If 2025 has taught us anything, it’s this: we are NOT buying store-bought creamers ever again! Once you realize how easy (and insanely delicious) homemade creamers can be, there’s truly no going back. And this Homemade Salted Caramel Creamer might be one of the coziest, richest, most irresistible flavors I’ve ever made.

It’s sweet, buttery, silky smooth, and has that perfect salty-caramel balance that tastes like something straight out of a fancy coffee shop, only it takes two minutes to make right at home.

Use it in your iced coffee, hot coffee, cold brew, lattes… truly anything.

And the best part? You can customize it for dairy-free, sugar-free, budget-friendly, or extra-caramely versions. Keep reading for all the options so you can make your perfect blend!

Why You’ll Love This Salted Caramel Creamer

• So rich and creamy — like a coffeehouse treat
• Only a few ingredients
• No cooking required
• Stores beautifully in the fridge for up to 2 weeks
• Easy customizable options
• Perfect for busy mornings or a cozy afternoon coffee

Ingredients

• 14 ounces half & half
• 1 (14-ounce) can dulce de leche
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• ¼ teaspoon caramel bakery emulsion or extract (optional, but amazing for extra caramel flavor)

I found my caramel bakery emulsion on Amazon and the dulce de leche from Walmart

Instructions

1. Add all ingredients to a blender.
2. Blend until completely smooth and combined.
3. Pour into a mason jar or airtight container and seal.
4. Store in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.

Use in any hot or iced coffee or tea. Shake well before pouring!

How to Make Homemade Dulce de Leche

You can absolutely use canned dulce de leche for convenience, but if you can’t find it at the grocery store, you can make homemade dulce de leche using a single can of sweetened condensed milk.

Here’s how to do it:

1. Preheat oven to 425°F.
2. Pour one 14-ounce can of sweetened condensed milk into a shallow baking dish.
3. Cover the dish tightly with foil.
4. Place the dish inside a larger baking pan and fill the outer pan with hot water until it reaches halfway up the sides (a water bath).
5. Bake for 1 to 2 hours, or until the mixture reaches a deep caramel color, adding more hot water if needed.
6. Carefully remove, whisk until smooth, cool completely, and use in the recipe.

Dairy-Free Options

You can easily make this creamer dairy-free:

Use:

• A dairy-free half & half (Nutpods is a great option!)
• Any dairy-free sweetened condensed milk to make homemade dairy-free dulce de leche using the same oven method above

This creates a super creamy, fully dairy-free salted caramel creamer.

Sugar-Free Options

To make this creamer sugar-free:

• Use a sugar-free sweetened condensed milk to make your homemade dulce de leche using the oven method mentioned above

Don’t Have Dulce de Leche?

If you don’t have dulce de leche on hand and you don’t want to make it homemade in the oven:

👉 Simply replace the dulce de leche with regular sweetened condensed milk

Then increase the caramel bakery emulsion/extract to taste (¼ teaspoon more).
It still tastes amazing and has that buttery caramel flavor.

How to Use This Creamer

Use it in:

• Iced coffees
• Hot coffees
• Cold brew
• Lattes (in place of or in addition to milk)
• Americanos
• Espresso over ice
• Hot or iced teas (think chai, earl grey, or matcha)

A splash goes a long way — it blends beautifully into both cold and hot drinks.

More Homemade Creamer Recipes

If you love making your own creamers at home, try these next:

• Homemade Coconut Creamer
• Homemade Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookie Creamer
• Homemade Peppermint Mocha Creamer
• Homemade Pumpkin Spice Creamer