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No coffee is complete without a little creamer, but knowing how to hold and store creamer can be a bit of a guessing game. In this quick guide, we'll get to the bottom of the common question: do coffee creamers need to be refrigerated?
(image credit: Daniela Crucez)
Any cafe enthusiast has noticed that coffee creamer is often left out on the counter. This might make you wonder, does coffee creamer need to be refrigerated?
In general, yes coffee creamers should be kept in the fridge in a sealed container. Liquid coffee creamers are made with perishable ingredients that can harbor all sorts of mold and harmful bacteria, including dairy and whey.
The shelf life of coffee creamers really depends on the type. Unopened coffee creamer will last until its expiration date in the fridge; but as soon as they're opened, coffee creamer begins to lose its freshness. Opened coffee creamer only lasts in the fridge for 1 to 2 weeks.
Looking for some coffee inspo? Check out our ultimate homemade latte recipe roundup and our guide on the best latte flavor combos while you're here!
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Types of Coffee Creamer
Coffee creamer comes in lots of delectable varieties, from traditional heavy cream to plant-based creamer and everything in between.
Here are a few common types of coffee creamer and some of their characteristics:
- Heavy Cream: Heavy cream or heavy whipping cream is a thick liquid dairy with a very high-fat content, about 38% to be exact! Heavy cream is highly perishable and must be stored in the fridge when not in use.
- Half-and-Half: This common creamer is a fifty-fifty mixture of heavy cream and whole milk. It has a similar flavor to heavy cream but a lighter body. You'll find heavy cream and half and half in the refrigerated section of the grocery store. It should also be stored in the fridge.
- Non-Dairy Coffee Creamers: Non-dairy creamer is a title given to many common liquid form creamers. Major brands of liquid creamers like Coffee-Mate Creamer and International Delight are actually non-dairy creamers. This doesn't mean they're dairy-free though. Liquid non-dairy creamer is typically made with an emulsion of vegetable oil, flavors, and milk proteins. This makes for a rich and smooth creamer, but it's still considered perishable and needs to be chilled when not in use.
- Alternative Milk Creamers: Everyone knows and loves almond milk, soy milk, and oat milk which is why manufacturers have taken it one step further by crafting creamer using these popular dairy alternatives. Unlike non-dairy creamers, alternative milk creamers are vegan, dairy-free, and lactose-free. You can find these dairy-free creamers in the chilled creamer section of the store near the dairy-based creamers. It's a good idea to keep these stored in their airtight container in the fridge when not in use.
- Powdered Creamer: Powdered creamer is made from powdered dairy or non-dairy products, sweetener, and anti-clumping agents. Powdered creamers are the only type of shelf-stable creamers and they can be stored in a dry place at room temperature. You can buy powder form creamer in a couple basic flavors, you'll often find french vanilla at gas stations, grocery stores and public events.
(image credit: Ali Dadras)
How Long Can Coffee Creamers Sit Out?
If you're planning a luncheon or brunch with coffee service it only makes sense to worry about whether the type of creamer will stay fresh all throughout the entire event. Fortunately, there is a window of time where it's safe to leave creamer on the counter.
It always depends on the kind of coffee creamer, but the longer creamer sits at room temperature the greater the risk of bacterial growth becomes. To keep the creamer fresh, a good rule of thumb is that it can be kept at room temp for a couple hours. After this point it should be returned to the fridge to avoid spoilage.
(image credit: Jasmin Ne)
Coffee Creamer Tips
But what if you want the creamer out of the fridge for longer than a short period of time? No worries, coffee lovers! You can try this great way to extend that window by up to 2 hours.
To extend your coffee creamer’s countertop shelf life, first, chill a thick-walled insulated mug or pitcher. Once the container is cold, take the cold creamer out of the fridge and pour it into the chilled pitcher. Cover the container and serve with your favorite coffee beverage at room temperature for up to 4 hours.
This is a great idea to maximize the amount of time this delicious dairy can spend outside of the fridge so you can serve coffee in style, but even with this little trick, timing is everything. The creamer must be returned to the fridge or tossed out after the 2 to 4 window has elapsed. That way, your delicious dairy (or non-dairy) creamer has a longer shelf life and remains safe to use.
If you're hosting and don't want to worry about leaving your creamer out, chill an insulated mug or thermos in the fridge ahead of time.
Read More:
- Can you brew coffee twice? Everything you need to know
- How to compost coffee grounds
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(image credit: Daryl Han)
Can You Freeze Coffee Creamer?
If you need your coffee creamer to last even longer, consider freezing it. Freezing coffee creamer is an easy alternative to storing coffee creamer in the fridge and it can add months to the shelf life.
This trick to extend the creamer's shelf life works with pretty much every variety of coffee creamer, including heavy cream, non-dairy creamer, and alternative milk creamer.
An easy way to freeze coffee creamer is with an ice cube tray. Simply pour your favorite coffee creamer from the grocery store into a clean ice cube tray. Cover the tray and pop in the freezer. Creamer can be stored in the freezer for up to 6 months and it can be used straight out of the freezer in its frozen form.
Cubes of frozen coffee creamer are the best way to cool down your coffee and add a little cream all with one simple trick!
(image credit: Pariwat Pannium)
Signs of Creamer Spoilage
Creamer makes your morning coffee incredible, but only when it’s fresh. That is why it is so important to take care to use proper storage with this perishable coffee staple.
Using proper storage and following food safety guidelines ensures that your coffee is always deliciously fresh and safe to drink.
These are a few common things to look out for when checking your creamer for freshness:
- Color: Any changes to the creamer’s color or discoloration is cause to discard it.
- Texture: If the creamer has become lumpy or thin and runny, toss it out!
- Odor: If the creamer has an unusual or sour smell, get rid of it!
- Expiration: Always pay attention to the printed expiration date as well as the date you opened it. Throw out any creamer that has been open for longer than 2 weeks.
- Temperature: Cold keeps creamer fresh which is why it is so important to refrigerate coffee creamer and to keep it out of the temperature danger zone. Discard any creamer that has been left out of the fridge for longer than 2 hours.
(image credit: Nathan Dumlao)
Coffee creamer is undoubtedly one of the quickest, easiest ways to brighten up your morning cup of joe. Know how to store it properly, and you'll never have to worry about mold or harmful bacteria in your coffee again.
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