Coffee lovers - help me

[bas71873]

I am going to make an effort to stop using my beloved Cinnamon Vanilla Cream creamer in my coffee. I love it and love my coffee flavored but I don't like any of the fat free creamers. BLEK!

So, I was going to try adding some of Folger's Vanilla coffee to my regular coffee in the brew and see if I can get used to drinking it black, but flavored. My dilemma - What ratio of regular to flavor should I use for my 12 cup Krups coffee maker? I usually put in 4 heaps with the coffee spoon that came with the coffee maker, so should I go half & half or 3 to 1? If 3 to 1, go stronger with the flavor or with the regular?

Anyone do this that can help me out? TIA?

 

[doxdogy]

I would try 3 to 1. If you do half and half the flavor may not be strong enough. If you can't get used to it black, I use fat free half and half in my coffee.

 

[pezheadmeg]

I do a mix of a Kona blend and flavor. I use a keurig so my I brew typically 2 cups of the Kona and freeze them in cubes. I then use a half cup of the cubes to each 8 ounce cup of whatever flavor I'm drinking that morning.

You don't need to go black, I drink mine with skim milk.

 

[paintnolish]

Have you seen the flavored sweeteners? I can't remember the brand name, but it is found in most larger grocery stores. You could also get sugar free syrup to add. For the cream aspect, you could use skim or my fave- light vanilla soymilk.

 

[Lizzy2]

Get Cinnamon and Vanilla syrup from the coffee section at the grocery store or at a coffee place- Starbucks sells their syrups- you just have to ask at the counter and if you ask also they will give you a pump for the bottle. If you use syrup for flavor then you can use any kind of dairy that you like. DO NOT use flavored beans!!! The beans are roasted, sprayed with chemical flavorings,and roasted again. So basically you are paying a lot of money for burnt, artificially flavored beans.

 

[JerseyJanice]

I'd just use the vanilla flavor straight, but if that's too much vanilla for you, try it half-and-half, and adjust the ratio from there, based on your taste.

I would add a sprinkle of ground cinnamon (0 calories) into the actual coffee grinds before brewing. I do that just for flavor in a cheaper brand of coffee. (Sometimes, you can't pass up those supermarket bargains. Can-can, anyone? )

For milk, try Skim Plus, which is skim milk fortified with protein. Farmland is a dairy around that sells this type of milk. I haven't seen it in a while, but "Light & Lively" is another brand of fortified skim. These are fat free and keep for a long time.

Last, use only 1/3 to 1/2 of a tiny package of low-calorie sweetner. Whether you like the pink, blue or yellow brands, go with only a fraction of a package. They taste much better when you use less.

 

[hrh_disney_queen]

I would just use it full strength. I have been drinking flavored coffees for years-no sugar ever, sometimes cream, usually black. But I have been drinking black no sugar coffee for 36 years now. I have never had flavored coffee that tasted artificial or burnt. I don't think there will be enough vanilla flavoring if you mix it.

When I do want creamer, I want the good stuff, so I buy half and half. I have found that fat free half and half tastes great in coffee.

 

[SunshineOR]

I use Silk Very Vanilla Soy Milk. I find it tastes just like vanilla creamer but isn't as fattening. I also add a scoop of Folgers vanilla to our regular coffee grounds, about a 1/4 ratio.

 

[FireDancer]

I drink black coffee but when I want some flavor I use flavored beans and don't mix. If you do want to tone it down a bit make sure to use a regular coffee that is mild with low acidity and I would do 1:1 for the ratio.

Some other alternatives are just adding ground cinnamon to the coffee grounds and let the water drip through both. Using pure extract in a liquid form over the grounds is another way to go. Using syrup or flavored creamers would add calories to what otherwise is a zero calorie drink.

 

[bas71873]

Thanks for all the suggestions. I am going to give a few a try and see what I can live with

 

[lovesmurfs]

Another vote for sprinkling vanilla straight on the grounds (I've not tried adding it straight to the coffee). I'll also use cocoa or cinnamon in the brew basket (although it tends to clog up the basket if you use too much). Have fun!

 

[Jeafl]

You can buy all the flavored regular and sugar free syrups at Sam's Club for about $4.50 a bottle.

If you really like the flavor of cinnamon, you can add ground cinnamon right to your coffee grounds before brewing. I've been doing it for years!