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How to Make Coffee Creamer + 5 Easy Coffee Creamers To Love Your Coffee Again!

 Love coffee creamer, but hate all the chemicals and added sugar?  Here’s how to make homemade coffee creamer that’s healthy and free of refined sugar plus how to make flavored coffee creamer with just 5 ingredients.  Enjoy a cup of your favorite flavored coffee guilt-free plus I’ll share my top 5 Healthy Flavored Coffee Creamers!

How to Make Coffee Creamer + 5 Healthy Flavored Coffee Creamers | Enjoy a cup of your favorite flavored coffee guilt-free! Making homemade coffee creamers is easier than you think. Let me show you how to make coffee creamer plus I’ll share my top 5 Healthy Flavored Coffee Creamers! | A Sweet Pea Chef

Are you a coffee drinker? A good cup of coffee goes a long way. There’s just something so perfect about a great cup of coffee first thing in the morning, am I right? Not only does coffee help you to wake up and start off your day energized, but drinking coffee actually has a lot of health benefits, too.

I consider myself somewhat of an expert when it comes to coffee (pushes up glasses). So much so that I created my very own clean coffee blend. It’s organic and absolutely delicious. But for a really satisfying cup, I like to add some cream.

If you asked me what food I’ve had the hardest time giving up since choosing a clean eating lifestyle, without a doubt, it would be coffee creamer.

Before giving up sugar, I would indulge daily in a thick, creamy, flavored coffee. And I LOVED it. (More on that here!)

In fact, I loved it so much I didn’t want to give it up. Slowly, but surely, I was able to reduce my dependence on it by learning to enjoy coffee with just a little coconut milk or some pure maple syrup.

But that warm cozy feeling of watching the thick, sweet creamer swirl around gorgeously in my coffee never really goes away – it’s just less of a need.

A side image of milk being poured over raisins to make condensed milk for the Healthy Coffee Creamer.

First off, caffeine increases your energy levels and is also one of the very few natural substances that aids in burning fat. If you still need convincing that enjoying a cup or two is good for you, just know that coffee is full of nutrients and antioxidants so it’s no wonder you feel better after enjoying a cup of coffee.  Coffee makes you happier. It’s science.

Although coffee’s great and all, many of us don’t really like plain, black coffee.  That’s why there are tons of options, like milk, sugar, coffee creamers, syrups to add into your coffee. Unfortunately, this turns your healthy cup of coffee into a cup full of sugar, partially hydrogenated fats, and all sorts of other chemicals that are not good at all for you.

Now, don’t get me wrong — I still like to enjoy my coffee with some homemade creamer, flavor, and sweetness. Sure, it adds some calories, but I believe you have to indulge yourself a bit. Still, I always try to eat (and drink) as healthy as possible, and the best way to do it is to swap the store bought stuff with homemade. Fewer ingredients, no additives or hidden sugars – sign me up!

An overhead image of a kitchen counter with all the ingredients for homemade coffee creamer including homemade condensed milk, almond milk, pure maple syrup, vanilla extract and arrowroot starch.

So, YES, you can still enjoy your favorite flavored coffee and stick to your healthy ways. Making coffee creamer at home is far easier than it may sound. Let me show you to make coffee creamer for yourself!

Is Coffee Creamer Bad For You?

Unfortunately, most store-bought coffee creamers are very unhealthy for you. They contain high amounts of sugars, fats, and chemicals. Even the sugar-free and/or fat-free options contain bad stuff so they’re no better. Ideally, you want to get yourself into a position where you’re drinking clean coffee and creamer, both.

What’s in (Store-Bought) Coffee Creamer?

Here are the ingredients in what was my favorite brand (Coffee-Mate Hazelnut Creamer):

  • Water
  • Sugar
  • Partially Hydrogenated Soybean and/or Cottonseed Oil
  • Sodium Caseinate (a Milk Derivative)
  • Phosphate
  • Disodium Phosphate
  • Mono- and Diglycerides
  • Cellulose Gel
  • Cellulose Gum
  • Color Added
  • Natural and Artificial Flavors
  • Carrageenan

Overall, not a very pretty picture. First off, there are waaaaay too many ingredients here for a very simple mixture (you can read more about that here). Second, there is partially hydrogenated oil which is very bad for you, along with a slew of very processed ingredients.

An overhead image of a spoon stirring the homemade coffee creamer made with homemade condensed milk, almond milk, pure maple syrup, vanilla extract and arrowroot starch.

Now, here are the ingredients for my healthy homemade creamer recipe:

  • Almond milk (or any unsweetened milk of choice)
  • Raisins
  • Pure maple syrup
  • Arrowroot starch (or tapioca starch)
  • Pure vanilla extract

All whole ingredients, all waaaaay better for you. All just as tasty as the fake stuff you’ve been used to.

Overhead view of a glass filled with iced coffee and homemade coffee creamer.

How to Make Homemade Coffee Creamer

You wouldn’t believe how easy it is to make homemade coffee creamer. What once was a magical solution of sweet goodness is really just a few simple ingredients for coffee bliss.

Here are the easy steps for how to make homemade coffee creamer:

  • Prepare homemade condensed milk using raisins and milk
  • Combine condensed milk with more whole milk, pure maple syrup, arrowroot starch, and vanilla extract
  • Refrigerate
  • Enjoy!

That’s seriously it. Have it ready for your morning coffee or an afternoon iced coffee. So easy and so simple.

Pouring the healthy homemade coffee creamer into a glass filled with iced coffee.

How to Make Different Flavors of Coffee Creamer

In this post, I share a base homemade coffee creamer and 5 other variations for homemade coffee creamers.  If you wanted to make your own homemade coffee creamer with your fave flavors, you could replace the vanilla extract with any of the following for more flavor options:

  • Hazelnut extract
  • Chocolate extract
  • Peppermint extract
  • Maple extract
  • Coconut extract
  • Almond extract

I think you get the idea – add any flavor you like or even combine flavors, like almond and chocolate or chocolate and peppermint. You can also not add any extract for a plain flavor, if you’d prefer. Check out below for some great options to get you started!

Overhead view of iced coffee, black coffee, and homemade coffee creamer.

HOW LONG DOES HOMEMADE CREAMER LAST?

Homemade coffee creamers can last up to a week in the fridge if stored in an airtight container. I store mine in reusable milk bottles and mason jars and always make sure they’re properly tightened.  Then, I just grab them, give them a shake to mix all the flavors together, and then pour a little into my coffee. Perfect, right?

So, let’s get to the homemade coffee creamer recipes, shall we?

A side image of 5 glass bottles lined up on the kitchen counter, each filled with one Healthy Homemade Coffee Creamer including Homemade Cinnamon Creamer, Homemade Chocolate Creamer, Homemade Hazelnut Creamer, Homemade Peppermint Mocha Creamer and Homemade French Vanilla Creamer.

Homemade Coffee Creamer Recipes

1. FRENCH VANILLA CREAMER

Nothing goes better together than coffee and vanilla. It’s a good thing that making Healthy Homemade French Vanilla Creamer is super easy! (See recipe below!)

An image of a glass bottle filled with healthy Homemade French Vanilla Creamer made with homemade condensed milk, almond milk, pure maple syrup, vanilla extract, arrowroot starch and vanilla.

2. PEPPERMINT MOCHA CREAMER

Once you try this Homemade Peppermint Mocha Creamer, you’ll never put another store-bought creamer in your coffee again!  (See recipe below!)

A side image of a bottle filled with healthy Homemade Peppermint Mocha Creamer made with homemade condensed milk, almond milk, pure maple syrup, vanilla extract, arrowroot starch, unsweetened dark cocoa powder, espresso powder and peppermint extract.

3. HAZELNUT CREAMER

The rich flavor of hazelnut will make any cup of coffee taste like a treat. Good thing making Homemade Hazelnut Creamer is crazy simple! (See recipe below!). I love LOVE this recipe with my Better Than Yesterday coffee blend, which strikes a balance between bright, sparkling fruit and deep, roasted flavor. 

A side image of a bottle filler with healthy Homemade Hazelnut Creamer made with homemade condensed milk, almond milk, pure maple syrup, vanilla extract, arrowroot starch and hazelnut extract.

4. CHOCOLATE CREAMER

How is it possible that your favorite chocolate flavored coffee drink tastes amazing and is also actually good for you?  This healthy Homemade Chocolate Creamer is so rich and chocolately! (See recipe below!)

An image of a glass bottle filled with healthy Homemade Chocolate Creamer made with homemade condensed milk, almond milk, vanilla extract, pure maple syrup, arrowroot starch, cocoa powder and vanilla.

5. CINNAMON CREAMER

Spice up your coffee by adding some Homemade Cinnamon Coffee Creamer to your coffee. Yum! (See recipe below!)

An image of a glass bottle filled with healthy Homemade Cinnamon Creamer made with homemade condensed milk, almond milk, vanilla extract, pure maple syrup, arrowroot starch and cinnamon.

How to Make Coffee Creamer + 5 Easy Flavors | Recipe Video

4.34 from 6 votes
How to Make Coffee Creamer + 5 Healthy Flavored Coffee Creamers | Enjoy a cup of your favorite flavored coffee guilt-free! Making homemade coffee creamers is easier than you think. Let me show you how to make coffee creamer plus I’ll share my top 5 Healthy Flavored Coffee Creamers! | A Sweet Pea Chef
Homemade Coffee Creamers
Prep Time
5 mins
Cook Time
15 mins
Refrigeration
6 hrs
Total Time
20 mins
 
Enjoy a cup of your favorite flavored coffee guilt-free! Making homemade coffee creamers is easier than you think. Let me show you how to make coffee creamer plus I’ll share my top 5 Healthy Flavored Coffee Creamers!
Categories: Drinks, Make It Healthy, Sweet
Difficulty: Easy
Keyword: homemade coffee creamer, homemade creamer, how to make coffee creamer
Servings: 4 cups
Calories: 48 kcal
Author: Lacey Baier
Ingredients
For the Homemade Condensed Milk:
  • 2 cups milk of choice (I prefer almond milk, whole milk or coconut milk)
  • 1 cup raisins
For the Homemade Coffee Creamer:
  • 1 1/2 cups condensed milk (see recipe above)
  • 1 cup milk of choice
  • 1 tbsp pure maple syrup
  • 1 tsp arrowroot starch
  • 1 tbsp pure vanilla extract
For French Vanilla Creamer:
  • 1 tbsp pure vanilla extract
For Peppermint Mocha Creamer:
  • 1 1/2 tbsp unsweetened dark cocoa powder
  • 1/8 tsp espresso powder
  • 1 tsp peppermint extract
For Hazelnut Creamer:
  • 2 tsp hazelnut extract (can also use almond extract)
For Chocolate Creamer:
  • 2 tsp unsweetened dark cocoa powder
  • 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
For Cinnamon Creamer:
  • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon (or 1/2 tsp cinnamon extract)
Instructions
For the Homemade Healthy Condensed Milk:
  1. In a sealable container or mixing bowl, combine the milk and raisins, and then place in the refrigerator overnight, or for at least 4-5 hours. (You can also cook over medium-low heat on the stove-top, stirring frequently, for 30 minutes). Note: this process will work to naturally thicken and sweeten the milk. You can use soaked raisins as a topping for oatmeal or to sweeten smoothies so as not to waste, if you'd like).

  2. Strain the raisins from the milk using a fine mesh strainer; discard the raisins.

  3. In a saucepan over medium heat, combine 1 1/2 cups of the homemade condensed milk, additional milk, pure maple syrup, and arrowroot starch.

  4. Cook the mixture for 6-8 minutes, or until the mixture stars to thicken and almost begins to bubble.
  5. Remove from heat and add in the pure vanilla extract, and stir to combine.
  6. You can transfer this base creamer recipe to a sealable container and store in the fridge until ready to use. As is, it keeps for up to 5 days in the refrigerator.  

French Vanilla Creamer:
  1. Add additional vanilla extract to base creamer recipe and stir to combine.

  2. Transfer this to a sealable container and store in the fridge until ready to use.

For Peppermint Mocha Creamer:
  1. Add cocoa powder, espresso powder, and peppermint extract to base creamer recipe and stir to combine.

  2. Transfer this to a sealable container and store in the fridge until ready to use.

For Hazelnut Creamer:
  1. Add hazelnut extract to base creamer recipe and stir to combine.

  2. Transfer this to a sealable container and store in the fridge until ready to use.

For Chocolate Creamer:
  1. Add vanilla extract and cocoa powder to base creamer recipe and stir to combine.

  2. Transfer this to a sealable container and store in the fridge until ready to use.

For Cinnamon Creamer:
  1. Add vanilla extract and cinnamon to base creamer recipe and stir to combine.

  2. Transfer this to a sealable container and store in the fridge until ready to use.

Recipe Video

Nutrition Facts
Homemade Coffee Creamers
Amount Per Serving (2 tbsp)
Calories 48 Calories from Fat 14
% Daily Value*
Fat 1.5g2%
Saturated Fat 0.7g4%
Cholesterol 4.4mg1%
Sodium 25.4mg1%
Carbohydrates 5.1g2%
Sugar 4.8g5%
Protein 3.8g8%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Lacey Baier

Hey there! I’m Lacey Baier and I’d like to welcome you! I’m a healthy lifestyle influencer and the creator of this clean-eating blog and YouTube channel, as well as cleanish, my clean-eating supplement brand. My recipes have been published on Food Network, Good Morning America, FoxNews, Tastemade, Fitness Magazine, and much more. I live in Austin, Texas with my husband and four kiddos. Let’s get started!

58 thoughts on “How to Make Coffee Creamer + 5 Easy Coffee Creamers To Love Your Coffee Again!

  1. I made the french vanilla recipe and I tasted it by itself. It was so delicious. However, when I put it in my coffee it didn’t thicken in the coffee to sweeten it. The coffee barely turned lighter.

  2. I really wish people would read the comments & replies from the beginning of the post! To NOT have to repeat the SAME answers over and over again.

  3. 1 star
    I tried making the condensed milk with the raisins and arrowroot and it never thickened sorry to say. I was bummed bc I love flavoring my coffee but I don’t love all the added sugar and oils. Flavor is good. Wished it worked. 🙁

  4. I made the Vanilla flavor, soaking raisins over night. Followed directions to cook in saucepan with arrowroot powder. It did not seem to thicken and when refrigerated gel like clumps formed? Suggestions?

    1. Arrowroot starch does not hold up well in a prolonged heating process. It may have broken down. I haven’t made this yet, but I will substitute tapioca starch (which does not) or ?cornstarch (which has not been mentioned.

  5. My Nestle Coffee Mate creamer is only 20 calories per serving, yours is over twice as much!

    1. But store-bought contain carrageenan and other harmful things. I’m trying to find a good homemade recipe that will be very creamy but having a tough time. Bought date syrup, pure vanilla extract, Ceylon cinnamon but the recipe used oat milk and there was nothing creamy about it at all. Rather than making your own condensed milk, can you just use a can of it? What about using canned coconut milk and adding flavors, i.e. date syrup, pure vanilla extract, cinnamon. Thanks!

  6. I paid a lot of money for the arrow root starch and tapioca starch off of Amazon because my local store didn’t have the items, well the arrowroot starch leaves the creamer very slimy and gritty the next day,the tapioca starch also leaves the creamer gritty the next day just not as bad,am i doing something wrong, I’d like to know because the two starches were expensive.

    1. Hi, so the first time I made this it was wonderful fantastic (I used regular milk). The second time there were little clumps, I think the mill was overheated the second time and the clumps are the milk separating. Which is a costly mistake to be sure.

  7. 5 stars
    Hi Lacey. Thank you for sharing this simple recipe. I try not to buy food if it has ingredients I cannot pronounce 🙂. So buying a creamer though I love the taste is rare. Now I don’t have too! I had some macadamia milk on hand so I’ve used that. Used the stove top on low to speed up the condensed milk process. (Now I’m letting the raisins soak a bit longer) **removed from heat**. Clear concise and easy to follow directions. Thanks very much

  8. Question- what is it in the recipe that makes the refrigerator life less than a week? The almond milk, extract, and vanilla should last a couple weeks – is it the starch?

    1. It keeps longer than that. I am assuming Lacey gave the week expiration date as a safe estimate. I’ve had mine close to 2 weeks.
      Store bought has lots of preservatives which extends it.

  9. I love to eat coffee! I got a lot of information about coffee creamer, but chocolate creamer coffee is my best choice. I want to know that what about chocolate creamer? Can you please explain that?
    Thanks for sharing such an informative article.
    Hopefully, waiting for your more article in the future.

  10. I’m wondering why you ask for 2 cups of milk for the soaking, but, only ask for 1 1/2 cups to make the creamer? Thank you!

  11. Thank you very much. This looks very promising even for someone with my limited skill set. I have a few questions to help me:
    What are the quantities?
    How much of each ingredient?
    Would hazelnut milk replace the hazelnut extract?
    When you say base creamer, you are referring the one to which you added the vanilla extract, right?
    Can this creamer be frozen for use beyond the first week?

    Again, many thanks.

  12. Will definitely give these a try!
    Have you considered making a pumpkin spice version?…I wonder if adding nutmeg, ginger, and cloves to the cinnamon recipe would do it…

  13. Wondering if this freezes well? If I like it, if like to double it, and freeze half for the next week. Hoping to make it today.

  14. Giving this a try by heating the milk & raisins on low heat for 30 minutes. I had to throw it out, it was so curdled and neither the raisins nor the milk was salvageable. During a pandemic, that is a huge disappointment. I was very careful to keep the heat low and keep stirring, but apparently not careful enough. I won’t try the shortcut again, but will give the sweetened condensed milk in the fridge overnight one more try.

  15. Thank you !!! Life changer . I used nonfat milk (due to dietary restrictions) I also added 1 more tsp of tapioca starch , 1 more tsp of dark cocoa powder , 2 tsp instant coffee powder and a pinch of salt!!! It’s the best creamer!!! No more Starbucks for me !!!

  16. The finished product of the French vanilla flavor turned out to look very clumpy after refrigerated about 1 hour. Also, not specified, but I used the whole base recipe to make one specific flavor, the French vanilla.

  17. What milk is the nutritional values based on? 48 calories is more than I can afford to spend with as much coffee as I drink. Thanks!

  18. Thank you for the recipes, I needed this! The flavors are great and the recipes look pretty easy – even better. Out of curiosity, in terms of ‘clean,’ how do you feel about Coffeemate’s Natural Bliss brand?

  19. These sound great and pretty easy to make. Out of curiosity, how do you feel about Coffemate’s Natural Bliss brand?

    1. That’s what I use! The ingredients are simple and it tastes way better than the regular coffee mate flavored varieties.

  20. I’m in process of trying to make your creamer. It’s the first recipe I’ve found that really makes sense to me. But did you do anything with the soaked raisins? Seems like such a waste. But I don’t know if I can make a nut and fruit bar with them because of the coconut milk. Any ideas? Thanks for sharing your awesome recipes.

    1. That’s a great question! We usually just top them on oatmeal so we don’t waste them. You could also add them to smoothies for sweetness, as you would dates.

  21. Hey Lacey,
    How about a coffee creamer that does not taste sweet?
    Just a typical Half and Half type without all of the extras added.
    Have one?

    1. 5 stars
      That is easy. To achieve one cup of half-and-half substitute:
      Mix 1/2 cup whole milk + 1/2 cup light cream. …or
      Mix 3/4 cup whole milk + 1/4 cup heavy cream. … or
      Mix 2/3 cup skim or low-fat milk + 1/3 cup heavy cream. …or
      Place 4 teaspoons melted unsalted butter in a measuring cup, then add enough whole milk to equal 1 cup.

    2. Hey Susie! Great question. You could use an organic half and half (my fave is Horizon) or straight full-fat coconut milk. OR you could make this recipe without the added pure maple syrup and flavoring. I hope that helps!

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