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Throughout our childhood, my brother and I woke up well before the sun rose on Christmas morning, but as a rule, we stayed in our bedrooms until 6 am. As soon as the minute hand ticked onto the 12, we dashed out to the family room to look at the fireplace for signs of Santa. Â
A few moments later, we ran back to our parentsâ room to wake them up. Once they had climbed out of bed, we headed back to our stockings, and while we waited impatiently for all of the adults to come into the room to look at their inner contents together (Santa normally stuffed everyoneâs stockings with very similar things!), we looked at the bigger items he left under the mantle that wouldnât fit inside.
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Before sitting down to join us, Dad turned on his coffee maker to brew a huge pot (he and a few of our grandparents typically needed a little extra caffeine for waking up that early on a holiday!). Throughout the morning, he continued to refill peopleâs mugs while we tore wrapping paper off of gifts and squealed with delight.
Now that my brother and I are adults, weâve started pushing back our Christmas morning gift exchange later and later. We rarely begin before 10 am (and sometimes even wait until noon or after!) to give everyone a chance to rub the sleep from their eyes, shower, and even squeeze in a workout if they feel like it.
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However, the coffee tradition still remains the same, so Iâm making a batch of this Skinny Dark Chocolate Peppermint Coffee Creamer for those family members to enjoy in their mugs on Christmas morning. Itâs rich, creamy, and full of decadent holiday-themed flavor, but itâs only 5 calories!
Iâm pretty sure everyone will drink to that! (And maybe even a second mug!) âïž
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This recipe is incredibly easy! Itâs also perfect for making a day or two ahead because the coffee creamer needs to cool to room temperature and chill in the fridge before pouring in your coffee. (The fewer recipes I have to bake and cook on Christmas morning, the better!)
To whip this up, you just add all of the ingredients to a pot and whisk them frequently while cooking over medium low heat until theyâre completely combined. Super simple, right?
So letâs quickly go over what those ingredients are!
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Youâll use unsweetened cashew milk as your coffee creamer base. Itâs thick and creamy, with a similar consistency to heavy cream, but it only has 25 calories per cup! (Compared to heavy cream with around 50 calories per tablespoonâŠ) I actually buy unsweetened cashew milk more than cowâs milk these days, and it works perfectly in nearly all of my baking recipes too!
For the festive flavor, youâll use cocoa powder and peppermint extract. Just regular olâ unsweetened cocoa powder! Weâre adding enough that you donât need to use Dutched or special dark to get that decadent chocolaty taste.
To sweeten the coffee creamer, youâll use one of my favorite ingredients: vanilla crĂšme stevia. Stevia is a plant-based, no-calorie sweetener thatâs clean eating friendly, and itâs highly concentrated. You just need œ teaspoon for this entire recipe! This is the kind that I buy because I love its warm vanilla flavor and donât notice any strange aftertastes like with some other stevia products. You can find it at many health-oriented grocery stores, but I always buy mine online here because itâs the cheapest price Iâve found! (And youâll use it in all of these recipes of mine, too!)
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Hello holiday coffee bliss! This creamer makes your morning cup taste just like a peppermint mocha⊠But for far fewer calories (and a much cheaper price!) than the ones at coffee shops! ??
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 Iâll see your picture! ?) Iâd love to see your coffee creamer and feature it in my Sunday Spotlight series!
Skinny Dark Chocolate Peppermint Coffee Creamer | | Print |
- 2 cups (480mL) unsweetened cashew milk
- 3 tbsp (15g) unsweetened cocoa powder
- œ tsp vanilla crĂšme stevia, or adjusted to taste
- 8 drops (about 1/16 tsp) peppermint extract
- Add all of the ingredients to a small pot, and whisk to combine. Cook over medium low heat, whisking frequently, for 3-5 minutes or until completely heated through and the cocoa powder has been fully incorporated. Cool completely to room temperature before transferring to an airtight container and refrigerating.
No need to use Dutched or special dark cocoa powder! Youâre adding enough cocoa powder that it already tastes rich without it.
Any sweetener may be substituted for the vanilla crĂšme stevia. Youâll need the equivalent of 4-6 tablespoons of granulated sugar. However, I highly recommend the vanilla crĂšme stevia! Itâs one of my favorite ingredients, and youâll use it in all of these recipes of mine, too.
{gluten-free, vegan, clean eating, low fat, low calorie, low carb, sugar-free}
View Nutrition Information
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You may also like Amy’s other recipesâŠ
â„   Skinny Pumpkin Spice Coffee Creamer
â„   Skinny Peppermint Mocha
â„   Skinny Gingerbread Latte
â„   Skinny Hot Chocolate
â„   Skinny Pumpkin Spice Latte
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WOW! I love the sound of this, going to try this on xmas morning, thank you for sharing.
It’s my pleasure Karen! I can’t wait to hear what you think of the coffee creamer, and I hope you have a wonderful Christmas! đ
Mmm….this certainly makes me think of Christmas, Amy!! What a good idea to make this coffee creamer beforehand, ready to add to your coffee on Christmas morning – I’m going to do just that (but I reckon I’ll be making it a few times before then, too)! I can’t believe it will be Christmas Eve in exactly a month!âș
Wow!! I didn’t realize it’s now less than a month until Christmas… Time certainly flies! đ I’d love to hear what you think of the coffee creamer if you try it Katie!
Can’t stop looking at these pictures! How perfect
Thanks Maria!
It’s amazing how traditions change as we get older! This creamer looks like a great addition to breakfast
Thanks Mariana! đ
Thank you so much! I have been looking for a quality recipe so that I can make the switch from store bought to homemade. This is a winner! I used almond milk (all I had in the fridge) but next time I plan on buying cashew milk like you suggest.
I’m so glad you loved the coffee creamer Des! That means a lot to me that you called it a winner! đ
Can peppermint essential oil be used in place of extract
I don’t have much experience with peppermint essential oil, but I think that should work! You may need to adjust the amount to suit your tastes. đ I can’t wait to here what you think of the coffee creamer Shirley!