Our Creamiest, Coziest Coffee Drinks to Shake Up Your Morning Cup

We’ve teamed up with Belle Coffee Creamer to give you a taste of how delicious real coffee creamer can be. Using real dairy and simple ingredients (read: no lactose, artificial hormones, or oil additives), Belle Coffee Creamer elevates the ordinary cup of coffee.

Things are rarely black and white—except when it comes to coffee. In one corner you have black coffee drinkers, who somehow achieve caffeinated bliss with just water and beans. Their minimalist approach is enviable, but also unimaginable for coffee lovers who could not possibly live in a world without milk or cream to soften their daily cup (or two, or three) of joe. So, for those who like their coffee light (yes, please!), these creamy drinks are for you. To make them even richer, swirl in a real dairy creamer like Belle Vanilla or Sweet Cream Coffee Creamer in place of milk. Even if you prefer a more austere cup, these lattes, coffee shakes, and cold brews may just lead you to coffee’s creamier side.

Hot chocolate, but make it caffeinated. Ernest Hemingway apparently said that this drink would make his list of 100 things in the world he would save. This is likely internet lore, but here’s what we do know: Unlike a mocha, the extra-decadent bicerin hails from Turin, Italy, and calls for melted dark chocolate mixed with espresso and topped with lightly whisked cream. It’s traditionally poured into a small wine glass (its name comes from the Italian word bicchierino, or “little glass”), and it’s not meant to be stirred, so you can taste the cool cream layer on top, followed by the warm, espresso-spiked chocolate. Feel free to sub in strong brewed coffee, and Belle Sweet Cream Coffee Creamer is a perfect swap for the light cream—just add sugar to taste.

The word “cutting” here applies to the portion size—this creamy, dirty chai amounts to about a half-cup serving, but the bold spices add up to a big-flavored cup. The recipe calls for instant coffee, but you can substitute brewed coffee or espresso.

This much-loved cold brew recipe was inspired by café de olla, a hot, brewed Mexican coffee infused with cinnamon and dark brown sugar. Endlessly adaptable, you can swap cocoa powder for the cinnamon, adjust the sugar, or try the Scandinavian version, which calls for ground fennel seed and almond extract. The one element you shouldn’t futz with: adding a swirl of milk or dairy creamer like Belle Sweet Cream Coffee Creamer for the final, magical touch.

This blended coffee drink crosses into smoothie territory with a mix of espresso (or strong coffee), chocolate, and banana. A dollop of yogurt and dairy creamer or milk gives it a soft landing.

Strong brewed coffee is steeped in cozy, warming spices like whole cloves and allspice, then poured over ice with a whisper of cream or dairy creamer. As one satisfied sipper commented, “I’ve been making this since I first saw it in 2012. Never met a person who doesn’t like it.” Belle Sweet Cream or Belle Vanilla Coffee Creamer would add richness with a little bit of sweetness. You could also skip the ice if you’re craving a hot cup.

This latte is really cold brew gussied up with floral lavender syrup, then topped with velvety cold foam mixed with instant espresso powder for an extra kick.

The one thing that matters most in making an outstanding coffee creamer: outstanding cream and milk. The cream in Belle Coffee Creamer comes from a cooperative of Northwest family farmers that have been cultivating the very best dairy for generations. By adding real, simple ingredients and nothing else, Belle Coffee Creamer is the very best creamer for your coffee. Discover all their flavors here.