Homemade Coffee Creamer: The Better Way to Flavor your Morning Staple

Do you like flavored creamer in your coffee? Coffee creamers, when purchased at a grocery store, are filled with preservatives, corn syrup, fake flavors, and partially hydrogenated oils. Try the following recipes to "health-ify" your sweet tooth by using wholesome and real creamers!

First, make your base:

• 14oz sweetened condensed milk

• 1 3/4 cup milk or cream (whole, low fat, skim, almond, soy, heavy cream, half & half, etc – whatever your preference, however the more fat, the more creaminess)
  Mix the ingredients together by adding them to a mason jar and shaking. You could also opt to use an old (washed) creamer container.

Next, choose your flavor:

• French Vanilla Creamer- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

• Vanilla Bean Coffee Creamer- 2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste

• Chocolate- 2-3 tablespoons chocolate syrup (1 tsp vanilla extract, optional)

• 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 (like the Girl Scout Cookies)- 2 teaspoons coconut extract (or sub coconut milk in place of the milk & extract), 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 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 vanilla extract

• Almond Joy- 1-2 teaspoons coconut extract (or sub coconut milk in place of the milk & extract), 1 teaspoon almond extract, 2 tablespoons chocolate syrup

• Sweet Cream- Use 1 3/4 cups of heavy cream instead of the milk in the base recipe, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, 1 teaspoon almond extract

• Chocolate Orange- 2 tablespoons chocolate syrup, 1-2 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- 2-3 tablespoons caramel ice cream topping, 1/2 teaspoon salt

• Eggnog- replace milk in base recipe with equal amount of heavy cream, 1 teaspoons vanilla extract, 2 teaspoons rum extract, 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

• Toasted Almond- 2 teaspoons almond extract

Directions & Tips: In all these recipes, anything that has a dry or thick ingredient (like cinnamon, honey, etc..), needs to be heated up with a small amount of your milk/cream from the base recipe so it can dissolve properly.  You don’t want grainy creamer!  Then, add the rest of the milk/cream along with the sweetened condensed milk.

Then, stick a piece of tape on the mason jar lid with the expiration date from the milk used to use as a guideline as to when the creamer should be used by.

These recipes were found on Mrs. Happy Homemaker!