‘Tis the season for all things cozy and this gingerbread coffee creamer will turn your morning cup of joe into one big warm hug! It’s creamy, lightly sweet, and full of rich warm spices. I’m not going to lie, this creamer is so delicious that I’m tempted to just warm it up in a mug by itself and sip on it as an alternative to hot cocoa! Why not, right??
Why I Love This Creamer
Aside from its incredibly warm and cozy flavor, I love this gingerbread coffee creamer because it only takes a few minutes to make and it’s totally customizable. Want it sweeter? Just add some brown sugar. Want it creamier? Substitute cream for the half and half. Need a smaller (or larger) batch? No problem. The recipe scales up or down without issue.
What is Half and Half?
I used “half and half” as the base for my creamer. For those outside the U.S., half and half is a 50/50 mix of whole milk and heavy cream. It’s a common add-in for coffee and can be purchased in pretty much every grocery store in the U.S.
You can make this gingerbread coffee creamer using just cream, or make your own “half and half” by combining equal parts whole milk and cream. Sure, you could probably do it with just whole milk too, but it just wouldn’t be nearly as cozy and creamy. :)
How Long Does it Last?
There isn’t an exact expiration date for homemade creamers like this, so I’d just stick to five days in the refrigerator just to be on the safe side. Luckily, you can make this creamer in very small batches if needed and it only takes minutes to make more when you run out, so there’s no need to risk leftovers going to waste.
How to Use Gingerbread Coffee Creamer
I set the serving size for this creamer at ¼ cup, but it’s totally up to you how much creamer you put in a cup of coffee. I can’t lie, while I was going through testing for this recipe I even drank it like a café au lait (half coffee, half milk) and it was incredible.
Serve your gingerbread coffee alongside a Cinnamon Nut Swirl Mug Cake, Chocolate Molasses Cookies, or a Mini Chocolate Pecan Pie.
I also have plans to try using this gingerbread creamer in an ice cream maker. I’ll keep you posted.
Gingerbread Coffee Creamer
Servings 4 ¼ cup eachIngredients
- 1 cup half and half ($0.45)
- 1 Tbsp molasses ($0.15)
- 1/4 tsp vanilla extract ($0.07)
- 1/4 tsp ground ginger ($0.02)
- 1/8 tsp ground cloves ($0.02)
- 1/8 tsp cinnamon ($0.02)
Instructions
- Add all of the ingredients to a small saucepot. Heat over medium, stirring often, until the half and half is hot and steaming, but not simmering (about five minutes).
- Serve hot or refrigerate until ready to serve.
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Nutrition
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How to Make Gingerbread Coffee Creamer – Step by Step Photos
Start by adding one cup of half and half to a small saucepot (or one cup of cream, or any mix of cream and milk that you prefer).
Add 1 Tbsp molasses, ¼ tsp vanilla extract, ¼ tsp ground ginger, ⅛ tsp ground cloves, and ⅛ tsp cinnamon to the half and half.
Heat the creamer over medium, stirring often, until the creamer is hot and steaming, but not yet simmering. The spices will clump up while the half and half is still cold, but they’ll begin to mix in as it heats up. Heating the spices in the liquid also helps the flavors bloom and permeate throughout the creamer.
Serve your creamer hot, or refrigerate until ready to use (up to about five days). Enjoy!
The gingerbread coffee creamer sounds really good and I am going to have to try it. Thank you 😊
I found out I am very much lactose intolerant so I was wondering if you could make the gingerbread creamer with no cream and use coconut milk or cashew milk?
Hi, there! I am, too, and it stinks! I really can’t promise substituting either of those ingredients in place of the half-and-half would be successful since we haven’t tested it ourselves. Canned coconut milk is high in fat, which makes it a decent choice, but it would likely separate over time. I’m not terribly familiar with cashew milk. I would suggest looking into direct half-and-half alternatives. I know Silk makes a dairy-free half & half, and Land’o’Lakes makes a lactose-free version. Again, since we haven’t tested this recipe with any alternatives, I can’t guarantee equally successful results, but I would say those would be more like to work with the recipe. Otherwise, using unsweetened, full-fat plant-based milk (Silk Extra-Creamy Oat is my favorite) should work — in theory. But like with whole milk, it won’t be quite as creamy.~ Marion :)
This recipe was delicious. I used oatmilk instead of half and half and it was amazing. I look forward to making it again and sharing it with my family.
Oh man, this is GOOD! It’s delicious in coffee (and I don’t doubt that it’s just as good in hot chocolate), and made my kitchen smell amazing while it was preparing. I’ve also caught at least one family member sneaking whole cupfuls of creamer on its own. ;)
LOVE this!
I like it a lot stronger (I’m a gingerbread junkie!). I always at least double everything that goes into the half-and-half.
I’ve also made it super-concentrated as a syrup. 1/4 cup water instead of the half-and-half and use about a tablespoon of the ‘syrup’ per cup of hot drink (I drink it in my cocoa so I don’t necessarily need the extra milk/cream; I’m not a coffee fan)
I have made this about 4-5 times now and JUST saw where you say to heat it on the stove. 🤦♀️ I have just been putting it in a large mason jar and shaking it up really good. I just made it again and tripled the batch because I use it up so much. Its so indulgent and the whip cream on top truly makes it taste like a coffee shop specialty. Thanks for the awesome recipe!
Thank you for this recipe! I really miss the Starbucks gingerbread drinks. I notice that when I’m drinking coffee at home, I don’t like a lot of creamer. So for me, in order to get the gingerbread experience I was looking for I used only half the amount of half & half and twice the amount of molasses, keeping the spices the same. Perfect for me!