Thirsty Thursday: Homemade Vegan Almond Joy Coffee Creamer

The only beverage I love more than beer is coffee.  And coffee only wins because it’s socially acceptable to drink it pretty much whenever you want.  I’d drink beer in the morning, but I’d eventually get tired of explaining myself.

Ladies and gentlemen, mark these words in history:  I WILL NEVER BUY COFFEE CREAMER AGAIN!  This homemade version is just too easy, too healthy, and too delicious.  Store-bought creamers taste great and all, but they’re full of all sorts of crap… especially the sugar-free kind.  I’m no idiot, but I can’t pronounce half of the things on this label.  I do, however, see the words “ARTIFICIAL” and “HYDROGENATED”.  Let’s all say it together – reddddd flagggggs.  Very good!

And, for all of us struggling vegans, non-dairy coffee creamers STILL CONTAIN MILK PROTEIN!  It’s right there in the ingredient list… sodium caseinate.  That comes from cows, people.

I believe we should all feel good about our morning cup’a joe.  It’s an experience.  For some, it’s a comforting routine.  The smell, the warmth, and the slow, measured sips help us ease into our day.  Embrace your caffeine habit with this vegan, but decadent, creamy concoction.

Homemade Vegan Almond Joy Coffee Creamer

Ingredients:

• 1/3 c. coconut milk.  I used A Taste of Thai brand.  I found it at Target.  It’s in a can.
• 1/4 c. unsweetened almond milk
• 1/4 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp. almond extract
• 3 tsp. cacao powder.  You can use regular cocoa powder if that’s all you have.
• 4 tsp. boiling water
• 1/4 tsp or 1 packet of stevia

Directions:

• Put some water on the stove to boil
• In a bottle or a mason jar, combine coconut milk, almond milk, vanilla extract, almond extract, and stevia.
• In a separate glass, mix the cacao powder and the boiling water to make a paste.  This will help the cacao dissolve with the rest of the ingredients.
• Add cacao paste to the jar with everything else, screw on the lid, and shake it like a salt shaker.
• Add desired amount of creamer to coffee and enjoy!

I did the math.  There are about 23 calories per tablespoon when using the full fat coconut milk.  You can cut the calories by more than half by using lite.  My favorite thing about this recipe is that you can totally play with it.  Replace the almond extract with peppermint and voila!  Suddenly, you’re drinking a peppermint mocha!  Have fun and experiment.   Let me know what flavors you come up with in the comments below or at thehungrytortoise@gmail.com.

Happy drinking!