Make it Better Yourself: Homemade Coffee Creamer
Cream. It’s coffee’s perfect mate. And when that creamer comes flavored in a handy bottle from the dairy case, even more perfect, right? Oh, but so pricey! Now more than ever before, it’s ideal to make ourselves the thing we love and would rather not live without—cheaper, better, faster!
Generally, famous brands like Coffeemate, International Delight, Dunkin Donuts Extra Extra and Natural Bliss retail for about $.20 per ounce. Ouch! But you can make it yourself for a fraction of the price—and it is so easy. The hard part will be not using it all at once. Bonus: You’ll know exactly what’s in it and you can control the sweetness and the flavors, too.
Stored in the refrigerator in a glass bottle or similar container with the tight-fitting in the fridge, homemade coffee creamer is good for at least 10 to 14 days.
Generally, homemade coffee creamers start with a base to which you add sweetener and flavor. There are two ways to make coffee creamer base—one that starts out sweet (Base Recipe #1) and one that is not sweet to start (Base Recipe #2).
Creamer Recipes Using Base Recipe #1
This recipe uses sweetened condensed milk. The most popular national brand is Eagle Sweetened Condensed Milk. Another is La Lechera Milk Condensed Sweetened. I use my store brand, Kroger Sweetened Condensed Milk, which is precisely the same as Eagle brand, but half the price of Eagle and often on sale for even less—about $1.59 for a 14-ounce can. Here’s the deal with sweetened condensed milk. No matter the brand it contains are only two ingredients: milk and sugar.
Creamer Base Recipe #1
Ingredients:
- 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
- 1 3/4 cup whole milk
Directions:
Pour ingredients into a one-quart canning jar. Apply the lid. Shake well until ingredients are thoroughly combined. From here you simply add whatever flavorings (below) to create your favorite sweet, flavored coffee creamer. Each recipe the follows assumes you are adding the stated ingredients to one full recipe of Creamer Base #1.
Start with the flavoring amounts below, then you may want to adjust to match your taste. If you want a sweeter creamer, add sugar, blue agave or another sweetener of choice.
Want it creamier? Substitute half and half or even heavy cream for the whole milk in Creamer Base #1. Just realize this will increase the fat content substantially.
Note:Â If a recipe calls for a dry ingredient, such as cocoa powder, a spice like cinnamon or a thick ingredient like honey, heat a small amount of the base along with these items in a small sauce pan to dissolve those ingredients so they will be absorbed into the base. Pour the finished creamer through a fine sieve to remove any tiny solids or bits of spice that remain. Now you won’t have them floating in your coffee.
French Vanilla
- 2 teaspoons (more or less to taste) pure vanilla extract
Vanilla Bean
- 2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste
Mocha
- 2 to 3 tablespoons chocolate syrup, to taste
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Chocolate Almond
- 1 tablespoon cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
Strudel
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
Vanilla Caramel
- 2 tablespoons caramel ice cream topping
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Chocolate Raspberry
- 2 teaspoons cocoa powder
- 2 tablespoons raspberry syrup
Irish Cream
- 2 tablespoons chocolate syrup
- 1 teaspoon instant coffee
- 1-2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
Coconut
- 2 teaspoons coconut extract
Samoa
- 2 teaspoons coconut extract (or sub coconut milk or cream of coconut, heated & strained, for the milk/cream)
- 2 tablespoons chocolate syrup
- 2 tablespoons caramel ice cream topping
Peppermint Patty
- 2 tablespoons chocolate syrup
- 1 teaspoon peppermint extract
Cinnamon Vanilla
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Pumpkin Spice
- 3 tablespoons pureed pumpkin
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- 4 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Honey Vanilla
- 1/4 cup honey
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Almond Joy
- 1 to 2 teaspoons coconut extract
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- 2 tablespoons chocolate syrup
Sweet Cream
- Use 1 3/4 cups heavy cream in please of the whole milk in the base recipe
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract OR the inside of a vanilla bean, scraped
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
Chocolate Orange
- 2 tablespoons chocolate syrup
- 1 to 2 teaspoons orange extract
Hazelnut
- 2 teaspoons hazelnut extract
Chocolate Hazelnut
- 2 tablespoons chocolate syrup
- 2 teaspoons hazelnut extract
Cinnamon Cake
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Salted Caramel
- 2 to 3 tablespoons caramel ice cream topping
- 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
Eggnog
- Replace milk in the base recipe with an equal amount of heavy cream
- 1 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoons rum extract
- 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Toasted Almond
- 2 teaspoons almond extract
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Creamer Recipes Using Base Recipe #2
This base is unsweetened which gives you a lot of control over how sweet you wish your homemade creamer to be—and the type of sweetener you prefer. Choices include sugar, stevia, blue agave, and even maple syrup, for starters
Creamer Base Recipe #2:
Ingredients:
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1 cup whole milk
Directions:
Whisk together until thoroughly combined or pour into a Mason jar, apply lid tightly then shake to combine. Store in the refrigerator. From here you simply add whatever flavorings (below) to create your favorite sweet, flavored coffee creamer. Double even triple this recipe as you desire.
Curiously, this may appear to be a complicated way to make half and half, and you’re partially correct. However, starting with heavy whipping cream makes a creamier, slightly thicker result, which I prefer and you may as well.
Note: If a recipe calls for a dry ingredient, such as cocoa powder, a spice like cinnamon, or a thick component like honey, pour all ingredients into a saucepan and heat over medium heat to dissolve those ingredients so they will be absorbed into the base. Pour the finished creamer through a fine sieve to remove any tiny solids or bits of spice that may remain. Now you won’t have them floating in your coffee.
Strudel
- 2 cups Creamer Base #2
- 4 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
Chocolate Almond
- 2 cups Creamer Base #2
- 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
- 4 tablespoons blue agave, sugar, or maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
Pumpkin Spice
- 2 cups Creamer Base #2
- 3 tablespoons pureed pumpkin
- 1 teaspoon ground pumpkin spice (in the spice aisle)
- 4 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Whisk together creamer base, 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. Strain through a fine mesh sieve, pour into a glass bottle and store in the refrigerator.
French Vanilla
- 2 cups Creamer Base #2
- 4 tablespoons blue agave (or maple syrup)
- 1 vanilla bean
Whisk together creamer base 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 the mixture has steeped, strain through a fine-mesh sieve, pour into a glass bottle, and store in the refrigerator.
Peppermint Mocha
- 2 cups Creamer Base #2
- 4 tablespoons sugar, blue agave or maple syrup, to taste
- 3 tablespoons cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon peppermint extract
Consider all of these flavoring ideas to be just the tip of the delicious coffee iceberg! The possibilities are endless. As you come up with new flavor pairing and delicious options, please share!
Enjoy!
First published: 2-21-19; Revised & Updated 12-27-23
Any ideas for lactose- or even dairy-free MIY creamer?
Can we get a maple syrup variation? How much of…
Maple syrup
Vanilla Extract
Heavy Cream/Milk base
I suggest you experiment using the recipes and amts in the post as your guide.
Can I substitute fat free heavy cream or would the recipe using nonfat powdered milk be better?
I’ve not tried that Linda, but I’m quite certain you could make that fat-free heavy cream switch (rather than the powdered option you mention). Give it a try and then let us know!
I’m thinking I’ll make base #2 and then flavor each cup of coffee with a reduced version of the flavors, something new as the mood strikes!
Great idea, Cally!
Hello Ms. Mary: I’ve truly enjoyed the ideas you have shared over the years. My sweetheart (wife of 52 years) always tells me NO because she does NOT want to try ANYTHING but what she regularly uses. However, this time she said IF I would use it for myself, then I could give it a try. Well, this is a GREAT recipe and I am now using this “home made” recipe (recipe #1) all the time. Even have my own glass jar in the ‘fridge with my creamer. I’ll check back for the variations in the future – but TWO THUMBS UP for the coffee creamer idea.
You two are just too cute, George! Happy you love your homemade creamer 🙂
My husband just discovered Peppermint Mocha creamer over the holiday season. Thanks. I no longer have to search in the stores to find the “last two bottles”. I may even get him to try some of the others. I don’t know how I missed them two years ago.
Can’t unsweetened condensed milk be used? That’d be a combination of Bases 1 & 2.
where is the sugar free recipes?
Thank you, Mary, for ALL your amazing hints. I am Type 1 diabetic for over 57 years and a coffee drinker almost that long. I will use your first recipe with sweetened condensed milk but will make my own. Here’s the recipe for the sugar-free version(and it works amazingly with any recipe that calls for sweetened condensed milk):
1 cup non-fat dry milk
2/3 cup boiling water
3 tablespoons melted butter
1 cup granulated Splenda, Stevia, or sweetener of choice
Blend all ingredients (in blender, Ninja, etc) and use or pour in jar and refrigerate until needed.
I can’t wait to try this. We go through a bottle every three days.