Homemade Coffee Creamer

Level up your mornings with Homemade Coffee Creamer. With just three ingredients, it’s easy to make and cheaper than buying store-bought. And you can customize it with your preferred type of milk and flavor it so many ways.

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About this Homemade Coffee Creamer

Real talk: I used to buy coffee creamer. But then I learned I could stop spending my hard-earned moolah on store-bought creamer when it is so easy to make your own.

Homemade coffee creamer is the hack you never knew you needed. You can flavor it with vanilla and chocolate or create other flavors like pumpkin spice coffee creamer. You can also use your choice of milk. And yes, you can customize the sweetness!

This recipe is so versatile and you are going to love having this on hand for your daily morning coffee and afternoon pick-me-up.

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Why you’ll love this recipe

Homemade coffee creamer is one of the best things you can have on hand in your kitchen.

• This recipe is a great one to make for overnight guests.
• You can make a lot more for less money. A great way to save on your weekly grocery budget.
• You’ll know exactly what’s in it. No mystery ingredients or artificial flavors here!
• This coffee creamer is easy to customize with your choice of milk and unique flavors.
• You can add it to just about any kind of coffee, from regular drip to French press coffee to cold brew coffee. It has other uses too!

What is coffee creamer?

Coffee creamer is made with cream, milk or half-and-half that has been sweetened, intended for mixing into coffee drinks. It is often thicker than regular milk, giving your morning cup of joe a thick, creamy and silky texture.

It is designed to make mornings easier, so you can sweeten and add cream to your coffee in one fell swoop.

At grocery stores, it is often flavored, but it is easy to make yourself with fresh milk or non-dairy milk and flavorings like vanilla extract.

Tools & equipment

For this recipe, you will need a mixing bowl and long spoon, like a wooden spoon or spatula, and measuring cups. You can also make it in the carton of milk or in a big jar and then shake it up.

You will also need something to store the creamer in! I have used a mason jar or airtight carafe, but you can also use a funnel to decant it back into a milk carton.

A pretty milk pitcher is nice to have when you have guests over, too.

milk & creamer essentials

glass milk carton

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milk frothing pitcher

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glass creamer jug

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Ingredients

Here’s what you’ll need to make this recipe:

• sweetened condensed milk: This comes in a can at the grocery store. If you don’t like your creamer to be as sweet, you can use unsweetened condensed milk and add sugar until it’s to your liking. You can also substitute this for a flavored version like dulce de leche, which is like a caramel sweetened condensed milk.
• half-and-half, cream or milk: Feel free to use heavy whipping cream, whole milk or 2% milk, depending on how thick you like your coffee creamer. You can also use non-dairy milk like cashew milk, oat milk or almond milk. I prefer half-and-half because I like the thick texture.
• vanilla extract: You can skip this if you don’t like vanilla extract. You can also use other extracts like almond extract.

Variations & substitutions

There are a LOT of ways to make this homemade coffee creamer your own! You can swap out everything in this recipe for other ingredients.

• sweetened condensed milk: You can use unsweetened condensed milk, flavored (like caramel sweetened condensed milk) or non-dairy (usually coconut sweetened condensed milk).
• half-and-half, cream or milk: You can use regular milk or cream, or go for a non-dairy version.
• vanilla extract: You can use other extracts or skip it altogether. Without the vanilla, it tastes like a sweet cream coffee creamer.

Here are some more things you can do to tweak this recipe:

How to adjust the consistency

Thicker consistency: Use heavy whipping cream or half-and-half to make a thicker creamer. This is more like what you would buy at the store.

Thinner consistency: Use milk with a thinner consistency than heavy whipping cream, like half-and-half or 2% milk.

How to adjust the sweetness level

Keep in mind that flavors may intensify as the creamer sits, so it’s best to start with a slightly less sweet mixture if you’re unsure of how sweet to make it.

More sweetness: Use less milk so there is a higher ratio of sweetened condensed milk to heavy cream. You can also add brown sugar, simple syrup or chocolate syrup for extra sweetness.

Less sweetness: Use more milk or less sweetened condensed milk. Or simply add a little bit of the creamer to your coffee and supplement with regular half-and-half.

Adjustments for dietary preferences

Non-dairy and vegan creamer: Use unsweetened condensed coconut milk to add thickness alongside your favorite non-dairy milk. Oat milk, soy milk, almond milk and lactose-free milk can all work with this. I prefer oat milk for its thicker texture.

Lighter creamer: Use fat-free sweetened condensed milk and milk with a thinner consistency, like 2% milk or a non-dairy milk.

Coffee creamer flavors

There are a lot of ways to change the taste of your simple syrup. Store-bought coffee creamers come in lots of flavors, so why can’t yours?!

If your flavoring is already sweet, such as a coffee syrup or honey, you may want to start with a base of unsweetened condensed milk. Omit the vanilla extract if it won’t work with your flavor.

Here are some different flavor ideas to try in your homemade creamer:

• Brown sugar coffee creamer: Stir in ½ cup brown sugar until dissolved, adding more if needed. Be sure to use unsweetened condensed milk so it isn’t overly sweet.
• Chocolate coffee creamer: Add a little chocolate syrup (make your own with cocoa powder!) to your mixture to make it taste like chocolate milk, giving your coffee drinks a mocha flavor.
• Maple coffee creamer: Throw in a splash of maple syrup. You can also use maple extract in lieu of the vanilla extract.
• Caramel coffee creamer: Sometimes you can find sweetened condensed milk flavored with caramel, also known as dulce de leche. Use this instead of regular.
• Coconut creamer: Add coconut extract instead of vanilla to regular dairy coffee creamer. You can also use coconut milk and sweetened condensed coconut milk.
• Pumpkin spice coffee creamer: In the fall, this creamer is so good when made with unsweetened condensed milk and pumpkin spice syrup.
• Hazelnut coffee creamer: Use hazelnut extract instead of vanilla extract. Almond milk would add additional nutty flavor. Another idea is to try this toffee nut syrup.
• Peppermint coffee creamer: Add a splash of peppermint extract instead of vanilla for a minty flavor that’s perfect for making your peppermint mocha during the holiday season. Add chocolate syrup for a chocolate mint / thin mint situation.

Instructions

In a large mixing bowl or pitcher, combine the sweetened condensed milk, half-and-half and vanilla extract.

Stir until the sweetened condensed milk has dissolved into the mixture.

Transfer to a pitcher or back into the carton.

Then it’s ready to pour into your cup of coffee! Add ½ ounce at a time until you reach your preferred sweetness and color.

How to store it

Store this homemade vanilla coffee creamer in a food-safe, airtight container like a mason jar or bottle in the fridge. You can also pour it back into the carton of milk.

Use it up within the date on your half-and-half carton, but remember that the extra ingredients could make the milk go sour sooner. Consider labeling the container with the date it was made to ensure you use it before it spoils.

Tips & tricks

Here are some tips and tricks for making this homemade coffee creamer recipe:

1. Experiment with different extracts like almond or coconut, or even add in a flavored syrup like caramel or chocolate to create a fun flavor profile for more exciting coffee drinks.
2. If you prefer your coffee less sweet, use unsweetened condensed milk or reduce the amount of sweetened condensed milk in the recipe. You can also incorporate alternative sweeteners like honey or maple syrup for a different taste.
3. Tailor the thickness of your creamer by choosing different dairy or non-dairy bases. Opt for heavy whipping cream or full-fat milk for a thicker consistency, or use lighter options like 2% milk or almond milk for a thinner texture.

Ways to use Coffee Creamer

Beyond adding it to coffee, there are a lot of ways to use coffee creamer!

• Add it to tea drinks like thai iced tea or a cup of hot tea.
• Substitute it for water or milk in baked goods like this sugar cookie cheesecake or caramel macchiato fudge.
• Add it to creamy cocktails like a White Russian or a boozy iced coffee.
• Add a splash to milkshakes to make them sweeter and creamier.
• Use it to make frosting — it’s a great in a sugary topping for pumpkin coffee cake or Guinness donuts.

FAQ

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