Healthy Homemade Coffee Creamer

Posted Mar 17, 2019, Updated May 12, 2024

4.96 from 106 votes

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This Healthy Homemade Coffee Creamer Recipe is easy to make with 4 ingredients, and it’s even more delicious than store-bought creamers!

Front view of healthy coffee creamer being poured into a mug of coffee

A good friend once said to me, “drinking tea is like getting a friendly handshake, but drinking coffee is like getting a warm hug.” It’s so so true.

I look forward to the warm embrace of a good cup ‘o joe every morning with my breakfast. I do like a touch of sweetness and creaminess in my coffee, which is why I created this homemade coffee creamer recipe.

It tastes amazing but has no artificial ingredients, preservatives, etc.

If you’re a creamer user like me, you will love that this Paleo Vanilla Coffee Creamer is just slightly sweet but adds a wonderful, deep, complex, vanilla flavor to your coffee!

Front view of a glass jar full of healthy coffee creamer.

Healthy Coffee Creamer: Ingredients & Substitutions

As always, I recommend making this recipe exactly as written! But here are a few substitutions that are possible.

overhead photo of the labeled ingredients in this Homemade Coffee Creamer recipe

Coconut milk: lite works well, but full-fat is best.
Almond milk. The almond milk is added to this recipe to ensure that it doesn’t solidify when stored. In this case, any other nondairy milk can be used in place of almond milk.
Coconut sugar: Maple syrup or honey may be used in place of some (or all) of the coconut sugar.
Vanilla beans: If you want to make this quicker and easier, substitute 1 teaspoon vanilla extract for the vanilla bean. Add the extract once the sugar is dissolved and you remove the mixture from the heat.

healthy coffee creamer being stirred into a mug of coffee

How to Make Coffee Creamer

Let’s walk through the steps in making this healthy vanilla coffee creamer and don’t forget to watch the video.

Begin by putting the ingredients (except for vanilla beans) into a small saucepan and whisking to combine.

two photos showing how to make healthy coffee creamer - combining coconut cream and almond milk

Next, warm the mixture until it just begins to boil then remove the pan from the heat. Be very careful not to actually let it boil, because it will result in a big mess!

two photos showing how to make healthy coffee creamer -whisking in coconut sugar

Next, scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean and stir them into the warm paleo coffee creamer mixture. Then add the whole vanilla bean pods.

After the vanilla beans and pods are added, cover the pot, and let it sit for 30 minutes for the vanilla bean flavor to really infuse into the healthy coffee creamer.

Choose a large glass jar and place a fine mesh metal sieve over it. Strain the vanilla coffee creamer into the jar and discard the vanilla bean pods.

two photos showing how to make healthy coffee creamer - adding vanilla beans and straining

How to Deseed a Vanilla Bean

To remove the seeds from a vanilla bean, follow these instructions:

Cut the bean in half (as pictured below).

2. Carefully slice each piece of the vanilla bean lengthwise with a very sharp knife. Make shallow cuts that do not go all the way through the pod.

3. Use a small spoon and scrape out the seeds on the inside of the bean.

4. Stir the spoon with the vanilla seeds into the coffee creamer mixture and repeat with the remaining pod pieces!

Using Vanilla Extract

If you use vanilla extract instead of vanilla beans, I still recommend gently warming the ingredients on the stovetop and whisking them until the mixture is smooth.

However, if you use vanilla extract you do not need to use a strainer or let the mixture sit on the stovetop for 30 minutes to infuse! Simply whisk it in!

healthy coffee creamer being poured into a cup of coffee

Store

Store the homemade creamer in a glass jar with a lid in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

Freeze

Pour the healthy coffee creamer into an ice cube tray and freeze until hardened.

Transfer the frozen cubes of creamer to an airtight container or bag. Remove one or two cubes at a time to use in your morning coffee. I do recommend warming the frozen homemade coffee creamer in the microwave in your coffee mug before adding the coffee so that it doesn’t cool it off.

overhead view of a hand holding a spoon stirring the healthy coffee creamer into a mug of coffee

Homemade Coffee Creamer Recipe FAQs

Is coffee creamer bad for you?

If you’re curious about the benefits of making your own coffee creamer, check out this article from Prevention Magazine, where this very recipe was featured, “5 Worst Things in your Coffee Creamer – And What You Should Use Instead.”
While some store bought varieties are not good (at all), this homemade paleo coffee creamer IS totally healthy! It’s dairy-free, refined-sugar free, vegan and paleo! It adds the perfect flavor and creaminess to your coffee without sacrificing health or taste! PLUS it is only 4 ingredients and is crazy easy!

Can you use coconut milk as coffee creamer?

Absolutely! We use coconut milk or coconut cream in this recipe and it turns out amazingly creamy and ultra delicious! Coconut milk is my favorite base for coffee creamer!

front view of a glass jar of healthy coffee creamer

If you make and love our recipes, it would mean so much to me if you would leave a comment and rating! And don’t forget to follow along with us on Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook, and Youtube – be sure to tag @joyfoodsunshine and use the hashtag #joyfoodsunshine so we can see your creations!

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Homemade Healthy Coffee Creamer Recipe

Laura

Homemade Healthy Coffee Creamer recipe (Paleo & vegan)! A 4 ingredient, easy recipe that's healthier than store-bought creamers!

4.96 from 106 votes

Course Breakfast, Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings servings

Calories 51.4

Prep Time5

Cook Time5

Resting time30

Total Time40

Equipment

Ingredients

▢ 13.5 ounces coconut milk
▢ 2 Tablespoons Almond Milk (unsweetened, vanilla)
▢ 3 Tablespoons coconut sugar
▢ ⅛ teaspoon fine sea salt
▢ ½ vanilla bean

Instructions

Shake up a can of coconut milk then pour it into a small saucepan.
Add almond milk and stir to combine.
Add the coconut sugar & a pinch of salt, whisk to combine.
Cook over medium-low heat until the mixture just starts bubbling and sugar is dissolved (don’t let it boil or you’ll have a coconutty mess all over your stove)!
Cut the vanilla bean in half lengthwise and scrape out the seeds. Add seeds to the milk mixture and stir.
Put the whole vanilla bean into the pot and cover with a lid.
Let the mixture sit for at least 30 minutes, or until cooled to room temperature.
Using a fine mesh strainer, strain your creamer as you pour it into a glass jar. Discard beans.
Store in a glass jar with a lid in the refrigerator! Give it a shake before adding it to your favorite coffee!

Video

Notes

Ingredient Substitutions

Coconut milk: lite works well, but full-fat is best.
Almond milk. The almond milk is added to this recipe to ensure that it doesn’t solidify when stored. In this case, any other nondairy milk can be used in place of almond milk.
Coconut sugar: Maple syrup or honey may be used in place of some (or all) of the coconut sugar.
Vanilla beans: If you want to make this quicker and easier, substitute 1 teaspoon vanilla extract for the vanilla bean. Add the extract once the sugar is dissolved and you remove the mixture from the heat.

Store

Store the creamer in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

Freeze

Pour the coffee creamer into an ice cube tray and freeze until hardened.