Coffee creamer is the fastest and crowd’s favorite way to make a boring cup of joe more luscious and richer in taste. While purists might disagree with spoiling a perfectly good cup of coffee with additives, creamer is a staple in almost everyone’s fridge. Since it has such a high fat content, can’t we use it as a milk substitute? Can you froth creamer?
Let’s find out.
Topics Explored
- What is Coffee Creamer?
- What’s In It? This Is The Secret
- Can You Froth Creamer?
- What Are Creamers You Can Froth?
- How to Froth Creamer
- More Questions
What is Coffee Creamer?
Coffee creamer is an addition for coffee for those who want to flavor or tone down the sharpness of their daily cup. You can get them in liquid and powder forms and even dairy-free.
Powder creamers are whiteners that you can store in your cupboard. Liquid creamers are richer and must be stored in a fridge.
What’s In It? This Is The Secret
It’s the proteins in the dairy milk that help stabilize the foam. They hold up the bubbles’ walls and prevent the foam from collapsing.
Since some creamers don’t contain dairy or are artificial, they make up for it with an additive called gellan. Gellan bonds with the calcium to mimic the effect of the dairy, protein-rich milk(1).
Can You Froth Creamer?
So, can you froth creamer? The short answer is yes, and in many ways. As long as you check the ingredient list for dairy or gellan, you can go for it. The percentage of protein, fat, or gellan will affect the taste and stability of the foam.
What Are Creamers You Can Froth?
You can flavor your coffee with every creamer, but you can’t froth all of them. So if you were wondering, can you froth creamer made from plant or non-dairy milk, we have the answers.
Dairy Creamers
Dairy creamers are made with cream, milk, or sweetened condensed milk and sweetener. Depending on the dairy content, dairy creamers will froth similar to milk products such as half and half or whole milk.
They’re very popular and the easiest to find. Even big brands like Starbucks and Coffee Mate make dairy creamers.
Plant-Milk Creamers
Plant milk contains varying fats and proteins, depending on the source. Therefore, plant-milk creamers can go both ways – great or terrible for frothing.
Plant milk creamers with an oat milk base are one of the easiest to froth. Some of them also have additives like gellan that help them perform better.
Non-Dairy Creamers
Non-dairy creamer is also called coffee whitener and usually comes in powder form. It has a long list of ingredients, including corn syrup, vegetable fats and oils, and sodium caseinate, a milk-derived protein(2).
Surprisingly, you can froth it as it’s stabilized with gellan.
How to Froth Creamer
Since there are different types of creamers, there are several ways you can try to froth them. They’re all familiar, and you won’t need any special equipment. You’d just have to try and see what works with your preferred creamer!
Using a steam wand
Instructions:
If you’ve ever frothed milk with the espresso machine’s steam wand, the same process applies to creamer too.
- Fill a pitcher less than halfway with liquid creamer. Submerge the want less than an inch under the creamer’s surface.
- Release the steam and move the wand up and down to create a vortex continuously. Careful not to overheat the creamer.
- Once the creamer has doubled in size and you notice a layer of airy foam on top, it’s time to turn off the steam. Your creamer is frothed!
Using a frother
Instructions:
If you don’t have an espresso machine on hand, a milk frother will work just as well. This way, you can produce hot and cold foam.
- Fill the frother’s jug with cold liquid creamer up to the mark. Set the temperature, whether you’d like hot or cold foam.
- Start the frother. The induction whisk inside will spin the creamer to create a smooth and even foam.
- Most electric frothers automatically shut off when the process is over, so you don’t have to pay close attention. And there you have a perfectly frothed creamer.
Using a mason jar
Instructions:
The mason jar method is the most convenient when you don’t have or don’t want to invest in appliances.
- Get a mason jar with a lid that seals tightly. Fill half of the jar with cold liquid creamer and close it.
- Shake the jar vigorously for a few minutes until it almost doubles in size. It’s a great arm workout!
- Take the lid off; if you want hot foam, put the jar for 30 seconds in the microwave; otherwise, your frothed creamer is ready!
Using a french press
Instructions:
If you have a french press lying around, you can use it to froth creamer too. First, make sure it’s cleaned and dried.
- For hot foam, measure out exactly how much you’ll need and warm up your creamer in the microwave for no more than 30 seconds.
- Pour either the hot or cold creamer into the french press and put the plunger and lid back in.
- Rapidly move the plunger with the attached filter up and down to force air and froth the creamer.
- When it’s over halfway doubled in volume, remove the lid, and your frothed creamer is ready.
Using a Magic Bullet
Instructions:
A Magic Bullet is probably the fastest way to froth creamer, as it’s powerful and requires no manual labor.
- Fill the cup with cold creamer leaving enough space for the foam. Don’t use warm creamer as you’re risking an explosion!
- Attach the cross blade and place your cup onto the base. Run the Magic Bullet for 10 to 15 seconds.
- If you want hot frothed creamer, unscrew the lid and place the cup in the microwave for 30 seconds. Your frothed creamer is ready to be poured or scooped.
Using an immersion blender
Instructions:
An immersion blender is the most versatile tool you probably have in your kitchen. Now we’ll use it to froth the creamer.
- Warm up the creamer in advance if you prefer hot froth. Next, place it in a tall pitcher or container to avoid making a mess.
- Submerge the bender entirely and then start running it on low. Move it up and down until it forms a sufficient amount of foam.
- The process shouldn’t take more than 10 seconds. Remove the blender and enjoy your frothy creamer.
Final Words
Plain coffee can be bland sometimes, and creamers are a fast and proven way to make a cup feel richer, silkier, and milky – even without the dairy. They can be powder or liquid, making them convenient to keep at home or in the office.
Can you froth creamer and take it to the next level? Absolutely, just pick one with gellan and enough protein or dairy. There are several proven frothing methods you can try and perfect.
More Questions
Can you froth coffee creamer?
You can froth creamer the same way you would froth milk. However, milk has protein that binds with the water in the milk and strengthens the walls of the foam bubbles.
This makes milk foam long-lasting. To achieve this with a creamer, look for one with enough protein and an additive called gellan.
Can you froth flavored creamer?
A flavored creamer is no different when it comes to frothing. You can apply the same method as you would with a regular creamer.
Of course, you need to check the label if there are sufficient proteins, fats, or stabilizers like gellan that would help make a rich and lasting foam
Can you froth creamer without a frother?
If you’re not an amateur barista and don’t have frothers lying around, you can still froth creamer at home.
You don’t have to purchase special equipment; a mason jar or an immersion blender will work just fine. Some methods might take a little longer or require physical labor, but they use tools you already own.
Wondering where your info comes from? We totally understand. Hey Joe only obtains our information from reputable sources. Contents from this article are sourced from the following publications:
- Cooks Illustrated: https://www.cooksillustrated.com/how_tos/10324-getting-nondairy-milks-to-froth
- Food Additives: https://foodadditives.net/emulsifiers/non-dairy-creamer/
