For many, a cup of coffee or tea latte is a comforting morning ritual, a quiet moment before the day truly begins. However, store-bought coffee creamers often contain chemicals, additives, and processed sugars that can be harmful to our health. It's time to savor all the flavors: pumpkin spice, caramel, chocolate, French vanilla and more! When you make your own creamer at home, the flavor options are endless.
This article dives into the dangers of standard creamers and provides a step-by-step recipe for a healthy homemade coffee creamer that is both budget-friendly and nutritious.
The Hidden Dangers of Store-Bought Coffee Creamers
When it comes to store-bought coffee creamers, it's important to be aware of the hidden dangers lurking in their ingredients:
Sugar: Most store-bought creamers are loaded with processed sugars, which can contribute to weight gain, inflammation, and an increased risk of chronic diseases like diabetes. Look for ingredients that end in -lose for sugars hiding out under unfamiliar names.
Vegetable Oil: These creamers often contain high oleic soybean and/or canola oil, which are high in unhealthy trans fats and omega-6 fatty acids. These fats have been linked to inflammation, heart disease, and other health issues.
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Micellar Casein: This processed milk protein is used as a thickening agent in creamers. It can cause digestive issues and may come from conventionally raised cows exposed to hormones and antibiotics.
Additives: Creamers may contain additives such as mono- and diglycerides, dipotassium phosphate, cellulose gel, cellulose gum, and carrageenan. While these additives enhance texture and stability, they have been associated with digestive problems and inflammation.
The Benefits of Homemade Coffee Creamer
When it comes to finding the healthiest coffee creamer option, making your own is the way to go:
Control over Ingredients: With homemade creamer, you have full control over the ingredients you use. You can opt for natural sweeteners like maple syrup or honey, which provide additional nutrients along with sweetness. Totally skipping the junky sweeteners.
Cost-Effective: DIY creamer can be more budget-friendly in the long run. By purchasing a few basic ingredients, you can create multiple batches, saving money compared to store-bought alternatives.
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Customizable Flavors: DIY creamer for coffee or tea allow you to experiment with various flavors and create personalized combinations that suit your taste preferences.
Key Ingredients for a Healthy Homemade Coffee Creamer
Raw Grass-fed Cream: Raw cream, obtained from unpasteurized milk, retains even more of its natural nutrients and enzymes, making it an excellent choice for those seeking the maximum health benefits from their cream. It is higher than conventional cream in beneficial nutrients such as omega-3 fatty acids, which are known for their anti-inflammatory properties. Grass-fed cream is also richer in conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), a type of healthy fat that has been linked to various health benefits, including improved heart health and weight management. Additionally, grass-fed cream contains higher levels of vitamins A, E, and K2, which are essential for maintaining optimal health.
Canned Coconut Milk: This dairy-free alternative is rich and creamy, providing a luxurious texture to your coffee. Coconut milk is packed with healthy fats, which can provide sustained energy and promote satiety. Be sure it is unsweetened and full-fat coconut milk for that creamy taste you love.
Maple Syrup or Honey: These natural sweeteners add a touch of sweetness to your creamer without the harmful effects of processed sugars. Maple syrup contains antioxidants and minerals like manganese and zinc, while honey has antibacterial properties and can soothe a sore throat.
Coconut Sugar: Also called coconut palm sugar or coconut crystals. Coconut sugar has a lower glycemic index than cane sugar, which means it causes a slightly lower rise in blood sugar.
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Basic Homemade Vanilla Coffee Creamer Recipe
This easy homemade vanilla coffee creamer recipe is one you’ll keep coming back to. Ready to use in about 15 minutes. Ingredients are basic and healthier than traditional store bought creamer.
Ingredients:
- 1 can coconut milk
- 3 tbsp almond milk
- 2 tbsp coconut sugar
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
Instructions:
- Add coconut milk, almond milk, coconut crystals, and vanilla extract to a small saucepan.
- Whisk to combine.
- Heat on low, stirring continuously until crystals incorporate with the rest of the ingredients.
- Turn off the burner and remove the pan from the heat.
- Allow to cool for 20 minutes before storing in the fridge.
- Keep in fridge for 5-7 days, or freeze.
- This creamer works great in iced coffee as well.
Variations and Flavor Ideas
Now that you have all the information and variations at your fingertips (Pumpkin spice, French Vanilla oh my!), it's time to get creative in the kitchen and whip up your own homemade coffee creamer. Remember, the key to a successful homemade coffee creamer is experimentation.
- Natural Sweeteners: Instead of using maple syrup or honey, you can use a sugar-free sweetener like monk fruit extract or stevia.
- Coconut Cream: If you want to avoid canned coconut milk due to its high fat content, you can use coconut cream instead.
- Almond Milk: Unsweetened almond milk is a popular choice for dairy-free coffee creamer.
- Cashew Milk: Cashew milk is another creamy and dairy-free option.
- Oat Milk: Oat milk is a delicious dairy-free alternative that is made from oats and water.
- Chocolate Creamer: Looking for chocolate creamer? Cocoa powder is completely optional. But, if you add it, then your coffee will taste like a mocha.
Here are a few recipes for homemade coffee creamer so you can make your own creamer at home. Each recipe takes about 5-10 minutes to whip up.
- Cinnamon Strudel: Whisk together milk, cream, maple syrup and cinnamon in a medium saucepan over medium heat. When the mixture begins to steam, remove from the heat. Stir in extracts.
- Chocolate Almond: Whisk together milk, cream, cocoa powder, and maple syrup in a medium saucepan over medium heat. When mixture begins to steam, remove from the heat and stir in almond extract.
- Pumpkin Spice: Whisk together milk, cream, pumpkin, pumpkin spice, and maple syrup in a medium saucepan over medium heat. When mixture begins to steam, remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract.
- French Vanilla: Whisk together milk, cream and maple syrup in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Cut vanilla bean in half, and scrape out seeds. Add seeds and vanilla bean to milk mixture. Turn off heat, cover the pot and steep for 30 minutes. After mixture has steeped, strain through a fine mesh sieve, pour into a glass bottle and store in the refrigerator.
- Peppermint Mocha: Whisk together milk, cream, maple syrup, and cocoa in a medium saucepan over medium heat. When mixture begins to steam, remove from the heat and stir in the peppermint extract.
- Honey Vanilla: Whisk together cream, milk and honey in a medium saucepan over medium heat. When the mixture begins to steam, remove from the heat. Whisk in vanilla.
- Oatmeal Cookie Coffee Creamer: The recipe doesn’t use any oatmeal but the applesauce does the trick.
- Healthy Coconut Coffee Creamer: These ingredients are straightforward. I did end up making it twice because I thought the Almon Extract was way too strong so I reduced the amount in half.
Keto-Friendly Coffee Creamer
There are ZERO net carbs in each serving of this amazing and sweet keto coffee creamer.
To make this have a mild flavor and a creamy texture, I used a combination of almond milk, coconut milk, and heavy whipping cream. You could substitute heavy cream, half and half, or even coconut cream for the heavy whipping cream. I prefer heavy whipping cream because it has a full body texture with a higher amount of fat. The type of sugar-free sweetener you use is completely up to you. I used a powdered sweetener and discovered that it really dissolves well. Liquid sweeteners will also work perfectly too! I suggest using granular sweetener as a last resort. It will dissolve, but it requires more effort. Vanilla extract is the only spice you actually need for a basic creamer. If you want to create a flavored creamer, then use other extracts like peppermint or hazelnut. For a pumpkin spice creamer, add a dash of pumpkin pie spice blend.
You don't need any kind of special kitchen gadgets to make this keto creamer recipe; all you need is a mason jar with a lid. You literally put all of the ingredients in the jar, secure the lid, and then give it a nice shake! It's best to keep this creamer in a sealed container inside the refrigerator. Make sure to shake it up each time you use it. If you don't have a mason jar with a lid, use a large water bottle or some other drink container with a lid.
Serving and Storage Suggestions
- Make different flavors. Have fun with this keto friendly coffee creamer! When you add different extracts to it, you can create your own flavors. Two popular choices are either almond or peppermint extract.
- Use it to make sugar-free lattes. Before you add the creamer to your coffee, heat ¼ cup of the creamer and then use a milk frother to create some foam.
- Freeze into ice cubes. When you store and freeze the coffee creamer in an ice cube tray, you can use them to keep your iced coffee cold without worrying about the ice cubes watering your coffee down.
Is Homemade Coffee Creamer Healthier?
This homemade coffee creamer is less expensive, healthier, and tastes better than store bought creamers. 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 diet.
Addressing Common Concerns
Can’t I just use fat free creamer or skim milk? 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.
Can I have cream in my coffee on keto? Yes, you can have cream in your coffee on the keto diet. Just make sure you do not use any types of creamers that have added sugar in them. Full-fat cream is okay on the keto diet!
Can I have coffee with milk on keto? It's best to stay away from dairy milk on the keto diet. One cup of whole milk has almost 13 grams of carbs.
Are sugar-free creamers from the store keto-friendly? My biggest tip would be to take a good look at the ingredients before you buy the creamer. Can you understand what they are? If the sugar-free coffee creamer is made with whole ingredients, then it's probably okay to buy and use. One of my favorite creamers from the store is NutPods. Even so, I prefer to make my own creamer because I know exactly what is in it. It's always healthier to consume whole ingredients like coconut milk and almond milk than processed ingredients.
Can I add this creamer to Bulletproof coffee? My homemade creamer is not to be served with bulletproof coffee.