Homemade Dairy Free Coffee Creamer (Plus Shortcut Version)
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Are you looking for a homemade dairy-free coffee creamer recipe? You’ll love this one!
When I had to quit dairy after having my first child, I started using store-bought non-dairy creamers for my coffee (the kind that you find in the health food section).
I just couldn’t drink coffee without some sort of cream or (anyone else?), so I thought I had found a good replacement.
Except it wasn’t.
Even the “healthy” dairy-free coffee creamers I found had an ingredient called carrageenan in them. According to the Cornucopia Institute, carrageenan has been linked to gastrointestinal inflammation and colon cancer. So, I’m not all that excited about consuming it.
FYI: Many almond milk and coconut milk brands, not to mention a whole bunch of other organic foods, also have carrageenan in them. Here’s a list of ones to avoid.
So I decided to create a homemade almond milk coffee creamer (it’s also gluten-free) so I could avoid the unhealthy ingredients in store-bought creamers.
I did some research and settled on this recipe for an almond-based creamer. (If you’re looking for dairy-free yogurt, try this recipe).
Summary
After my “healthy” store-bought dairy-free creamer turned out to be full of carrageenan, I started making my own almond milk version at home… it takes about five minutes, costs way less, and I know exactly what’s in it. Below I’m sharing the recipe, how to fix it if it separates or thins out, a handful of flavor variations, and a few other ways to use it besides coffee.
Healthy Coffee Creamer
For those of you who don’t have time to make your own creamer from scratch, use canned organic coconut milk (instead of almonds and water) for a shortcut version that will last longer too.
Switch vanilla extract for French vanilla extract if you prefer. You can also add a splash of hazelnut extract along with the vanilla extract for a French vanilla flavor.
Homemade Dairy Free Coffee Creamer
Ingredients
- Ingredients:
- 1 cup of raw almonds or other nuts soaked overnight or use coconut milk
- 3 cups of water Use distilled if you are worried about it “staying” in the fridge; otherwise, tap is fine if you plan on using it within a few days
- 3 Tablespoons coconut oil optional
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 Tablespoon sucanat or coconut sugar optional
- Cheesecloth or fine sieve
- Instructions:
Instructions
- After soaking, drain and rinse the almonds.
- Combine almonds, coconut oil and water in a blender and blend well.
- If using cheesecloth: strain the mixture through the cloth and squeeze the almond pulp to get the almond cream out.
- If using a sieve: strain through the sieve and use a spoon to squish the almond cream out of the pulp. You might end up with some pulp in your cream but it will just sink to the bottom of your cup. No biggie :) (If using coconut milk you can skip these first steps and add coconut oil along with the rest of the ingredients)
- Add extract and sweetener. You may need to heat the creamer to dissolve the sucanat.
Notes
Common Issues (and Real Food Fixes)
Homemade creamer is a little more temperamental than the store-bought stuff… here’s what to do when it acts up. No gums, no stabilizers, no additives — just real food solutions.
It separated in the fridge. This is normal — there’s nothing in here holding it together artificially. Just give it a good shake or a quick whisk before you pour. If it separates every single time and that bugs you, try blending it a little longer when you first make it (a full 60–90 seconds in a high-speed blender helps it emulsify better).
I want it thicker and creamier. Use less water in the almond version, or switch to the canned coconut milk version above — it’s naturally thicker. You can also add a soaked date or a spoonful of raw cashews to the blender for body without any added sugar.
It’s too thin and watery. Same fix — cut back on the water, or blend in a few extra soaked almonds or cashews. Let it chill in the fridge for an hour before using; it thickens up a bit as it sets.
Can I Use It for More Than Coffee?
Yes! This creamer works anywhere you’d reach for milk or cream.
- Stir it into hot cocoa for a rich, dairy-free mug
- Use it in chai or matcha lattes
- Pour it over granola or oatmeal
- Swap it into recipes calling for cream or half-and-half
How to Store Homemade Dairy-Free Coffee Creamer
This creamer lasts for about a week in the refrigerator (unfortunately it’s not shelf stable).
If you don’t think you can use it up in that much time, it can also be frozen. Consider freezing in ice cube trays and taking out one cube in the morning for your coffee.
Add the cube to your coffee cup and set on the stove to melt while you cook breakfast. Alternatively, heat in the microwave for a quicker cuppa.
Flavor Variations
Once you’ve got the base down, it’s easy to play with flavor… here are a few of my favorites:
- Peppermint mocha — cacao powder plus a couple drops of peppermint extract (lovely around the holidays)
- French vanilla — French vanilla extract plus a splash of hazelnut extract
- Cinnamon spice — a pinch of cinnamon and nutmeg blended right in
- Mocha — a teaspoon of raw cacao powder plus vanilla
- Maple — swap the sweetener for a spoonful of real maple syrup
Can I use a vanilla bean in place of extract?
Yes! Just cut the vanilla bean lengthwise and scoop out the seeds. You can add them as is, or you can heat them with some coconut oil to bring out the flavor before adding to the recipe.
Can I use other milk alternatives like oat milk or cashew milk?
You can use any milk alternative you’d like for this recipe. The final product may be a bit thicker or thinner and have a slightly different flavor. But it should work fine.
Final Thoughts
So that’s it… one simple, real-food creamer that replaced every carrageenan-loaded tub I used to buy.
No gums, no fillers, nothing I can’t pronounce — just almonds (or coconut milk), water, and whatever flavor I’m in the mood for that week. And once you’ve got the base down, it really does go anywhere: your coffee, your cocoa, your morning oatmeal.
If you’ve been avoiding dairy-free creamer because the store-bought stuff never quite sat right with you, give this one a try. It takes minutes, it’s endlessly customizable, and you’ll know exactly what’s in your cup.
Great info for those looking to rid their diet of dairy! I agree, I need something in my coffee…black coffee is just plain gross.
Yes, it is gross!
Your recipe looks interesting. I recently gave up creamers and started using just plain cream, stevia, and a few drops of vanilla. Please consider sharing this with us at Eco-Kids Tuesday! http://likemamalikedaughter.blogspot.com/2013/01/eco-kids-tuesday-link-up-and-green-pops.html
If you can have it, plain cream is definitely the least processed way to lighten coffee :)
almond cream is a fabulous idea! I’m with you sister – i need a little cream in my coffee. I would imagine it’d give a nice nutty flavor to the coffee too, no?
thank you for sharing your post with us at the Wednesday Fresh Foods Link Up – I hope to see you again this week with more seasonal & real/whole food posts! xo, kristy
Yes, It is a tiny bit nutty, which I like :)
hi!
great post. thnx for the info and i went on to check your list of
foods/creamers/products to avoid…here’s another for your
list with carrageenan that i just tossed: c.f. burger FF half & half.
Thanks for sharing :)
Carrageenan is just seaweed extract, why would it be harmful? Seaweed is good for you. I realise it may have been processed and obviously not as healthy as whole seaweed.
I just came across this comment on another article:
http://recipes.howstuffworks.com/question315.htm
Actually, Carrageenan does not cause cancer; Poligeenan is linked to cancer. Poligeenan still is not a confirmed cause of cancer, but is rather, as I said, linked to it. The cancer in question is colon cancer, and lab tests involving rats fed poligeenan in large doses for over a year were positive for colon metaplasis. By “large doses” I mean a 5% solution. A 5% solution is significantly more than the amount of carrageenan is any type of food you’ll find it in. But poligeenan is not carrageenan, it is a degraded form of it. Carrageenan molecules have an average molecular weight of 100,000 Daltons, while poligeenan is typically at 50,000 Daltons. Poligeenan has never been recommended as a food-safe additive; comparing it to the completely safe carrageenan is a simple distortion of fact to scare consumers into believing in a problem that doesn’t exist. Anyone who believes that carrageenan is a harmful carcinogen is either misled or simply biased in their belief. I encourage you all to look further into this.
Just because something is natural doesn’t make it safe to consume. Cocaine and Rattlesnake venom are both natural. I don’t plan on eating either of those.
I don’t consider “linked to” cancer any better than “definitely causes” cancer and may even be worse. It allows the argument that carrageenan hasn’t been proven to cause cancer but the way I look at it, Carrageenan hasn’t been proven safe. So why is it in our food?
That being said, I appreciate your comment! I happen not to agree but I really appreciate diverse opinions and thoughts that challenge me to grow and learn!
My husband is totally into coffee creamer. This might be the recipe to help him get away from it ~ Thanks so much! :)
There’s nothing like a creamy addition to your morning coffee :)
what can I do with the leftover almond pulp? it seems a shame to waste it.
I believe you can dry it and use in recipes calling for almond meal :)
Mindy’s right- I rarely purchase nut milks and make my own regularly from almonds and cashews. I hate wasting, so I dry the leftover almond meal on low heat in the oven (sometimes throw in freezer still damp if no time) and use it for baking. I’ve also used it in lieu of bread crumbs.
I’m looking for a dairy free creamer I can take with me when I travel. Must this recipe be refrigerated? Thanks!
It does need to be refrigerated so it’s probably not a good option to travel with.
i love the idea non dairy coffee creamer, my cholesterol is very high, i am unable
to eat or drink any thing with animal fat or processed food,so it’s great idea almond
milk is the way to go ..
MY QUESTION ! HOW LONG CAN YOU KEEP HOMEMADE ALMOND MILK IN THE FRIG ? THANKS
SUE
It should last a few days to a week.
Can this be done without the coconut oil? I’m allergic to coconut.
Sure. You can leave it out all together but I’d recommend replacing with some sort of fat that you can eat, maybe avocado oil?