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This healthy coffee creamer recipe is easy to make and tastes 10 times better than anything you can buy at the store. I love how creamy it makes coffee, and how it can actually make a luscious foam for lattes and cappuccinos, too.
A Good Substitute for Coffee Creamer
If you’re trying to cut back on dairy, you may try almond milk in your coffee only to discover that it doesn’t work very well as a creamer substitute. Not only is it watery in texture, it can also curdle, separate, and tastes like preservatives if you’re using a store-bought version. Not at all appealing!
The Secret to this Healthy Coffee Creamer?
This coffee creamer gets its added creaminess from the addition of coconut oil. Emulsifying a bit of coconut oil into homemade almond milk creates a thick and creamy result, that actually makes you feel like you’re drinking a traditional coffee creamer.
I like to add one or two dates to replicate traditional creamer (milk has naturally occurring sugar), and then you can add vanilla or extra sweetener if you’re trying to recreate something like a French Vanilla style creamer.
Here’s what’s included in this healthy coffee creamer:
- Almonds. A great source of antioxidants, which may protect against oxidative stress that can contribute to inflammation and premature aging, almonds are also one of the best sources of Vitamin E.
- Coconut Oil. Since it contains medium-chain fatty acids, also called MCTs, coconut oil may help to boost your metabolism and help your body use fat for energy, as opposed to storing it.
- Dates (optional). Dates are a good source of iron and are also high in antioxidants. They are thought to promote brain health, and may even help with blood sugar regulation! (source)
If you want your coffee creamer to be sugar-free, you can omit the dates. I find that the coconut flavor is slightly more noticeable without the dates for some reason, but you can also use refined coconut oil if you prefer, which is thought to have no flavor at all.
How Bad is Regular Coffee Creamer for You?
I don’t like to think of foods as “good” and “bad,” but I stopped using coffee creamer after reading about how milk may block the benefits of coffee. Casein, a protein found in dairy, can bind to antioxidants and reduce their ability to fight harmful free radicals.
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As you can see, this homemade coffee creamer foams up nicely when you use a milk frother. It’s perfect for making dairy-free lattes and pretty authentic looking cappuccinos! I like to top mine with a sprinkle of ground cinnamon.
How to make Healthy Coffee Creamer (1-Minute Video):
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup raw almonds , soaked 6-8 hours & rinsed well
- 2 cups filtered water
- 1 Tablespoon coconut oil
- 1 or 2 Medjool dates (pitted; optional for sweetness)
Instructions
- Combine all of the ingredients in a blender, and blend until very smooth and creamy.
- Position the nut milk bag over a large bowl, then pour the blender contents into the bag to strain.
- Squeeze well, until only dry almond pulp remains in the bag. (Reserve the leftover almond pulp for another recipe!)
- Transfer the almond milk to a sealed container, and store in the fridge for up to a week.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Healthy Coffee Creamer Nutrition (per 2 tablespoons): Calories: 37, Fat: 3g, Carbohyrdates: 2g, Fiber: 1g, Protein: 1g
Recipe Notes:
- I prefer to use almonds that are not roasted for the most mild flavor. If you don’t mind a slightly roasted flavor in your coffee, feel free to use any type of almonds that you have on hand. I use unsalted nuts, but Alton Brown says that adding salt to your coffee cuts the bitterness!
- I have not tested this recipe using other oils. I imagine you could use another one, but your coffee will taste slightly like whatever you use. (I’m not sure I’d like coffee that tastes like olive oil.)
- For sweetening, you can use honey, maple syrup, or any other sweetener you like.
If you try this recipe, please leave a comment and let me know how you like it! If you make a substitution, I’d also love to hear about it. We can all benefit from your experience!
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Reader Feedback: Are you a coffee or tea drinker? Do you add cream to your morning beverage? If nothing else, I hope you’re inspired to make your own almond milk if you haven’t tried it already. It’s so easy, and so much tastier!
I have made this before and enjoyed it. Any tips for making flavored coffee creamers? Like Pumpkin Spice? 😍
I have been making your homemade almond milk already. If I have some in the fridge, can I just add the coconut oil and blend? I don’t really need the sweetness from the dates. What would be the ratio? Thank you for all the healthy recipe ideas!
Thankk you so much for this recipe!! It is exactly as what I was looking for. So many of the plant based creamers include coconut, which I can’t have at this time. This worked beautifully. FYI, I tried first removing the skins from the almonds and it didn’t work as well. It didn’t create much of a foam in my frothing machine, which is the same as yours. I found another recipe online with store bought Almond Cashew milk that has more protein. This was supposed to foam due to the additional protein, but it didn’t. This recipe worked perfectly. I used 1 cup of almonds with 3 1/2 cups of water, 2 dates and 2 T. avacado oil. It filled a 1 quart jar perfectly.
I make this recipe as is and it’s excellent! Even better if you blanch the almonds and remove the skin.
Best creamer I’ve ever tasted!!
Thank you for helping a busy working mom still do cool, healthy, homemade things! So delicious and easy and I’ve been very package conscious lately so avoiding cartons of creamer is just an added bonus!
I discovered instead of soaking the almonds, I can pour boiling water over frozen almonds, let sit for 10 minutes and then slip the peels off before going in the blender. Makes a super luscious creamer, my all time favorite and I’ve tried everything!
Thanks Megan, again!
I make my own creamer using coconut cream added to store bought almond milk. I add vanilla and maple syrup for sweetener. I also sprinkle in some gust gum for thickness. I wonder if you add some coconut cream to your it would be better. Or does it not need it? I may try it. If I do I’ll let you know how it turns out. Thanks for your recipe!
I’ve prepared the almond milk as per the recipe. It tasted good but when I added the milk to my tea it curled. How do you prevent this from happening ?
Genius recipe! I’ve tried every non dairy creamer at the store and this is the best hands down! I now use super healthy bulletproof brain octane oil instead of coconut oil and it’s super creamy with a neutral flavor profile.