I recently decided to read the ingredient label of my favorite store-bought coffee creamer, and yikes! Too many ingredients I don’t want or can’t pronounce. So I started making my own and have zero regrets. This homemade caramel coffee creamer tastes like the simple, real ingredients we are using and it’s a million times better than store-bought!
The idea of DIY creamer has piqued my interest for quite some time. I can easily go through multiple bottles of coffee creamer in a week, since I’m a pretty heavy coffee drinker. All these small purchases add up. So I decided to make it myself to see if I could save a few dollars.
Since caramel is one of my favorite coffee creamer flavors, I really wanted to give it a try. I don’t like it too sweet, though, so I used a bit more milk than many other recipes you might find.
Overall, I love making my own creamer at home – it’s super easy and I only make it every few days so we can always enjoy it fresh.
☕ Ingredients
✅Sweetened condensed milk – This is typically purchased in the baking aisle at your grocery store. I have made the mistake (more than once) and bought evaporated milk instead of this. Just be careful when you are purchasing.
✅Torani syrup – I find this in the coffee aisle at the grocery store. They aren’t that expensive, and best of all, a little goes a long way!
If there is another flavor you prefer, give it a shot! Torani has several flavors to try out, including sugar-free options. If you have a Homegoods or World Market near you, check them out for the syrups as they generally have smaller packs. You can try 3-4 different ones without committing. This also helps you make several different kinds of coffee flavorings without a huge commitment.
✅Milk
✅Vanilla extract
🍽️ Instructions
👉Step 1: Add milk to a container. I repurposed a plastic jug, but I think I would use a pitcher next time to make it easier to pour.
👉Step 2: Add a can of sweetened condensed milk.
👉Step 3: Add vanilla extract and the Torani caramel syrup.
If you have never attempted it, make your own homemade vanilla extract. It is super easy and a LOT less expensive that buying it in the store.
👉Step 4: Stir extremely well. The sweetened condensed milk will settle to the bottom, so stir and stir!
You’re done! Pour a little into your coffee and enjoy your own homemade creamer!
💰 Cost Savings
The biggest expense in this recipe is the sweetened condensed milk. In order to lower the cost, you can make your own.
You do save a little money by making it yourself, but if you’re only doing this from a cost-saving perspective, it’s really not worth it.
With that said, I do think this tastes great even with store-bought condensed milk, and I love being able to customize the taste to my preference. I also like the fact that I know exactly what goes into the recipe.
❓ FAQ
This creamer stays fresh as long as the milk you used! Check the expiration date on your milk carton/jug. That’s the expiration date of your new creamer. Usually, it lasts about 1-2 weeks in the fridge.
You can even label your container with the date. I always make coffee creamer to last for 3-4 days maximum as I prefer it fresh, so I don’t really need to write down the expiration date.
You can! If you want to swap out the sweetened condensed milk for evaporated milk, it can be a great way to make creamer for coffee. The taste will be a little bit different, but it’s still really, really good. You might want to add some extra syrup, though, since evaporated milk is usually unsweetened.
While making your own creamer is a great choice, you can always use almond milk as a substitute. If you’re looking for a specific taste and flavor, you can pretty much substitute in a wide variety of flavors as well. Almond milk is lactose-free. I don’t find it quite as creamy as milk-based creamers, but I really appreciate the lower calories.
The simple sniff test is one way that you can easily find out if your homemade creamer is no longer good. If it smells sour, throw it out. If you’re pouring the creamer and it’s curdled, it’s no longer any good. And if you pour it into your coffee and it doesn’t mix in right away, there’s a good chance that it’s past its prime and needs to be tossed out.
Homemade Caramel Coffee Creamer
Ingredients
- 14 oz Sweetened Condensed Milk
- 18 oz Milk
- 1 tbsp Vanilla Extract
- 2 tbsp Torani Caramel Syrup
Instructions
- Pour milk into container. You can reuse an old coffee creamer bottle if you have one on hand.
- Add can of sweetened condensed milk.
- Add vanilla and caramel syrup.
- Stir very well as the sweetened condensed milk will rest at the bottom if you don't.
- Pour into your coffee.
- Stir, taste and adjust the ingredients to your liking.
Notes
Nutrition
Hi!
Ginny Collins is a passionate foodie and recipe creator of Savor and Savvy and Kitchenlaughter. Indoors she focuses on easy, quick recipes for busy families and kitchen basics. Outdoors, she focuses on backyard grilling and smoking to bring family and friends together. She is a lifelong learner who is always taking cooking classes on her travels overseas and stateside. Her work has been featured on MSN, Parade, Fox News, Yahoo, Cosmopolitan, Elle, and many local news outlets. She lives in Florida where you will find her outside on the water in her kayak, riding her bike on trails, and planning her next overseas adventure.
great idea and yummy too. Hugs!!
Mmmm, this looks delicious! Thanks for sharing the recipe. I’m visiting from DIY Sunday Showcase link party.
Christy @ Creating a Beautiful Life
Yum!! This looks delicious! I am definitely going to have to try this!
kieranhoneybee.blogspot.com
What a wonderful idea and so much cheaper than the alternative! Pinning and definitely planning on making. I’d be thrilled if you’d come on over to Pink Recipe Box and link up at Creative Wednesdays: http://pinkrecipebox.com/creative-wednesdays-with-pink-recipe-box-4/
Every morning I have a couple of cups of coffee with a QUITE A LOT OF CREAM. Great recipe, just my kind of yum! (Sharon)Another big Thank You for sharing at the BeBetsy BRAG ABOUT IT BeBetsy BRAG ABOUT IT. Sharon and Denise ♥Fashion | Food | Beauty | Antiques | DIY | and much more
cool idea, can’t wait to try this! It sounds delicious! Thanks for sharing
Looks delicious – I love caramel flavored beverages, or just anything caramel-flavored. Visiting from Time to Sparkle.
Thanks for the great tutorial. You make it look easy and delicious!
Thank you for sharing this. My American friend has been puzzling everyone by asking for coffee creamer since she got to the UK – it’s just something we don’t do. I might make her some or just give her the recipe to make herself.
What a great idea! This DIY coffee creamer looks great. Thank you for sharing at Simple Supper Tuesday.
Thanks, Cindy!
I pinned this for later. I can’t wait to try this one out!
Thanks Tamara! 🙂
this sounds iike something even i could whip up! any thoughts on how long this would last? i’m not a big coffee drinker so wouldn’t need this much. thinking maybe freezing the extra in ice cube trays for iced coffee would be a good way to go?
I can go through it in a few day, so I never have any leftover! LOL. I think a good guideline would be to use it by the expiration date of the whole milk, as it’s the only perishable thing in the recipe.
I’ll try freezing a few cube for iced coffee and let you know how it goes. That’s a great idea, Jenn! 🙂
Yum! I’ve been making sweet creamer with evaporated milk & sweetened condensed milk and never thought about adding caramel to it. What a good idea! I’m a new follower by way of the Pin Junkie’s Friday link up. Have a great weekend!
Melanie
violetsbuds.blogspot.com
I’ve wondered about making it with evaporated milk. Does it make it thick and creamy? Thanks for stopping by, Melanie!
Melanie G — I do the same thing with mine creamer too, but I use vanilla extract to sweeten it…
Sarah @ http://www.thehopejourney.wordpress.com
Cool! Flavored creamers without the hydrogenated oil! Gotta try this – thanks for sharing!
Thank for stopping by, Jill!
I love hazelnut. Now, off to the kitchen to see what I can come up with.. 🙂
Hi Jazmin,
This is great! I didn’t even know you could make your own coffee creamer. I can’t wait to try this!
Cheers,
Becky
It’s super easy and tasty. Let me know how it goes! 🙂
Where do you get the caramel flavoring?
Where do you all get the flavorings? I want it to be as chemical free as possible. I have everything but the flavorings. Thanks!!! : )
Most grocery stores sell them now and coffee shops
Her in California we have a warehouse type store called Smart & Final- great place for syrups- both regular and sugar-free. I have also bought them online.