Next Time You Whip Up Pudding, Reach For Your Coffee Creamer

If you (correctly) believe that pudding should be a dense, creamy, frosting-adjacent treat, then you may want to skip the milk the next time you make it. Instead, try using an unexpected ingredient that may already be in your fridge — coffee creamer. Formulated to add richness and flavor to your morning cup of joe, coffee creamer will do the same thing for a classic vanilla pudding recipe, or any flavor you prefer. Just substitute an equal amount of creamer for milk, and watch the magic unfold as you whisk.

The main reason coffee creamer produces such a thick, creamy pudding is its high fat content. Whole milk contains about 4 grams of fat per ounce, while coffee creamer can have up to 12 grams of fat per ounce. These fats come from the oils and dairy additives present in coffee creamer that give it its signature texture. When used in pudding, those same fats emulsify to produce a luscious dessert that feels gourmet despite the use of commonplace ingredients.

Swapping coffee creamer for milk in your pudding recipe is fairly straightforward, but there are a few things to keep in mind. Though coffee creamer generally stays fresh longer than milk, be sure to check the dates on your creamer before cooking with it to ensure no one gets sick. Additionally, if using sweetened creamer, you may want to reduce the amount of sugar in your recipe to ensure the flavor remains balanced.

Possibly the best part of using coffee creamer in your pudding instead of milk is the abundance of interesting and unusual flavor options available. These creamers make it much easier to make a ton of different kinds of pudding because they're already infused with the most of the flavoring you need. Of course, the creamer will become slightly diluted when you blend it with other ingredients, so you might consider adding a little extra seasoning or extract that complements your coffee creamer to ensure the taste is strong enough.

When deciding which flavor to try first, seasonal creamers are a fun and festive option. Pumpkin spice has a history going back nearly a century, making it an obvious option for a tasty autumn pudding. However, some manufacturers also sell caramel apple creamer and various candy bar flavors that'd be on-theme for Halloween. As the weather becomes wintry, you may also start to see seasonal creamers infused with peppermint, eggnog, or gingersnaps. When experimenting with these pudding flavors, try garnishing them with things like crushed candy canes, molasses cookies, or Andes mints.

Of course, pudding is also a refreshing warm-weather treat that you can infuse with creamers in tropical flavors like coconut crème or coffee liqueur. Both of these flavors would be incredible as bases for a banana pudding recipe. You could also combine different tropical creamers, and garnish the resulting pudding with things like candied ginger, pineapple, or toasted coconut flakes. The possibilities are only limited by your palate.