Everywhere you look, plant-based and vegan options are popping up. At conventional grocery stores, there are sections dedicated to dairy-free yogurts, cheeses, and creamers. Many major fast food chains have started offering vegan options and even your grandma has an idea what veganism is, even if she says it funny. Reports and trend analysis have shown that in a variety of grocery categories as well as health and body care, the demand for cruelty-free, vegan items are growing. Not surprisingly, this trend is reflected even down to items that are supplemental and not food staples, such as coffee creamer.
Plant-based coffee creamers are “up 131 percent, at $109 million in sales” as of July 2018 according to an article by Bloomberg. It appears America’s most beloved beverage has been impacted by veganism, and we’re not surprised. A warm cup of coffee with a touch of creamer is an amazing way to start one’s day. And it’s no surprise that vegan coffee creamers are giving traditional creamers a run for their money.
We’ve rounded up the best plant-based coffee creamers on the market made from a variety of plant-based options from soy to oat to help you choose the best option to enrich your coffee experience. For those who enjoy less processed items or making their own items at home, we share a variety of vegan creamer recipes that are delicious and easy to make. Whatever your choice, vegan coffee creamer has never been more accessible or delicious, so indulge and enjoy!
Vegan Coffee Creamers: Brands and Flavors in Every Style
The following brands are our absolute favorites for vegan coffee creamers. There is something for everyone from sweetened to unsweetened, soy to coconut, nut-free and nut-based. We love the wide variety that’s available and that most of these can easily be found, even at large conventional grocery stores (although some you may need to seek out at health food stores depending on your town.) These options tend to be perfect substitutes for traditional brands but without the dairy, artificial ingredients and cruelty. If you prefer something a little less processed, we have several options below for homemade creamers that are delicious and with simple ingredients.
Soy-Based
Brand: Silk
Flavors Available: Original
Why We Love It: This is a great option for those who prefer soy-based dairy alternatives. We love that it’s non-GMO certified and carrageenan-free and while it does contain cane sugar it has only 1 gram of sugar per serving. It has a light creaminess and very subtle sweetness for those who prefer it to just add a hint of cream without much flavor to their coffee.
Almond-Based
Brand: Califia F arms
Flavors Available: Unsweetened, Vanilla, Hazelnut and Pecan Caramel
Why We Love It: These soy and gluten-free creamers come from one of our favorite almond milk brands. We love how creamy they taste and yet they don’t have any weird hydrogenated oils or carrageenan. The flavors are all absolutely delicious from something basic to more fancy, and they are all low in sugar, making them a great option even for those who prefer less sugar. This company offers them in both the refrigerator section as well as shelf stable, so they’re perfect for travel or keeping a bunch on hand just so you don’t run out. Best of all, this brand has become widespread and is widely available at a variety of grocery stores nationwide.
Brand: So Delicious
Flavors Available: French vanilla, Hazelnut and Caramel
Why We Love It: These almond milk creamers are luxurious and taste pretty similar to store bought ones minus all the extra sugar and funky ingredients. We love the sweet flavors offered and although they’re a little sweeter than some brands, there’s still only a couple of grams of sugar per serving. These are also soy and gluten-free, as well as carrageenan-free, making them a great option for those with allergies.
Coconut-Based
Brand: So Delicious
Flavors Available: Original, French Vanilla, Caramel
Why We Love It: This creamy coconut milk tastes delicious and is a great soy-free, gluten-free and carrageenan-free product. We love that it’s got a hint of sweetness but not too much sugar per serving and the creaminess and flavor of coconut balance out the bitterness of coffee perfectly. Best of all, this brand and product, in particular, is fairly easy to find at a variety of grocery stores nationwide.
Oat-Based
Brand: Coffe
e MateFlavors Available: Original
Why We Love It: This highly anticipated line of creamers from Coffee Mate does not disappoint. We love this unique oat based creamer as it’s absolutely delicious and has a surprisingly minimal ingredient list. It’s got a subtle and sweet flavor and pairs perfectly with coffee. These new creamers are now available nationwide so finding this should be easy.
Pea-Based
Brand: Ripple
Flavors Available: Original and Vanilla
Why We Love It: This favorite plant-based milk has come out with a half and half line that is absolutely amazing. We love that they offer two flavors that are soy, gluten, and nut-free making them perfect for those with allergies. Additionally, these low sugar half and half options both offer DHA in each serving, making them a great nutritious boost for your cup of coffee.
Blends
Brand: Nutpod
Flavors Available: Original, French Vanilla, Vanilla Lemon, and Hazelnut with occasional seasonal flavors available.
Why We Love It: This almond coconut blend has been getting a lot of press, and one try makes it easy to see why. The blend of these ingredients makes for a creamy and subtly sweet creamer that has a delicious flavor. We love that these are gluten and soy free and also free of any sweeteners or sugar. These creamers are worth seeking out and keeping on hand for serving to guests who love creamer but aren’t dairy-free.
The Recipes: The Best Homemade Recipes for Coffee Creamer
These recipes are all incredibly easy to make and use ingredients that you most likely already have on hand or can easily pick up at any grocery store. We love just how customizable these recipes are and how you can modify them based on your sweetness preferences and flavor preferences. If you are in a pinch or simply don’t want to put much effort in, sweetened condensed coconut milk, coconut cream or just any plant-based milk makes a great stand-in for coffee creamer.
Recipe: Coconut Vanilla Coffee Creamer
Where to Find It: A Mindfull Mom
Why We Love It: This recipe is so amazing and literally only three ingredients. We love how thick and rich and creamy it is and is pretty much a staple for any creamer lover. If you want to get creative consider adding in a tablespoon of cocoa powder or a tsp of hazelnut extra for a little extra flavor.
Recipe: Vanilla Cashew Coffee Creamer
Where to Find It: The Honour System
Why We Love It: This recipe uses cashews and it’s easy to see why. Cashews are rich, creamy, and have a subtle sweet flavor that really lends itself well to a recipe like this. We love that it's just a few basic ingredients and sugar-free, however, a touch of coconut sugar would be a great low glycemic option if you prefer yours a little sweeter.
Recipe: Homemade Vegan Coffee Creamer
Where to Find It: The Hidden Veggies
Why We Love It: This is a very basic, build your own creamer recipe. We love that it inspires creativity by giving measurements but not exact ingredients so you can pick your plant-based milk of choice as well as sweetener to cater to your palate and what you have on hand. This recipe uses tapioca starch to help thicken it and give it more of a store bought feel. The full fat option is great for extra creaminess and will not disappoint if you choose to add those extras in.
Recipe: Vegan Oat Milk Coffee Creamer
Where to Find It: Running on Real Food
Why We Love It: This one is for all the oat milk lovers out there. Oat milk is all the rage right now and we get it. It’s creamy, sweet, rich yet light and nut free, making it a great dairy free alternative. This oat milk creamer has only four ingredients and is a great nut free option with a creamy texture and deliciously sweet flavor without too refined sugar or a high sugar content. If you want to switch it up, try adding in a tablespoon of cocoa powder or 1/2 tsp cinnamon powder.
Recipe: Snickers Coffee Creamer
Where to Find It: Physical Kitchness
Why We Love It: This recipe is amazing and so simple and we love the ingredient list. It’s hard to find flavored creamers that aren’t full of binders and natural flavors but this one only has 5 ingredients. We love that is uses medjool dates for the caramel flavor and sweetness. It’s absolutely delicious as is however if you want to mix it up a little, try using cacao powder in place of the cocoa powder for a slightly different flavor and nutrient boost.
Recipe: Hemp Milk Creamer
Where to Find It: What Great Grandma Ate
Why We Love It: This is a great nut free coffee creamer that is so delicious. We love that it uses omega 3 rich hemp seeds and gives a nice earthiness to counterbalance the acidity of coffee. This uses a touch of blackstrap molasses for flavor without imparting a ton of sugar or sweetness. We highly recommend straining this creamer through a nut milk bag even if using a high speed blender to avoiding any small bits of hemp seeds floating in your coffee.
Recipe: Pumpkin Spice Creamer
Where to Find it: Thyme & Joy
Why We Love It: Pumpkin spice everything is pretty much what fall is all about, so who could deny a good pumpkin spiced coffee? This creamer is super easy to make, minimally processed and quite creamy. We love that it’s free of any added sweeteners or sugar however a touch of maple syrup would be a great way to add sweetness. This thickens up in the fridge considerably however it still gets smooth and creamy when added to hot coffee and really, that’s all we can ask for from a good coffee creamer.
Recipe: Hazelnut Dairy Free Coffee Creamer
Where to Find It: Salt N Pepper Here
Why We Love It: This delicious recipe tastes so good and it has only four ingredients, meaning it comes together quickly and easily. It’s lightly sweetened with maple syrup which works well with the warm flavors imparted by the almonds and hazelnut and vanilla extract. This recipe could be easily changed by using cashews or even pecans in place of the almonds for a creamy and delicious new flavor.