The Exact Time You Should Add Creamer To Coffee For The Perfect Sip

Coffee can feel like a necessity, but it's also bitter-tasting when served black. If you're like me, you have an acquired taste for black coffee, but plenty of mornings I'll still add something extra: milk, cream, or one of the many coffee creamers that don't actually contain any cream. There are tons of charts for how much creamer is best, but is there actually an ideal time to add that creamer? We spoke to Matt Woodburn-Simmonds, an ex-barista and founder of Home Coffee Expert, about when precisely you should be brightening your morning joe.

According to Woodburn-Simmonds, "If you want to avoid having to stir your coffee with a spoon, then adding creamer before pouring your coffee will allow it to mix evenly in the cup without stirring." Too many people pour in the creamer last, and while this is an easier way to judge the proper amount of creamer, it involves more stirring once you already know your preferred coffee to creamer ratio. Woodburn-Simmonds says there should be no taste difference if you add it before or after the coffee; the difference has more to do with how easily it mixes together.

However, this really only applies to liquid creamer. For dry creamer, Woodburn-Simmonds offers a different strategy, saying, "Adding dry creamer to the coffee grounds before brewing or adding it to the instant coffee granules before adding water can help to avoid clumping and give a smoother texture to your coffee."

It's likely fine to add in powdered creamer into the mug before coffee, but powdered coffee creamer can taste off if it isn't mixed in properly. When you mix the powdered creamer together with the grounds beforehand there shouldn't be any extra mess left behind afterward (hopefully you're cleaning your coffee maker regularly anyway). You might consider using a reusable filter instead of a disposable one because reusable filters have a less fine mesh. Normally this is a disadvantage, but it helps powdered creamer pass through more easily. Don't try mixing liquid creamer with coffee grounds, as that can mess up the brewing temperature. After all, the creamer's been sitting in the fridge (unless you've just opened it).

Lastly, what about iced coffee? Iced coffee usually still involves brewing hot coffee first before pouring it over ice, and Woodburn-Simmonds says there's an ideal order here as well. He suggests waiting until the brewed coffee has cooled, then you can add ice to a cup, pour the creamer over that, and then pour the coffee. "If you're using a see-through cup, then you can create that Instagram-perfect layering photo as the creamer works its way into the coffee," he says. "Or you can just stir it like a normal person to mix it in nicely." Alternatively, you can treat iced coffee like a cocktail and shake it all together.