25 Frugal Coffee Creamer Recipes for Broke Coffeeholics

By the author of The Ultimate Guide to Frugal Living and What to Eat When You’re Broke

I have a confession to make. I don’t just like coffee…I have a deep, abiding passion for it. If you see me without a mug in my hand in the morning, I’m probably near death’s door. The first thing I do in the morning is stagger into the kitchen for java. My well-trained children rarely attempt conversation before my first cup.

My name is Daisy, and I am a coffeeholic…

Coffee with cream and sugar… Iced coffee… Flavored lattes… Espresso. The list goes on and on.

It’s not just me – the nation is coffee-obsessed. Starbucks, Dunkin Donuts, and a host of other shops compete on every street corner, at the malls, and any place else they can plug in an espresso machine. There are entire aisles at the grocery store dedicated to nothing but coffee from the far corners of the earth and flavored creamers to please the palate.

I really love coffee.

Some studies show measurable health benefits for coffee drinkers. Those who drink more than 4 cups per day have a decreased risk of oral cancer, prostate cancer, and basal cell carcinoma.  Moderate coffee consumption can also reduce your risk of developing Type 2 Diabetes. Coffee drinkers are also less susceptible to Alzheimer and dementia.

Be your own Barista

What if you want to drink fancy coffee drinks like the cafe serves but your budget won’t let you?  You can still have your flavored coffee and drink it too while saving money. The key is to be your own Barista and concoct some yummy taste sensations from wholesome ingredients in your kitchen. Always start with a good organic coffee or espresso.

First…the milk:

• Choose a good quality dairy product that contains the fat content you desire.
• Other options include animal product alternatives like soy milk, rice milk, and almond milk.  If you make the milk yourself you are sure to have a wholesome ingredients list.

The sweetener:

• There’s always sugar.
• Try stevia, a low-calorie sweetener made from the leaves of the stevia plant. (Some people dislike the licorice-like flavor of stevia)
• Raw honey is always a delicious and healthy option to sweeten anything.

The flavor:

Try adding any of the following and you’ll be ready to open your own coffee bar. (Many of these combinations were created by my daughter, Rosie Luther). Stir them into a base of 1.5 cups of milk and 1.5 cups of cream. I have only used cow’s milk products to make these but a friend tells me that the alternatives work well too.

If you don’t want to make a full batch of the creamer, stir just a small amount of the flavorings into an individual cup of coffee and add milk.

Mix the flavoring into the milk and bring to a simmer on the stove, whisking constantly until it begins to steam slightly. Remove from heat, allow to cool, then store in the refrigerator. Feel free to adjust the amounts for stronger or sweeter flavors. Don’t bring it to a boil, because your creamer will curdle.

1. Mocha Java: 2 tbsp of cocoa powder, 4 tbsp of brown sugar
2. Mexican Mocha Java: 2 tbsp of cocoa powder, 4 tbsp of brown sugar, 1 tsp of cinnamon
3. Nutella aka Chocolate Hazelnut: (we make our own “Nutella” from scratch with a food processor) 4 tbsp of Nutella or an organic chocolate hazelnut spread – no other sweetener needed
4. Gingerbread: 2 tsp molasses, 2 tbsp of brown sugar, 1/2 tsp each of ginger, clove, and cinnamon
5. Almond Toffee: 4 tbsp of sugar of choice, 1 tsp of almond extract
6. Vanilla Latte: 2 teaspoons of pure vanilla extract, 4 tbsp of white sugar
7. Great White North Maple Java: 6 tbsp of pure maple syrup
8. Mocha Mint: 2 tbsp of cocoa powder, 1/2 tsp of pure peppermint extract, 4 tbsp of sugar
9. Cinnamon Roll: 2 tsp of cinnamon, 1 tsp of vanilla extract, 4 tbsp of brown sugar, and a dash of salt (yep, salt)
10. Caramel “Mockiatto”: 6 tbsp of brown sugar, a dash of salt, 1 tbsp of cocoa, and 1/2 tsp of pure vanilla extract
11. Amaretto: 1 tbsp of almond extract, 4 tbsp of sugar
12. Cherry Amaretto: 1 tbsp of almond extract, 4 tbsp of sugar, 1/2 tsp of cherry extract
13. White chocolate mocha: 1 cup of white chocolate chips, 1 tsp of cocoa  (melt the chips into the milk, whisking constantly)
14. Mint white chocolate: 1 cup of white chocolate chips, 1 tsp of  pure peppermint extract
15. Black Forest: 2 tbsp of cocoa, 4 tbsp of brown sugar, 1 tsp of cherry extract
16. Chocolate coconut mocha: 2 tbsp of cocoa, 4 tbsp of sugar, 2 tsp of coconut extract (or replace half of the milk with coconut milk)
17. Irish Cream: 2 tbsp cocoa, 1 tsp pure vanilla extract, 1/2 tsp almond extract, 2 tbsp of instant coffee, 4 tbsp of sugar
18. Eggnog: 1 tsp of pure vanilla extract, 2 tsp of rum extract, 1 tsp of nutmeg
19. Pumpkin Pie Latte: 3 tbsp of  pumpkin puree, 1 tsp of pumpkin pie spice, 1 tsp of cinnamon, 4 tbsp of brown sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
20. Hazelnut: 1 tsp of hazelnut extract, 1 tsp of pure vanilla extract, 4 sugar
21. Frangelico Cream: 1 tbsp of cocoa,  1 tsp of hazelnut extract, 1 tsp of pure vanilla extract,  and 4 tbsp of brown sugar
22. Chai Latte: Simmer 3 Chai tea bags in the creamer mixture with 4 tbsp of brown sugar
23. Chocolate Raspberry:  4 tbsp of seedless raspberry jelly, 2 tbsp of cocoa
24. Almond Joy: 2 tbsp of cocoa, 4 tbsp of sugar, 1 tsp of almond extract, and 2 tsp of coconut extract (or replace half of the milk with coconut milk)
25. Salted Caramel: 6 tbsp of brown sugar, a dash of salt

Make your own syrups

Syrups, like the kind at the fancy coffee places, can be easily homemade. You need to make a syrup base with 1/2 cup of sugar and 1 cup of water, then add 1-2 tsp of any kind of extract you want – you are only limited by the extracts available to you: vanilla, rum, coconut, cherry, almond, etc.  Look for pure extracts without artificial ingredients.

Coffee is essential. Make it well.

Do you have any homemade versions of “fancy” coffees that you’d like to contribute? Please add them in the comments section below.

About Daisy

Daisy Luther is a coffee-swigging, adventure-seeking, globe-trotting blogger. She is the founder and publisher of three websites.  1) The Organic Prepper, which is about current events, preparedness, self-reliance, and the pursuit of liberty; 2)  The Frugalite, a website with thrifty tips and solutions to help people get a handle on their personal finances without feeling deprived; and 3) PreppersDailyNews.com, an aggregate site where you can find links to all the most important news for those who wish to be prepared. Her work is widely republished across alternative media and she has appeared in many interviews.

Daisy is the best-selling author of 5 traditionally published books, 12 self-published books, and runs a small digital publishing company with PDF guides, printables, and courses at SelfRelianceand Survival.com You can find her on Facebook, Pinterest, Gab, MeWe, Parler, Instagram, and Twitter.