Try A Healthy Coffee Creamer Alternative That's Rich, Frothy, And Dairy-Free

We may receive a commission on purchases made from links.

There's plenty of discourse out there on whether or not drinking coffee is good for you, especially when it comes to creamers to help mask the characteristic bitterness of this popular morning caffeine boost. Many conventional creamers contain a number of added ingredients like high-fructose corn syrup and a long list of additives and preservatives that aren't necessarily what some consumers want to see in their coffee creamer. Plus, with growing bodies of research concerning the health effects of saturated fat in dairy products, you may want a suitable, dairy-free creamer for your coffee. To figure out the best ones, Chowhound reached out to Matt Woodburn-Simmonds, a former barista, coffee expert, and founder of Home Coffee Expert, a platform dedicated to brewing the perfect cup at home. When asked about his favorite non-dairy coffee creamer, Oatly's Barista Edition Oat Milk was his standout winner. 

"It's basically formulated to behave like full-fat dairy milk," he explains. This is because, unlike regular oat milk, barista-grade oat milk contains extra fats that help it froth and blend seamlessly with the coffee in the way dairy-based milk does. Barista oat milks also contain stabilizers that can help prevent them from separating in the coffee the way other plant milks tend to do. In the case of Oatley's Barista Edition Oat Milk, this is dipotassium phosphate, which the FDA finds to be Generally Recognized As Safe (GRAS).

Though Oatly is Woodburn-Simmonds's go-to for a healthy, dairy-free creamer, he also suggests that barista versions of almond and soy milks would work similarly. Oat and almond milks are popular choices at coffee shops, so the choice would ultimately come down to one's taste preference.

Not all plant milks froth the same, and some do a better job than others for your routine cup of joe. Ensuring that the dairy-free foam doesn't deflate begins with choosing the right type of milk. As Matt Woodburn-Simmonds advises, "You really need to make sure you buy one that has the right balance of fat and protein to allow foam to form and then be stable." As a general rule of thumb, he recommends keeping an eye out for plant milks labelled "barista," as they are specifically formulated to contain the optimum amount of fats and proteins to deliver the best, frothy result. Once you've chosen the right milk, getting the desired foam should be relatively easy, but there are additional steps that can come in handy. These could work to an extent even if you didn't opt for a barista-grade plant milk.

One trick is to warm the milk and blend it on low for about two minutes, then allow it to sit for a minute so it can thicken and rise. But keep in mind that trying to froth up milk that is too hot is a losing game to begin with. If you're a beginner working on your latte art, starting with cold milk for the foam is the way to go, as there is more time for the milk to heat up and develop the desired minuscule bubbles. An additional 10 to 20 seconds in the microwave can also make your already foamed-up beverage a little more frothy.