The Affordable Canned Ingredient That Makes The Best Coffee Creamer Swap

Creamer makes coffee indulgent, especially if you're saving money by making your coffee at home instead of stopping by a shop every day. It's wonderful to welcome the spring with a dash of lavender honey creamer or settle into fall with a dash of pumpkin spice, but the cost can add up, especially if you're opting for Starbucks' line of creamers or specialty creamers that also cost too much. In the spirit of keeping more cash in your wallet, we decided to search for an affordable alternative to standard coffee creamers and discovered canned coconut milk. With a price of around $3 a can, coconut milk is a flavorful, low-cost swap for traditional coffee creamers.

We recently spoke with Matt Woodburn-Simmonds, founder of Home Coffee Expert, and he explained how canned coconut milk can balance out a cup of coffee without the extra sugar, or the extra price tag. "If you're just pouring it into your coffee, then the fats will mute the bitterness nicely and it'll add a fabulous sweetness and flavor to your coffee," Woodburn-Simmonds said. "Coconut milk is lower in sugar than most creamers but much higher in fats, supposedly good fats, but it's a trade-off depending on what you want nutritionally."

The only real drawback in using canned coconut milk in your coffee is that it won't create a proper latte. The texture will be a bit flat compared to what you can get from traditional milk. "Coconut milk/cream doesn't have enough protein in it to maintain a nice foam," he said. "So you can foam it up beautifully, but the texture won't hold."

Canned coconut milk is a great non-dairy creamer alternative for both hot and cold coffee, but Woodburn-Simmonds suggests one of the best ways to enjoy it is cold. He frames the addition as having a summery island vibe that works great with an iced espresso (much like the affogato-style Vietnamese Coconut Coffee). "All that fat fully nullifies the bitterness, giving a much sweeter feel without the addition of sugar," he said. "I wouldn't recommend trying to steam it as it'll melt into quite an unpleasant-looking texture."

Coconut milk adds a subtle hint of sweetness and balancing, creamy notes to hot coffee as well, but Woodburn-Simmonds said you should really put some effort into making sure it mixes well. Avoid light stirring that leads to faster separation in the drink. "It's best vigorously stirred into black coffee or espresso to ensure it doesn't split, and you get the best texture and flavor," he said. For a few extra tasting notes, add in a dash of cinnamon, pumpkin spice, nutmeg, vanilla extract, or lavender syrup. Remember to opt for full-fat canned coconut milk over the light versions for a fuller-bodied creamer that will create a fluffier, more luxurious texture in your coffee.