Homemade Healthy Coffee Creamer Recipe (Paleo & Vegan)! A 4 ingredient, easy recipe that's healthier than store-bought creamers!
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 though (sorry to all you black coffee purists)! That's where this Homemade Healthy Coffee Creamer comes in!
I used to use store-bought non-dairy creamer. However, one morning I went to pour some into my cup and it "glopped" into my coffee. Yes, I used the word glopped because I can't think of a better way to describe it! I was totally freaked out.
The creamer wasn't expired (I bought it the day before!) and it didn't have a funky odor. But it was thick and gelatinous and....so not natural! That was the final straw! I was determined to make my own dairy-free creamer that tasted amazing but had no chemicals or weird "gloppy" properties.
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!
How do you make healthy coffee creamer?
Let's walk through the steps in making this healthy vanilla coffee creamer!
- Warm & Whisk ingredients. Making his coconut milk coffee creamer as actually super simple! Just place the ingredients (except for vanilla beans) into a small saucepan and whisk to combine.
- Watch it carefully. 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!
- Add the vanilla bean seeds and pods. Next, scrape the seeds and stir them into the warm paleo coffee creamer mixture. Then add the whole vanilla bean pods.
- Cover & let the flavors blend. 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.
- Strain & store.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.
How do you remove the seeds from a vanilla bean pod?
To remove the seeds from a vanilla bean, follow these instructions:
- Cut the bean in half (as pictured below).
- 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.
- Use a small spoon and scrape out the seeds on the inside of the bean.
- Stir the spoon with the vanilla seeds into the coffee creamer mixture and repeat with the remaining pod pieces!
What if I use vanilla extract instead of vanilla beans?
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!
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!
How do you store healthy coffee creamer?
- In the refrigerator. If you plan on using it within 1 week, store in an airtight glass container in the refrigerator.
- In the freezer. I often freeze this healthy coffee creamer so it lasts even longer. To do this, I recommend pouring the coffee creamer into an ice cube tray and freezing it into cubes. Then you can simply remove one or two cubes at a time to use in your morning coffee! I do recommend warming the frozen vanilla coffee creamer in the microwave in your coffee mug before adding the coffee so that it doesn't cool it off too much!
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!
Paleo Vanilla Coffee Creamer: Ingredients & Substitutions
As always, I recommend making this recipe exactly as written! But here are a few substitutions that are possible!
- Coconut milk: For an even creamier result, use full-fat coconut cream. I do not recommend replacing the coconut milk with any other non-dairy milks, because it has the highest fat content and is an important component of this recipe!
- Almond milk. The almond milk is added to this recipe to ensure that it doesn't solidify when stored and to keep it nice and smooth. 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: I have a thing for vanilla beans. When I want to make something that isn't chocolate (gasp) I still want it to have a rich flavor. I think vanilla beans impart a depth of flavor that can't be achieved with regular vanilla extract. I make vanilla bean cheesecake, vanilla bean ice cream, and now...vanilla bean coconut milk coffee creamer.
- Readers have reported using 1 tsp pure vanilla extract with great results! However I highly recommend the beans! š
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Homemade Healthy Coffee Creamer Recipe (Paleo & Vegan)
Ingredients
- 1 13.5 oz can coconut milk
- 2 TBS Almond Milk (unsweetened, vanilla)
- 3 TBS coconut sugar
- pinch of salt
- Ā½ 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 3 TBS coconut sugar & a pinch of salt, whisk to combine.
- Cook over medium-low heat until the mixture just starts bubbling and sugar is dissolved (donāt let it boil or youāll 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
Nutrition
This post was originally published on June 30, 2016. It has been updated with new photos and a video!
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Jane
Can I use whole milk instead of coconut milk?
Laura
Yes!
Janelle Peters
Can I use hazelnut extract instead of vanilla beans if I want hazelnut creamer instead?
Laura
Of course!
Jodi
So yummy! I am enjoying it right now.