavored cold brew starts with beans that already taste like something. Pick a coffee with natural notes of nuts, toffee, cocoa or fruit, steep it coarse for 12 to 18 hours, then add vanilla, cinnamon, orange peel or a little brown sugar syrup to the jar or the glass.

By Nazir Mahmood, Moodwell founder. Updated Nov 5, 2026.

Our coffees are not flavored. Here is why that helps.

None of our beans are coated in flavoring. When a bag says hazelnut or toffee, those notes come from the bean and the roast (we explain how in what coffee tasting notes mean). That makes them a clean base: you decide how sweet, creamy or spiced the cup gets, and there is no syrupy aftertaste.

Step 1: pick your beans

Nutty and sweet: Rich Hazelnut, Praline Smooth and Golden Nut Toffee are the easy picks for a cream-and-sugar style cold brew.
Chocolatey: Velvet Cocoa, a single-origin Colombian, makes a mocha-leaning cold brew without any chocolate syrup.
Fruity and bright: Cherry Zest and Citrus Drift are best with a twist of citrus and no milk.
Late-night: Forest Decaf works for decaf cold brew. See Swiss Water decaf explained.

Step 2: make the base cold brew concentrate

Grind coarse, like sea salt. Use 100 g (about 1 cup) of whole beans with 800 g (about 3 1/4 cups) of cold, filtered water.
Stir, cover and steep in the fridge for 12 to 18 hours.
Strain through a fine mesh sieve lined with a paper filter or cloth.
Store the concentrate in a sealed jar in the fridge for up to 7 days. Dilute it about 1 to 1 with water or milk when you drink it, and adjust to taste.

For more ratios and iced coffee methods, read our cold brew and iced coffee guide.

Step 3: add the flavor

Vanilla cream cold brew

Split one vanilla pod lengthwise and add it to the jar for the whole steep, or stir 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract into each glass. Pour over ice and top with a splash of cream or oat milk. Best with Praline Smooth or Golden Nut Toffee.

Cinnamon toffee cold brew

Add one cinnamon stick to the steep. Serve over ice with a teaspoon of brown sugar syrup (equal parts brown sugar and water, warmed until dissolved, then cooled) and a little milk. Best with Golden Nut Toffee.

Orange peel cold brew

Pour over ice, then twist a strip of orange peel over the glass to release its oils and drop it in. No sugar needed. Best with Cherry Zest or Citrus Drift. This is the drink in our swirl video.

Mocha cold brew

Use Velvet Cocoa and finish with cold milk and a pinch of salt. If you want it sweeter, add a teaspoon of the brown sugar syrup above.

Hazelnut cold brew

Rich Hazelnut over ice with cream is already there. Add a small pinch of cinnamon on top if you want it to smell like a bakery.

Want it creamier? Try milk brew

Skip the water entirely: steep coarse coffee in cold milk overnight, strain, and pour over ice. It is the trending creamy cousin of cold brew. See our milk brew coffee guide.

Tips for better flavored cold brew

Add spices and vanilla to the steep for even flavor. Add syrup, cream and citrus to the glass so you can adjust each cup.
Go easy on spices in the steep. A single cinnamon stick or one vanilla pod is plenty for 100 g of coffee.
Freeze some of the cold brew in an ice cube tray so the drink doesn't water down.
Fresh beans taste better. See how to store coffee beans.

Frequently asked questions

Does Moodwell sell flavored coffee beans?

No. Our coffees are not flavored. Notes like hazelnut, toffee, cherry and cocoa come from the beans and the roast, and the rest of the flavor in these recipes comes from what you add to the cup or the steep.

What is the best coffee for flavored cold brew?

A medium roast with natural sweetness works best, such as Rich Hazelnut, Praline Smooth or Golden Nut Toffee. For fruit, try Cherry Zest or Citrus Drift.