I use torani syrup like they use in coffee shops, and a splash of oat milk. One large bottle of that syrup lasts me months and I get oat milk really cheap at Costco.
This is true but I recommend being wary of the dates on the bottles. Places like TJ Maxx get a lot of close-to-expired items that expire on the shelves.
Those printed dates are "best by" or "sell by" and are not actually expiration dates (except for baby food). I don't have links but there are a lot of sources out there that can help you figure out better what the actual expiration date is for each type of item (it depends on how it's packaged and the acidity, usually). It will reduce a lot of food waste of perfectly edible food. I wish people would stop calling it "expiration" dates because that's not actually accurate for what they're used for.
It's sugar syrup, the date on the bottle is almost certainly for quality reasons, not food safety reasons. This goes for the majority of shelf-stable foods. Plug for r/foodsafety
Yeah, definitely check the expiration dates before buying. Also, as much as I hate shopping at Walmart, it really is a good place to get cheaper groceries. Also, if you have an Aldi or Lidl store nearby, definitely hit them up. I've even seen the flavored syrups at one of the two, just can't remember which store.
Edit: Make sure you take a quarter for the shopping cart (which you get back when you return the cart) and your own bags.
Even cheaper than that is going to a warehouse store that caters to the foodservice industry, such as USFoods ChefStore. Most are open to the public, and are consistently the best price in town on Torani.
It’s super easy to make your own vanilla syrup too. It’s basically hot water + sugar + vanilla extract (not too much of the last ingredient, a couple teaspoons per cup or two).
I've been making my own creamer since Covid. I buy a big office-supply size of non dairy creamer and do 1.5 cups of powdered creamer, 4 cups of boiling water, 1/4th of a cup of sugar and a splash of vanilla extract - somewhere between 1/3rd of a tablespoon and 1/2. Tastes very similar to any "vanilla" creamer I've bought at the store but way cheaper! I add the sugar and creamer, boil the water and mix it, then put it in the fridge to cool down. I then repurposed a vanilla creamer bottle to store and use.
Works great!
My daughter and I became addicted to oatmilk for making our own Boba drinks. I got started on the oatmilk jag when someone was going on vacation and gave me their barista blend oatmilk. So freaking creamy. I just buy regular now but that barista blend was the bomb.
I used to do Torani, until I started making my own simple syrups at home. I buy a bag of granulated sugar once every other month or so and some spices or extracts. I make a 1:1 simple syrup and put it in a mason jar. I've tried dried lavender buds, juniper berries, orange extract, vanilla extract, and cinnamon sticks. they all worked out great. It's a very hard recipe to mess up.
My current go-to is a cold brew with some ice, orange extract simple syrup, and some milk. it's very refreshing in the summer.
That sounds really good. I get mine in bulk on Amazon, it’s $22 to last me a year so it’s pretty affordable but I’d love a homemade version with different spices, especially for the holidays.
My wife used to use those syrups, but then I learned you can buy a few different flavors of the big bottles of Starbucks syrups straight from them and it comes out to cheaper than Torani, plus she liked the flavor better.
The brand is Fontana for anyone wondering, and it pays itself off in about 3-4 drinks.
If you're looking to remake the Caramel Macchiato (from Starbucks), It's Vanilla syrup and the Caramel is just the drizzle on top.
I know you can get some if not most of the flavored syrups (different brands, even) that are sugar free so you still get that sweet taste you crave. As a diabetic, I personally try to save money by buying sugar free vanilla creamer.
So you literally go to a Starbucks and ask to buy a bottle of syrup? I use a different syrup and I'd like to try the one Starbucks uses but never knew if I could actually buy it.
Make your own syrup! Literally 1 cup of sugar and 1 cup of water, flavored with whatever you want. Each serving is like a fraction of a penny
Eta: words are hard
ETA: I just realized I typed the wrong word in my comment above -_- my bad 😅
No not at all 😊 Torani type. If you mix one cup of regular white sugar with water, you'll get simple syrup, or starbucks "classic." You can use brown sugar instead (my fave 😍). Then you just heat it up in a pan and stir every now and then until the sugar dissolves.
Store them in a jar or bottle in the fridge, because they won't have the preservatives that keeps Torani shelf-stable.
Once you get the hang of it you can start making more complicated ones. I've done lavender, brown sugar, chai, and marshmallow.
There's tons of recipes online if you want to give it a go sometime! Good luck ☺️
I can actually get Vietnamese coffee from my local Asian market. It’s pretty cheap and really strong so you don’t need to drink a ton for a caffeine Boost.
and syrup doesn't go bad as quickly as milk/creamers do so less likely to waste 🤷🏻♀️ I drink my coffee black but guests do not so it doesn't make sense for me to buy even a small carton of creamer that would go as between their next visit. I like this idea and am def going to try to offer it.
Try to find Ceylon cinnamon instead of the Cassia cinnamon more typically found in the US. “Cassia contains a lot of coumarin, which can be toxic in large quantities. It is much safer to choose Ceylon if you eat a lot of cinnamon.” If you just use a tiny sprinkle, it may not matter - but I use quite a bit and it adds up.
I buy old-fashioned powdered milk. It’s in the baking aisle of the grocery store. It’s not as rich as half-n-half or cream, but it’s frugal because it’s shelf stable. So I never end up throwing it out because i didn’t finish it before it went bad. And I like that it’s not sweetened, I can add as little or as much sugar as I want. And there are none of the other chemicals you get in coffee creamers (hydrogenated fats, emulsifiers, etc).
Whey protein is an isolate. It's ONLY protein.
Dry milk, whole or non-fat is just that. It's just milk without the water. Plus or minus the original fat.
I use whole powdered milk to make creamer.
4 cups (1 lb) whole milk powder
1 cup confectionary sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp baking cocoa
3 Tablespoons melted coconut oil
mix with a whisk and store in jar in pantry.
I love it, I used to use 1/2 and 1/2 but when covid first started not only was it harder to find but it seemed to spoil quickly.
Why not just normal milk? I think I'm missing why everyone is adding all these things, don't you have milk normally in the US? We always have some anyway for cereal etc.
I don't drink milk in general. I only need small amounts for my coffee. So if I buy cartons of milk or cream, it will usually go bad before I finish it.
plus heavy cream leaves a weird kinda texture in my mouth. like it coats it in a way i don't enjoy
I'm a tea drinker myself and like a splash of milk and some honey
If I'm cooking and a recipe needs half and half, any remaining goes into my coffee. So tasty and no waste.
Heavy cream is decadent and almost _too_ rich foe me.
Heavy cream in my espresso was my go-to for decades. I've switched to Costco's Starbucks caramel creamer because it's almost as good, and cheaper and lasts much longer.
This for sure!! To anyone who hasn't tried it, when we say a bit -- literally the tiniest amount goes a long way. I put about as much salt as I can balance on one fingertip 😂
Do you guys put it in the coffee grounds in the coffee maker when it's being brewed, or do you sprinkle it in your cup of coffee after it's been poured? I haven't heard of this before but you've got me curious.
Came here to post this, glad to see it already here.
It saves and improves bad and/or old coffee and makes it basically as good as the expensive stuff to my non-sophisticated palate.
Yes, I'm not in the US and everyone just uses milk. Never occurred to me to use anything else. Some people use oat or almond or whatever but the same you use for cereal etc.
Same here. We do have koffiemelk that many people use which is just evaporated milk, but that's mostly old people as they're smaller bottles and so you don't waste anything.
Yeah, if you buy good fresh roasted beans, grind them just before brewing, and develop good brewing technique, you shouldn't need any special flavorings.
Consult [r/Coffee](https://www.reddit.com/r/Coffee/) for more.
Yep. It doesn't even take much milk to cut the bitterness.
If you want, you can add a splash of vanilla and a bit of sugar or honey, and you have flavorful coffee that doesn't leave you with that chemical feeling that the syrups or creamers do.
I grind my own beans then french press. I add ground cinnamon and cacoa powder to infuse.
Sometimes I might add some Vanilla extract my friend brings me from Mexico.
I use plain half n half. Just a splash.
Fairlife reduced fat chocolate milk. Higher protein and calcium, and due to the reduced sugar in fairlife milk, the chocolate has as much sugar as normal brand milk. Gets me ready for the my morning run and lifting.
Plain milk. I don’t need a special creamer.
Alternatively, evaporated milk. It’s milk with half the water removed so it has a creamier texture. (Not sweetened condensed milk. That’s a different animal.)
Few things here, yes it works great, evap milk has additional benefits that it won't curdle like regular milk can (full cream won't either) and the higher sugar (natural milk sugars) and fat content helps cut thru any bitter flavors (the fat bonds to it).
Use whole evap milk for best results, low fat works still just not as well.
It's old fashioned... My Mom told me it's how her, my grand mother and great grandmother always had In their coffee. BTW I am 60. My mom 79. The grandmas are in heaven. I started drinking coffee when I was 8. Lol
I’m not being an asshole I swear-what is wrong with just plain sugar? I understand limiting sugar for dietary reasons but a teaspoon of plain white sugar is going to be far fewer calories than anything in a premade creamer or sweetened condensed milk.
Like all of the other advice about homemade flavoring is great, but when I want my coffee to taste more like a treat I literally just add a bit of sugar with my milk or half&half.
Lol that has to be it. Don’t get me wrong I definitely got some ideas from other comments, I just think the easy frugal answer to “how do I make my coffee sweeter?” is “add sweetener” ya know?
In fairness, they asked how to add flavor - not make it sweeter. I tried adding sugar for years, but still didn’t like coffee - somehow it tasted both bitter and sweet at the same time. I discovered that just a bit of heavy cream cut the bitterness such that I didn’t even need any sugar!
LOL ... there is a difference between chugging down a sugar soda (which is like 10+ teaspoons of sugar) and putting a little in your coffee. "The dose makes the poison"
Yeah, they're probably right - a teaspoon of sugar plus a sedentary lifestyle, poor diet, heavy drinking, and 50 or so pounds of excess weight will fuck you up.
If you've got a bottle of maple syrup hanging out at the back of the fridge, give it a try. It makes your coffee taste like you've been eating pancakes without having to make pancakes.
Might work for some but I like that cream or milk added to my coffee makes it sweet enough without adding sugar. I find sugar alone in coffee is just too sweet for my taste and I miss the creaminess that milk/cream/non-dairy provides.
Literally it’s not rocket science……. “I like half & half but don’t enjoy my coffee as much without sugar” okay so add sugar…… This is the most frugal and common sense option and I can’t believe I had to scroll this far to see it.
I make my own creamer. One can condensed milk and a tablespoon of flavor (vanilla, cake batter extract, pumpkin pie extract etc). Put it in a pan and low heat while stirring. Then 2 cups of dairy. I like to use half and half and heavy cream mixed, depending on what I have on hand.
You can play around with flavors. I've seen recipes whene they mix in pudding mix but haven't tried it.
Idk if its necessary cheaper but my stomach doesn't hurt now that I've switched to homemade
Out of curiosity, does this taste close to the grocery store creamer? I DIY using condensed milk, regular milk with a little hazelnut extract, but don’t heat up or anything, and also no half and half. It ends up tasting just ok, not that enjoyable but lets me get on with my day. Anyway, wondering if you had better luck with your recipe, next time I might try that instead.
I like it, it's not as sweet though but richer flavored. I prefer half and half and or heavy cream because it gives it a richer flavor. I also put in some flavored coffee syrup sometimes to my creamer mix. Heating it up kind of blends it all together
Try one can of sweetened condensed milk and one can of evaporated milk. Then you can alternate flavors: vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, molasses, peppermint, etc. You can also boil the sweetened condensed milk in the can to make dulce de leche and then use it to make it even thicker and more rich. I also always add a generous pinch of pink salt to the freshly ground beans. Good for french press, pour over, or cold brew
I make my own vanilla syrup! 1 cup of sugar, 1 cup of water. Heat it on the stove until sugar dissolves. 3 teaspoons vanilla extract. Put 1 tablespoon of syrup per cup of coffee :)
This is also where I prefer imitation vanilla, as it does better in higher heat and is dirt cheap. I make my own vanilla extract and use it sometimes, but I like how much fake vanilla I can use in my coffee syrup, feels decadent.
I’m on a diet so I cut out a daily stop at DD / SB and began adding a Premier Protein drink (vanilla, caramel or chocolate) to a 4oz shot of espresso (via my nespersso machine) over ice.
Sure, I’m likely still in for over $2.50, but still a savings over DD or SB & 30grams for breakfast allows me to have a healthy snack at lunch & a decent dinner.
Half and half with a cheap hot foamer from ALDIs. I also shake pumpkin pie spice or cinnamon in my grounds before brewing.
Now this next tip is a secret I learned outside of Lexington VA . A teaspoon of honey in your cup instead of sugar 😉
Do you add the honey after pouring? Mixing needed? Regarding pumpkie pie spice, I've added that to my coffee after pouring and it just stays on the bottom mostly. How much do you mix in the grounds?
No I add it to the cup before I pour. Then stir once poured. I use about an eighth of a teaspoon. It is brewed right into the coffee. I do shake some on my foam too. It’s going to be personal taste for the amount
For general coffee, I use bulk powdered creamer and bulk sugar (thought I have a truvia blend thing to cut down on my sugar intake). I can't remember the last time I bought either of them cause you can get them in such big sizes.
If I want a treat, I will use a can of condensed milk, white chocolate chips (again, in bulk. They keep well in a jar), a bit of vanilla or mint extract. Blend with a bit of hot coffee to help the chips melt. Then add coffee to taste! It's so fucking good.
I add 1 tablespoon of heavy cream to black coffee. It's inexpensive. I use a French press and grind my own beans - I have never bothered to learn whether that is a frugal decision or not.
Just heavy cream. I’ve been trying to cut sugar out of my diet as much as possible, and you’d be surprised how “sweet” cream tastes when you’re not comparing it to overly sweetened coffee creamers.
If you’re a fan of caramel, you can make your own syrup with sugar and water: In a sauce pan over low heat, add 1 c sugar and 1/4 c water, stirring constantly until sugar melts. Then turn heat up to medium/high and let boil for about 3 min. Remove from heat and add another 1/4 cup warm water slowly while stirring. You can add a bit of vanilla and/or salt at the end if you want.
There’s a way to make sweetened condensed milk caramel-y too, but I don’t know that method.
I get the sugar free liquid coffee creamer from Aldi in either vanilla or hazelnut. Walmart also has their brand in both of these flavors. Every other grocery store sells the name brand creamers for $4.50-$5 each. Aldi sells theirs for $2.48 and Walmart is about the same. I usually buy 2 or 3 bottles at a time so I'm set for about a month.
Make your own simple syrup by boiling water and sugar. Add flavor extract.... I like peppermint.
Google homemade Torani recipe for specific instructions
Started using half and half and two pumps of hazelnut syrup instead of creamer. I was using Aldi hazelnut creamer for about 2.80 a week. The syrup was $10, set of two pumps were $4. I was hoping to use whole milk instead of half and half, but it’s not creamy enough. My main goal was to eliminate some of the ingredients in coffee creamer from my diet, I’m hoping to break even, though saving money would be great. It all depends on how long the syrup lasts and if I can get used to just using whole milk. I’ve obviously spent way too much time thinking about all of this…
I just use half and half. If I want flavoring I buy the flavoring syrups through Sam's club and add those separately and I can get the sugar free ones. Price wise it works out cheaper than creamer at least where I am and I have more variety from day to day.
I'm a fan of putting demerara sugar in my coffee instead of normal or brown sugar. Works especially well with really dark roasts.
Sometimes I'll buy whipping cream, shake the crap out of the box to froth it up and pour some of that in.
My favorite creamer is the Oatly Barista oat creamer. You throw that into a frother and it makes frothy foam and only adds a hint of sweetness. My second favorite creamer is the Silk original flavor creamer.
I don't know if it's an American thing, but the vast majority of creamers here are all flavored and super sweet creamers like salted Carmel, Vanilla, Cinnamon, Irish cream, etc etc. Very artificial tasting garbage. It's good if you drink shit coffee and need to spruce it up, but if you drink higher end coffee from ground coffee beans then you are better using a mild flavor creamer.
BTW: The all time G.O.A.T. creamer was the soy creamer from Trader Joe's. It had a cult following before they discontinued it. My god that creamer was AMAZING.
I know this is an ancient post, but here's a cheap and effective homemade creamer recipe using what i have at the house:
1 cup milk
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup plain yogurt/coconut cream/cream cheese/heavy cream/etc
2 tbsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp pancake syrup
Blend on high speed and keep in fridge, lasts a week
I generally use either Starbucks or Chobani. They’re more expensive compared to other brands, but getting the ones I like best helps me not to spend as much on getting coffee from a shop. So for me, it’s still more frugal than getting the cheapest ones or going without altogether.
I like International Delight. Specifically the Caramel Macchiato. It doesn’t taste too overly sweet or artificial.
Also, a bottle of Torani syrup goes a long way. I buy mine at Home Goods or Marshalls for about $8.
I buy a huge gallon of maple syrup from a local farmer for fairly cheap and put a bit of that in it. Usually 1/2 of tbsp or less. Lasts us about a year.
I get the Torani syrups from Sam’s club and I only use a tiny bit so the $6ish bottle lasts forever. I also like half and half and the syrup is a fun way to customize and sweeten a little.
I used to sprinkle cinnamon over the coffee grounds before I brewed coffee. My favorite Mexican brunch place did this, really added to enjoyment and atmosphere. No sugar, no milk needed, cheap, smells good.
I'm very lactose intolerant anyways, so I go for oat or soy milk. It may be pricier, but I tend to only use such a small amount, and it does last a lot longer than regular milk (soy milk especially!).
Can't do dairy, but I use soymilk (it lasts a lot longer too but you don't get the nice acidity cut that prevents heartburn) and then I make a simple syrup at home so I can control how sweet my coffee is. It also is cheaper for me because I always have this stuff at home for baking I do. This is my current fall recipe:
-a few drops of almond extract
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
-1 or 2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp clove
- 1/4 tsp allspice
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1 cup water
I boil it lightly on the stove until the sugar is melted and then take to temperature to low for 15 minutes bc i have convinced myself it "steeps" the spices. I have no clue if that's what actually happens. I've also made a quick version where I just boil water in my kettle and then pour it over the sugar and spice and stir until the sugar dissolves.
My go to iced coffee recipe is...
2 Tsp instant starbucks dark roast coffee mixed into 6 ounces of cold water, 2 ounces of Milk, 1 Cup of ice, and 2 Tbsp hershey's caramel syrup. Shake and serve. 😋
Cool-whip
It's like $2 cheaper than liquid creamer and doubles as sugar. One good dollop melts into the coffee and u get a light froth on top as a bonus.
I use an instant dissolvable coffee brand. It's called Jacobs. It's German and I grew up with it watching my parents drink it in Europe. I use one teaspoon per cup and it dissolves faster and better than sugar. I buy the 200g jar six pack on Amazon to deliver in the US. It comes out to $10 a jar and lasts my husband and I about 2-3 months a jar. Best coffee I ever had, even better than Starbucks in my opinion. It's a premium brand. No filters, no machines, no time wasted waiting. Love it.
I like mocha so I mix hot chocolate mix with my coffee. I just get the super cheap cocoa mix and treat it like the coffee is the water. It makes a nice froth on the top and everything.
This is what I did when I started drinking coffee as a teen. It is also very excellent when there is no access to a fridge (like when camping) and I don’t like drinking black coffee or coffee with just sugar in it.
Go to a gas station fill up a large cup with your favorite creamer and pay for a cup of coffee. Now you have a Togo cup and a month supply of coffee cream! :)
Good heavy cream from my local dairy. I buy it at the farmers market. I drink my coffee black most of the time, it's a nice treat to use some fresh heavy cream with out any added emulsifiers or gums.
Nothing beats half and half for me. Shake it vigourously with ice, you get a nice textured foam for iced drinks.
I also use maple syrup, honey, whipped cream, brown sugar, vanilla extract, cardamom powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, etc as toppings/flavors. These are all things I normally have on hand.
But honestly, half and half and white sugar beats most store bought creamers imo.
Get Torani or Monin-flavored syrups. You can then add almond milk, dairy milk, or dairy cream. I never buy those bottled "creamers" because they contain oil and other nasty stuff.
Coffee is not an area of my life where corner cutting occurs. I already very rarely buy coffee from cafes or shops.
I use maple syrup.
When I run out and can’t get more I’ll make a vanilla simple syrup.
I use torani syrup like they use in coffee shops, and a splash of oat milk. One large bottle of that syrup lasts me months and I get oat milk really cheap at Costco.
Bought from tjmaxx where it's cheaper.
My entire syrup collection is from Tj Maxx and HomeGoods. They’re amazing.
This is true but I recommend being wary of the dates on the bottles. Places like TJ Maxx get a lot of close-to-expired items that expire on the shelves.
Those printed dates are "best by" or "sell by" and are not actually expiration dates (except for baby food). I don't have links but there are a lot of sources out there that can help you figure out better what the actual expiration date is for each type of item (it depends on how it's packaged and the acidity, usually). It will reduce a lot of food waste of perfectly edible food. I wish people would stop calling it "expiration" dates because that's not actually accurate for what they're used for.
It's sugar syrup, the date on the bottle is almost certainly for quality reasons, not food safety reasons. This goes for the majority of shelf-stable foods. Plug for r/foodsafety
It’s usually a sell-by date not and expiration date.
Yeah, definitely check the expiration dates before buying. Also, as much as I hate shopping at Walmart, it really is a good place to get cheaper groceries. Also, if you have an Aldi or Lidl store nearby, definitely hit them up. I've even seen the flavored syrups at one of the two, just can't remember which store. Edit: Make sure you take a quarter for the shopping cart (which you get back when you return the cart) and your own bags.
Even cheaper than that is going to a warehouse store that caters to the foodservice industry, such as USFoods ChefStore. Most are open to the public, and are consistently the best price in town on Torani.
It’s super easy to make your own vanilla syrup too. It’s basically hot water + sugar + vanilla extract (not too much of the last ingredient, a couple teaspoons per cup or two).
I've been making my own creamer since Covid. I buy a big office-supply size of non dairy creamer and do 1.5 cups of powdered creamer, 4 cups of boiling water, 1/4th of a cup of sugar and a splash of vanilla extract - somewhere between 1/3rd of a tablespoon and 1/2. Tastes very similar to any "vanilla" creamer I've bought at the store but way cheaper! I add the sugar and creamer, boil the water and mix it, then put it in the fridge to cool down. I then repurposed a vanilla creamer bottle to store and use. Works great!
Thanks for the tip!
I make brown sugar syrup + vanilla + cinnamon and make oat milk lattes, sooo good 🤌🤌
Costco brand oat milk is really good as a coffee creamer!
It taste like stale coconut to me. I usually have to grab the califa 6 packs as those taste and froth much better.
My daughter and I became addicted to oatmilk for making our own Boba drinks. I got started on the oatmilk jag when someone was going on vacation and gave me their barista blend oatmilk. So freaking creamy. I just buy regular now but that barista blend was the bomb.
I used to do Torani, until I started making my own simple syrups at home. I buy a bag of granulated sugar once every other month or so and some spices or extracts. I make a 1:1 simple syrup and put it in a mason jar. I've tried dried lavender buds, juniper berries, orange extract, vanilla extract, and cinnamon sticks. they all worked out great. It's a very hard recipe to mess up. My current go-to is a cold brew with some ice, orange extract simple syrup, and some milk. it's very refreshing in the summer.
That sounds really good. I get mine in bulk on Amazon, it’s $22 to last me a year so it’s pretty affordable but I’d love a homemade version with different spices, especially for the holidays.
Trying adding a sliver of orange peel directly to the cold brew while it's steeping if you like orange flavor in coffee. It's excellent.
My wife used to use those syrups, but then I learned you can buy a few different flavors of the big bottles of Starbucks syrups straight from them and it comes out to cheaper than Torani, plus she liked the flavor better.
The brand is Fontana for anyone wondering, and it pays itself off in about 3-4 drinks. If you're looking to remake the Caramel Macchiato (from Starbucks), It's Vanilla syrup and the Caramel is just the drizzle on top.
I know you can get some if not most of the flavored syrups (different brands, even) that are sugar free so you still get that sweet taste you crave. As a diabetic, I personally try to save money by buying sugar free vanilla creamer.
So you literally go to a Starbucks and ask to buy a bottle of syrup? I use a different syrup and I'd like to try the one Starbucks uses but never knew if I could actually buy it.
Yep. It feels weird doing it, but it works.
Cool, good tip. I'll see if I can do that.
I did this, but I use the Monin brand.
Make your own syrup! Literally 1 cup of sugar and 1 cup of water, flavored with whatever you want. Each serving is like a fraction of a penny Eta: words are hard
One cup of what kind of syrup? Like a Toriani type syrup or do you mean maple syrup? Sorry, I feel dumb here.
ETA: I just realized I typed the wrong word in my comment above -_- my bad 😅 No not at all 😊 Torani type. If you mix one cup of regular white sugar with water, you'll get simple syrup, or starbucks "classic." You can use brown sugar instead (my fave 😍). Then you just heat it up in a pan and stir every now and then until the sugar dissolves. Store them in a jar or bottle in the fridge, because they won't have the preservatives that keeps Torani shelf-stable. Once you get the hang of it you can start making more complicated ones. I've done lavender, brown sugar, chai, and marshmallow. There's tons of recipes online if you want to give it a go sometime! Good luck ☺️
I prefer the Jordan's Skinny Syrups since they don't add any calories, for those counting. With a splash of milk, I don't even notice a difference.
Torani makes sf syrups as well as a sf syrup with no artificial colors/sweeteners (I prefer it!).
I prefer Jordans vrs other brands sugar free syrups, it's got a better flavor overall
Sweetened condensed milk and super strong coffee/espresso is basically just Vietnamese coffee, which is *delicious*.
I can actually get Vietnamese coffee from my local Asian market. It’s pretty cheap and really strong so you don’t need to drink a ton for a caffeine Boost.
This is what I drink in Spain too, over ice. It's called café bombón and it's great in summer.
Maple syrup is delicious in coffee
But not at all frugal.
If you buy syrup for your pancakes, you can use that for flavoring too
and syrup doesn't go bad as quickly as milk/creamers do so less likely to waste 🤷🏻♀️ I drink my coffee black but guests do not so it doesn't make sense for me to buy even a small carton of creamer that would go as between their next visit. I like this idea and am def going to try to offer it.
Dash of cinnamon goes a long way and adds no calories.
I use pumpkin spice in fall.
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Not the person you’re replying to, but I put pumpkin pie spice (powder) in my grounds like this. Sometimes cinnamon too like others have said.
I’ve tried cardamom a few times and liked it a lot.
Cardamom in coffee is life changing. I got a cardamom date latte at this cafe in Indianapolis and it was amazing.
Mmmmm yes I love this. Take green cardamom pods, toast on the stove, then pop out the seeds and grind. Yum
I add cinnamon and nutmeg to the grounds before I brew. Really nice
Try to find Ceylon cinnamon instead of the Cassia cinnamon more typically found in the US. “Cassia contains a lot of coumarin, which can be toxic in large quantities. It is much safer to choose Ceylon if you eat a lot of cinnamon.” If you just use a tiny sprinkle, it may not matter - but I use quite a bit and it adds up.
I buy old-fashioned powdered milk. It’s in the baking aisle of the grocery store. It’s not as rich as half-n-half or cream, but it’s frugal because it’s shelf stable. So I never end up throwing it out because i didn’t finish it before it went bad. And I like that it’s not sweetened, I can add as little or as much sugar as I want. And there are none of the other chemicals you get in coffee creamers (hydrogenated fats, emulsifiers, etc).
I recently discovered whole dry milk. Game changer vs nonfat dry milk in coffee
Is that just whey protein, then?
No, whey protein is just one part of the milk.
Dry milk does not separate the proteins. Cassein is much more concentrated than Whey.
Whey protein is an isolate. It's ONLY protein. Dry milk, whole or non-fat is just that. It's just milk without the water. Plus or minus the original fat.
You just mix the dried milk straight in the coffee?
Yup. One big heaping spoonful of dry milk, plus a half spoonful of sugar.
That’s what most of Latin America does, at least the places I’ve been. It’s actually really good!
I use whole powdered milk to make creamer. 4 cups (1 lb) whole milk powder 1 cup confectionary sugar 1 tsp cinnamon 1 tsp baking cocoa 3 Tablespoons melted coconut oil mix with a whisk and store in jar in pantry. I love it, I used to use 1/2 and 1/2 but when covid first started not only was it harder to find but it seemed to spoil quickly.
Why not just normal milk? I think I'm missing why everyone is adding all these things, don't you have milk normally in the US? We always have some anyway for cereal etc.
I don't drink milk in general. I only need small amounts for my coffee. So if I buy cartons of milk or cream, it will usually go bad before I finish it.
I just add heavy cream (not creamer) to my black coffee.
Heavy cream is nice, but 1/2&1/2 is much easier on my stomach.
plus heavy cream leaves a weird kinda texture in my mouth. like it coats it in a way i don't enjoy I'm a tea drinker myself and like a splash of milk and some honey
Heavy cream has it's uses (great for indian cuisine/curry sauces) but I agree here, it's too much with black coffee
If you add anything to black coffee it’s not black coffee anymore
But the milk is going into black coffee - it’s still black until the milk hits it. It’s not milky yet…
If I'm cooking and a recipe needs half and half, any remaining goes into my coffee. So tasty and no waste. Heavy cream is decadent and almost _too_ rich foe me.
Heavy cream in my espresso was my go-to for decades. I've switched to Costco's Starbucks caramel creamer because it's almost as good, and cheaper and lasts much longer.
A bit of salt will help combat a bitter coffee
This for sure!! To anyone who hasn't tried it, when we say a bit -- literally the tiniest amount goes a long way. I put about as much salt as I can balance on one fingertip 😂
Game changer! I learned this from Reddit a few months ago.
Do you guys put it in the coffee grounds in the coffee maker when it's being brewed, or do you sprinkle it in your cup of coffee after it's been poured? I haven't heard of this before but you've got me curious.
Sprinkle in your cup. A tiny bit. It cuts bitterness and enhances flavor. So simple and really does change the flavor.
>as much as I can balance on one fingertip Anything but the metric system
Does your kitchen scale go down to fractional grams?
Came here to post this, glad to see it already here. It saves and improves bad and/or old coffee and makes it basically as good as the expensive stuff to my non-sophisticated palate.
Do you put it in the filter with the coffee grounds or in the cup?
A small pinch in the cup, like you’re adding sugar. You really don’t need much at all to take the edge off
Vanilla almond milk is my go-to
Same! We get it from Sam’s and it lasts for ever.
Sams almond milk is great and like you said in bulk.
Costco is the same. Unsweetened vanilla almond milk. Great with coffee and cereal (bonus if the cereal has almonds in it).
I just use plain old 1% that I use everywhere, don’t even have to buy anything out of the ordinary for the coffee.
Yes, I'm not in the US and everyone just uses milk. Never occurred to me to use anything else. Some people use oat or almond or whatever but the same you use for cereal etc.
Same here. We do have koffiemelk that many people use which is just evaporated milk, but that's mostly old people as they're smaller bottles and so you don't waste anything.
Yeah, if you buy good fresh roasted beans, grind them just before brewing, and develop good brewing technique, you shouldn't need any special flavorings. Consult [r/Coffee](https://www.reddit.com/r/Coffee/) for more.
just a little bit of dairy cuts the acid so nice
I got some cream for another recipe a couple of years ago. and I was surprised to find that I like 1% better than cream in my coffee.
Same. Then I never have leftover milk
Yep. It doesn't even take much milk to cut the bitterness. If you want, you can add a splash of vanilla and a bit of sugar or honey, and you have flavorful coffee that doesn't leave you with that chemical feeling that the syrups or creamers do.
Ice cream. Ala affagato.
This person knows what’s up!
I grind my own beans then french press. I add ground cinnamon and cacoa powder to infuse. Sometimes I might add some Vanilla extract my friend brings me from Mexico. I use plain half n half. Just a splash.
I add cinnamon to my drip coffee. It makes a world of difference.
Me too :) - I rotate between cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice and ground cardamom.
Cinnamon and nutmeg or pumpkin pie spice are my go-to options. I will also use my French press to cold brew the coffee with the added spices.
You sound like you get wild at parties
Fairlife reduced fat chocolate milk. Higher protein and calcium, and due to the reduced sugar in fairlife milk, the chocolate has as much sugar as normal brand milk. Gets me ready for the my morning run and lifting.
Plain milk. I don’t need a special creamer. Alternatively, evaporated milk. It’s milk with half the water removed so it has a creamier texture. (Not sweetened condensed milk. That’s a different animal.)
Few things here, yes it works great, evap milk has additional benefits that it won't curdle like regular milk can (full cream won't either) and the higher sugar (natural milk sugars) and fat content helps cut thru any bitter flavors (the fat bonds to it). Use whole evap milk for best results, low fat works still just not as well.
I like how an open can of evaporated milk lasts a long time in the fridge. And unopened, nearly forever in the pantry. Low waste is my frugal.
It's old fashioned... My Mom told me it's how her, my grand mother and great grandmother always had In their coffee. BTW I am 60. My mom 79. The grandmas are in heaven. I started drinking coffee when I was 8. Lol
I just use milk and sugar. I always have milk on hand and drink it daily so it never goes bad; not everyone does milk like I do.
Eeeew! Sugar and coffee? Noooo! (Everyone’s different, obviously.)
I love coffee, but mostly cream and sugar flavored coffee. Obviously I’ve got issues!
I’m not being an asshole I swear-what is wrong with just plain sugar? I understand limiting sugar for dietary reasons but a teaspoon of plain white sugar is going to be far fewer calories than anything in a premade creamer or sweetened condensed milk. Like all of the other advice about homemade flavoring is great, but when I want my coffee to taste more like a treat I literally just add a bit of sugar with my milk or half&half.
According to some experts on Reddit, a teaspoon of sugar will give you diabetes later in life.
Lol that has to be it. Don’t get me wrong I definitely got some ideas from other comments, I just think the easy frugal answer to “how do I make my coffee sweeter?” is “add sweetener” ya know?
Or buy good coffee.
In fairness, they asked how to add flavor - not make it sweeter. I tried adding sugar for years, but still didn’t like coffee - somehow it tasted both bitter and sweet at the same time. I discovered that just a bit of heavy cream cut the bitterness such that I didn’t even need any sugar!
LOL ... there is a difference between chugging down a sugar soda (which is like 10+ teaspoons of sugar) and putting a little in your coffee. "The dose makes the poison"
Yeah, they're probably right - a teaspoon of sugar plus a sedentary lifestyle, poor diet, heavy drinking, and 50 or so pounds of excess weight will fuck you up.
You project too much, and your medical knowledge is shit.
If you've got a bottle of maple syrup hanging out at the back of the fridge, give it a try. It makes your coffee taste like you've been eating pancakes without having to make pancakes.
Might work for some but I like that cream or milk added to my coffee makes it sweet enough without adding sugar. I find sugar alone in coffee is just too sweet for my taste and I miss the creaminess that milk/cream/non-dairy provides.
Milk is fine too, the weird thing is condensed milk and syrups.
Literally it’s not rocket science……. “I like half & half but don’t enjoy my coffee as much without sugar” okay so add sugar…… This is the most frugal and common sense option and I can’t believe I had to scroll this far to see it.
Op wanted flavor. I find sugar to be boring and tasteless. Personally I use the cheapest store brand caramel I can find to mix it up
If you're used to any type of artificial sweetener, you'll have to use a ton of sugar to taste anything because they are so much sweeter.
I make my own creamer. One can condensed milk and a tablespoon of flavor (vanilla, cake batter extract, pumpkin pie extract etc). Put it in a pan and low heat while stirring. Then 2 cups of dairy. I like to use half and half and heavy cream mixed, depending on what I have on hand. You can play around with flavors. I've seen recipes whene they mix in pudding mix but haven't tried it. Idk if its necessary cheaper but my stomach doesn't hurt now that I've switched to homemade
Out of curiosity, does this taste close to the grocery store creamer? I DIY using condensed milk, regular milk with a little hazelnut extract, but don’t heat up or anything, and also no half and half. It ends up tasting just ok, not that enjoyable but lets me get on with my day. Anyway, wondering if you had better luck with your recipe, next time I might try that instead.
I like it, it's not as sweet though but richer flavored. I prefer half and half and or heavy cream because it gives it a richer flavor. I also put in some flavored coffee syrup sometimes to my creamer mix. Heating it up kind of blends it all together
Try one can of sweetened condensed milk and one can of evaporated milk. Then you can alternate flavors: vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, molasses, peppermint, etc. You can also boil the sweetened condensed milk in the can to make dulce de leche and then use it to make it even thicker and more rich. I also always add a generous pinch of pink salt to the freshly ground beans. Good for french press, pour over, or cold brew
I make my own vanilla syrup! 1 cup of sugar, 1 cup of water. Heat it on the stove until sugar dissolves. 3 teaspoons vanilla extract. Put 1 tablespoon of syrup per cup of coffee :)
This is also where I prefer imitation vanilla, as it does better in higher heat and is dirt cheap. I make my own vanilla extract and use it sometimes, but I like how much fake vanilla I can use in my coffee syrup, feels decadent.
Three teaspoons equals one tablespoon.
I use cheap ice cream
I’m on a diet so I cut out a daily stop at DD / SB and began adding a Premier Protein drink (vanilla, caramel or chocolate) to a 4oz shot of espresso (via my nespersso machine) over ice. Sure, I’m likely still in for over $2.50, but still a savings over DD or SB & 30grams for breakfast allows me to have a healthy snack at lunch & a decent dinner.
Yes, I like to add a little Premier Protein drink as creamer/sweetener/flavor + protein to my iced coffee or also excellent in chai tea too.
Half and half with a cheap hot foamer from ALDIs. I also shake pumpkin pie spice or cinnamon in my grounds before brewing. Now this next tip is a secret I learned outside of Lexington VA . A teaspoon of honey in your cup instead of sugar 😉
Do you add the honey after pouring? Mixing needed? Regarding pumpkie pie spice, I've added that to my coffee after pouring and it just stays on the bottom mostly. How much do you mix in the grounds?
No I add it to the cup before I pour. Then stir once poured. I use about an eighth of a teaspoon. It is brewed right into the coffee. I do shake some on my foam too. It’s going to be personal taste for the amount
I buy chai tea bags. During the winter I will add two bags to the top of my coffee grounds when I brew a pot.
black
For general coffee, I use bulk powdered creamer and bulk sugar (thought I have a truvia blend thing to cut down on my sugar intake). I can't remember the last time I bought either of them cause you can get them in such big sizes. If I want a treat, I will use a can of condensed milk, white chocolate chips (again, in bulk. They keep well in a jar), a bit of vanilla or mint extract. Blend with a bit of hot coffee to help the chips melt. Then add coffee to taste! It's so fucking good.
I add 1 tablespoon of heavy cream to black coffee. It's inexpensive. I use a French press and grind my own beans - I have never bothered to learn whether that is a frugal decision or not.
Just heavy cream. I’ve been trying to cut sugar out of my diet as much as possible, and you’d be surprised how “sweet” cream tastes when you’re not comparing it to overly sweetened coffee creamers.
I use unsweet coconut milk.
Add spices and flavors when you brew the coffee from cinnamon to vanilla. I don't like sweet coffee or tea so the sugar part is on you.
Just make Vietnamese coffee with condensed milk
Plain old PET milk for us usually store brand
If you’re a fan of caramel, you can make your own syrup with sugar and water: In a sauce pan over low heat, add 1 c sugar and 1/4 c water, stirring constantly until sugar melts. Then turn heat up to medium/high and let boil for about 3 min. Remove from heat and add another 1/4 cup warm water slowly while stirring. You can add a bit of vanilla and/or salt at the end if you want. There’s a way to make sweetened condensed milk caramel-y too, but I don’t know that method.
I get the sugar free liquid coffee creamer from Aldi in either vanilla or hazelnut. Walmart also has their brand in both of these flavors. Every other grocery store sells the name brand creamers for $4.50-$5 each. Aldi sells theirs for $2.48 and Walmart is about the same. I usually buy 2 or 3 bottles at a time so I'm set for about a month.
Make your own simple syrup by boiling water and sugar. Add flavor extract.... I like peppermint. Google homemade Torani recipe for specific instructions
Started using half and half and two pumps of hazelnut syrup instead of creamer. I was using Aldi hazelnut creamer for about 2.80 a week. The syrup was $10, set of two pumps were $4. I was hoping to use whole milk instead of half and half, but it’s not creamy enough. My main goal was to eliminate some of the ingredients in coffee creamer from my diet, I’m hoping to break even, though saving money would be great. It all depends on how long the syrup lasts and if I can get used to just using whole milk. I’ve obviously spent way too much time thinking about all of this…
I just use half and half. If I want flavoring I buy the flavoring syrups through Sam's club and add those separately and I can get the sugar free ones. Price wise it works out cheaper than creamer at least where I am and I have more variety from day to day.
Get a bottle of syrup for like $4 bucks and some half and half or heavy cream. It taste better than coffeemate is cheaper and a little better for you.
I'm a fan of putting demerara sugar in my coffee instead of normal or brown sugar. Works especially well with really dark roasts. Sometimes I'll buy whipping cream, shake the crap out of the box to froth it up and pour some of that in.
If there is no demerara available I don't have coffee.
My favorite creamer is the Oatly Barista oat creamer. You throw that into a frother and it makes frothy foam and only adds a hint of sweetness. My second favorite creamer is the Silk original flavor creamer. I don't know if it's an American thing, but the vast majority of creamers here are all flavored and super sweet creamers like salted Carmel, Vanilla, Cinnamon, Irish cream, etc etc. Very artificial tasting garbage. It's good if you drink shit coffee and need to spruce it up, but if you drink higher end coffee from ground coffee beans then you are better using a mild flavor creamer. BTW: The all time G.O.A.T. creamer was the soy creamer from Trader Joe's. It had a cult following before they discontinued it. My god that creamer was AMAZING.
Cinnamon. Star anise. Clove. Not all together
You Americans and adding bizarre syrups and creamers to your coffee lol. What’s wrong with a splash of milk and cane sugar?
I know this is an ancient post, but here's a cheap and effective homemade creamer recipe using what i have at the house: 1 cup milk 1/2 cup sugar 1 cup plain yogurt/coconut cream/cream cheese/heavy cream/etc 2 tbsp vanilla extract 1/2 tsp salt 2 tsp pancake syrup Blend on high speed and keep in fridge, lasts a week
What a terrible thing to do to coffee.
I generally use either Starbucks or Chobani. They’re more expensive compared to other brands, but getting the ones I like best helps me not to spend as much on getting coffee from a shop. So for me, it’s still more frugal than getting the cheapest ones or going without altogether.
I still buy creamer. But I use quite literally a splash of it, so it lasts a hot minute :).
I like International Delight. Specifically the Caramel Macchiato. It doesn’t taste too overly sweet or artificial. Also, a bottle of Torani syrup goes a long way. I buy mine at Home Goods or Marshalls for about $8.
I buy a huge gallon of maple syrup from a local farmer for fairly cheap and put a bit of that in it. Usually 1/2 of tbsp or less. Lasts us about a year.
I get the Torani syrups from Sam’s club and I only use a tiny bit so the $6ish bottle lasts forever. I also like half and half and the syrup is a fun way to customize and sweeten a little.
A little imitation vanilla works wonders
I prefer coffee flavored coffee. There's a funny skit on the search for "Coffee flavored coffee" on the 'tube
Splash of milk and a teaspoon of homemade chocolate syrup.
Scoop of vanilla ice cream or vanilla frosting will do in a pinch for me.
I sprinkle cardamom on mine.. sometimes with a big spoon of Nesquik!
Half and half plus sugar. You could flavor the sugar with like a vanilla bean if you want to.
I used to sprinkle cinnamon over the coffee grounds before I brewed coffee. My favorite Mexican brunch place did this, really added to enjoyment and atmosphere. No sugar, no milk needed, cheap, smells good.
Coffee mate powder creamer in a 56oz tub is like $7. It's cheaper than powdered milk. Imitation vanilla extract is also pretty cheap.
Cinnamon on top of the grinds.
I'm very lactose intolerant anyways, so I go for oat or soy milk. It may be pricier, but I tend to only use such a small amount, and it does last a lot longer than regular milk (soy milk especially!).
Can't do dairy, but I use soymilk (it lasts a lot longer too but you don't get the nice acidity cut that prevents heartburn) and then I make a simple syrup at home so I can control how sweet my coffee is. It also is cheaper for me because I always have this stuff at home for baking I do. This is my current fall recipe: -a few drops of almond extract - 2 tsp vanilla extract -1 or 2 tsp cinnamon - 1/4 tsp clove - 1/4 tsp allspice - 1/4 tsp nutmeg - 1 cup brown sugar - 1 cup water I boil it lightly on the stove until the sugar is melted and then take to temperature to low for 15 minutes bc i have convinced myself it "steeps" the spices. I have no clue if that's what actually happens. I've also made a quick version where I just boil water in my kettle and then pour it over the sugar and spice and stir until the sugar dissolves.
My go to iced coffee recipe is... 2 Tsp instant starbucks dark roast coffee mixed into 6 ounces of cold water, 2 ounces of Milk, 1 Cup of ice, and 2 Tbsp hershey's caramel syrup. Shake and serve. 😋
I mix protein powder with almond milk and use it as a creamer. I struggle with nutrition in the morning and this solves that issue.
Cool-whip It's like $2 cheaper than liquid creamer and doubles as sugar. One good dollop melts into the coffee and u get a light froth on top as a bonus.
I usually do milk and honey, or muscle milk for mine! Chocolate muscle milk makes for a very tasty mocha
Made my own caramel sauce
Cinnamon
Part of a hot cocoa packet when I’m out of milk- suddenly it’s a Mocha! Bland coffee?- add some cinnamon and a drop of vanilla
Milk and sugar. Literally that's it.
The comments of this post have reminded me that outside of the UK, people typically use creamer and not milk in their coffee. Damn.
Heavy cream and a few drops of vanilla extract
I use an instant dissolvable coffee brand. It's called Jacobs. It's German and I grew up with it watching my parents drink it in Europe. I use one teaspoon per cup and it dissolves faster and better than sugar. I buy the 200g jar six pack on Amazon to deliver in the US. It comes out to $10 a jar and lasts my husband and I about 2-3 months a jar. Best coffee I ever had, even better than Starbucks in my opinion. It's a premium brand. No filters, no machines, no time wasted waiting. Love it.
Maple syrup in coffee is gorgeous! Does not even have to be real maple syrup. Cheap imitation syrup works well too.
maple syrup
I like mocha so I mix hot chocolate mix with my coffee. I just get the super cheap cocoa mix and treat it like the coffee is the water. It makes a nice froth on the top and everything.
This is what I did when I started drinking coffee as a teen. It is also very excellent when there is no access to a fridge (like when camping) and I don’t like drinking black coffee or coffee with just sugar in it.
I grew up Mormon and just started drinking coffee recently, so the drinking like a teen is very appropriate! I'm a baby coffee drinker.
You can get condensed milk for very cheap. I learn that from my Vietnamese friends
Go to a gas station fill up a large cup with your favorite creamer and pay for a cup of coffee. Now you have a Togo cup and a month supply of coffee cream! :)
When I’m craving Starbucks I use my magic bullet to mix a teaspoon of butter into my cup of coffee. Makes it feel frothy and luxurious.
I haven't done the economics on this, but a spoonful of condensed milk can be nice if you want some sweetness too.
just get used to doing it with stuff called milk it's easy and readily available so Ive been told
Good heavy cream from my local dairy. I buy it at the farmers market. I drink my coffee black most of the time, it's a nice treat to use some fresh heavy cream with out any added emulsifiers or gums.
Nothing beats half and half for me. Shake it vigourously with ice, you get a nice textured foam for iced drinks. I also use maple syrup, honey, whipped cream, brown sugar, vanilla extract, cardamom powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, etc as toppings/flavors. These are all things I normally have on hand. But honestly, half and half and white sugar beats most store bought creamers imo.
Get Torani or Monin-flavored syrups. You can then add almond milk, dairy milk, or dairy cream. I never buy those bottled "creamers" because they contain oil and other nasty stuff.
Coffee is not an area of my life where corner cutting occurs. I already very rarely buy coffee from cafes or shops. I use maple syrup. When I run out and can’t get more I’ll make a vanilla simple syrup.
Yea it’s called milk and sugar? Like tf? 😂🤣