Fact: I need cream in my coffee. I cannot drink it black. For the most part, I find plain black coffee vile, watery, and bitter. But a nice splash of half-and-half transforms it into a creamy, warm, soothing, comforting elixir of the gods.
So yeah. I need my cream. But my thighs do not need it. And so that’s why we’re here. That’s why I figured out how to make almond milk coffee creamer, a healthier, non-dairy alternative to half-and-half. And I’m so excited about it, now I’m going to share with you!
Have you ever made almond milk? It’s shockingly easy! You soak the almonds in water. And then you puree the soaked almonds with fresh water. And then you strain the mixture. And you’ve got almond milk! And it seriously tastes incredible.
I make a couple of tweaks to the standard almond-milk-making process for this super-rich almond milk creamer. First, I soak the nuts for the maximum amount of time – 48 hours, changing out the water every 12 hours to keep things fresh. The longer you can soak the nuts, the creamier the outcome. More than 48 hours, though, and things could get funky (or go bad). So no more than that, please!
And then I puree the almonds with a little less water than I would if I was making standard almond milk. The result is a thick, rich consistency that works perfectly as coffee creamer.
Ready to make some of this rich, creamy, non-dairy and vegan creamer? Here’s a quick video showing how it’s done; scroll on for the break-down.
Step 1: Soak
Place 1 cup of raw almonds in a clean mason jar or other container with an airtight lid. Cover with 2 cups of water. Seal and let sit on the kitchen counter for 48 hours (but no longer)! Change out the water at least every 12 hours. These side-by-side photos show the dry almonds at the beginning of the process, and the super-plump almonds after the 48 hours. Oh, and I actually had doubled the recipe for this batch, so if you’re thinking you see more almonds in the photo than what I’m actually suggesting, you’re not losing your mind. I’m just a dork.
Step 2: Puree
Drain off the soaking water and rinse the almonds. Add the soaked almonds to a food processor or blender along with 1 1/2 cups of water. Pulse/puree until the almonds are pulverized and the mixture is white – about 30 seconds or so. Look! There’s your milk!
Step 3: Strain
This is where one special kitchen prop is important: a nut milk bag. Trust me, I’ve tried this with cheesecloth and it just doesn’t work the same. I have this nut milk bag with a rounded bottom and I looove the thing.
Place the nut milk bag inside a bowl and then pour the pureed almond mixture into the bag. With super-clean hands, lift the bag and squeeze the dickens out of it to get every last bit of milk out.
I am so sorry that I just used “nut milk bag” and “dickens” in the same paragraph. It just happened.
Anyway, lift the bag and squeeze, squeeze, squeeze with your hands until you get every last bit of milk out.
I couldn’t squeeze because I was using one hand to lift the bag and the other to snap photos, but I’m sure you get the gist.
Oh hey, what’s left there in the bag? That’s almond meal! Make something yummy with it!
But back to the bowl. You have a thick, creamy almond milk!
Step 4: Add a Little Flavor
That’s right – spice it up! But just a tad.
This is where I add the teensiest bit of sweetness via pure maple syrup, and a touch of flavor with a little vanilla extract and a touch of salt.
And then? We’re done!
The only thing left to do is pour some into your coffee, stir, and smile.
Homemade Almond Milk Coffee Creamer
Ingredients
- 1 cup raw almonds
- 1 1/2 cups water (plus more for soaking)
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 teaspoons maple syrup
- Pinch salt
Instructions
- Place 1 cup of raw almonds in a clean mason jar or other container with an airtight lid. Cover with 2 cups of water. Seal and let sit on the kitchen counter for 48 hours (but no longer)! Change out the water at least every 12 hours.
- Drain off the soaking water and rinse the almonds. Add the soaked almonds to a food processor or blender along with 1 1/2 cups of water. Pulse/puree until the almonds are pulverized and the mixture is white – about 30 seconds.
- Place a nut milk bag inside a bowl and then pour the pureed almond mixture into the bag. With super-clean hands, lift the bag and squeeze to get every last bit of milk out.
- Stir in the maple syrup, vanilla extract, and salt.
- Homemade almond milk coffee creamer keeps refrigerated in an airtight container for up to a week. But it rarely lasts that long around here!
I’m so glad you’re here! I’m a vegetarian home cook, certified plant-based pro, and mom. I’m married to an enthusiastic carnivore, and my mission is to achieve peace in the kitchen – one tasty recipe at a time. These days, I also try not to ask to speak to the manager.
Oh, I am SO excited about this. Might be good with some cocoa too for a creamy hot chocolate? Or with matcha green tea powder for a creamy match latte?
This sounds so perfect. I mean, I’ve made almond milk before – why not almond milk creamer?? I’m on it!!
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I’ve heard that panty-hose might work in place of a nut milk bag…
my need for cream – and my thighs – thank you.
So about how many calories is this recipe? Hard to tell with the use of the aloalmonds.
Hi Charlene, I don’t provide nutrition info here but this is a great site that I love to use: http://caloriecount.about.com/cc/recipe_analysis.php
Okay so I just want to share my experience…….
I use Blue Diamond Unsweet Vanilla Almond Milk and attempted a trick I found on another website which was basically take half portion of almond milk and heat it up, remove right before reaches boil, add to cold half and refrigerate and it’s suppose to thicken and I thought it did UNTIL I made your recipe. OMG this creamer is truly beyond amazing! I went searching on line for the same exact reason you invented this recipe. I have to have creamer in my coffee and I don’t want the calories which seemed like a catch 22 and to top it off I’m also sensitive to many ingredients, wheat, milk and coconut to name a few and THEN….TA-DAH…..I FOUND THIS RECIPE AND NOW AM IN HEAVEN! I added the salt vanilla and maple to half and the other half I kept plain and let me just say they are both incredible. This is my 2nd day using the creamer and am still in awe of the thickness. This recipe is the best way to go if you truly want a thick, non-watery almond creamer without all of the hidden ingredients.
Charlene, it seems to me that I read the same article/post you did on the “heating half to right before boiling point”. In that post, I was under the impression that the reason was more so the almond milk would act similar to regular milk or creamer where it does not split/separate in the coffee like homemade almond milk usually does. did you have any luck on that OR has anyone reading this post had any luck with that–maybe tweaking it a bit? I’ve tried many ways and nothing seems to work.
How long does this last in the fridge? Thanks!!
Hi Meaghan, it lasts 4-5 days in the fridge. It may start to separate toward the end of that time, just shake before pouring.
I tried this with some macadamia nuts and pitted dates thrown in (also without the maple syrup and vanilla) and it was amazing. Thanks for making my coffee so tasty today!
This looks amazing. I love almond milk for almost any purpose, and your images are awesome!
Thank you, Wally!
This looks amazing! I cannot seem to find any creamer I am happy with that is non-dairy. I am hoping this works. Thanks for sharing.
This looks fantastic. Is there any benefit or detrimentlooks sing chopped or shaved almonds?
Karen, thanks for this great recipe! I Love my half & half but my doc says cut the fats. (I also need to cut the fat around the middle) . I need non-dairy creamer if I want to use more than a tablespoon and I use almond milk anyway. My sister, the nuritionist (PhD), has warned me about artificial creamers, literally death in a bottle! She approves of this recipe! Well done!
Yay! Thanks so much, Barbara. I’m actually going to be posting a cashew milk version soon – also great!
I soaked my almonds for 48 hours. Then something came up and I was not able to make the almond milk right away. I just drained them and put them in the fridge. How long do you think they will stay good like that? Will I still be able to use them to make almond milk/cream?
Thanks.
Hmm, I’m not really sure. I can totally relate to setting them out to soak then either not having time to take care of them or forgetting about them entirely! But once they’ve soaked much longer than that, I usually will just throw them out because I’m afraid they might have gone bad. Sorry I’m not more help.
Hi! Can I use hazelnut extract instead of vanilla, or will it clash with the almost milk? Thanks 🙂
Ahhh, stupid typo! Excuse the original post!
I haven’t tried it, but I bet it would be delicious!
You mentioned in the post that you also make almond milk. How much water would you add if you were making milk instead of cream? I use a lot of both in our house, as my daughter and I are lactose intolerant.
For almond milk, I’ll usually do about 3 cups water to 1 cup almonds. And I really think it tastes *so much better* than cow’s milk – so it’s a win win! 😀
This is what I’ve been looking for forever! Do you think this “cream” would be able to stand up in soups and stuff in place of half and half?
I’ve tried my cashew milk coffee creamer in that way and it’s stood up very well. I think the almond milk would too. I’ll have to make a point to try it and let you know! Though of course I wouldn’t add any sweetener or vanilla if I’m going to use it in cooking. 🙂
This almond milk creamer is DIVINE! My life is changed. I have been gluten free for a while but now I’m dairy-free too so I was worried I wouldn’t be able to find a yummy replacement for half-and-half. OMG this is EVEN BETTER!! I used stevia instead of honey to make it low carb. Would you mind if I shared it on my blog and credited you and linked back to your site?
love love love!
Christina
Fashion & Frills
Thank you for such a wonderful recipe. Just a quick question. On my first attempt the creamer separated the same day. Is that normal or have I made an error? Thank you
It can separate some – just shake before using!
My daughter always have me buy the French Vanilla Creamer and I would love to do this for her. What is the difference between regular Vanilla and French Vanilla other than the price.
Thanks for the recipe! Do you have any recommendations on a source of good quality almonds?
I can never find a milk bag that is cost effective so I have used small paint strainers. They are made of the same material and are a cheaper alternative if they aren’t used for anything else. Thanks for the recipe. I am having a hard time with half and half or cream in my cough due to allergies so this is a great alternative for me.
I’m so glad you posted this recipe. so simple and obvious that you would just cut down on the water, but I wanted to see if anyone else had success with it before potentially ruining the batch, and more importantly, my coffee (can’t risk that). I’m sitting her drinking my coffee utterly amazed at how creamy it is. Thanks, you’re an angel sent down from coffee heaven!
Haha, it’s the best isn’t it?! Have you tried homemade cashew milk coffee creamer? I think it actually might be a bit better (and easier to make).
Oh my gracious, that is DELICIOUS!! I’m absolutely amazed! I feel a little like I sound like an infomercial, but I can’t stop gushing about how amazing this is. Just fixed a cup of coffee with some almond creamer, and I swear to you it tastes creamier than half & half — I don’t know how, but it’s heaven! Plus I have super fresh almond meal waiting for me to get creative 🙂 Thank you!
How much liquid after “milking” do you have ? I only ended up with 2 cups of liquid from a double batch. I only did 24 hours so will it “milk” more from 48-hour soaking? Sorry if this seems like a silly question but I’m new to all of this but I’m finding with the chemicals that are in everything I feel better doing things on my own but I’m not sure if I’m always doing them right. Thanks for the recipe though it tasted so much more Almond-y than the almond milk I buy.
How long does it last before it goes bad?
I love creamy but don’t need the calories ?
It lasts for me about 4 days. Sometimes it separates a bit in the fridge so you should shake it a bit before serving. I have heard that the cashew milk coffee creamer (also on my site) freezes well, perhaps this one would too? So that might be an option. I keep meaning to try it!
Thanks just store bought is not enough so I m learning a better way to cook. Thanks for the posts
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Never thought of making the almond milk more concentrated for a creamier version. Great idea!! I have tried this and I LOVE it. I no longer miss my half and half which was one of the few things I missed since changing to a fully plant based diet. I make this without the maple syrup and vanilla so that I can use it in cooking as needed. I even take a small glass bottle of this with me sometimes when going out to restaurants or friends so I can enjoy coffee with them. Thank you for posting this. 🙂
Great ideas! So glad you’re liking this recipe, Liz. 🙂 I’ve been known to tote my own creamer to restaurants too. Ha – us dairy-free folks have to do what we have to do!
I was amazed at the excellent results with this recipe! The creamer is delicious, not too sweet, and far superior than commercially made non-dairy/soy/almond milk creamers. Definitely spend the $5 to $8 on Amazon to get a nut milk bag, it is so worth it and makes a huge difference with the results. Cheesecloth does not work the same way.
I agree that the nut milk bag is SO much easier! 🙂
Am I missing something?? I don’t understand how these directions differentiate from making regular watery almond milk to a thicker creamier almond milk. It’s been a while since I last made almond milk but could the only difference be how long you let it sit for? I think when I tried making regular almond milk I only let it sit for 12 hours which was according to the veganomicon. If you would kindly give more detail to the key in achieving the desired thickness of the almond milk it would be much appreciated. Thanks!
Hi Alannah, if you read the post you will see it’s not much different than the process for making almond milk. “I make a couple of tweaks to the standard almond-milk-making process for this super-rich almond milk creamer. First, I soak the nuts for the maximum amount of time – 48 hours, changing out the water every 12 hours to keep things fresh. The longer you can soak the nuts, the creamier the outcome. More than 48 hours, though, and things could get funky (or go bad). So no more than that, please!
And then I puree the almonds with a little less water than I would if I was making standard almond milk. The result is a thick, rich consistency that works perfectly as coffee creamer.”
Hello! Thanks for this very informative post! What is the yield on this recipe? I’ve been having trouble finding my usual Califia Farms pecan caramel creamer and would like to replace that with this recipe, but between my son and me, we use about a quart every 7-10 days. Also, if I wanted to flavor it as caramel, what would be your recommended process and quantity?
Blessings and thank you,
Dave
Great ideas for making the almond nut milk. 🙂
I made my 1st batch a few days ago and it is almost gone now. I have glass milk bottles that I store mine in. I’ve used it to make protein shakes and pour in my coffee. I did not add salt to mine but maybe the next batch I will but I did add vanilla bean paste for flavor and it is really delicious. I’m wanting to make a mocha version because I really like mocha coffee creamers so will try and add in some cocoa powder to it. Actually some carob powder if I can find it might work as well.
Try adding the honey during the soaking, rather than after. It removes the bitterness without adding the insulin spike to your coffee 🙂
Interesting; I’ll have to try that!
I tried the recipe… Twice. Both times the cream turned sour in less than one day.
I used organic, raw almonds and filtered water. The first time I made it not using a nut bag, the second time I bought the nut bag you recommended. Both times the cream dramatically separated in a few hours. Both times the cream was in the refrigerator. What could I be doing wrong?! Thanks
It is normal for it to separate, just shake it before pouring. It is not normal for it to turn sour though!
That’s it? You’re telling me to shake the soured cream before using it? How about saying, “I don’t know” or “Maybe it’s …” or “Let me get back to you”
If you don’t know enough to give me an answer, maybe you shouldn’t be recommending this recipe.
No. I was saying that if your almond milk separates, that doesn’t mean it has soured. Separation is normal for fresh homemade almond milk/creamer. It should stay fresh for several days if stored properly. In my experience, after several days, it will start clumping and smells off – THAT’S almond milk that has gone sour. More information: https://www.epicurious.com/expert-advice/how-to-tell-when-almond-milk-goes-bad-article
You are very gracious. God bless you.
Can we freeze this creamer?
Probably? I have frozen cashew coffee creamer with success but I haven’t tried it with almond milk. If you try it please report back, and I’ll add it to my list of things to test too! Thanks for asking!
I just love your sense of humor. Whole foods sells “nut milk bags” I lost my mind when I saw it. Then you put dickens and nut milk bag in the same sentence and I laughed out loud.
I do have a question.
I have blanched sliced almonds, with those work?
Thank you,
Christina
Ha, nothing wrong with going back to being 12 once in awhile, right? 😀 You know, I’ve not made it with blanched sliced almonds, so I’m not sure! My hunch is that you might not get as much out of them. But please report back if you give it a try!
I used a similar recipe this week to make coconut milk creamer, but I found that I had to use quite a bit more of that creamer to lighten my coffee, than I would of half-n-half. It seemed like I must have used 1/4 or maybe 1/3 of the crreamer I made from one can or coconut milk on one cup of coffee, which would really add up over time (plus it was really fatty). Can you tell me how your recipe might compare?
Thanks, Suzanne
I take it you don’t add anything else to your mixture to make it stay together because there is nothing healthy you can add to make it homogenize. I see stuff on store bought bottles like sunflower oil, gellan gum. My attempts at homemade cream in the past resulted in it separating before I could drink the coffee. Does soaking time help this problem. I believe the less time spent soaking will result in less dehydration of the nut and the milk will last longer. What would your minimum soaking time be to get a creamy consistency?
Thanks
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Would you do the same if you were using unsweetened cashew milk
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You crack me up
Why can’t you blend the almonds thoroughly like cashew creamer? Why strain the almonds? Just curious.
Almonds just don’t ground up fine enough like cashews do – plus there’s the issue of the skins – so there would be sediment. Wouldn’t it be nice if they did? 🙂
From my heart, I love and respect your delicious recipe style. Surely you focus the ideal menu in stape by stape. Before reading your guide and tips I can’t make the ALMOND MILK COFFEE CREAMER perfectly and don’t get the real taste one time. But following your useful guide I have done it easily, so I proud your talent. I expect more and more delicious recipe menu again from you.
Hi! Great recipe to find. Really well written and inspiring of action.
Thank you.
ps I was thinking of including some toasted almonds with the raw ones, to increase the almond flavor. Assuming you used raw here?
I really like the idea of replacing milk with almond milk! This is exactly what I was looking for, to start 2019 right! Thank you so much for sharing! I really think this will go very well with my new coffee subscription from coffeeddicted.
(For whoever is interested, you’ll find more information here: http://www.coffeeddicted.com )
I would have thought that to get almond “cream” you would make almond milk and then let it sit in the fridge for a few days so that it separates and then take the cream off the top.
When you say in previous comments above that it is good in the fridge for 3-5 days, what happens beyond that? Looking for something more specific than “it goes bad”. Like, HOW does it go bad? Is it as health risk or just unpalatable?