While we envy the people who can drink their coffee black, some of us can’t go without adding sweet coffee creamer to our morning cup of joe. There are endless questions about creamer. How long does coffee creamer last? Can you freeze coffee creamer? If so, how long is coffee creamer good for in the freezer?
Although coffee creamer typically lasts longer than other alternatives, we often don’t know if it keeps well in more long-term preservation locations like the freezer.
If you’re like most people, you enjoy using all of a product instead of throwing it in the garbage because you didn’t use it fast enough. Liquid coffee creamer does go bad, despite not usually being made from dairy products.
If you want to make your coffee cream last, this is your step-by-step guide to extending its shelf life.
What is Coffee Creamer?
Although it’s important to know about freezing coffee beans, for some people, creamer is just as essential as the coffee itself.
While some wonder can ground coffee go bad, others are concerned about the shelf life of their creamer.
Popular coffee creamers like Coffee Mate are a substitute for milk and half-and-half. People use creamer in their cup of coffee to add sweetness to their drink and cut through the bitterness of the coffee beans.
Like their alternatives, coffee creamers have a thicker texture than other liquids. Although the liquid form is the most popular, powdered coffee creamer is another option. Both of these types are often dairy-free and contain no lactose.
How Long does Coffee Creamer Last?
Coffee creamers are used instead of milk or heavy cream because they have a longer shelf life. How long does coffee creamer last?
Unopened bottles of liquid creamer last a little longer than two weeks, while the powdered forms last up to six months. Coffee creamer contains much more sugar than milk and also comes in a variety of flavors.
Those who like to change up their coffee find themselves adding peppermint mocha, eggnog, and pumpkin spice creamers to their mugs during the holidays. They genuinely make for a good cup of coffee that you’ll never get bored of sipping.
How to Store Coffee Creamer
Turning coffee beans into a steaming cup of coffee is a joy that many people look forward to in the morning. Although this is subjective, the best coffee usually contains creamer and sweetener to cut through the bitterness.
Don’t let your coffee creamer go bad. Instead, ask questions about how to store it so that you retain its freshness. Can coffee creamer be frozen? What about stored in the fridge?
If you have questions about storing creamer, keep reading to find the answers you’re looking for.
How Long is Coffee Creamer Good for in the Fridge?
Once you open a coffee creamer can, storing it in a cool place like the fridge is best. If you find your creamer containers in the grocery store’s refrigerator section, it’s a strong indicator that it has dairy and should be in the fridge regardless of whether it has been opened.
Keep the container tightly sealed and refrigerate it at all times. As a general rule, most liquid creamers last for two weeks in the fridge.
If you’re unsure about your coffee creamer, always look at the expiration date or expiry date located on the original bottle.
This date often tells you the date that it is no longer safe to consume the product. The only safe creamers to store at room temperature are unopened, non-dairy creamers and powdered coffee creamers.
Storing Powdered Creamers
Although storing your powdered coffee creamer at room temperature is safe, it still degrades over time. Some powdered creamers last from six months to a year when stored properly.
Make sure to seal the creamer in an airtight container or plastic bag and place it in a cool, dry area found around your home.
To tell if the creamer has gone bad, use your senses. Powdered creamer is fresh when free from unpleasant odors, clumps, and mold. If you add the creamer to your coffee and it tastes even slightly off, throw it out for safety.
Can You Freeze Coffee Creamer?
While freezing coffee grounds and beans is popular, there are many liquid coffee creamers labeled with the words, “do not freeze.” This label is mostly due to manufacturers being concerned about clumping, but that doesn’t mean they are unsafe to eat.
Dairy-based creamers are safe to freeze for about one month, while non-dairy creamers last about six months in the freezer.
After you freeze and thaw a creamer, they usually last a maximum of one week in the fridge. Sniff for sour smells to determine if your creamer has spoiled. Also, check for changes in color if you’re unsure about freshness.
How to Freeze Coffee Creamer
One of the tastiest techniques to freeze coffee creamer is to turn it into cubes. Starbucks will have nothing on you with these frozen creamer cubes. Add them directly to hot coffee or throw them into an iced coffee to let them slowly melt as the day goes on.
Pour one to two tablespoons of coffee creamer into each ice cube section. Place the trays in the freezer until the liquid freezes. Remove the cream cubes from the tray and transfer them to freezer bags. Seal the bags and put them back in the freezer.
Turn Creamer into Ice Cream
This is an unorthodox recipe, but don’t be afraid to get creative with frozen coffee creamer. Turning coffee creamer into ice cream and putting a scoop in your coffee is delicious and a new way to get your caffeine in.
Pour one cup of creamer into a plastic sandwich bag and seal it after removing as much air as possible. Fill a gallon-sized bag halfway full with ice, and then add half a cup of salt. Put the sandwich bag of creamer inside the gallon bag.
Seal the gallon bag and vigorously shake it for four or five minutes. Remove the smaller bag, wipe off the salt from the outside, and then scoop the ice cream from the bag and add it on top of your coffee.
Thawing Frozen Coffee Creamer
Thawing frozen creamer is one of the most manageable steps of the process. Remove the container of frozen creamer from the freezer and set it on the kitchen counter.
Allow the creamer to thaw at room temperature for several hours. Store thawed creamer in the fridge for up to one week.
Coffee creamer is transformative to coffee and adds variety to our regular drinking routine. Although we often find ourselves asking how long does coffee creamer last, there are ways to extend its shelf life, so we don’t have to throw it all away.
Coffee creamer is a staple for a lot of people, and learning about it is the only way to get the most out of it.
If this guide helped answer the questions, can you freeze coffee creamer, and how long is coffee creamer good for, share these tips for freezing creamer on Facebook and Pinterest.