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Make your coffee break that much better with Homemade Coffee Creamer! Made with just a handful of simple, whole ingredients, 5 minutes of cooking time, and thirteen different flavor options you'll never go back to buying store-bought creamers again!
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Though I am all about making café-style coffee drinks easy to prepare and enjoy in the comfort of your own home, I certainly know the joy and comfort of sipping a cup of cold brew, drip, or my basic morning coffee with just a swirl of your favorite flavored coffee creamer.
Whether you reach for classic vanilla or hazelnut creamer or prefer to get adventurous with new and different flavors, such as cinnamon bun or sugar cookie, making your own coffee creamer is a simple yet so effective way to elevate your cup of joe to new heights. It adds creaminess, richness, and a sweet finish all in one stir.
If you take a look at popular creamer brands at the grocery store, however, what you find can be surprising. Though boasting nearly limitless varieties, many of the store-bought coffee creamer flavors and brands have paragraph-long ingredient lists full of mystery chemicals and hard-to-pronounce ingredients, putting a damper on your java enjoyment.
The solution? Make your own creamer! With only a handful of easy-to-find and natural ingredients, simple steps, and 5 minutes of cooking time, it's a quick, easy, and tasty solution you can feel good about enjoying.
If you're afraid that making your creamer will mean you will be limited to only basic flavors, do not fear. I created thirteen different varieties, banishing boredom and keeping those coffee breaks fresh, flavorful, and in some instances, festive! Let's get into it!
Jump to:
- Why You'll Love This Homemade Coffee Creamer Recipe
- Ingredients
- How to Make Coffee Creamer
- Homemade Flavored Coffee Creamer Variations
- Recipe Success Tips
- Dietary Adaptations
- Serving Suggestions
- Storage Directions
- FAQs
- Nutritional Info
- More Flavored Coffee Recipes
- Homemade Coffee Creamer (13 Flavors!)
Why You'll Love This Homemade Coffee Creamer Recipe
- Simple and Easy - No complicated techniques or hard-to-find ingredients here! If you can heat a pan on the stove, you can make this DIY flavored coffee creamer.
- Only Natural & Simple Ingredients - With a base of half-and-half, heavy cream, and sugar, there's no guessing about what you're stirring into your coffee. Unlike the store-bought stuff and other creamer recipes, there's no sweetened condensed milk, no oils, no artificial flavors, no artificial ingredients, just basic ingredients. Like the old ice cream commercials used to say, "Only ingredients a kid could read!"
- Customizable - With simple recipe adaptations, it's easy to make this your own. Choose your favorite flavor (or two!) and follow my directions for dairy-free, sugar-free, and more if desired!
- Versatile - Pour your creamer into anything from iced coffee to espresso! For coffee lovers, there's no limit to the ways you can enjoy it.
Ingredients
Though these homemade flavored creamers may taste indulgent, they're made with common ingredients found at nearly any grocery store.
Here's what you'll want to grab:
- Half-and- Half - The star of this coffee creamer show! Made with 1 part whole milk and 1 part heavy cream, this creates the perfect base for our rich and silky concoctions. Find half-and-half in the refrigerated section next to the milk and premade coffee creamers. You can also substitute a 1:1 mixture of whole milk and heavy cream if desired.
- Heavy Cream - Also known as heavy whipping cream, just ½ cup of heavy cream adds the perfect creamy-rich finish.
- Sugar - Classic granulated sugar does the trick, though you can swap in raw or turbinado sugar if desired. Doing so will alter the color of the creamer, however, and add a light caramel color.
How to Make Coffee Creamer
One try at making this easy homemade coffee creamer recipe and you'll never go back to storebought again! Here's how to make your own creamer:
Step 1: Whisk together the half and half, heavy cream, and granulated sugar in a medium saucepan.
Step 2: Add all flavor additionsexcept for the extractsand heat over medium-low heat until the creamer starts to steam, the sugar has dissolved, and everything is well combined.
Step 3: Remove from the heat once the creamer is smooth and the sugar is dissolved. Stir in the extracts.
Step 4: Cool for about 10 minutes at room temperature, then pour into a mason jar or container with a lid and store in the fridge for up to 7 days.
Homemade Flavored Coffee Creamer Variations
The coffee creamer aisle has nothing on this list of thirteen coffee creamer variations! Whether you are in the mood for a homemade vanilla creamer or want to try a new flavor like pumpkin spice or mocha peppermint, there's something for every coffee creamer lover on this list! See the "flavor add-in" section of each variation for a list of the additional ingredients you'll need to make it.
Vanilla Coffee Creamer Recipe
There's a reason why this vanilla coffee creamer is as OG as it is: the warmth and nuttiness of the vanilla combined with the sweet creaminess of the half-and-half mixture makes it simply exceptional. Note: use pure vanilla extract for the best flavor!
Flavor Add-In: Vanilla extract
Italian Sweet Cream Creamer Recipe
Inspired by the Italians who know how to do coffee right, I created this warm and nutty blend. There's nothing not to love about the flavors of vanilla and sweet almond!
Flavor Add-Ins: Vanilla extract and almond extract.
Hazelnut Coffee Creamer Recipe
Another classic creamer for a reason! This hazelnut creamer is nutty and rich, taking nearly any coffee hour to the next level!
Flavor Add-In: Hazelnut extract.
Mocha Coffee Creamer Recipe
Coffee and chocolate complement each other like Sunny & Cher: creating a rich and indulgent experience that is a melody to tired tastebuds.
Flavor Add-In: Cocoa powder.
Peppermint Mocha Coffee Creamer Recipe
Celebrate the holiday season by giving classic mocha creamer a peppermint kick! Perfect for enjoying alongside holiday cookies. 🍪
Flavor Add-Ins: Cocoa powder and peppermint extract.
Caramel Coffee Creamer Recipe
If you like caramel lattes or macchiatos, you will love this caramel creamer recipe! Perfect for when you want that caramelized flavor but don't have the ingredients to make a latte!
Flavor Add-In: Caramel extract.
Chocolate Peanut Butter Coffee Creamer Recipe
Chocolate and peanut butter are the coffee combo you didn't know you needed! Velvety and chocolaty with a big nutty finish, a heaping spoonful of this creamer takes any coffee to dessert territory.
Flavor Add-Ins: Cocoa powder and creamy peanut butter.
Sugar Cookie Coffee Creamer Recipe
Confirmed to make any holiday season that much better! With notes of vanilla, almond, and the perfect buttery finish, a cup of coffee laced with this cookie creamer is sure to be the icing on top of any festivity.
Flavor Add-Ins: Vanilla extract, almond extract, and butter extract.
Coconut Coffee Creamer Recipe
Add a tropical twist to your brew with a coconut creamer to go nuts about! Its dimensional coconut flavor is a dreamy compliment to the creamy-sweet base. Bonus: Sprinkle cocoa powder or shaved chocolate on top of your mug for a chocolate coconut experience!
Flavor Add-In: Coconut extract.
Irish Cream Coffee Creamer Recipe
Love coffee with Bailey's, but need it without the alcohol? I got you! A drizzle of my Irish creamer recipe tastes just like the classic but without any buzz!
Flavor Add-Ins: Vanilla extract, cocoa powder, espresso powder, and almond extract.
Pumpkin Spice Coffee Creamer Recipe
Your go-to for when the days get shorter and the weather turns cooler. It's the perfect way to easily satisfy your pumpkin spice fix without having to whip out the frother or hit the drive-through line!
Flavor Add-Ins: Pure pumpkin puree, maple syrup extract, and pumpkin pie spice.
Cinnamon Roll Coffee Creamer Recipe
Enjoy bakery flavors without having to leave the house or heat up the oven with this cinnamon roll creamer. A taste of pure heaven!
Flavor Add-Ins: Vanilla extract, butter extract, and cinnamon.
Amaretto Coffee Creamer Recipe
Another delicious Italian coffee creamer featuring cinnamon and almond extract. Pour a touch of this amaretto creamer into your mug and instantly be transported to a quaint piazza-side café!
Flavor Add-Ins: Almond extract and cinnamon.
Recipe Success Tips
- Don't boil the cream mixture. You want to heat it over medium-low heat, or enough heat just to let it get warm enough to steam and dissolve the sugar, not to a simmer or boil. Overheating it will risk scalding the milk and giving the homemade creamer an unpleasant taste.
- Add the extracts after removing the pan from the heat. Cooking flavored extracts will cause the alcohol in them to burn off, taking along much of the delicious extract flavor with it.
- Sweeten to taste. If you prefer creamer that isn't as sweet, start with ¾ cups of granulated sugar and stir in more to taste after the sugar has dissolved in the cream mixture.
- Optional: Adjust the batch size. Double the whole batch to make creamer for a crowd or freeze leftovers for later. For a more modest portion, simply halve the ingredients and follow the recipe directions as listed.
- Optional: Make multiple flavors at once. Can't choose which flavor combo to try? Make two! Simply heat the cream, half-and-half, and sugar until the sugar is dissolved, and then divide the creamer between two heat-safe bowls before whisking in the extracts and flavors. If making a creamer with cocoa powder or pumpkin, leave that portion of the creamer in the pot and return to low heat to whisk in the flavoring ingredients. Note: If making two flavors from one batch, be sure to whisk just half of the recommended amount of flavoring ingredients into each bowl of creamer base.
Dietary Adaptations
- Lactose-Free: Enjoy this coffee creamer recipe without any tummy troubles! Just swap in lactose-free heavy cream and lactose-free half-and-half for their traditional counterparts.
- Dairy-Free & Vegan: Make a coffee creamer your friends with allergies and food preferences will love! Simply substitute 1 cup oat milk and 1 cup full-fat coconut milk for the half-and-half and heavy cream.
- Sugar-Free: No sugar? No problem! Make this DIY coffee creamer sans sugar by substituting 1 cup monkfruit sweetener for the granulated sugar. You can also substitute 1 teaspoon of Stevia powder or 1 cup of Swerve sweetener if desired.
Serving Suggestions
When it comes to coffee creamer serving suggestions, the sky is the limit! Here are some of my top ways to enjoy it:
- Classic Coffee: Enhance any cup of drip, French press, pour-over, or Moka pot hot coffee with a swirl of homemade creamer.
- Shaken Latte: Try a simple take on iced lattes by shaking up ¼ cup of any flavor of creamer with two shots of espresso and a cup of ice.
- Cold Foam Copycat: Make a quick cold foam by frothing 2 or 3 tablespoons of the creamer for 15-30 seconds, or until light and foamy. Spoon onto cold brew for a delightful caffeine kick!
- Heighten Hot Chocolate: Stir in a tablespoon or two of hazelnut, peanut butter chocolate, or peppermint mocha creamer into cups of hot chocolate for a twist everyone will love!
- Stir into co*cktails: Substitute creamer for heavy cream in any of your favorite sweet creamy co*cktails. Perfect for chocolate martinis, white Russians, and more!
- Coffee Smoothie: Boost the creaminess of your coffee smoothie by blending in a touch of creamer! Blend 1 cup of ice, ½ cup of milk, 2 shots of espresso, and ¼ cup of coffee creamer for an energizing drink. Sweeten to taste with additional creamer and add a scoop or two of your favorite protein powder for extra staying power!
Storage Directions
- Refrigeration: Pour the cooled creamer into a mason jar or container with a lid and store it in the fridge for up to 7 days.
- Freezing: This homemade coffee creamer can also be frozen! Pour cooled creamer into a freezer-safe container or bag and freeze for up to 3 months. You can also freeze individual portions of the creamer in ice cube trays. Freeze until frozen before transferring the cubes to a freezer-safe container or bag. Defrost the creamer over low heat on the stovetop until thawed through or defrost individual frozen cubes on low in the microwave.
FAQs
What is the key ingredient in coffee creamer?
The key ingredient in coffee creamer is half-and-half which is a creamy mixture of 1 part whole milk and 1 part heavy cream. From here, additional heavy cream and flavorings are added to the half-and-half base to give the creamer the desired additional flavor.
Is it cheaper to make homemade coffee creamer?
Yes, it can be so much more affordable to make homemade coffee creamer. Depending on the flavor variation you choose, it can cost as little as $2.56 per batch to make this homemade coffee creamer recipe, making it cheaper than many storebought brands.
How long will homemade coffee creamer last?
Homemade coffee creamer will last for up to 7 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator or for up to 3 months if frozen in a freezer-safe container.
Why is store-bought coffee creamer bad for you?
The coffee creamer you buy at the store usually is a combination of sugar, water, and oil, giving it a similar texture to a dairy-based creamer. The problem is, most of the oils (high-oleic oils, vegetable oil, etc) they add to store-bought creamer are very inflammatory. And, if you buy the sugar-free versions, they're most likely full of artificial ingredients and artificial sweeteners.
Can I make these creamers dairy-free?
Yes! Simply use equal parts of oat milk and canned coconut milk instead of the cream and half n half!
Nutritional Info
A quarter-cup serving of homemade vanilla coffee creamer comes in at 175 calories, most of it from fat and carbohydrates, but that is what makes the creamer so rich, flavorful, and delicious. It's not too bad considering that it is still so much lighter than many lattes and sweetened coffee drinks you can order out! Also, there's peace of mind knowing that all of the ingredients in the creamer are natural and clean (unlike many storebought creamer brands).
A 2-ounce serving size of this creamer is a pretty generous pour, so if you are concerned about the calorie count, simply stir in just 1 or 2 tablespoons into your morning cup! 1 tablespoon of vanilla creamer lowers the count to just 44 calories and a decent 2 tablespoon pour will adequately cream your coffee for a modest 88 calories.
If this calorie count still feels high for you or if you are watching your carbs, you can also make the recipe sugar-free with my directions above. Doing so will lower the carbohydrates in ¼ cup of the creamer from 22 grams down to only 2 ( a difference of nearly 75 calories)!
This nutritional estimate is based on the vanilla creamer recipe. Additional mix-ins for other flavors, such as peanut butter and cocoa powder, will increase the calories, sugar, and fat content of the recipe.
Total nutritional content per serving is:
- Calories: 175 calories
- Total Fat: 8 grams
- Protein: 2 grams
- Sodium: 26 mg
- Carbohydrates: 22 grams
- Sugar: 22 grams
*This nutritional information is an estimateand calculated based on the ingredients used to create the recipe. The nutritional value of your ingredients may differ slightly. Furthermore, this food is not intended to prevent, diagnose, cure, or treat any disease.
More Flavored Coffee Recipes
- Chocolate Hazelnut Cookie Cold Brew (Starbucks Copycat)
- Salted Caramel Cream Cold Brew (Starbucks Copycat)
- Easy Pistachio Latte (Starbucks Copycat)
- Easy Caramel Latte Recipe (Starbucks Copycat)
Print Recipe
5 from 8 votes
Homemade Coffee Creamer (13 Flavors!)
Make your coffee break that much better with Homemade Coffee Creamer! Made with just a handful of common ingredients, 5 minutes of cooking time, and thirteen different flavor options you'll never go back to buying storebought creamers again!
Start with the coffee creamer base and stir in the ingredients for your flavor of choice as directed below!
Prep Time2 minutes mins
Cook Time3 minutes mins
Total Time5 minutes mins
Course: Drinks
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Homemade Coffee Creamer
Servings: 10 servings
Calories: 175kcal
Author: Megan Byrd
Equipment
Ingredients
Homemade Coffee Creamer Base:
- 1 ½ cups half & half **see notes for dairy-free
- ½ cup heavy cream **see notes for dairy-free
- 1 cup granulated sugar **see notes for sugar-free
Vanilla Creamer:
- 3 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
Italian Sweet Cream Creamer:
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon almond extract
Hazelnut Creamer:
- 2 tablespoon hazelnut extract
Mocha Creamer:
- 3 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
Peppermint Mocha Creamer:
- 3 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon peppermint extract
Caramel Creamer:
- 2 tablespoon caramel extract
Chocolate Peanut Butter Creamer:
- ¼ cup creamy peanut butter
- 2 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
Sugar Cookie Creamer:
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon almond extract
- ½ teaspoon butter extract
Coconut Creamer:
- 1 tbsp coconut extract
Irish Cream Creamer:
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa powder
- ½ teaspoon espresso powder
- ¼ teaspoon almond extract
Pumpkin Spice Creamer:
- 2 tablespoon canned pumpkin puree
- 1 tablespoon maple extract
- 2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
Cinnamon Roll Creamer:
- 3 tbsp pure vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon butter extract
Amaretto Creamer:
- ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon almond extract
Instructions
Whisk together the half and half, heavy cream, and granulated sugar in a medium saucepan.
Add all flavor additions except for the extracts and heat over medium-low heat until the creamer starts to steam, the sugar has dissolved, and everything is well combined.
Once your creamer is smooth and everything appears to be combined and dissolved, remove from heat and stir in the extracts.
Allow to cool for about 10 minutes at room temperature, then pour into a mason jar or container with a lid and store in the fridge for up to 7 days.
Notes
Storage Directions:
- Refrigeration: Pour the cooled creamer into a mason jar or container with a lid and store it in the fridge for up to 7 days.
- Freezing: This homemade coffee creamer can also be frozen! Pour cooled creamer into a freezer-safe container or bag and freeze for up to 3 months. You can also freeze individual portions of the creamer in ice cube trays. Freeze until frozen before transferring the cubes to a freezer-safe container or bag. Defrost the creamer over low heat on the stovetop until thawed through or defrost individual creamer cubes on low in the microwave.
Dietary Adaptations:
- Dairy-Free & Vegan: Substitute 1 cup oat milk and 1 cup full fat coconut milk and eliminate the half-and-half and heavy cream.
- Sugar-Free: Substitute 1 cup monkfruit sweetener and eliminate the granulated sugar.
- Lactose-Free: Enjoy this coffee creamer recipe without any tummy troubles! Just swap in lactose-free heavy cream and lactose-free half-and-half for their traditional counterparts.
Nutrition
Serving: 0.25cups | Calories: 175kcal | Carbohydrates: 22g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 8g | Sodium: 26mg | Sugar: 22g
xoxo Megan
