When I first heard of a “homemade coffee creamer recipe,” I immediately pictured a multi-step process requiring dozens of ingredients. As much as I love cooking, my hectic everyday work week doesn’t allow me time to experiment with complicated recipes.
Yet, I know that many store-bought creamers today contain many additives, such as lots of sugar or high fructose corn syrup, maltodextrin, and emulsifiers. Therefore, it’s easy to see the appeal of trying a homemade coffee creamer. To my surprise, making coffee creamer at home is uncomplicated. It’s way easier than it sounds. Many recipes, such as this homemade coffee creamer, require only four natural ingredients.
Homemade coffee creamer recipe
This homemade coffee creamer recipe will surprise you. The ingredients and the method are so simple that it will almost leave you questioning why you’ve purchased store-bought coffee creamer. While this recipe (made as follows) contains vanilla, the recipe is mild enough to use as a base to make other flavored coffee creamers. We’ll discuss variations and ways you can experiment with this recipe later, but here are the basics.
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup of half-and-half
- 14 ounces of sweetened, condensed milk
- 1 cup of milk (skim, 2%, or whole milk can be used based on preference)
- 2 to 3 teaspoons of vanilla extract
Method
- Mix all of the ingredients in a bowl.
- Whisk until well combined.
- Pour into an air-tight container/pitcher.
- Store in the refrigerator and shake well before each use.
This homemade coffee creamer recipe can be stored in the fridge for up to a week. If you don’t plan on using this much creamer in a week (such as in a single coffee-drinker household like mine), consider cutting the recipe in half to make a smaller portion.
Homemade coffee creamer recipes with flavors
Homemade coffee creamer is an excellent option for all coffee drinkers, and that’s what I love about it. There’s something to be said about a classic creamer with a slight hint of vanilla, which allows you to enjoy the full-bodied flavor of your cup of coffee.
More often than not, I prefer my coffee creamer to be plain and simple, made just as in this standard recipe. However, there are also times when I feel like mixing things up with my coffee creamer. In those times, this homemade coffee creamer recipe can easily be modified with flavors such as chocolate, cinnamon, and caramel (or experiment on your own to develop something new).
Chocolate coffee creamer
Want to make a mocha-flavored coffee? Chocolate coffee creamer is an excellent addition to mocha coffee drinks. This coffee creamer recipe can be modified as a chocolate creamer using the same recipe by adding two tablespoons of cocoa powder.
Cinnamon coffee creamer
Cinnamon in coffee is a personal favorite of mine. (I always add a pinch of cinnamon to my coffee order at the Starbucks condiment bar.) You can enhance this homemade coffee creamer recipe by adding 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon. If you want to elevate your coffee’s cinnamon flavor, you can add a cinnamon-flavored coffee syrup for an ultra-cinnamon taste.
Caramel coffee creamer
Modifying this coffee creamer recipe to include caramel is more involved but still super simple. Instead of using vanilla extract, you’ll use four tablespoons of brown sugar and four tablespoons of butter to create a caramelized flavor. This variation requires you to heat the milk, butter, and brown sugar over medium-low heat in a saucepan.
Why you should make homemade coffee creamer
The most apparent reason to make your own creamer is to avoid artificial ingredients, additives, and extra sugar added to most pre-made coffee creamers. Homemade creamer recipes give you more control over what goes into your creamer and, therefore, the taste and nutritional content of your cup of coffee. As a bonus, you’ll also enjoy a fresher-tasting coffee with a more wholesome taste.
Making healthier coffee creams can reduce the sugar you consume and make avoiding additives easier. One commonly found ingredient in coffee cream is vegetable oil, which is used to help add texture and heaviness to the cream. However, seed oils ultimately lead to inflammation in your body (that’s not something you want to consume every morning in your coffee).
Store-bought creamers also contain preservatives that help them stay fresh on store shelves. Other additives, such as carrageenan, are linked to digestive problems, cancer, and a variety of different potential health risks.
Dietary needs
Another reason to make your coffee creamer is to meet specific dietary needs. Low-sugar and keto-dieters can swap the sweetened condensed milk in this recipe for zero-sugar condensed milk and swap milk for heavy cream.
Those who can’t consume dairy or are on a plant-based diet can also opt for dairy-free versions of homemade creamer. There’s a modification for every dietary restriction, which makes it much easier than hunting through grocery aisle shelves to find a creamer that meets your unique needs.
