Rise and Shine and DIY: How to Make (a Cheaper) Coffee Creamer at Home

Coffee is a necessary morning crutch for people from all walks of life. And sometimes it seems like there is absolutely no affordable way to indulge in it, especially when you consider expensive coffee shop concoctions (I am fully convinced that Starbucks' name is really just a clever nod to its astronomical prices) and overpriced store-bought creamers. To make your morning java jolt more affordable, however, you can turn to trusty TikTok to unlock cheap, made-at-home creamer recipes.

TikTok user @katierpollard shared her recipe for homemade coffee creamer and all you'll need is three affordable ingredients: one can of sweetened condensed milk, a cup of your preferred milk, and a tablespoon of vanilla extract. Mix it all in a jar and voila: vanilla coffee creamer.

While coffee creamer can run shoppers anywhere from $4 to nearly $10 a bottle depending on the brand and variety, this alternative aims to be much more affordable. A can of sweetened condensed milk runs about $2, and you'll be able to make several batches out of one bottle of vanilla extract and a gallon of milk, so the $10 or so you're likely to spend on those ingredients will go a lot further than your standard bottle of store-bought creamer.

Gallery: The Best (and Worst) Store-Bought Coffee Creamers

Another TikTok user, @thecraftologist, points out that creamers at the store are chock-full of unfamiliar ingredients while at-home recipes are much simpler. Plus, if you want to get creative and swap the vanilla extract out for a different flavor of extract or syrup, there are plenty of recipes to choose from. 

For more ways to save money on grocieries, please sign up for our free newsletters.