Healthy Pumpkin Spice Coffee Creamer

 
Last weekend, my grandparents drove up from their home in San Diego to visit. They left mid-morning on Friday, and knowing the trip usually spanned about 8 hours of whizzing through the monotonous yellow fields and farmland of I-5, we expected them to arrive around dinnertime.  

Partway through the afternoon, we received a few text messages from Grandpa. He explained that the traffic through LA had been exceptionally thick and that a small fire on the Grapevine prompted police and firemen to close down a lane or two on the right side, which caused cars and trucks to slow to a snail’s pace of 3 miles an hour while crawling up the steep mountain pass.

Oh boy.
 

 
Their van finally pulled into the driveway around 10:30 pm, over 12 hours later, and they retold a more elaborate version of their trip’s story as we lounged on the comfy sofas and chairs in the living room, everyone trying their hardest not to doze off from fatigue. We all agreed that sleeping in on Saturday morning sounded like a great idea — along with an extra cup of coffee or two!

We spent most of the weekend reading novels and newspapers, slowly snacking and sipping coffee, and watching postseason baseball all day long (my grandma was the one who taught me to keep score as a 9-year-old and basically started my obsession!). Everyone loved the hours of quiet relaxation and rejuvenation, especially after the long week at work and crazy drive up here!
 

 
While our family conversed and interacted, I started to notice certain traits my dad had inherited from Grandpa. Things like his strong intuition (that’s almost always right!), his analytical mind that excels at problem solving, his creativity and eye for design, his love of sports and appreciation of art, and the methodical way he starts the day with coffee and the newspaper.

Ever since I can remember, Dad would pour himself a few cups of black coffee in the morning and sip it while sitting in his favorite armchair. Although the brand varied, he always bought a dark roast flavor and never added any milk, cream, or sugar. I assumed Grandpa drank his the same way…
 

 
So I was surprised to learn that he always took his coffee with milk or cream! When I found out towards the end of their visit, I offered Grandpa some of this Healthy Pumpkin Spice Coffee Creamer to add to his morning cups… And half of the batch disappeared before they drove back home two days later.

That’s quite the compliment!
 

QUICK OVERVIEW – HEALTHY PUMPKIN SPICE COFFEE CREAMER

Difficulty: Very easy, including for many beginner bakers (or beginner drink makers, in this particular case!).

Taste: Lightly sweetened with cozy notes of pumpkin and lots of warm spices.

Texture: Luxuriously smooth and creamy.
 

INGREDIENTS TO MAKE HEALTHY PUMPKIN SPICE COFFEE CREAMER

Let’s talk about what you’ll need to make your own batch of this healthy homemade pumpkin spice coffee creamer! Two of them are very obvious, and the other two are my “secret” ingredients that make this DIY version beautifully creamy and deliciously sweet.

Milk. This is the first “secret” ingredient! To make this coffee creamer healthier, I skipped the heavy cream and used one of my favorite dairy-free alternatives instead: unsweetened cashew milk. It has a thicker consistency than many regular and non-dairy milks — although not quite as thick as heavy cream — and it’s ideal for coffee. Unsweetened cashew milk also has only 25 calories per cup, as opposed to the 50 calories per tablespoon of heavy cream. That means this homemade creamer has 97% fewer calories than many regular creamers!

Tip: Using a non-dairy milk like unsweetened cashew milk makes this healthy pumpkin spice coffee creamer vegan, paleo, and keto too!

Pumpkin. No surprises here… This homemade coffee creamer contains real pumpkin! Use regular pumpkin purée (also called “pure pumpkin” and “100% pure pumpkin”), rather than pumpkin pie mix. The latter contains added sugar and other ingredients, which can affect the way it behaves in recipes (especially baked ones!).

Spices. Based on this recipe’s name, I’m sure you guessed this part too! Instead of store-bought jars, I prefer to make my own pumpkin spice. I’ve found that many premade blends stocked on grocery store shelves often contain lots of cinnamon… And very little of the other spices. They taste more one-dimensional to me, but by making my own, I control the ratio and can create a much richer and cozier flavor!

For this homemade creamer, I mixed together Saigon cinnamon (my favorite!), nutmeg, and ginger. Saigon cinnamon has a slightly stronger, richer, and sweeter flavor compared to regular cinnamon. I buy mine online here, and it’s really affordable. I’m obsessed — it’s basically the only kind I now use in my baking recipes!

Tip: “Pumpkin spice” is short for “pumpkin pie spice” — as in the spices used to make pumpkin pie. Therefore, pumpkin spice doesn’t contain any pumpkin!

Sweetener. Time for the second “secret” ingredient! To make this healthy pumpkin spice coffee creamer sugar-free, I used liquid stevia. Stevia is a no-calorie, sugar-free, plant-based sweetener, and it contains nothing refined or artificial (aka it’s clean eating friendly!). You can find the one that I used at many health-oriented grocery stores, but I often buy it online here because that’s the best price I’ve found. It’s very concentrated, so although the bottle is small and costs more than you might expect, it has the sweetness equivalent of 23 cups of sugar!

Tip: Many stevia brands and products have different sweetness levels, so they’re not necessarily 1-for-1 substitutes for each other. If you pick a different one, you may need to adjust the amount. Just something to keep in mind!
 

HOW TO MAKE HEALTHY PUMPKIN SPICE COFFEE CREAMER

Let’s quickly go over how to make this healthy homemade pumpkin spice coffee creamer! This recipe is quick and incredibly easy. You only need a few minutes — and a little patience!

Combine + cook. Once you’ve added all of the ingredients to a pot and whisked them together, cook the mixture over medium-low heat for a few minutes, stirring frequently, until all of the ingredients are hot and well combined. Cashew milk doesn’t always bubble as much as dairy milk, so if it hasn’t started to simmer after 10 minutes, that’s okay! Pull the pot off of the stove anyway.

Cool + chill. Carefully pour the hot mixture into a glass measuring cup (or other glass container!) and let it cool completely to room temperature before covering and refrigerating.

Whisk. While the creamer cools and chills in the fridge, the spices sometimes settle at the bottom of the container. That’s normal and nothing to worry about! Once the creamer reaches room temperature — or has completely chilled; that’s fine too! — simply whisk the creamer a few times, and the spices should reincorporate back into the creamer.
 

FAQS ABOUT HEALTHY PUMPKIN SPICE COFFEE CREAMER

Is this healthy homemade pumpkin spice coffee creamer sugar-free, dairy-free, vegan, low fat, low calorie, paleo, keto, or clean eating?
Yes — to everything! This recipe is sugar-free, dairy-free, vegan, paleo, keto, clean eating, low fat, and low calorie (compared to more traditional creamers). It’s also naturally gluten-free!

Can I substitute a different milk?
Sure! I know unsweetened cashew milk doesn’t necessarily work for everyone. Just keep in mind that other milks often have a thinner consistency, so your creamer might not be as thick and creamy. Depending on which one you pick, it may also substantially change the nutrition information.

Can I use pumpkin pie spice instead of the individual spices?
Absolutely! I prefer to make my own (see the “Spices” header in the “Ingredients to Make Healthy Pumpkin Spice Coffee Creamer” section above for why!), but I understand those store-bought jars certainly can come in handy.

Can I substitute a different sweetener?
Yes again! See the Notes section of the recipe for my sweetener substitution tips.

Does this creamer work for tea too?
You bet! Although the recipe name includes “coffee,” this creamer tastes lovely mixed into tea as well. (I highly recommend trying it paired with chai or pumpkin spice chai — so festive and extra cozy!)

What’s the best way to store this healthy pumpkin spice coffee creamer? How long will it last?
Store it in a glass airtight container in the refrigerator. It should keep for at least a few days, if not closer to a week or more!
 

 
Now all that’s left to do is brew your coffee, and you’ll have a sweet cup of caffeine that basically tastes like pumpkin pie! And when you make your own, remember to snap a picture and share it on Instagram using #amyshealthybaking and tagging @amyshealthybaking IN the photo itself! (That guarantees I’ll see your picture! 🙂 ) I’d love to see your healthy homemade pumpkin spice coffee creamer!

Healthy Pumpkin Spice Coffee Creamer

© Amy's Healthy Baking

Give your coffee a splash of sweet pumpkin pie flavor! This healthy homemade creamer features lots of warm spices and real pumpkin, creating a festive and extra cozy fall taste. It’ll stay fresh for at least a few days if stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator (if not closer to a week or more!).

4.78 from 9 votes

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Ingredients 

• 2 cups (480mL) unsweetened cashew milk
• ¼ cup (61g) pumpkin purée (not pumpkin pie mix!)
• ½ - ¾ tsp ground cinnamon (or adjusted to taste)
• ⅛ tsp ground nutmeg
• ⅛ tsp ground ginger
• ¼ teaspoon liquid stevia (or adjusted to taste – and see Notes!)

Instructions

• Add all of the ingredients to a medium pot, and whisk to combine. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring frequently, for 5-7 minutes or until completely heated through. Transfer the mixture to a glass measuring cup, and let it cool completely to room temperature. (To speed up the process, place the measuring cup in the refrigerator.) Once cooled, whisk the mixture to reincorporate the spices. Transfer to a glass jar or an airtight container, cover, and refrigerate until ready to use.

Notes

IMPORTANT FLAVOR NOTES – READ BEFORE BEGINNING: I designed this creamer to have balanced flavors that complement coffee nicely and blend well into the background. You can easily adjust the ingredient amounts to suit your tastes though — this recipe is very adaptable and forgiving!

 

For a stronger pumpkin flavor, add an extra 2-4 tablespoons (30-61g) of pumpkin purée.

 

For a stronger spice flavor, increase the cinnamon to 1 teaspoon OR increase the nutmeg and ginger to ¼ teaspoon each.

 

For a sweeter flavor, increase the liquid stevia by ¼ to ½ teaspoon (depending on how sweet you like your creamer and/or coffee!).

 

For a richer and slightly more "cream-like" flavor, add a small amount of vanilla extract (around ¼ to ½ teaspoon — or up to 1 teaspoon).

 

SERVING SIZE NOTE: In the Nutrition Information below, the larger serving size compared to traditional coffee creamer (usually around 1 tablespoon) is to account for the cashew milk being thinner than heavy cream.

 

MILK ALTERNATIVES: Unsweetened almond milk (regular or vanilla) may be substituted for the unsweetened cashew milk, although it is noticeably thinner in consistency. Any other milk, including dairy-based ones, may be substituted, although they often substantially change the Nutrition Information (see the link below).

 

PUMPKIN NOTES: Pumpkin purée is also called “100% pure pumpkin” or “canned pumpkin.” For the best results, the only ingredient on the label should be “pumpkin.” I don’t recommend substituting pumpkin pie mix because it contains other ingredients, which affects the way it behaves in recipes (especially baked ones!).

 

I haven’t tried using homemade pumpkin purée, so I’m not personally sure how that will work. If you do, would you leave me a comment below? I’d love to hear how your creamer turned out!

 

SPICES NOTE + ALTERNATIVE: I highly recommend Saigon cinnamon! (← I buy it online there, and it’s really affordable.) It tastes slightly stronger, richer, and sweeter than regular cinnamon. It’s practically the only kind I now use in my baking and recipes!

 

If you prefer, ¾ to 1 teaspoon of store-bought premade pumpkin pie spice may be substituted for the cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger. (See the “Spices” header in the “Ingredients to Make Healthy Pumpkin Spice Coffee Creamer” section above for why I prefer to make my own!)

 

SWEETENER ALTERNATIVES: Many stevia brands and products have different sweetness levels, so they're not necessarily 1-for-1 substitutes for each other. For the best results, I recommend using the same one I do. I buy mine online here because that's the best price I've found. (It’s one of my favorite ingredients, and you’ll use it in all of these recipes of mine too!)

 

Any other sweetener may be substituted for the liquid stevia. You'll want to use your sweetener's equivalent of 2-3 tablespoons of sugar.

 

HOW TO STORE: Store this creamer in a glass airtight container in the refrigerator. It should keep for at least a few days, if not closer to a week or more. If the spices settle to the bottom while refrigerating, simply whisk the creamer a few times before using, and the spices should reincorporate back into the creamer.

 

{gluten-free, dairy-free, egg-free, vegan, clean eating, low fat, low calorie, paleo, keto, sugar-free}

DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE?I'd love to hear what you think of it in a comment below! If you take a picture, tag @amys.healthy.baking on Instagram or use the hashtag #amyshealthybaking.

View Nutrition Information + Weight Watchers Points
 
 
You may also like Amy’s other recipes…
♡  Healthy Dark Chocolate Peppermint Coffee Creamer
♡  The Ultimate Healthy Pumpkin Spice Latte
♡  Healthy Pumpkin Spice Chai Latte
♡  Healthy Pumpkin Spice Hot Chocolate
♡  Healthy Gingerbread Latte
♡  Pumpkin Pie Protein Overnight Oats
♡  Healthy Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread
♡  …and the rest of Amy’s healthy pumpkin recipes and healthy drink recipes!