13 Nespresso Pods and the Perfect Dessert Pairings

If you’re a Nespresso aficionado, you may enjoy a pod (or two) in the morning, but also as a little after-dinner treat. After all, it’s not unusual to crave a shot of espresso with your dessert, and it can be a fun way to highlight the flavors of dozens of different sweet treats, from fudge to flan. If you’re wondering how to pair Nespresso pods with desserts, I’m here to help. 

As a former barista and owner of a Nespresso Vertuo Pop+, I’ve tried my fair share of Nespresso pods — and have lots of experience hunting down the best pastries, puddings, and desserts from all across the globe to pair with coffee. Whether you’re in the mood for something super sugary or want an elegant after-dinner affair, there is a Nespresso pod and dessert pairing for you. 

Tiramisu is a sweet, rich, and creamy dessert, which means that you should be looking for a coffee that’s smooth and strong to cut through its intensity. Though a classic tiramisu recipe will have its own espresso flavor, it’s usually somewhat light. This means that a strong espresso shot can still complement tiramisu without overpowering your palate with espresso flavors.

Nespresso’s Intenso is a good selection for tiramisu because it’s a nine on Nespresso’s intensity scale, which means that it packs a lot of bold flavor and is quite bitter on the palate. If your tiramisu already tastes strongly of espresso, you can cut the pod with a bit of cream and sugar to soften its bite. But if you’re enjoying a rich and fluffy tiramisu, then Intenso is the perfect pick for cleansing your palate between bites. 

Intenso’s contrasting bitterness will also help draw out the flavor of the espresso in your tiramisu even more — and it can make the rest of your dessert taste sweeter, too. Tricking your tongue with bold coffee flavors will help you taste the tiramisu more intensely, which is why you should opt for Intenso over any other Nespresso pod.

Coffee cake is often eaten for breakfast or as an afternoon treat. It’s not usually saturated with sweetness, but instead, has just a bit of spice for flavor. Since coffee cake is a relatively simple sweet, you should pair it with a gentle and sweet espresso like Voltesso.

Voltesso has a nutty flavor profile that adds richness and contrast with each sip, which makes it great for pairing with a similarly flavored nutty coffee cake. If you want to upgrade the flavor of your cake, you can always try soaking it or drizzling it with Voltesso before you eat it, rather than drinking your espresso alongside the cake. 

This is a nontraditional way to enjoy coffee cake, but it will give you a stronger, more flavorful, and moist result. Soak a single, thin slice of coffee cake in Voltesso right before eating for a fresher flavor that won’t turn soggy. It’s important to note that Voltesso is an espresso pod, which means you won’t have a full cup of coffee to pair with your cake — though I still think its flavor makes it a worthy pairing. 

If you’re whipping up a batch of the ultimate fudgy brownies, you may want to opt for a lighter coffee to help offset the richness of the dessert. Or, you can select something very strong and bitter to cut straight through the sweetness and intensity of the chocolate. I think a lighter coffee, like Alto Ambrato, pairs well with every type of brownie because of its complexity.

Alto Ambrato, which brews as a 12-ounce pod, doesn’t score very high on Nespresso’s intensity scale. But it is made with both Robusta and Arabica beans, meaning it has some light bitterness to it, which perfectly offsets even the richest of brownies. It also has caramel and fruit notes, and has light acidity with a gentle roast flavor. These profiles can help to complement the richness of your chocolate brownie.

Chocolate strawberries are a classic dessert for a reason. They’re simple to make, not too expensive, and are often associated with romance and holidays. But if you want to pair coffee with chocolate strawberries, the key is to avoid going too bitter with your Nespresso pod. You want your coffee and chocolate-covered fruit to work in harmony. Anything that clashes will immediately make your palate go haywire, causing the acidity to make your tongue tingle — this will leave you unable to taste the finer notes of your coffee. Instead, look for something fruity.

The seasonal White Chocolate & Strawberries pod is a great example of this — it’s literally in the name — but you could easily opt for a jammy and relaxed pick like El Salvador instead. This coffee has notes of fruit and biscuits, which pair nicely with strawberries and chocolate. El Salvador has a high acidity to mimic the acidity in the strawberries, creating a better pairing. But if your strawberries are acidic already and don’t taste perfectly ripe, then El Salvador could cause your dessert to taste bitter. Balance this out by opting for white or milk chocolate strawberries rather than dark chocolate to counteract the tanginess.

Flan is a fun dessert both to make and enjoy, so it deserves a coffee that’s just as exciting as it is. Flan’s smooth and silky texture and caramel flavor pair well with a rich and balanced coffee. Nespresso’s Double Espresso Dolce is a great pick for flan; it has malty notes that pair well with caramel, as well as nutty and cereal undertones to create a well-rounded pairing. 

Double Espresso Dolce is best served over ice, which makes it a unique pick for spring or summer to complement the flan’s texture. Flan is traditionally served cold, which helps it keep its form and super-smooth texture. I think an iced coffee Double Espresso Dolce is the best coffee pairing for flan because it’s flavorful but refreshing, and won’t shock your taste buds by waffling back and forth from hot to cold. Drink the Double Espresso Dolce black if your flan is already sweet, but you can add a little milk, creamer, or sugar if desired.

Nespresso’s Altissio pods were practically made to pair with dark chocolate — quite literally. This particular pod is part of Nespresso’s dark chocolate pairing set, which combines Nespresso-branded dark chocolate with a small selection of espresso pods to create a miniature tasting experience you can enjoy at home. Altissio is bold, with cereal notes, a roasted flavor, smooth mouthfeel, and creamy consistency — thanks to the extra-thick crema that appears when you brew it. 

This bold, exciting Nespresso pod will hold its weight when paired with pure dark chocolate — a pairing that will delight folks who prefer more intense flavors. I like combining dark chocolate with this coffee because of its crema. It’s smooth, rich, and all about the mouthfeel, which pairs beautifully with a snappy and crisp bar of dark chocolate. 

This is especially true if you start incorporating other textures into your chocolate bars, like crunchy nuts, crispy cereal, or chewy fruits. You can add a little bit of milk or creamer to make Altissio less intense; doing so will help sweeten your dark chocolate experience. 

A plain vanilla Madeleine can pair beautifully with a fruity or floral Nespresso pod. A coffee like Ethiopia will add a lot of flavor to your dessert without being distracting. Some Madeleines taste like vanilla while others offer a little subtle touch of lemon (which fortunately isn’t enough to make your coffee taste sour).

Ethiopia is a fan-favorite Nespresso pod for a reason. It’s gently fruity, a bit musky, and has pretty floral notes that mix well with the rest of the coffee. It’s lightly roasted and not bitter. Even its acidity falls in the mid-range; it’s enough for you to taste the bright fruity notes, but not enough to make your dessert taste off. This makes it the perfect Gran Lungo to pair with a plate of Madeleines.

There are so many fun twists on Madeleines you could pair with Ethiopia. Add a little rosewater to your treats to bring out the flowery flavors of the coffee, or try using lavender to put a springtime spin on your cup of Nespresso. A side of fresh fruit compote can help you taste the fruity notes of Ethiopia’s pod even more clearly; I prefer strawberry compote as it makes an agreeable side for everyone. If you want something truly funky, you could always try adding a few blueberries to your batch of Madeleines, since Ethiopia has notes of blueberry.

An affogato is a classic dessert for espresso lovers, consisting of gelato (traditionally vanilla) with espresso poured straight over the top. You should look for a relatively strong coffee to contrast with the creaminess and sweetness of the gelato. You don’t need more than an espresso in terms of volume for a proper affogato, though.

Stormio is a bold blend with spiciness and woodiness as its top two flavor notes. You’ll also get a little bit of cereal flavor to help balance things out. It’s quite bitter, making it a rich and intense choice for an affogato. If you’re someone who enjoys affogatos because coffee offsets the sweetness of ice cream or gelato, then Stormio is the perfect pick for you. However, if you’re curious about how the bitterness will work with your favorite frozen dessert, start by adding a little at a time, giving it a taste test, and going from there. Adding the full shot (or even two) will make the ice cream less sweet, whereas starting with a spoonful at a time gives you more control over its taste.

An affogato is all about the coffee; the vanilla ice cream is there to add creaminess and depth, yes, but you should be able to taste every note of the espresso through your dessert, too. Stormio’s strong woody notes don’t just complement vanilla, but will shine straight through it. The same thing is true for the deep smokiness the pod has to offer, which will make your vanilla gelato taste like it’s been infused with aged flavor.

Fudge is fun to pair with coffee, but it can also be difficult to get just right. You’ll first want to consider the flavor of the fudge you’re working with. For example, a classic chocolate fudge is super simple to pair with coffee. Consider Melozio, which is a fun Nespresso pod all on its own because it has honey notes and a smooth mouthfeel. Its cereal tasting notes pair well with traditional chocolate fudge, including recipes made with dark or milk chocolate. Since it has an agreeable flavor profile all around, it can also pair well with fudge made with nuts, caramel, rocky road, marshmallow, and even butterscotch.

Melozio isn’t too strong, which tends to work well with most kinds of fudge because it’s usually cut and served in small pieces; this makes it easy to enjoy without getting overwhelmed by its richness. You don’t need an espresso that’s very bitter to pair with it, so Melozio’s moderate flavor profile is a top choice. The only kinds of fudge that can admittedly be tricky to pair with Melozio (and coffee in general) tend to include fruit — like blueberries, cherries, and oranges — and mint flavors.

A fun pairing for chocolate lava cake is Nespresso’s XL Cold Brew pod. It’s strong, bitter, smooth, and meant to be served cold. Its flavor embodies that of a classic, coffee shop cold brew. Its bold flavor can offset even the richest of chocolate lava cakes, as the cold brew can cut through the intensity and heaviness of the chocolate center. When I tested the Cold Brew XL pods, I found that they still had their signature Nespresso crema, even when brewed over ice; this creates a creamy, fluffy, and cold balance to a warm and gooey chocolate lava cake.

As you’ve probably picked up by now, the bolder the dessert, the bolder your coffee should be; though you’ll want to find opportunities to complement their flavors. Chocolate lava cake is quite sweet, but also has a dark, bold richness and an overwhelming chocolate flavor. This means that you’ll want something strong to help make the dessert feel lighter and brighter than it actually is. Nespresso’s Cold Brew pod is perfect for this because its intense flavor is diluted with the ice. You can add more or less ice to control the flavors and help take the edge off this pod. 

There are so many different variations of mousse worth trying, but the most classic one is chocolate. Regardless of whether you want to stick with this classic flavor or try a caramel or vanilla version, you should consider pairing it with Nespresso’s Roasted Hazelnut pods – part of the brand’s Barista Creations lineup meant to be enjoyed with milk.

Though it’s a charming dessert all on its own, mousse can sometimes lack depth of flavor — it’s typically made with just one to two ingredients, and if you have a mousse that’s made with low-quality or bland chocolate, then you might find it tastes a little flat. To help with that, choosing a coffee that has complementary flavors can bring back all of the depth your mousse might be missing, without making it too rich. Barista Creations are also much sweeter than other Nespresso pods because they have actual flavoring added to the pod. You’ll get a lot of roasted hazelnut flavor in each pod, which tastes great iced. The flavors bring a deep, dark, and balanced body to any kind of mousse.

The nice thing about caramels is that they’re typically small, which means that you have complete choice over whether or not you opt for a bitter coffee; with each caramel being bite-sized, you don’t necessarily need a super strong coffee to clear your palate. Instead, it’s most important to find a coffee flavor that matches well with plain caramel. Therefore, staying away from fruit (and floral) flavors is usually for the best. Classic coffee tasting notes — like cereal, chocolate, or smokiness — are great for pairing with this dessert. 

For example, Nespresso’s Costa Rica pod has notes of maltiness, cereal, and sweetness. These notes are a natural complement to caramel; malt enhances its sweetness, cereal adds a note of complexity, and the sweetness of Costa Rica will help all of its flavor notes blend with each bite of caramel, so there’s no harsh aftertaste. Costa Rica also pairs well with chocolate, which comes in handy for things like chocolate-coated caramels. 

You might not immediately think of coffee and pie as a perfect pairing. However, leaning into sweet, hearty, and non-fruit pies can be a simple and delicious way to pair the two together. This is where your favorite classic pecan pie recipe comes in. It’s a delightfully cozy dessert that’s perfect for fall and winter, so you’ll want to pair it with a delicious, warming coffee for the ideal post-dinner combination. 

Nespresso’s Pour-Over Style brew is absolutely perfect for pecan pie. This pod is smoky, comforting, and classic all at once, making it a great pairing for a nutty pie. It’ll also offset the sweetness of your dessert without introducing any bitter notes. As a bonus, the Pour-Over pods can be brewed in a carafe, meaning that you’ll get multiple servings of coffee with one pot. Just like a pecan pie, it’s perfect for sharing at the table.