I have been making my own coffee creamer for a couple of years now. I first introduced you to the borrowed basic framework last year, with my rendition of coconut cream creamer which was my favorite store bought one. The basis of the creamer is cream, milk (I use whole) and a sweetener, either honey or maple syrup. I then just add different extracts or other various flavorings. Coconut is a pretty unique flavor and a lot of people probably wouldn’t pick that as a favorite, so today I am sharing some of my new favorite combos plus a couple of kitchen additions.
Basis for Homemade Creamer
Makes 2 cups
Ingredients
Whole milk, 1 cup
Cream, 1 cup
Sweetener, 4 T
Combo #1 (my new favorite):
Honey as sweetener
Cinnamon, 1 tsp
Vanilla extract, 2 tsp
Combo #2:
Honey as sweetener
Vanilla extract, 1.5 tsp
Almond extract, 1.5 tsp
Combo #3:
Maple syrup as sweetener
Almond extract, 1.5 tsp
Coconut extract, 1 tsp
Just this week I got raspberry extract and can’t wait to use it plain and with almond, vanilla and chocolate, for lots of different varieties!
Play around with this and create your own flavor combos! Let me know what your favorites are. Everyone's tastes and favorite flavors are unique. Keep in mind this is not going to be as sweet as store bought creamer, but I bet your body will adjust pretty quickly. Don't get me started on how our bodies are addicted to sugar - some say it's a worse addiction than drugs....
Anyway, to make the creamer, all you do is whisk together milk, cream, sweetener and any powdered flavorings, such as cinnamon or chocolate in a saucepan over medium heat.
When mixture begins to steam, remove from the heat and stir in the extract(s). Use a funnel to pour mixture into a glass jar and let cool. If you are adding any powdered flavorings, you will likely want to strain.
That leads me to my first new kitchen addition:
Using a sieve, which is basically a wire strainer, along with a funnel is perfectly acceptable and what I used for a long time. I recently purchased a stainless steel funnel with a removable strainer - as I am slowly trying to remove plastic from our home. With either method, you aren’t going to completely remove the powdered ingredient from the creamer, but I do more than one strain to get as much as I can. A little cinnamon or chocolate in your coffee never hurt anyone right?! Just remember to shake up your jar before adding the creamer to your coffee.
Lastly, I purchased this IKEA milk frother. I simply froth up my creamer before adding to my coffee to make it more fun at home! Its not perfect (and isn't steamed / hot) and of course you could buy much more expensive barista machines for home, but this is just a small cheap addition to my kitchen that allows me to still feel like I am out, but control the ingredients and money.
If you love coffee like me, I hope this is one simple thing you feel you can start making at home. Check out my original post on why that might be something you want to consider.
~Ashley
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