How to Pair Coffee with Popular Thanksgiving Desserts

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Dessert and coffee will be the last thing guests will remember about your Thanksgiving dinner. Make this year extra memorable by taking the time to pair your coffee with the desserts you're serving!

Like wine, every coffee has a flavor profile (more on that here), and should be paired with different Thanksgiving desserts accordingly. To help you decide which coffee you should serve, we asked our head roastmaster, Stacy Hawkins, what coffees make your turkey day desserts stand out.

 

If you’re having pumpkin pie…

Go with a medium roast coffee like our H.C. Valentine Caribbean Blend, which is a 100% Certified Organic coffee that’s a well-balanced medium roast with a pleasant finish and delicate body. You can drink this from the time you get up on Thanksgiving morning to after dessert.

 

If you’re having chocolate or pecan pie…

You need a dark roast coffee to break up all that sweetness! Try our H.C. Valentine Signature Blend, which is made up of African, South and Central American coffees. It has a floral aroma and a sweet, winey taste with tremendous body and a lingering finish.

 

If you’re having apple pie or another fruity dessert…

Pair it with a bright, unique coffee like our H.C. Valentine Kenya AA Flametree. This coffee is from the land of the Kikuyu (a local, native tribe), and has slight notes of citrus and a hint of berry flavor.

 

If you're more of a tea person...

Marshall Malone, our tea category manager, says to pair H.C. Valentine loose leaf Masala Chai tea with anything fruity or pumpkin, and Earl Grey La Creme with anything chocolate!