It used to be that going vegan meant they have to learn to enjoy black coffee. Black coffee is great for some people, but others never develop a taste for it. Thankfully, the vegan wave has hit in full force, and there are now more vegan coffee creamers than ever on the market.
There is also no shortage of creative recipes for vegan creamer you can make at home. Some of these take little effort, while others require days of preparation for the final payoff.
We’ve included the best of both worlds in this article: Some simple recipes, more complex options, and our favorite store-bought vegan creamers. Take a look at what we have and let us know if you have any ideas of your own!
Homemade Recipes
Homemade vegan coffee creamer recipes are almost always the best. You get the satisfaction of making them yourself, and you will save some money along the way. There are some fantastic store bought options as well, but it doesn’t take any creativity to add these to your coffee.
In this section, we’ll show you a few basic coffee creamer recipes you can make at home. If you want to dress them up, you can create your own recipes by adding some organic ingredients to the mix.
Vegan Coffee Creamer with Coconut Milk
Coconut milk makes a fantastically simple base you can use for flavored coffee creamer. All you have to do is heat a can of full-fat coconut milk in a saucepan for a few minutes before serving. This is the simplest way to create your own vegan coffee creamer, and it gives you the rich texture you might be missing in your coffee.
Vegan Coffee Creamer with Condensed Coconut Milk
Creating vegan coffee creamer with this recipe will add a bit of sweetness to your morning coffee. You won’t have to rely on sugar or sugar replacements if you choose to use these ingredients.
To make this coffee creamer, all you need is a can of full-fat coconut milk, ⅓ cup of maple syrup, and about ½ to 1 cup of almond milk. The almond milk and syrup come together nicely to create the sweet flavor that balances the natural bitterness of coffee.
This recipe takes a bit more time to complete than the above-listed one. You will simmer the coconut milk alone for fifteen minutes before adding the maple syrup and continuing to simmer for another 10. After that, you can add the almond milk to taste and consistency.
Vegan Coffee Creamer with Almond Milk
Using this recipe will add sweetness to your coffee as well, but not as much texture as some of the others. If you used to add traditional almond milk to your coffee instead of vegan coffee creamer, then this will probably create a familiar consistency.
You need two cups of almonds, ten dates, and a cup of water for this recipe. Soak the almonds overnight, so they’re soft, then add all of your ingredients to a blender. Put the mixture in the fridge if you prefer, or serve right out of the blender. This recipe keeps for awhile if you refrigerate it so that you can enjoy sweetened coffee for days.
Dressing Up Your Coffee Creamer
Now that you know how to make the base of your vegan coffee creamer, you can begin to explore the endless possibilities of different recipes you have at your disposal. You can create any flavor of coffee creamer you like – or chose to use the bases on their own if you prefer the flavor of coffee.
To get those creative juices flowing, we included a few select recipes we found that take vegan coffee creamer to the next level. Try them out for yourself, or come up with your own recipes and share them with friends. There is no limit to the combinations you can create with the simple non-dairy creamer bases we listed above.
Banana Bread Coffee Creamer
This Banana Bread Coffee Creamer recipe from Athletic Avocado is one of the more obscure vegan coffee creamer recipes you’ll find, but it’s still worth a try if you’re looking for the newest way to spice up your morning coffee.
Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 cups canned coconut milk
- 2 cups almond milk
- 4 dates, presoaked in water and drained
- 1 overripe banana
- 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
Directions:
- Place banana and dates in a blender and blend until smooth.
- Add remaining ingredients and blend for about 1 minute, or until mixture is smooth without any lumps.
- Chill in the refrigerator, then enjoy in coffee or tea.
Caramel Vanilla Coffee Creamer
This recipe comes from Fashionable Foods, and is designed to cater to those who prefer to have their coffee taste sweet and savory rather than bitter. The creator of this recipe even admits that she didn’t used to like drinking coffee until she discovered the wonders of flavored coffee creamers.
Ingredients:
- ½ Cup Coconut Palm Sugar
- 2 Tablespoons Water
- ½ Cup Unsweetened Almond Milk
- ½ Cup Coconut Milk
- 2 Tablespoons Vanilla Extract
Directions:
- Combine the coconut sugar and water in a small pot over medium-high heat. Whisk the mixture until the sugar dissolves and allow it to come to a boil. Boil the sugar mixture for 2 minutes.
- Turn the heat to low and pour in the almond and coconut milk – working quickly whisk the mixture until smooth. (It will be the color of a light caramel sauce).
- Remove the mixture from the heat and stir in the vanilla. Cool completely and then store in a glass bottle in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
Slow Cooker Apple Spice Creamer
This recipe from Healthy Slow Cooking is fantastic for the apple spice fans out there. Fall is approaching faster than some people would like to admit, and apple spice season is right around the corner. This recipe is a perfect addition to hot coffee on a cool fall morning.
Ingredients:
- 1 can coconut milk
- 1 cup peeled and diced apple (about 1 large apple)
- 8 small dates
- 4 whole cinnamon sticks
- 1/8 teaspoon allspice
Directions:
- Put everything in a 1½ to 2 quart slow cooker for 4 hours on high or 8 hours on low.
- Remove the cinnamon sticks and puree the rest of the mixture in a blender until smooth.
- Store in the fridge for up to 1 week.
Vanilla Nut Coffee Creamer
The Vanilla Nut Coffee Creamer recipe from Veggie Inspired is one of the simplest to create on this list. All you need are a few ingredients and a blender, and you’ll have yourself a coffee creamer that all your vegan friends will envy.
Ingredients:
- 1 cup Vanilla Almond Milk (vanilla soy milk would work too)
- 1/4 cup raw cashews (soaked for at least 30 minutes, drained)
- 15 dates (soaked for at least 30 minutes, drained)
Directions:
- Blend in a high speed blender until smooth.
Store Bought Options
Not everyone has the time to prepare their own coffee creamer – we understand. Sometimes you need a coffee and don’t have time to make it. A lot of specialized homemade vegan coffee creamer recipes take a while to come together, and it’s not always possible to have some ready for your morning cup of joe.
Thankfully, there are all kinds of store bought vegan coffee creamer options to choose from.
We listed some of our favorites below, and you can choose any of them to see what you like. If we missed any brands of vegan coffee creamer that you love, make sure to tell us about them in the comments. We’re always looking for new, healthy coffee creamer replacements.
Ripple Foods Half & Half
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Ripple Foods Half & Half is one of the healthiest coffee creamers on the market. It’s 100% vegan and checks all the boxes people look for in their vegan creamers: no soy, no GMOs, no lactose, no nuts, and no gluten.
This half & half is fully plant-based and is rich in healthy omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids as well. The major components of the half & half are sunflower oil, pea protein, and algal oil.
Coconut Cloud Dried Creamer
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If you want to take your vegan coffee creamer on the go, then try the Coconut Cloud creamer. You can purchase this product in an individual pouch or in single-serving pouches that fit perfectly in any container. This creamer comes in multiple flavors, and Coconut Cloud even has a hot chocolate option for the non-coffee drinkers out there.
Silk
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Silk is one of the most popular vegan creamers and milk replacements for a reason. Their variety, flavor, and commitment to sustainable sourcing make them a favorite in most vegan households. If you haven’t picked up their almond milk or coffee creamer yet, try it out. You can find Silk products in almost any grocery store.
Nut Pods
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Nut Pods is a more obscure milk alternative brand, but they make so many different flavors that we had to include them on this list. You can make your coffee taste however you want it to with their creamers, or add their milk to your cereal for a dose of additional flavor.