Homemade Vegan Coffee Creamer

This recipe makes it easy to make your own rich, creamy homemade vegan coffee creamer.  You can make soy, almond, coconut, or any plant-based creamer that you like in flavors like vanilla, almond, hazelnut, and more. 

You can make it as sweet as you like with any sweetener you choose, and best of all, you will never need to buy soy creamer again! This non-dairy creamer has a thick and creamy texture, and it works perfectly for lattes or a simple cup of coffee.

Why you’ll love this recipe

• It’s easy to make with a few simple ingredients.
• It’s vegan, gluten-free, and nut-free!
• You can make it with any plant-based milk that you want!
• You can make it with any creamer flavor, like almond, vanilla, or hazelnut!

Most of the time, I simply use soy milk in my coffee, but I occasionally treat myself to store-bought vegan coffee creamers like Silk creamer or barista blend. 

I bought some on our last road trip to dilute that bad gas station coffee. I noticed how simple the ingredients were and thought I could easily make this at home!

After fiddling with the proportions a bit, I made it taste just like the store-bought creamers, and I was surprised by how easy it was to make!  Now I could enjoy flavored plant-based creamers for a fraction of the price!

Choosing your plant-based milk

All of the following are good choices for making homemade vegan creamer.

• Soy milk
• Almond milk
• Coconut milk
• Cashew milk
• Oat milk
• Coconut milk or coconut cream
• Hemp milk
• Ripple – milk from peas

Methods

I have used 2 methods to flavor and sweeten the dairy-free creamer, and they both work equally well. 

Method 1: To flavor and sweeten, add 1 tsp of flavored extract (like vanilla extract) plus 2 tbsp of sweetener (like sugar or agave) to plant-based milk.

Method 2: To flavor and sweeten, add 2 tbsp of flavored coffee syrup instead of the sugar and extract.

Choosing your sweetener

You can leave out the sweetener completely if you want, or use anything that you like to sweeten the creamer.  It’s really just up to your preference and taste.

All of the following are good choices to sweeten your creamer:

• Vegan Sugar
• Agave
• Maple Syrup
• Coconut Sugar
• Stevia

Note: The amount of sweetener I suggest makes it taste similar to the flavored soy creamers you would buy in the store, but if you want it less or more sweet, adjust the recipe accordingly.

*Remember, if you use method #2, you will not need additional sweetener.

How to make it rich and creamy?

Real cream has fat, so it gives your coffee a creamy mouthfeel and cuts the acidity.

To help your vegan coffee creamer have the same effect as traditional creamer, you need to add some fat. I like to use refined coconut oil since it has almost no flavor. 

Why use lecithin?

If you simply add fat to milk, the fat will separate and float to the top.  So, if you use this method, you must also use lecithin in your creamer.  Lecithin is an emulsifier that bonds the plant milk to the oil and prevents it from separating.

You can find lecithin at many health food stores or vitamin shops, or order it from Amazon.  (It’s great to have for homemade dressing, and I use it in my homemade vegan butter recipe too.) It comes in both liquid and granular forms.  The liquid form dissolves better than the granules and will need less stirring to mix.

How to make it fat-free

You do not have to add oil to the creamer.  It still comes out well that way too, just not quite as rich.  Simply omit the oil and lecithin from the recipe.

How to make vegan coffee creamer

Step 1 – Measure out cold soy milk or another plant-based milk, extract of choice, sweetener, lecithin, tapioca starch, and oil (if desired), and put it in a saucepan.

Step 2 – Mix the starch into the milk before turning on the heat.

Step 3 – Turn the heat to medium and stir frequently with a whisk until it comes to a slow boil.

Step 4 – Let it boil for a few seconds while stirring, then turn off the heat.

Step 5 – Store in an airtight jar or bottle for up to 5 days.

Tapioca starch

Tapioca starch (aka tapioca flour) thickens the creamer.  It gives it a more dairy-creamer consistency.  Tapioca has a nice consistency, but you can also use corn starch or potato starch instead if you prefer.

Why does soy milk curdle in coffee?

Have you ever noticed that soy milk or almond milk curdles in your coffee?  It is not the creamer that makes this happen; it is the coffee’s acidity level. So this homemade creamer will probably act the same way.

If you have this problem, switch to a coffee with lower acidity, not vegan creamers. 

Tip – If you can’t get lower-acidity coffee, let it cool a bit before adding the cream; that can help it not curdle as much.

More vegan recipes

• Oatmilk Eggnog
• Tofu Cream Cheese
• Vegan Hot Chocolate
• Chia Seed Pudding
• Vegan Yogurt
• Tofu Sour Cream

Vegan coffee creamer recipe

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