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Confession: I love commercially flavored coffee creamer. I do! It’s just so creamy, sweet, and smooth. And especially this time of year, as Pumpkin Spice, Egg Nog, Gingerbread, and Peppermint Mocha (oooh, peppermint) hit the shelves, I find myself eyeing (and occasionally buying – SHAME!) these creamers. Problem is, they are horrible for us! I mean, have you ever read the ingredient list? Artificial flavors, tons of refined sugar, high fructose corn syrup, partially hydrogenated oils, and other no-no “foods” top the list. Who’s up for a cup of chemicals? Pledge to start making your own creamer at home. You’ll save yourself from a ton of bad ingredients and even save a little cash, too. Win-win!
Start with the simple base recipe. Then, find a few flavor suggestions below. The possibilities are endless so feel free to get creative. Enjoy!
Base Recipe
14 ounce can sweetened condensed milk
1½ cups whole milk
Whisk until combined and store in refrigerator for up to 10 days. Substitute lower fat milk, rice or soy milk if desired. No need for sugar!
Flavor ideas
(add to base recipe above to flavor the creamer)
1-2 teaspoons of hazelnut extract
2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste, plus cinnamon to taste
2 teaspoons almond extract
3 tablespoons good cocoa and 1 teaspoon of mint (note: when working with powdered cocoa, heat base recipe on stove top before adding cocoa to best combine ingredients)
What ideas do YOU have for making the perfect cup of coffee? We’d love to know!
Jamie
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I’m so glad you posted this! I’m trying to make healthier choices and coffee creamers are my last sticking point. Not that everything else is healthy, but I’m moving to “real food” instead of fake ones, and I just having found a good alternative. Thank you!