The Best And Worst Non-Dairy Milks For Coffee, Ranked

Nothing compares to that first cup of coffee in the morning. When the earliest molecules of scent reach your olfactory system, the faint bitterness of roasted coffee beans fills your mouth, and the first drop of caffeine enters your bloodstream, you feel like you must have just reached nirvana. And if you like your coffee any way but black, then you know this entire experience can be ruined by the wrong type of milk.

For coffee lovers who are lactose intolerant, vegan, or simply avoid dairy, finding the perfect milk alternative is as important as discovering your favorite coffee bean brand. Luckily, the world of non-dairy milk options has exploded in recent years, offering a dizzying array of choices for your morning brew. But not all plant-based milks are created equal. The ideal non-dairy milk should complement your coffee's flavor profile, create a smooth and creamy texture, and ideally, froth well for those coveted cappuccinos and lattes. Some alternatives might leave your coffee tasting watery or overpowered by competing flavors, while others might curdle or separate in the cup, ruining your carefully crafted brew.

As a long-time coffee fanatic and drink recipe developer at My Mocktail Forest who's experimented with countless milk alternatives, I've sampled the good, the bad, and the downright undrinkable. I've tested popular options like almond, soy, and oat milk, as well as more niche alternatives like pea protein and macadamia milk. In this comprehensive guide, we'll explore the world of non-dairy milks for coffee, ranking them from worst to best based on taste, texture, and overall performance in your daily cup of joe.

To give you the best overview possible, we put each non-dairy milk through a careful tasting process. All milk alternatives were sampled in three different ways: cold and plain, in a pour-over dark brew coffee, and warmed and frothed over espresso. Our panel consisted of three taste testers with different preferences, all of whom regularly consume both dairy and non-dairy milk, and one of whom is a barista. 

In putting together our ranking, we chose to focus on types of non-dairy milk rather than specific brands. To maintain consistency, we sourced as many milk varieties as possible from a single brand. We opted for unsweetened versions whenever available to avoid the influence of added sugars on our assessment. This approach allowed us to evaluate flavor, texture, and overall compatibility with coffee across different consumption methods.

The worst milk of the bunch we tested in coffee was coconut milk. First, it's important to note that we tested carton-packaged coconut milk, which is intended for beverages and is considered lower in fat than its canned counterparts. Its color was strikingly white, most similar to pure milk.

However, that's where the similarities ended. We encountered several challenges with coconut milk in coffee. It tended to separate and clump when poured into coffee, which we found unappealing both visually and texturally. Our panel also noted the taste was almost sour when mixed with coffee, which we all disliked. When drunk alone, we found coconut milk tasted mostly like water, lacking the coconut flavor we expected. Some of us thought this could make it suitable for those who don't like coconut flavor but want to use plant-based milk. However, the team generally felt its performance in coffee was subpar.

For foaming, we observed coconut milk performed poorly, producing minimal foam. We felt this made it unsuitable for drinks requiring a frothy top. While some of us speculated it might work in smoothies, it is definitely not the plant-based creamer to add to coffee. 

Rice milk, the old granddaddy of the bunch, is probably the first plant-based milk most of us have tried. Unfortunately, it's also one that didn't withstand the test of time, at least in coffee. 

We found rice milk surprisingly pleasant to drink ... on its own. It was notably sweet, even without added sugars, which could appeal to those who like a touch of sweetness in their coffee. Our panel described the color as distinctively green, which wasn't exactly what you'd expect in your morning drink. When added to coffee, the rice milk imparted a flavor reminiscent of the health food stores of yore. This flavor profile, combined with its natural sweetness, created an interesting coffee drink that felt nostalgic, but also just wasn't very good when compared to other options available today. When frothed and heated, our team noticed it even smelled similar to brown rice, which seemed interesting but also distracting.

Overall, our panel didn't love rice milk in coffee. We observed it produced very little foam, which limited its use in drinks needing a frothy top. Additionally, we noticed it tended to separate when added to coffee, which we attributed to its high water content and lack of thickness. It felt somewhat oily and watery at the same time, which was rather off-putting.

A milk with only two ingredients (and should probably just be called walnut water) is walnut milk, which tastes exactly like its namesake. Unfortunately, this was rather divisive for our panel, who agreed that if you don't like walnuts, you're not going to like this beverage. Those who enjoyed walnuts appreciated this milk, while others found it less appealing.

We would describe the color as white-brownish, similar to soy milk and oat milk. However, we noted walnut milk fell short in texture. Our panel was disappointed that it didn't foam at all, which we felt made it less suitable for frothy coffee drinks. Moreover, our team found the consistency to be quite watery, which we thought might not provide the thickness many coffee drinkers prefer. Some of us worried this thinness could potentially dilute the coffee, making it feel more watery.

Almond milk is often regarded as a healthier nut milk to try in coffee. However, when tested against other milks, it failed to impress. Our testers described its color as almost white with a slightly reddish tinge. We also noted the mouthfeel of almond milk was watery, lacking the thickness that many of us prefer in coffee.

On its own, we found almond milk easy to drink, but when added to coffee, it fell flat, not contributing much to its flavor or texture. Some of us thought this could be positive for those wanting unadulterated coffee, but others found it lacking. It's important to note that we believe this would have been different with barista-blend almond milk, which has been noted for its almost-indulgent creaminess. 

However, the team was impressed with even regular almond milk's foaming capabilities. We observed it produced the best foam of all the milk alternatives tested, creating a stiff foam perfect for cappuccinos. Our panel noted this foam created distinct layers in the coffee, resulting in what we considered a visually striking drink.

Our panel found cashew milk to be a versatile, albeit slightly anemic, option for coffee. We noted its creamy texture, which many thought closely mimicked the mouthfeel of dairy milk. Interestingly, we noted that cashew milk didn't have a strong taste of its own, which we felt made it a good base for coffee flavors — but also made it feel a bit flat and oily.

We did appreciate its neutral flavor profile, noting it allowed the coffee to be prominent without competing with flavors. Some testers thought this made cashew milk a good pick for those wanting to enjoy their coffee's nuances while still wanting to use a non-dairy milk. 

Our panel described cashew milk's color as off-white and agreed it lacked the warmth of some other nut milks. While it may not add much to a drink visually, many of us thought its performance in coffee made up for this. Its foaming capabilities didn't impress us much either, which was a surprise given its naturally creamy texture.

One of the hardest milks to source, hazelnut milk is made out of only two ingredients: hazelnuts and water. From the first sip, we found that hazelnut milk brought a pronounced nutty flavor to coffee. It genuinely tasted like hazelnuts and many of us commented on the fact it left us with a dry mouthfeel that was similar to eating actual nuts. Our panel described the color as falling between pink and purple, which we found added an unusual hue to the brew.

We noted this milk wasn't sweet on its own, but took on a sweeter feel when mixed with coffee. Some tasters speculated it could work well in mocha or sweeter coffee drinks. However, it is much too strong tasting to be neutral for those looking for a cow's-milk-like experience.

When it came to the foam test, hazelnut milk performed better than most milks, producing a small amount of bubbles. Interestingly, our panel agreed it tasted significantly better when warmed.

Our tasters found macadamia milk sweet and creamy, noting it provided a rich mouthfeel. We described the color as a clean, bright white, which we felt gave the coffee a classic look. Everyone who tasted the milk thought it had a pleasant taste on its own, with a sweetness that didn't overwhelm the palate. In fact, our team noticed macadamia milk had a distinct nuttiness that we felt complemented rather than competed with coffee flavors. Some testers thought this balance of sweetness and nuttiness could make it an excellent choice for those who like a hint of flavor in their coffee. It's important to note that we sampled both unsweetened vanilla and regular macadamia milk, and both had a sweet undertone.

We did observe, however, that macadamia milk didn't foam at all. This limitation meant it wasn't appropriate for drinks needing a frothy top, like cappuccinos or lattes. Despite this drawback, our testers appreciated its creamy texture and pleasant taste for regular coffee consumption.

One of the first plant-based milks to be available commercially, soy milk continues to be a top contender for coffee. We found that soy milk had a distinct aftertaste, but interestingly, found it sweet, unlike the savory notes in tofu. Some thought this sweetness added an interesting dimension to coffee.

Our panel appreciated the notably creamy mouthfeel, which provided a rich texture. We observed the color of the milk alone leaned slightly towards green rather than yellow. Taste-wise, we found soy milk relatively neutral, which allowed the coffee flavors to come through. Many of us did note, however, that the soy flavor was more noticeable than oat milk flavor.

For foaming, the team felt soy milk didn't perform quite as well as oat milk, but we observed it still produced a decent amount of foam. Some testers thought this made it good for those who like frothy drinks but prefer the taste and nutritional profile of soy over oats.

Made by separating the protein from yellow peas, the biggest relief about pea milk is that it doesn't taste like peas. On its own, we found pea milk to be more neutral-tasting than soy milk and creamy in texture. In fact, it was the milk that tasted most like regular milk out of everything.

After a quick look at the label, our panel observed that this milk alternative contained numerous proteins and vitamins, along with various gums and additives. With eight grams of plant protein per serving, some testers thought it could be a good choice for those seeking extra protein. It was also fairly neutral in color, with a slight gray-green tinge.

However, our team noticed it didn't foam well, which we felt made it less suitable for lattes and cappuccinos. While it might not work for fancy coffee drinks, we appreciated its creamy texture and neutral taste for regular coffee.

The non-dairy milk of choice in most modern coffee shops, including Starbucks, oat milk fared unsurprisingly well in our tests. Our panel noted that oat milk carried a distinctive flavor that we immediately recognized as oat, yet we felt it remained neutral enough not to overpower the coffee. We appreciated its creamy texture, which closely mimicked dairy milk. We described the color as a pleasant white-brownish beige.

Overall, these characteristics are what make oat milk versatile in various coffee drinks. Our panelists were particularly impressed by its foaming ability, with the barista noting it produced a perfect microfoam.

This combination of neutral flavor, creamy texture, and superior foaming capability led many of our testers to rank oat milk the second best among non-dairy milk alternatives. Paired with the ease with which you can find it, oat milk is truly the plant-based MVP out there. 

The best milk out of all the ones we tasted in our coffees for this article was pistachio milk. With the highest price tag, this was slightly disappointing, although not surprising — the pistachio milk we tested was also a barista blend, which means it was formulated especially for coffee. This milk was sweetened, but it was the only option for milk made strictly out of pistachios, as most versions on the market are blended with other, cheaper nut milks like almond and oat.

While not commonly available in stores, pistachio milk is becoming popular in coffee shops. Adding it to our pour-over added a whole other element to coffee. Nutty, sweet, and creamy, this milk had a strong pistachio flavor that we felt worked well. In coffee, our panel observed that pistachio milk added what we described as a luxurious and slightly nutty dimension to the brew. 

We were equally impressed by how well it foamed, creating what we considered to be a perfect microfoam and a clear separation between the coffee and the foam. This made pistachio milk excellent for cappuccinos, lattes, and other frothy coffee drinks. While pistachio milk is pricier than other types of milk, we felt that it is a standout option for those looking for a little something extra in their morning cup.