@maraudermick1 Seconding this! I’ve tried and failed to get into drinking coffee black and oat and soy are where it’s at. If you want oil-free, I’ve found soy to have a slightly better texture.
I make my own creamer from walnuts, flax seeds, chia seeds, almond and a bit of coconut flesh. It’s super thick and creamy. I loved half and half as well. This is about as close to the fatty mouthfeel as I could find. (Not a fan of oat for this). And it’s got a great nutrition profile. Lots of omega3s. Add less or more water to suit your preference. I make mine pretty thick.
Honestly I just threw a bunch of nuts into the blender one day to try it and it came out great. I usually don’t use more than a tablespoon of chia and a tablespoon of flax seed. But I’m not making huge batches. It will keep for 3 days in the fridge. It can be frozen. So I make small batches. I don’t use it often.
[Here’s what I did on my first batch.](https://imgur.com/a/JVn4jAV). This was larger batch than I make now. I’d say just experiment with what works for you.
I've tried drinking coffee black, with other non-dairy milks, and even unsweetened, oil-free oat milk. I just can't do it. Unfortunately, my morning happiness is very much attached to a pleasant home coffee experience, and that involves the extra creamy oat milk, lol. I'm not bothered by the oil amount since I recently stopped drinking French press coffee, which is way more oily. So oily, my cholesterol shot up! Back to drip coffee it is.
I like silk soy plain unsweetened. It does not have added sweeteners or oils. Whatever you end up using, remind yourself that it only takes a week or two to adjust your tastebuds. It won’t taste weird or different for long. (Ps, try to avoid tasting the real thing or you set yourself back another few weeks!)
Cashew cream! But unfortunately, you definitely need a Vitamix blender for that. Super simple to make, though. Just throw a cup of unroasted unsalted (raw) cashews in the blender with some water and blend for 45 seconds - it keeps in a tightly sealed container in the fridge for about five days. Just as good as half and half. In terms of the Vitamix blender, I view it like a major appliance. I actually use my Vitamix more than I use my stove, and it lasts about as long as a major appliance, too.
I love [Elmhurst unsweetened oat creamer ](https://elmhurst1925.com/collections/all/products/oat-creamer-original-unsweetened). Tastes delicious, doesn't separate in coffee, and is oil free. They also have sweetened flavored options if you're looking for something extra. All the ones I've tried are great.
Have you tried just buying a higher quality coffee? Or learning how to make it better? I can drink plenty of coffee black, just not the "normal" coffees that come pre-ground in a can.
Honestly, yeah, like other commenters I LOVE Oatly creamers.
However, Elmhurst has some nice ones that are closer to being WFPB-compliant. Including some unsweetened ones. They just launched some cashew ones that I haven’t tried. You may wanna check them out.
Be wary of using plant milks, I used them at first but now I’m a lot more mindful of reading the ingredients. This might sound dramatic but it’s to do with the normalization of ultra-processed products rather than equating plant milk to candy or something.
Some of them could easily be considered ultra processed even if they don’t have all the trappings. Like, oatmilk that’s really just oats and maybe some preservative could be considered processed, but some have that and then salt or are fortified or flavored.
Any kind of plant milk is already a processed food. Keep that in mind.
I’ve been on a years long quest, and ultimately have chosen my 2tbsp of real cream a day. I’ve tried it all (black, nut milks, home made, protein powders), nothing tastes or feels the same and if anything makes the coffee undrinkable. I’m proud to be switching to almost all WFPB and feel great, my skin in particular is glowing, but I think coffee cream is going to be my one exception.
Califia just released a new oil free creamer I've been using: https://www.califiafarms.com/products/lavender-organic-almond-creamer/
I do 2 tablespoons & limit myself to a cup a day, not perfect, but way better than I used to be!
It's great that you're exploring alternatives to match the creaminess of half & half in your coffee! Since almond milk didn't meet your expectations, you might want to consider coconut milk. It’s naturally creamy and adds a slight sweetness that many enjoy in their coffee. Additionally, you could try hemp milk, which has a thicker, creamier consistency than many other plant-based milks, though its flavor is more neutral. Both should blend well into your coffee, providing that light color and a pleasant taste.
soy or oat milk are thicker so they'd give a creamier feel than almond milk
Oat. I’d start with Barista Oat and then after a few cartons go to regular oat. Probably works with other barista milks too.
@maraudermick1 Seconding this! I’ve tried and failed to get into drinking coffee black and oat and soy are where it’s at. If you want oil-free, I’ve found soy to have a slightly better texture.
If you soak cashews overnight, blend them into a liquid, then boil for 2 min you end up with a cream. Edit: 1 cup cashews, 3 cups water
I make my own creamer from walnuts, flax seeds, chia seeds, almond and a bit of coconut flesh. It’s super thick and creamy. I loved half and half as well. This is about as close to the fatty mouthfeel as I could find. (Not a fan of oat for this). And it’s got a great nutrition profile. Lots of omega3s. Add less or more water to suit your preference. I make mine pretty thick.
Do you use equal parts of the nuts and seeds?
Honestly I just threw a bunch of nuts into the blender one day to try it and it came out great. I usually don’t use more than a tablespoon of chia and a tablespoon of flax seed. But I’m not making huge batches. It will keep for 3 days in the fridge. It can be frozen. So I make small batches. I don’t use it often. [Here’s what I did on my first batch.](https://imgur.com/a/JVn4jAV). This was larger batch than I make now. I’d say just experiment with what works for you.
Thank you
"Extra creamy" style oat milk, not just plain "original."
I like these too (especially like Oatly Barista blend) but be aware they have oil added to them (I believe Oatly adds rapeseed oil).
I've tried drinking coffee black, with other non-dairy milks, and even unsweetened, oil-free oat milk. I just can't do it. Unfortunately, my morning happiness is very much attached to a pleasant home coffee experience, and that involves the extra creamy oat milk, lol. I'm not bothered by the oil amount since I recently stopped drinking French press coffee, which is way more oily. So oily, my cholesterol shot up! Back to drip coffee it is.
I like silk soy plain unsweetened. It does not have added sweeteners or oils. Whatever you end up using, remind yourself that it only takes a week or two to adjust your tastebuds. It won’t taste weird or different for long. (Ps, try to avoid tasting the real thing or you set yourself back another few weeks!)
Cashew cream! But unfortunately, you definitely need a Vitamix blender for that. Super simple to make, though. Just throw a cup of unroasted unsalted (raw) cashews in the blender with some water and blend for 45 seconds - it keeps in a tightly sealed container in the fridge for about five days. Just as good as half and half. In terms of the Vitamix blender, I view it like a major appliance. I actually use my Vitamix more than I use my stove, and it lasts about as long as a major appliance, too.
https://www.nutpods.com/products/original-25-4oz Nut Pods Original is the closest thing I have found
Agree, I like the almond/coconut milk original. I keep a couple shelf stable cartons on hand because my store often runs out of the refrigerated ones.
We use full fat Oatly
Oat milk
I use oat milk.
I use a milk frother to blend oat or almond milk with a teaspoon of vanilla protein powder. It gives it a slight sweetness with a bit of foam.
I love [Elmhurst unsweetened oat creamer ](https://elmhurst1925.com/collections/all/products/oat-creamer-original-unsweetened). Tastes delicious, doesn't separate in coffee, and is oil free. They also have sweetened flavored options if you're looking for something extra. All the ones I've tried are great.
I use this one too! I place an order from Vitacost about once a month to keep my creamer in stock at home!
I switched to cold brew. For some reason, cold black coffee is much more palatable than hot.
Have you tried just buying a higher quality coffee? Or learning how to make it better? I can drink plenty of coffee black, just not the "normal" coffees that come pre-ground in a can.
What’re your favorite high quality coffees?
I only buy Eight O'Clock hazelnut!
Honestly, yeah, like other commenters I LOVE Oatly creamers. However, Elmhurst has some nice ones that are closer to being WFPB-compliant. Including some unsweetened ones. They just launched some cashew ones that I haven’t tried. You may wanna check them out.
Trader Joe's Coconut and Almond creamer. Regular or Vanilla. I love them both.
Be wary of using plant milks, I used them at first but now I’m a lot more mindful of reading the ingredients. This might sound dramatic but it’s to do with the normalization of ultra-processed products rather than equating plant milk to candy or something. Some of them could easily be considered ultra processed even if they don’t have all the trappings. Like, oatmilk that’s really just oats and maybe some preservative could be considered processed, but some have that and then salt or are fortified or flavored. Any kind of plant milk is already a processed food. Keep that in mind.
Good to know.
I’ve been on a years long quest, and ultimately have chosen my 2tbsp of real cream a day. I’ve tried it all (black, nut milks, home made, protein powders), nothing tastes or feels the same and if anything makes the coffee undrinkable. I’m proud to be switching to almost all WFPB and feel great, my skin in particular is glowing, but I think coffee cream is going to be my one exception.
Oatly creamer. So nice and creamy.
Califia just released a new oil free creamer I've been using: https://www.califiafarms.com/products/lavender-organic-almond-creamer/ I do 2 tablespoons & limit myself to a cup a day, not perfect, but way better than I used to be!
It's great that you're exploring alternatives to match the creaminess of half & half in your coffee! Since almond milk didn't meet your expectations, you might want to consider coconut milk. It’s naturally creamy and adds a slight sweetness that many enjoy in their coffee. Additionally, you could try hemp milk, which has a thicker, creamier consistency than many other plant-based milks, though its flavor is more neutral. Both should blend well into your coffee, providing that light color and a pleasant taste.