In a search for the latest and greatest in dairy alternatives, I was sucked in by the cute barista-style packaging and amazing flavors of Califia Farms AlmondMilk Creamer: Original, Vanilla, Hazelnut and Caramel Pecan.
Could Califia Farms AlmondMilk Creamer be your holy grail for that perfect morning cup of dairy-free java? Well let me give you all of the details – tasting notes, performance, ingredient benefits and concerns – and you can decide for yourself.
Tasting Notes for Califia Farms AlmondMilk Creamer
We opted to trial the two ends of the spectrum: the basic Original and the unique uber-flavorful Pecan Caramel. Tony handled the tasting of these two Califia Farms AlmondMilk Creamer varieties in coffee, and I tried sips straight up and gave them a whirl in tea. As we poured, I noticed the neat portion control spout that keeps you from flooding your beverage – the stream shown below is actually full tilt!
Original
Wow! This tastes insanely sweet and scrumptious on its own, almost like almond-vanilla ice cream. In fact, I think you could pour this stuff straight into your ice cream maker for a one-ingredient frozen dessert. Tony thought this Califia Fams AlmondMilk Creamer melded very well into coffee; he likened it to Coffeemate in its effect and seamlessness, but said it was definitely better tasting. He usually adds sugar to his coffee, but said none was necessary with this sweet addition.
Pecan Caramel
As a lover of pecan pralines, I found the rich flavor of this creamer to be glorious. Tony agreed that it was mighty tasty. We think it could be churned into a sweet ice cream, no other additions required. The color is even a little more tan (pictured) than the Original, so I wouldn’t expect a strong whitening effect, particularly if you don’t like your coffee or tea too sweet.
A few quick notes on Califia Farms AlmondMilk Creamer… almond milk is indeed the first ingredient, and there are less additives in this pour than your typical creamer. But, it does contain carrageenan, as most dairy-free creamers do. Nonetheless, given the recent transition away from this ingredient, I was a bit surprised to see this in a new product and just wanted to give a heads up. Also, it says “Drink Freely” all over the package. I believe this is their slogan, but still thought it odd on a creamer so loaded in sugars. Rather than drinking freely, I’d use just a couple servings (1 tablespoon per serving) to avoid a big glycemic spike.
The Facts on Califia Farms AlmondMilk Creamer
Certifications: Califia Farms AlmondMilk Creamer is Certified Kosher Parve. It is also labeled as vegan, gluten-free, and non-GMO, but we didn’t note certifications for these.
Dietary Notes: By ingredients, Califia Farms Almondmilk Creamer is dairy-free / non-dairy, egg-free, gluten-free, grain-free, peanut-free, soy-free, vegan and vegetarian. Nonetheless, check with the company on their manufacturing processes for all varieties if potential allergen cross-contamination is an issue for you. Processes and labeling are subject to change at any time for any company / product.
For More Product Information: Visit the Califia Farms website at www.califiafarms.com.
51 Comments
For creamer, use
Organic ingredients: cinnamon, vanilla extract, cocoa and coconut milk made from c shredded coconut
Use a dash of organic cinnamon and organic vanilla extract with homemade coconut milk made from organic shredded coconut
I found your post by googling “Calafia Farms Almond Milk Creamer Vanilla Thick” lol! I just bought a vanilla and a hazelnut and like all your other commenters, one was CRAZY thick. I thought it was spoiled, but it smelled good and was brand new, months from the expiry date. Thanks for your review, it has saved me from throwing out a perfectly good liter of creamer.
Glad I can help! I hope they get that issue figured out soon!
Just bought this brand for the first time and thought “oh no it’s spoiled!” Thanks for the review! It’s a great brand as I work on transitioning from vegetarian to vegan
I emailed CF about the product and they replied indicating that “we did recently adjust our formula in order to meet consumer demand for a healthier, lower-calorie creamer. With the reformulation, we added coconut cream which has caused some textural inconsistencies. We are aware of this issue and want to assure that it is not a food safety concern. What you are experiencing is likely the result of improper blending of the coconut cream which can become solid once cooled. We experienced a similar issue with another product before it hit shelves, and we were able to correct the issue. We believe that we will be able to apply this knowledge to our creamers and deliver a smooth and enjoyable textural experience.” They went on further to say “We believe your next carton will meet your expectations of Califia Farms wholesomeness and quality.”
I too have noticed a drastic change in the texture and flavor of the product and have thrown out a couple cartons thinking they had spoiled. I also threw out a container because I I thought it had been frozen as sometimes foods in the rear of the fridge (top shelf) will get slushy and the creamer packaging is labeled “do not freeze”. While CF has been very responsive, I am disappointed in how this has been handled as there is a known issue but I haven’t seen any announcements, blog postings or recalls.
Thank you so much for sharing this Corrie! I will reach out to them, too, so see when they anticipate better product.
Wow! We almost threw out a carton of the Pecan for the same exact reason. I decided to trust my nose, tongue and stomach which all told me it was good to go, but the initial concern was definitely there. Now I know why its so thick (which I don’t mind). Your post explains everything, thank you so much!
That is Very helpful! Thank you! Have you tried doing anything to thin it back out? Shake some water into it? Anything successful? Or just leave it as gloppyness?
I would blend it and thin with water, if desired.
I came across the almond milk creamers by accident in Shop Rite. I tried the Original Vanilla the hazelnut and the Pecan caramel .
My favorite is the original plain and I cannot seem to find it anymore. It appears that they only carry the vanilla and the hazelnut
Have they stopped making or supplying the Original creamer?
Yes, the Original large creamer has been replaced by Unsweetened.
I have enjoyed the Pecan Caramel flavor so this time tried the vanilla flavor. Terrible! It has no flavor after put in the coffee, but if you taste it alone it tastes good. It’s just like putting regular vanilla almond milk in your coffee, just 3 times more expensive.
I love it! Saw it at a 99 cent store and decided to try! It was delicious and perfect for my mid day protein shake, diluting with part water. I went back to that same store to purchase more several times. And I never experienced a problem with thickness or bad taste. Matter fact…my only problem now is I can’t find it anymore! Not happy about that! 🙁 And I’m not a fan of other brand almond milks that I’ve tried…it’s a texture thing for me. Other brands that I have tried are too thick, too oily, strange taste.
Anyone know where I can find more Califia Farms Almondmilk Creamer?? I love it!
Hi Tanya, I’ve seen it at Whole Foods, Walmart, many places!
I def picked up on the “off” taste and chunky consistency! I thought it was the market I was purchasing from, but three markets later, and 6 coffee creamer purchases later, I have to agree with the other commenters, a change in the ingredients means a change in my creamer selection. This new formula is not as sweet, and think like rotten milk from day 1! I hope the company goes back to the original recipe!
I live in Southern CA and just found the Califia Farms Original Almond Milk creamer (with carageenan) in the burnt orange carton at the 99 Cents Only store. Since they changed the recipe to remove the carageenan, I guess they gave their existing stock to 99 Cents Only. The expiration is April 16 but if you loved the original version, it’s well worth the $1 price for the 32 oz carton. Get them before they’re gone forever!
The vanilla creamer used to taste amazing, and I was happy to find a nondairy creamer alternative, as I think it tastes better than dairy creamers. Recently I bought the vanilla creamer and I was shocked that after one day of using it, it was chunky and without flavor. I deemed it bad right away and disposed of it, even though the expiration date was January 2017. I recently bought another and the same thing occurred, however I noticed the thickness on the first day of opening the carton. The second day it tasted horrible, and I had to pour my tea out and this time I’m going to take the carton back to the store for a refund. I have also noticed that some of our small neighborhood coop and produce markets stopped carrying the creamer, now I know why. Very disappointed as my morning and night tea ritual will no longer taste as good.
I noticed too! The first time I noticed this drastic change was about 3 or 4 weeks ago and I thought maybe I just got a batch that didn’t turn out perfect and suffered through the whole carton anyway. Hate to waste. I just bought another carton of a different flavor and same thing!! I am so disappointed because I really thought I had finally found the holy grail of natural non-dairy coffee creamer and now I have to go back to using half/half and sugar. The new formula is awful.
I just bought the pecan caramel flavor and it’s SOOOO thick. Is it suppose to be really thick? The expiration date isn’t until Dec….something else I thought was odd.
Hi Tess, I need to repurchase these to retest. As you can see in the comments, many people are saying that it has been reformulated and isn’t as good. It sounds like they may have had some issues in the thickening. With dairy alternatives, it usually isn’t “bad” when there are thickness issues, but I would check with the company to be sure. I’ll update here once we’ve re-sampled them!
Thanks! Yes, my concern really was if it’s still good. It is really THICK LOL!
I just discovered this creamer and looooved the first carton. Bought my second carton today and found it to be much thicker and not as sweet. I compared labels and it has 1g less sugar per serving. I wouldn’t think it would be that noticeable, but it is. 🙁
Darn, that seems to be the consensus!
It appears that Califia Farms changed the ingredients to remove the carrageenan, so that is why it tastes different. Packaging and flavor selection is different too.
this just happened to me also with 2 different purchases it was not that thick in a previous purchase i thinks they have gone bad …but the expiration was Dec 14th !!
Are the almonds toasted?
The ingredients just say “almonds” so it’s doubtful, but you should check with the company if concerned.
Can anyone find creamers in Amaretto flavor? I LOVE my amaretto flavored creamer (and I know how bad it is for me), but it is the only flavor I like. I have tried several of my own concoctions to try and make it along with addind amaretto flavorings and almond flavorings to get the right mix but cannot recreate it. Any suggestions?
Stephanie
I’ve not yet seen an Amaretto flavor, but you can see my full list of the creamer options available here: http://www.godairyfree.org/ask-alisa/ask-alisa-is-there-a-good-dairy-free-substitute-for-coffee-creamer
Unfortunately, Torani’s amaretto syrup also contains dairy, but you could make your own with an almond creamer option.
After years of coffee roasting/brewing and making more health conscious decisions, I’ve searched for the perfect pairing creamer. Wandering in Target one afternoon, I discovered the pecan caramel creamer and could not resist. Little did I know what the following morning would unveil… Pure perfection! What a joy to find something that not only pleases your taste buds, but gives you a peace of mind for what you are consuming. Thank you for making such good, honest, and tasty products. I have already shared my discovery with my sister and going to continue to spread the good news.
They definitely just changed the recipe and the new Vanilla is much less flavorful. I am so bummed, it’s definitely nowhere near as good as before!
Oh no! Good to know. I need to trial the new Half/Half so when I do that, I’ll see about the creamer, too. Thank you!
They changed the ingredients recently. Have you tried it? What are you thoughts? It’s creamier but the hazelnut now taste more like coconut and less like hazelnut. Bleh.
What a bummer! I haven’t, so hard to keep up with reformulations! I’ll be on the lookout. Thanks Elise.
I also have noticed a difference in the taste of the Pecan Caramel, I dont have an old carton to check the ingredients with my new carton but something is definetly different. I don’t like it at all and i always by two at a time since my health food store always sells out so quickly.
Interesting! Thanks for sharing this KayKay.
Ditto for me! It’s thick and frothy and little to no flavor, back to the silk almond less expensive creamer! I was willing to pay more when this tasted so much better!
This is such a bummer! Thanks goodness there are better options. I’m going to see if I can’t retry this soon!
Allergic to coconut not good!!!!! Go back to what it was no COCONUT
You should email them Martha – they may not be getting this kind of feedback since coconut allergies aren’t as common.
Delicious stuff, but why the short “7 – 10 day” expiration date after opening ?
Most fresh creamers have a 7 to 10 day expiry. It may last longer though, in my experience.
This appeared on several shelves in Idaho via Albertsons, etc. Love the product with one exception, you use carrageenan in it, which is deemed harmful in many health venues. I sadly won’t buy it now, and just so you know, the same ingredient was removed from So Delicious products, as many of us had requested (the even added notation on their packaging “We Heard You”. We hope you consider doing the same thing.
@ Sharon: Califia has now removed all Carrageenan from their products. 🙂
The Pecan Caramel sounds beyond amazing! Especially turned into ice cream. 😉
Shirley
Indeed!
I am very interested in the dairy free and soy free creamers. Can I find these in Whole Foods a market?
I believe so. My local Whole Foods has it.