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While many people love the convenience of store-bought coffee creamers, it’s not the healthiest way to start your day. I’m sharing how to make Healthy Coffee Creamer – it’s so much easier than you think, and a delicious addition to your morning cup of coffee!
Drinking your coffee black is often thought to be the best for our health, but it’s not the most appealing flavor to most drinkers. Flavored store bought coffee creamers are full of sugar, artificial ingredients, and trans fats. This is an easy and healthy dairy free coffee creamer that will change the way you drink coffee.
Many almond milk, oat milk, and soy creamers, while lactose free and plant based, are still lacking in nutrition and flavor. I’ve been on a mission to to create a plant based coffee creamer that has all the flavor of store-bought creamers, but with clean ingredients. I think this Vanilla Almond Milk Creamer fits the bill.
Where is the recipe?
Here at My Crazy Good Life, we like to make our recipes easy for everyone to follow. In the article below you’ll find lots of information about the ingredients needed for this recipe as well as recipe tips and ingredient substitutions.
If you’d like to skip past all of that extra information and jump to the recipe, simply scroll to the bottom of the page where you’ll find easy to follow directions for How to Make Healthy Coffee Creamer.
Ingredients in this dairy free creamer
- Coconut Milk: You’ll want the canned coconut milk. Be sure it is unsweetened and full-fat coconut milk for that creamy taste you love. Using another non-dairy milk instead of the canned coconut milk will result in thinner more “watered down” creamer.
- Unsweetened Almond Milk: I like to use unsweetened vanilla in this recipe, but plain works just as well. You could also use another non-dairy milk of your choice.
- Coconut Crystals: Also called coconut palm sugar or coconut sugar. Studies show that coconut sugar has a lower glycemic index than cane sugar, which means it causes a slightly lower rise in blood sugar. I’ve found that this is a 1:1 swap for brown sugar so if you can’t find coconut sugar, brown sugar will give you the same result (but with different nutritional values).
- Vanilla Extract: Be sure and pick up pure vanilla extract, not bakers vanilla or imitation vanilla, for the best vanilla flavor. You could also use almond extract or another flavor if you’d like–experiment and have fun with different flavors!
How to make Healthy Coffee Creamer
This recipe should take about 10 minutes to mix ingredients and heat, and about an hour in the fridge to chill.
- Add canned coconut milk, almond milk, coconut crystals, and vanilla to a small saucepan.
- Whisk ingredients together over low heat until the crystals melt and incorporate completely.
- Turn off the burner and remove the pan from the heat. Allow your creamer to cool naturally for 20 minutes so it cools closer to room temperature, then transfer it to an airtight container or glass jar and refrigerate.
- This keeps in the fridge for 5-7 days. You can also freeze it.
Recipe Tips and Common Questions:
- This creamer works great in iced coffee as well. I like to make ice cubes out of the creamer, and then pour brewed ice coffee or cold brew right over them.
- Definitely add flavors that appeal to you and experiment with this recipe! Your base recipe is coconut milk, almond milk, and coconut sugar. You’re welcome to swap the vanilla out for other flavors that you like.
- Looking for chocolate creamer? Try this recipe for Mocha Coffee Creamer :)
- Making your own homemade coffee creamer will take some getting used to as it doesn’t last as long as store bought. I love freezing my creamer small containers so I can use a little bit at a time.
- If you feel like the oil in traditional coffee creamer is something you’re missing, try adding a tablespoon of coconut oil or mct oil to the creamer. Just stir or shake well before use.
- If you prefer an unsweetened creamer, skip the coconut crystals in this recipe.
- If you’re looking for other flavors, I recommend adding one of these options in place of the vanilla extract:
- cocoa powder
- pumpkin pie spice
- hazelnut flavors
- coconut flavor
- I’ve added maple syrup in place of the coconut crystals and love that flavor. This is an easy recipe to experiment with!
For those looking to reduce the amount of processed food and lower the sugar intake in their diet, this homemade coffee creamer is a great (and easy!) option. While there are delicious healthier options on the store shelves today, like Califia farms brand, there’s really nothing like homemade.
Traditional coffee creamers (like Coffee Mate or International Delight) are highly processed and contain ingredients like added sugar or artificial sweeteners that don’t align with common weight loss goals, or with a minimally processed or whole foods diet.
While most store bought coffee creamers are perfect for those who are lactose intolerant, it’s not quite enough for me unless it’s a fully vegan recipe. I love the dairy-free option that this recipe gives me.
I choose to not purchase fat free products for a few reasons–first, they often have artificial sweeteners or sugar in them. Also, they often contain a combination of carbohydrates that are being used to mimic the “feel” of fat in them, with no health benefits.
Healthy Eating Plans
This is a perfect 21 Day Fix, 2B Mindset or Weight Watchers coffee creamer. This healthy homemade coffee creamer recipe makes 17 servings that are about 2 tablespoons each.
Weight Watchers: 3 Blue Plan Points | 3 Green Plan Points | 3 Purple Plan Points | 3 Points on the 2023 Plan.
21 Day Fix/Ultimate Portion Fix: For the entire recipe: 5 Blue Containers, 1/3 Teaspoon. Per 2 Tablespoon Serving: 1/2 Blue Container and trace teaspoons (I do not count them).
2B Mindset: This would be an “Accessory” on 2B Mindset
More healthy breakfast recipes
- Whole Wheat Banana Bread
- Zucchini Bread Oatmeal
- Pumpkin Cold Brew
- Pumpkin Overnight Oats
- Chia Pudding
- Starbucks Egg Bites
How to Make Healthy Coffee Creamer | Vanilla Coffee Creamer Recipe
Equipment
- Le Creuset Cast Iron Pot
- Glass Milk Bottles
Ingredients
- 1 can coconut milk full fat, unsweetened
- 3 tbsp almond milk unsweetened
- 2 tbsp coconut sugar also called coconut sugar
- 1 tbsp vanilla
Instructions
- Add coconut milk, almond milk, coconut crystals, and vanilla extract to a small saucepan. Whisk to combine. 1 can coconut milk 3 tbsp almond milk 2 tbsp coconut sugar 1 tbsp vanilla
- Heat on low, stirring continuously until crystals incorporate with the rest of the ingredients.
- Remove from the heat and allow to cool for 20 minutes before storing in the fridge.
- Keep in fridge for 5-7 days, or freeze.
Notes
Nutrition
Make This Recipe?
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This is an interesting recipe. I am excited to try it. I assume the purpose of heating is to melt the coconut crystals. If I use maple syrup instead of the coconut crystals, do I still need to heat it?
Thank you for your very informative post.
Hi Nancy, if you use maple syrup I think skipping the heating process would be fine – I’d make sure to shake it up before you use it, as the syrup is a bit heavy and might sink to the bottom :)