Can a dairy free coffee creamer be smooth, rich, creamy AND delicious? You bet your hot cup of joe it can! I’m in love with this simple recipe that pairs perfectly with coffee or tea.
Soak Raw Almonds
This dairy free coffee creamer starts with a good overnight soak. I use a set of Pyrex glass bowls with lids for this that I got at Costco a couple of years ago, but you can also get a set here. You may be asking yourself why you need to soak your almonds. Can’t we just get on with this delicious creamer already?
Nuts have phytic acid. Phytic acid is also found in grains and legumes. Just as with grains and legumes, soaking nuts is essential for proper digestions. When eating nuts that haven’t been soaked, the phytic acid binds to minerals in the gastrointestinal tract and can not be absorbed in the intestine and too many bound minerals can lead to mineral deficiencies. By soaking, you are breaking down the phytic acid so it can be absorbed properly.
Nuts also have high amounts of enzymes inhibitors. This is another reason why non-soaked nuts are hard to digest. Soaking nuts can neutralize the enzymes allowing for proper digestion.
-For more info on this topic, go here.
After soaking, your almonds will look like this. Simply drain and rinse clean.
Blend and Strain
Place drained and rinsed almonds and three cups of fresh water in a blender or food processor and blend till creamy. I LOVE my Blendtec blender for this. Strain this mixture through a nut milk bag and squeeze every last bit of goodness out into a mixing bowl. I’ve tried a number of nut milk bags over the years, but this one is the final winner! It’s large and easy to clean.
Mix It Up
Now comes the fun part! I always add a pinch of salt to enhance the rich flavor and vanilla to give it depth. Add in a can of full fat coconut milk to give this dairy free coffee creamer it’s extra creaminess. If you don’t like your coffee with a hint of sweetness, stop here. I like just a smidge of sweetness in mine, so I add in a couple droppers of Sweet Leaf Sweet Drops. You can also use maple syrup or honey. Whisk it all together!
Use a Pretty Bottle
I love beautiful things. I also love getting to use beautiful things every day! It seriously puts a smile on my face. I found this perfect jar to store my creamer for just $3 at Home Goods! You could really use any jar with a lid, but go on and spring for the $3 jar. You’ll thank yourself every morning.
Drink and Enjoy
Now for the best part. Add to coffee or tea and voila! Perfection. Look for my new recipe for a cinnamon tea latte coming up soon that uses this very creamer.
Dairy Free Coffee Creamer
Ingredients
- 1 cup raw almonds
- 7 cups water divided
- pinch himalayan sea salt
- 1 can organic coconut milk
- dash vanilla
- 2 droppers Sweet Leaf Sweet Drops (Vanilla) optional (choose one)
- 4 tbsp honey optional (choose one)
- 4 tbsp maple syrup optional (choose one)
Instructions
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Soak 1 cup raw almonds in 4 cups of water overnight.
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Drain and rinse.
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Place rinsed almonds in Blendtec (or other high powered blender) with 3 cups of water and blend till creamy.
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Strain almond mixture through nut milk bag into mixing bowl. Be sure and squeeze out every last drop of goodness!
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Add pinch of salt, dash of vanilla, can of coconut milk, and sweetener of your choice. Whisk until combined.
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Pour into pretty bottle. Pretty bottles make everything better! Keep refrigerated.
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Add to coffee or tea for rich, creamy goodness!
This perfect cup of coffee pairs well with toast made out of my gluten free buckwheat rolls!