Vegan Coffee Non-Dairy Creamer

If you're my Facebook friend, you probably saw me post a photo from someone (who knows how it came to my newsfeed!) that was a base recipe for making your own creamer at home. I know my recipe title is a little redundant, because Vegan should automatically signal that this is non-dairy. But without using the names International Delight and Coffee-Mate, I wanted to convey the idea of what I was trying to create. The post I'd shared on Facebook did include dairy, so I didn't see how it was similar to the store-bought flavored creamers. And since I don't have a degree in chemistry, combining partially hydrogenated bromated genetically modified oils, corn syrups and artificial flavors is not something I will achieve at home anytime soon...nor would I want to!

So here is my hopefully somewhat healthier version I made today. I'm not trying to steal anyone's Facebook thunder, but I couldn't copy and paste a link to the original here, so the additional flavors I've included below did originate with someone...somewhere in the great beyond of social media. I take no credit for the flavors, just the healthy modifications.

I decided to try the Cinnamon Strudel flavor, so I needed the following items: refrigerated coconut milk, canned full-fat coconut milk, evaporated cane juice crystals, vanilla, almond flavor and cinnamon.

I measured out 1 cup of refrigerated coconut milk. [I am not brand loyal and would prefer to buy So Delicious Organic brand, but it is no longer available at my local Kroger store except in the rather expensive shelf-stable version] Next, I added this coconut milk to a small pot on my stove and stirred in 1 tsp of  high-quality organic cinnamon (use a little more if you'd like more or if you have regular cinnamon) and 1/4 cup organic evaporated cane juice crystals. Whisk constantly on low to medium-low heat until all cinnamon and sugar are dissolved. 

Once this is ready, pour into the container in which you plan to store it. Add the entire can of full fat coconut milk to the container along with the 1 teaspoon organic almond flavor and 1 teaspoon organic vanilla flavor and stir. I used a wide mouthed Ball jar.

It was delicious. I used some in place of milk with one shot of espresso to make a latte'. I did steam it, but it didn't foam as well as coconut milk does by itself. I will admit that it was too sweet to finish. I think the same amount in a cup of coffee would have been just right. I have always been a "more flavor/creamer than coffee" person and yet, today it was a little too rich. You could also try less sugar; using Sucanot instead of evaporated cane juice; increasing the amount of refrigerated coconut milk to 2 cups for a thinner version; or even trying agave or honey instead. I think that will be my next batch. The reason for the sugar is to try to replace the sugar in sweetened condensed milk from the original recipe.

In the original, it was suggested that you should place all ingredients in a Ball jar and shake "like crazy". I think this would easily leak...a lot. I think if everything can be stirred, a Ball jar will work well. If you need to shake it all to blend, I would suggest something with a tighter lid. I have several notes below that include additional flavors.

This really is delicious and if I could find reasonably price refrigerated organic coconut milk, the whole thing would be organic. You could use almond or rice milk too if you don't like the taste of coconut milk, but the fat in the canned coconut milk is the only way I know to replicate the creaminess.

Enjoy!

***Notes***

• For benefits of medium chain fats found in coconut milk, as well as other benefits, click on this link. 
• Sometimes the fat in canned coconut milk solidifies in the top of the can. This is okay, just scrape it out and place in your container. Be sure it is all blended well in your mixture. If this is proving difficult, the canned milk should be used as the one to heat on the stove along with your cinnamon.
• In the recipes below, the only time you need to heat anything on the stove is if you are using ingredients that are solid or "gritty" in texture that you would want to dissolve completely like cinnamon, raw cacao or pumpkin and if using granulated sugar crystals. Otherwise, skip the heating process.

***Additional flavors (omit cinnamon, vanilla and almond from recipe above)***

French Vanilla Creamer: 2 teaspoons organic vanilla extract or vanilla coffee syrup (i.e. Torani)

Vanilla Bean Creamer: 2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste

Chocolate: 1 Tablespoon raw organic cacao powder

Chocolate Almond: 1 Tablespoon raw organic cacao powder and 1 teaspoon organic almond extract

Irish Creme: 1 Tablespoon raw organic cacao powder, 1 teaspoon instant coffee, 1-2 teaspoons organic vanilla extract and 1 teaspoon organic almond extract

Peppermint Patty: 1 Tablespoon raw organic cacao powder and 1 teaspoon peppermint extract

Pumpkin Spice: 3 Tablespoons canned pumpkin puree, 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice, up to 4 Tablespoons maple syrup (omit sugar from recipe above), and 1 teaspoon organic vanilla extract

There are multiple other options like Chocolate/Raspberry, Caramel, Chocolate/Caramel, Hazelnut, Almond Joy and Salted Caramel. Many of these I left off because I didn't know of a substitute for the ice cream topping the original called for. But if you wanted to make your own organic caramel syrup or use brown rice syrup instead, you could continue with a healthier version of these as well!