Kat's Kitchen

If you love caramel apple everything as soon as fall rolls around, this Homemade Caramel Apple Crisp Coffee Creamer is about to become a staple in your fridge! It’s creamy, sweet, warmly spiced, and packed with caramel apple flavor—and it takes just a few minutes to make.

Dulce de lecher gives the creamer a rich, buttery caramel flavor without having to make homemade caramel from scratch, while apple extract and apple pie spice transform it into something that tastes like a caramel apple crisp in coffee form.

The best part? There’s no cooking required. Just add everything to a blender, blend until smooth, and keep a jar in your fridge for easy fall coffees all week long.

Use it in hot coffee, iced coffee, cold brew, chai, or even black tea for an instant fall upgrade!

Why You’ll Love This Homemade Caramel Apple Crisp Coffee Creamer

There are plenty of reasons to keep a batch of this one in the fridge during fall:

• It takes just a few minutes. There’s no stove top or complicated caramel-making required.
• It tastes like fall in a glass. You get creamy caramel, sweet apple, vanilla, and warm apple pie spices in every sip.
• It only requires 6 ingredients.
• You can use it hot or iced. Add it to everything from a simple cup of drip coffee to cold brew or chai.
• It’s customizable. I’ve included options below for making it lower in sugar and calories or completely dairy-free.

Ingredients

Half & Half

Half & half creates a rich, creamy base without being quite as heavy as using heavy whipping cream. You’ll need 16 ounces. Feel free to substitute with oat milk or another milk if desired.

Dulce de Leche

A 14-ounce can of dulce de lecher is the secret to getting a deep, buttery caramel flavor without cooking down your own caramel sauce.

It’s thicker and richer than a standard caramel syrup, so once it’s blended with the half & half, it creates an ultra-creamy coffee creamer.

Vanilla extract

Add ½ teaspoon vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste to round out the caramel and apple flavors.

Apple Extract

You’ll need 1 teaspoon apple extract. This is what gives us that cozy apple flavor without adding fresh apples or apple juice, which would change the texture and shelf life of the creamer.

Salt

Don’t skip the ½ teaspoon salt! A little salt balances all that sweetness and makes the caramel flavor pop.

Apple Pie Spice

Finally, 1 teaspoon apple pie spice gives the creamer its spiced apple-crisp flavor. It’s an easy way to add all those warm fall spices without measuring several individual spices.

How to Make Homemade Caramel Apple Crisp Coffee Creamer

All you need is a blender!

Step 1: Add Everything to a Blender

Add the half & half, dulce de lecher, vanilla extract, apple extract, salt, and apple pie spice to a blender.

Step 2: Blend

Blend until completely smooth and creamy, making sure the thick dulce de lecher has fully incorporated into the half & half.

Step 3: Store

Pour the creamer into a jar or airtight container and store it in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

Give the creamer a good shake before using, as some of the spices may naturally settle while it sits.

Step 4: Make Your Coffee!

Add your desired amount to hot or iced coffee, cold brew, espresso, or tea and enjoy!

How Much Coffee Creamer Should I Add to Coffee?

I’d start with 2 tablespoons of creamer per 8 ounces of coffee and adjust from there depending on how sweet and creamy you like your drinks.

Because this creamer contains dulce de lecher, you’re getting sweetness and creaminess in one ingredient, so you don’t need additional syrup or sugar.

For a larger iced coffee or cold brew, try 2–4 tablespoons.

Lower-Sugar & Lower-Calorie Caramel Apple Crisp Coffee Creamer

Because dulce de lecher is responsible for much of the sweetness in this recipe, the easiest way to lighten it up is to reduce the dulce de lecher rather than replacing it entirely.

Try:

• 16 ounces 2% milk or unsweetened almond milk
• ½ of a 14-ounce can dulce de lecher
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon apple extract
• ¼–½ teaspoon salt, to taste
• 1 teaspoon apple pie spice

Blend everything until smooth and taste before storing. If you want it sweeter, you can add a little more dulce de lecher or your preferred zero-calorie sweetener.

Keep in mind: this version will be thinner and less rich than the original because you’re reducing both the dulce de lecher and fat content. That’s actually perfect if you prefer more of a flavored-milk consistency in your coffee rather than a rich creamer.

Another option is to keep the original recipe exactly as written and simply use less creamer per serving. You’ll get the full caramel apple crisp flavor without needing as much.

How to Make It Dairy-Free

You can absolutely make a dairy-free version!

Swap the half & half for 16 ounces of your favorite dairy-free half & half or extra-creamy oat milk.

The bigger consideration is the dulce de lecher, which is traditionally made with dairy. You’ll need to use a dairy-free dulce de lecher or dairy-free caramel sauce to make the entire recipe dairy-free.

Because dairy-free caramel sauces vary in sweetness and consistency, I’d start with less than the full 14 ounces, blend, taste, and add more as needed.

Coconut-based options can also work, but keep in mind that you’ll likely taste some coconut in the finished creamer.

Ways to Use Caramel Apple Crisp Creamer

You definitely don’t have to limit this one to regular coffee!

Caramel Apple Crisp Iced Coffee

Fill a glass with ice and your favorite chilled coffee, then add 2–4 tablespoons of Caramel Apple Crisp Creamer. Stir and top with a sprinkle of apple pie spice.

Caramel Apple Crisp Cold Brew

Add the creamer to a glass of cold brew for the easiest fall coffee ever. The stronger flavor of cold brew pairs especially well with the sweet dulce de lecher.

Caramel Apple Crisp Latte

Add the creamer to espresso along with steamed milk for a cozy hot latte. Finish with cinnamon or apple pie spice.

For an iced version, combine espresso, milk, and creamer over ice.

Caramel Apple Chai

This might be one of my FAVORITE ways to use it!

Prepare your favorite chai and use the Caramel Apple Crisp Creamer in place of some of the milk. The cinnamon and warming spices in chai are a natural match for caramel and apple.

Caramel Apple London Fog

Make a cup of Earl Grey tea and add a splash of Caramel Apple Crisp Creamer. The vanilla, caramel, and apple give a classic London Fog a fun fall twist.

Caramel Apple Black Tea

Sometimes simple is best. Brew a strong cup of black tea and add a splash of creamer for an easy afternoon fall drink.

What to Eat With Your Caramel Apple Coffee

And because a cozy fall coffee is even better with breakfast, here are a few easy pairings!

The Best Easy Pumpkin Muffins

Pumpkin muffins + caramel apple coffee = FALL.

My easy pumpkin muffins are soft, fluffy, warmly spiced, and take only 30 minutes from start to finish. Make a batch at the beginning of the week and you’ve got an easy grab-and-go breakfast to pair with your coffee.

Apple Cinnamon Greek Yogurt Bowl

If you want to keep the apple theme going, make a quick apple cinnamon yogurt bowl.

In a small skillet, combine diced apple with a little salted butter, brown sugar or maple syrup, a pinch of salt, and ground cinnamon. Cook until the apples have softened and are coated in a glossy cinnamon mixture. Spoon the warm apples over plain Greek yogurt and finish with your favorite granola.

You get warm cinnamon apples + cold creamy yogurt + crunchy granola, which is SO good alongside an iced caramel apple coffee.

Make-Ahead Egg Muffins

For something savory to balance out the sweeter coffee, pair it with egg muffins. Whisk eggs with your favorite vegetables, cheese, and seasonings, divide into a muffin pan, and bake.

Keep them in the fridge so you can reheat a couple while you make your coffee in the morning.

Peanut Butter Banana Toast

Top whole-grain toast with peanut butter, sliced banana, and cinnamon. It’s quick, filling, and the peanut butter is especially good with the caramel notes in the creamer.

Cottage Cheese Toast

For another higher-protein option, spread cottage cheese over toasted sourdough and add either sliced fruit and cinnamon for something sweet or eggs and everything seasoning for a savory breakfast.

Overnight Oats

Prep a simple batch of overnight oats with rolled oats, milk, Greek yogurt, chia seeds, and a little maple syrup. In the morning, add chopped apples, pecans, and cinnamon for an easy fall breakfast to grab with your coffee.

Tips for the Best Homemade Coffee Creamer

Use a blender. Dulce de lecher is thick, so blending rather than simply whisking helps it incorporate evenly into the half & half.

Shake before pouring. The apple pie spice may settle toward the bottom of the jar as the creamer sits.

Adjust it to your taste. If you prefer less-sweet coffee, simply use less creamer. If you want a stronger apple flavor, you can slightly increase the apple extract, but add it gradually because extracts can become overpowering quickly.

Serve it cold or hot. You don’t need to heat the creamer before adding it to hot coffee.

Write the date on your jar. Homemade creamer doesn’t contain the same preservatives as many store-bought versions, so labeling the container makes it easy to keep track of when you made it.

More Homemade Coffee Creamer Recipes to Try

Once you start making coffee creamer at home, it’s hard to go back! If you love this Caramel Apple Crisp Creamer, try some of my other homemade creamer recipes next:

• Homemade Pumpkin Spice Creamer
• Homemade Cookie Butter Creamer
• Homemade Hazelnut Creamer
• Homemade Peppermint Mocha Creamer
• Homemade Carrot Cake Creamer

More Fall & Apple Recipes

Can’t get enough fall flavors? Here are a few more recipes to add to your list:

• The Best Easy Pumpkin Muffins
• Starbucks Apple Brown Sugar Syrup
• Starbucks Spiced Apple Drizzle
• Pumpkin Spice Latte Puppy Chow
• Caramel Apple Puppy Chow