The Best Store-Bought Coffee Creamers, Tested by Food Network

These are the ones to add to your morning cup of joe.

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June 15, 2022

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Photo by: Photograph by Michelle Baricevic

Photograph by Michelle Baricevic

Chances are you’ve had to change up your morning or afternoon coffee routine this past year. Though handcrafted caramel-drizzled macchiatos and frothy on-tap cold brews are always a good idea, sometimes playing barista at home is your only option. If you’re looking for a tasty way to add a little something extra to your cup of joe, adding a tablespoon (or three) of coffee creamer to is an easy solution. But coffee creamers aren’t one size — or one flavor — fits all. From flavored coffee creamers, to diary-free ones, the list goes on and on, and can at times be a bit overwhelming. After downing more than 50 cups of coffee, we’ve sussed out the best store-bought coffee creamers for you to buy the next time you find yourself craving some added sweetness. But remember, taste is totally subjective, so absolutely no judgement if your favorite creamer didn’t make the list.

How We Tested:

A tablespoon of each coffee creamer was added to a medium-sized coffee cup that also contained freshly brewed Folgers Classic Roast coffee. A total of 24 coffee creamers were tested by four different people. Creamers were broken into five total categories (Vanilla, Hazelnut, Caramel, Sweet Cream and Limited Edition/ Miscellaneous) and were compared to those in the same category. This list was pared down from the original list of 24 to highlight the ones that we believed were the best overall.

This article has been reviewed since its original publish date for accuracy, pricing and availability. We stand by our list of top coffee creamer picks and are hopeful that Fairlife Vanilla Creamer, which was sold out at the time of review, will restock soon.

Vanilla

$3.23

As the so-called "new kid on the block" (Fairlife released their line of coffee creamers in January 2020), this vanilla creamer took all four of our testers by surprise. Though it had a somewhat thinner consistency than all the other vanilla options they tried, one tablespoon was enough to give their coffee the hint of sweetness they were craving, without being too overpowering. Two of our testers even added a tablespoon of it to cups of store-bought cold brew and couldn't stop singing its praises. This creamer also contains only 3 grams of sugar, which makes it a great option for people whose sweet tooth is a little less pronounced than others.

$4.99

This plant-based vanilla creamer from Califia Farms was by far the tastiest oat milk variety we tested. Free from hydrogenated oils and other artificial ingredients, this 15-calorie creamer is an excellent option for people who love the added frothiness regular oat milk gives caffeinated beverages, minus its higher calorie count. Our testers did note, however, that the overall vanilla flavor comes out a little bit more if you froth the creamer before adding it into your coffee.

$3.39

If you added almond milk to hot coffee or tea before, you know that sometimes separation or curdling occurs. While our testers did notice that with some of the other almond milk creamers they tried, this one was nice and smooth from the bottle to their mugs. Our testers noted nutty hints of almond and a faint sweetness of vanilla overall, giving their coffee a double dose of flavors. One quick note: If you're someone who likes using creamer to give your coffee a lighter hue, you'll need to use a few tablespoons of this one to do the trick.

Hazelnut

$3.39

Our testers got exactly what they expected from this fan-favorite International Delight coffee coffee creamer: a bold hazelnut flavor. If you're a lover of hazelnut-flavored anything, you'll love it too. If you're not, you might want to use less than the recommended tablespoon for a fainter flavor.

$36.99 for 6 bottles

Don't let this little carton from Elmhurst 1925 fool you — this oat milk coffee creamer really packs a nutty punch. In fact, one of our testers said it was the only hazelnut one to taste just like they were munching on a handful of actual hazelnuts. While some of the other hazelnut creamers we tried leaned into the sweetness of the hazelnuts a little too much, this one was all about their toasty aroma and flavor. It's also shelf-stable and won't take up a lot of room in the pantry or refrigerator, if space is an issue.

$44.50 for 12 bottles

Hailed as the #1 best-selling brand on Amazon, this almond and coconut-based hazelnut creamer from Nutpods is unsweetened, dairy-free and has 0 grams of sugar per serving, making it perfect for people following Keto, Paleo or Whole30 diets. While you might miss the sweetness if you're not following any of these diets, our testers did like the combination of tropical coconut and earthy hazelnuts. There was definitely more coconut than there was almond flavor with this one, but this wasn't enough to keep our testers from drinking it again the next day. They tested both the shelf-stable and refrigerated versions of this creamer and found the hazelnut flavor of the refrigerated one to shine through a bit more, probably because it was chilled before using.

Caramel

$5.19

When our testers saw that this coffee creamer was modeled after Starbucks' cult favorite caramel macchiato, they couldn't help but be a little skeptical — could a store-bought creamer really replicate the sinfully good combo of sticky caramel drizzle and robust espresso? The answer was a resounding yes! Though the overall flavoring reminded our testers of a buttery caramel candy, there were pleasant undertones of vanilla too. Most surprising, it wasn't too sweet either! The only downside was that we had to go to a few different grocery stores to find it, so purchasing it online is definitely the way to go.

$4.58

Smooth, smooth, smooth, smooth: That was the one word all four of our testers used to describe this almond milk-based caramel coffee creamer from Silk. Though the overall flavor was lighter in sweetness than they initially expected it to be, this blend added a lovely creaminess that was almost identical to a splash of heavy cream or whole milk. It also added a lovely color to the hot coffee, something that was lacking from all the other almond milk ones we tried.

Sweet Cream

$3.50

Don't let the 2 cannolis printed on the front of this coffee creamer bottle fool you — there's no trace of ricotta in this blend. However, the faint vanilla flavoring of this creamer tastes just as heavenly. Since its triple-churned, our testers found it to be the creamiest of the three sweet cream varieties they tried. If you're someone who prefers to add a few spoons of sugar to their coffee cup, one tablespoon of this creamer will do nicely.

$3.99

This creamer has an aroma that's very similar to freshly churned vanilla ice cream when you smell it straight from the bottle. Though it loses that fragrance when you add it to hot coffee, our testers couldn't stop talking about its sweet taste. A little truly goes a long way here.

Limited Edition/Miscellaneous

$5.29

If you're already familiar with Starbucks' toffee nut latte, you know it usually appears on their seasonal menu around the holidays. Thanks to this store-bought creamer, you can now make it year-round. Though only one of our testers had the handcrafted cafe version before, all four agreed that this creamer added a rich and buttery smokiness when added to their coffee mugs. Though one tablespoon was enough, you might want to double it if you prefer a sweeter bevy.

$5.39

We truly saved the very best one for last with this dessert-flavored creamer. Every single one of our taste testers agreed that it tasted just like how it's advertised on the bottle: like freshly baked coffee cake. Unlike the other oat milk blends they tried, they didn't need to froth or foam this one for the cinnamon flavor to shine through. One tablespoon was also enough to give their coffee ample creaminess and flavoring.

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