French Vanilla Coffee Creamer Recipe {+ Video}

Want a homemade French Vanilla Coffee Creamer that isn’t full of junk? You can make a homemade creamer that is healthier and doesn’t have any additives. 

The great thing about this recipe is that it’s totally adjustable. You can make it thicker, thinner, sweeter or less sweet, you can even adjust the strength of the vanilla flavor as you see fit. You can also use dairy or dairy-free milk. Even whole milk or heavy cream will work here.

Is French Vanilla Creamer Healthy?

Store bought French vanilla coffee creamer seems innocent enough sitting in the dairy case at the store. In fact, at first glance, even the nutrition label looks innocent enough.

While the serving size is only 1 tablespoon, (and we all know we use a lot more than that), the data above looks pretty great!

What Is French Vanilla Coffee Creamer Made Of?

Rotate that bottle just a tiny bit more to the ingredient list, and we see a very different story unfold.

Not exactly what I want to be putting into my morning cup of coffee, even it it does taste really good.

Why Make Your Own Creamers?

Because store-bought coffee creamers are a dietary disaster. That may sound a bit extreme to some of you. But that is my humble, non-medical opinion. Plus, you aren’t really getting a true vanilla flavor because they are full of artificial flavors. Just read the ingredient list above. Not a drop of real vanilla to be found!

So instead, I make my own. Is it a little different than the store-bought creamer? Of course! But that’s not a bad thing. In fact, this works really well in coffee. The final result isn’t quite as creamy (meaning, it doesn’t leave your tongue coated in unhealthy oils), but it adds wonderful flavor. And yes, it’s still creamy.

What Kind Of Milk Is Best For Homemade French Vanilla Creamer?

I can’t speak for the recipes of other bloggers, but for this recipe, any type of milk will work. The only thing I would avoid (for obvious reasons) are things like sweetened condensed milk. Here’s a list of ideas.

• Almond milk
• Oat milk
• Coconut milk
• Hazelnut milk
• Skim milk
• Whole milk
• Heavy whipping cream

Recipe Variations

If you want to try different flavors, you can certainly do that. Simply omit the vanilla bean and try one of the followings. Adding the vanilla extract is optional if you change the flavors.

• Almond extract
• Unsweetened cocoa powder
• Cinnamon
• Peppermint extract
• Orange extract

About The Ingredients

Arrowroot powder – This is a thickener, similar to cornstarch. You can use cornstarch if you prefer, but I find that arrowroot has a better consistency when I pour this creamer into my coffee. The choice is yours.

Water – Use a good, filtered water that you feel good about drinking.

Unsweetened almond milk – (for low carb) or unsweetened oat milk for regular

Vanilla bean – A medium sized bean that has not hardened is what you want.

Pure vanilla extract – This will intensify the vanilla flavor. Do not use vanilla flavoring (go ahead and google how that’s made, I dare you. Yuck!) The real stuff is what you want. I used a bourbon vanilla, but regular extract works just fine.

How Do You Make French Vanilla Creamer?

Slurry

Make a slurry by mixing together the arrowroot powder and water. Whisk well. Note that it will settle as it sits, so you’ll want to mix it again before adding it to the pot.

Prep

Next, cut the vanilla bean in half and scrape out the vanilla inside. Set it aside.

Making The Creamer

Now pour the almond milk into a pot along with the vanilla (the insides you scraped as well as the outer bean), the vanilla extract, and the sweetener.

Bring this to a gentle boil in a small saucepan over medium heat, then pour in the re-mixed slurry. Whisk quickly because the creamer will thicken quickly and you don’t want clumps in your creamer.

Remove from the stove as soon as the creamer gels and let it cool, then remove the bean pod.

If it’s too thick for you, simply add a bit more almond milk. If it’s too thin, you can reheat the creamer in a pot and add more slurry. But you shouldn’t need to do this.

Pour the creamer into a container and store it in the fridge until you are ready to use it.

How To Store French Vanilla Coffee Creamer

Keep this in an airtight container, in the fridge, for up to 5 or 6 days. A mason jar with a tight fitting lid will work well here. In some cases, it will last up to 7 days. Smell it to know for sure.

Recipe Supplies

More Homemade Coffee Creamer Recipes

• Soy Coffee Creamer
• Pumpkin Pie Coffee Creamer
• Protein Peppermint Mocha Coffee Creamer

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French Vanilla Coffee Creamer Recipe Card + Video