Homemade Cherry Almond Creamer

Gussy up your morning brew with a delicious dash of this Homemade Cherry Almond Creamer! It's creamy, fruity, nutty, and made in just TWO easy steps — the perfect way to enjoy your favorite summer flavors year-round.

Welcome to (early) summer at Coffee Copycat, where the flavors are fresh and the drinks are perfectly caffeinated and refreshing! Today's recipe of choice? Cherry almond coffee creamer. 😍

It's creamy, it's sweet, it's nutty, and it adds the best of summer fruit season to all your hot and cold coffee bevvies! Like all summer recipes should be, it's quick and easy (just combine the ingredients and stir!) so you have more time to enjoy the finer things of the season.

Enjoy a splash in everything from espresso and drip coffee to iced lattes, cold brews, and nitro. Sip and savor with a family member or friend, with a book, on the back porch, or however you deem it best to make the best of the fleeting season. You'll be so glad you did!

Crazy about cherries? You're smart! Continue to get your cherry fix with a Cherry Mocha Latte and Iced Cherry Chai!

Jump to:

• What is Cherry Almond Coffee Creamer?
• What Does it Taste Like?
• Why You'll Love Cherry Almond Coffee Creamer
• Ingredients
• Substitutions
• How to Make Cherry Almond Coffee Creamer
• Optional Variations & Dietary Adjustments
• Serving Suggestions
• Recipe Success Tips
• Nutritional Info
• Other Homemade Creamer Recipes
• Homemade Cherry Almond Creamer

What is Cherry Almond Coffee Creamer?

Cherry coffee creamer is a homemade creamer that tastes like sweet and juicy fresh summer cherries with a hint of nutty almond. With a base of half-and-half and cream, this creamer adds a touch of indulgence to hot and cold coffees alike, but can also be used to flavor hot chocolate, milkshakes, cocktails and more (see my 'servings section' below)!

What Does it Taste Like?

Imagine walking through a cherry orchard during the height of the summer harvest. The trees are full with ripe and gorgeous, deep red cherries. You reach up to grab a few, take a bite, and their ruby red juices drip down your chin. The cherries are sweet, juicy, and feature light almond notes. You close your eyes and savor the flavor, deciding you want a way to bottle up these flavors, so you can enjoy them any time.

This cherry almond creamer recipe is the answer to that desire. With a rich and creamy base, fresh cherry flavor, and a touch of real almond extract, every splash of creamer transports your coffee hour to an idyllic cherry orchard. It's fresh, real (no artificial flavors or sweet sweeteners here!), indulgent, and reminds you of the simple pleasures of life.

Why You'll Love Cherry Almond Coffee Creamer

• Super Simple - Not only does this recipe have a short ingredient list, but the assembly is even shorter! Just add the ingredients to a mason jar, stir, and drizzle the creamer into your next drink. Easy peasy! 👏
• Fresh and Fruity - Whether you make the syrup with fresh or frozen cherries, it is an unexpectedly perfect way to enjoy your favorite warm weather flavors.
• No Artificial ANYTHING - Only a handful of natural ingredients are needed to make this homemade creamer — no strange chemicals or hard-to-pronounce words — making it worlds better for you (and better tasting) than store-bought!

Ingredients

Speaking of natural ingredients, here's what you'll need to make this copycat version of the cherry almond macaron creamer:

• Cherry Simple Syrup - Made by simmering fresh or frozen cherries with water, sugar, and almond extract, this homemade syrup tastes like fresh summer cherries, adding a natural pink color and flavorful cherry flavor to the creamer. Although you can use store-bought creamer if needed, homemade syrup adds superior flavor and is ready in a few super simple steps.
• Half-and-Half - What's a homemade creamer without half-and-half? Not much, if you ask me! Made from equal parts whole milk and cream, it makes up the rich and creamy base of the creamer. For the best flavor, use good-quality creamer with a good expiration date.
• Heavy Cream - The cherry syrup dilutes the half-and-half a bit, so I like to add an extra ½ cup of heavy cream for extra richness. Be sure to use fresh cream for the best flavor.
• Almond Extract - If desired, add up to ¼ teaspoon of almond extract to the creamer for an enhanced nutty taste. Pure almond extract will give the purest flavor.

Substitutions

Don't have everything listed above? It happens! Here's some approved swaps, making this recipe doable with alternatives you may have on hand:

• Syrup - Premade cherry syrup makes this recipe even quicker and no-fuss. I recommend coffee syrups if possible, marashino cherry syrup lacks that true cherry flavor. Alternatively, use blueberry, blackberry, or strawberry syrup to add a similar summery twist!
• Half-and-Half - Mix equal parts whole milk and cream to make DIY half-and-half, swap canned evaporated whole milk, or reduce the dairy content by using dairy-free half-and-half.
• Cream - Add tropical undertones to the creamer by substituting coconut cream for the heavy cream. For a more mild taste that is also sans dairy, use dairy-free cream.

How to Make Cherry Almond Coffee Creamer

Whipping up this cherry coffee creamer is remarkably simple and can be done in just two steps! Here's how to do it:

Step 1: Add the half-and-half, cherry syrup, heavy cream, and almond extract (if using) to a large mason jar. Stir well until combined.

Step 2: Enjoy it in all your favorite coffee drinks, from cold brew and French press to espresso and drip! Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 7 days.

Optional Variations & Dietary Adjustments

Regardless of your dietary preferences and needs, I got you, boo! Here's how to adjust this cherry almond coffee creamer to work for YOU:

• Dairy-Free & Vegan — Enjoy your creamer devoid of dairy or animal ingredients by substituting 2 cups of dairy-free half-and-half or 1 ½ cups dairy-free half-and-half and ½ cup dairy-free heavy whipping cream.
• Processed Sugar-Free — Make this creamer free of any processed sugars by substituting pure maple syrup for the granulated sugar when making the cherry syrup.
• Low-Sugar — If ultra-low sugar is your thing, make the cherry syrup with monk fruit sweetener instead of white sugar.
• Nut-Free — Can't do nuts? No problem, just omit the almond extract from the cherry syrup recipe (or swap it with vanilla extract).
• Reduced-Fat — Swap whole milk for half-and-half for a lighter, but still indulgent experience!

Serving Suggestions

No matter the occasion, this creamer always takes coffee hour from okay to yey!

• Morning Marvel — Stir it into a hot mug of freshly brewed coffee or your favorite cold brew for a fantastic cup of coffee that's guaranteed to be the best start your day.
• Afternoon Pick-Me-Up — Prevent the afternoon sleepies by making your afternoon latte with 2 parts milk of choice and 1 part almond cherry macaron coffee creamer.
• Caffeinated Happy Hour — Omit the almond extract and amp up the almond flavor by stirring a shot of amaretto liqueur into cold brew or iced coffee with the creamer.
• Hot Chocolate — Chocolate and cherries go together like coffee and creamer! Make hot cocoa, substituting up to a quarter cup of the milk with cherry creamer for a next-level treat!
• Milkshake Delight — Ever had a cherry shake? They are one of a kind! Treat yourself to a fruity and cooling drinkable dessert by blending ¼ cup of the creamer with 1 ½ cups of vanilla ice cream. Serve cold with whipped cream, sprinkles, and a cherry on top!
  

Recipe Success Tips

• Use cool cherry syrup. For the best texture and consistency, the homemade syrup needs to be cooled entirely to room temperature before combining it with the half-and-half and cream. Cool it quickly by pouring it into an 8x8-inch pan and placing it in the refrigerator for 1-2 hours or in the freezer for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
• Add almond extract to taste. For almond oomph, add an extra drop or two of almond extract to taste. If you prefer a more modest cherry almond flavor, reduce or omit the almond extract from the syrup.
• Note the storage directions. The cherry coffee creamer keeps best when stored in a Mason jar or glass container in the refrigerator. It can be kept for up to a week, possibly longer if your half-and-half and creamer have later expiration dates.
• Freezing directions. For even longer storage, pour the creamer into an ice cube tray and freeze for 4-6 hours or until solid. Transfer the cubes to a freezer-safe container and store them in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw the cubes at room temperature for an hour or defrost in the microwave before using them in hot coffee. Alternatively, add them directly to iced coffee or frappuccinos for a delightful extra burst of cherry flavor.

Nutritional Info

Each quarter cup serving of this copycat cherry almond macaron creamer has 131 calories, consisting of 7 grams of fat and 17 grams of carbohydrate (16 of which come from sugar), making it an indulgent but still doable addition to a balanced diet.

If that nutritional profile is more than you care to enjoy daily, there are many ways to lighten it. For example, reduce the serving size to 1 tablespoon (32 calories) or 2 tablespoons (64 calories), swap whole milk for the half-and-half, or sweeten the cherry syrup with monk fruit (lowering the carbs to just a few per serving).

Whichever way you enjoy it, this recipe is low in sodium (only 21 milligrams per ¼ cup) and low in protein (1 gram per serving), both of which are common for coffee creamers. Being mindful of sodium is smart for many diets, though you can increase the protein if desired by stirring in ¼ cup of unflavored collagen peptides or substituting filtered whole milk (such as Fairlife) for the half-and-half.

Total nutritional content per serving is:

• Calories: 131 calories
• Total Fat: 7 grams
• Protein: 1 grams
• Sodium: 21 mg
• Carbohydrates: 17 grams
• Sugar: 16 grams

*This nutritional information is an estimate and calculated based on the ingredients used to create the recipe. The nutritional value of your ingredients may differ slightly. Furthermore, this food is not intended to prevent, diagnose, cure, or treat any disease.

Other Homemade Creamer Recipes

xoxo Megan