Homemade Coffee Creamer

I used to love flavored coffee creamers. Irish Creme, Amaretto, French Vanilla, or the specialty flavors that came into stores around the holidays: Pumpkin Spice, Peppermint mocha, Gingerbread.

But have you ever read the list of ingredients in flavored coffee creamers? So gross. So many chemicals. And most of them are completely non-dairy (as in, no actual CREAM in coffee CREAMer). I understand avoiding dairy for health or dietary reasons (lactose-intolerants and vegans), but I'm sure most would still agree that partially hydrogenated oils, sodium caseinate, dipotassium phosphate, and sodium aluminosilicate don't exactly sound appetizing just for a little splash of sweetness in the morning.

Faced with a sugar-free version in my fridge the other day, I wondered if I could make coffee creamer myself. While I'm a big fan of plain old Half and Half (though not nonfat Half and Half: it doesn't make sense to me that something made with cream and whole milk should be physically capable of existing in a nonfat formulation), I sometimes want something sweeter, too.

Note: these won't keep until doomsday like the store bought varieties (use within 10 days), but if you're like me, coffee creamer doesn't last all that long anyway.

Cinnamon Streusel Coffee Creamer
1 cup milk
1 cup heavy cream
4 TBS maple syrup
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp almond extract

Whisk together first four ingredients in a small saucepan over medium heat. When mixture begins to steam, remove from heat (do not bring to a boil). Stir in the extracts.

Pumpkin Spice Coffee Creamer
1 cup milk
1 cup heavy cream
3 TBS pureed pumpkin
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
4 TBS maple syrup
1 tsp vanilla extract

Whisk first five ingredients in a small saucepan over medium heat. When mixture begins to steam, remove from heat and stir in extract.


I can say it now: these are friggin' dangerously delicious. I may never buy flavored creamer again...