9 Sweet Cream Coffee Creamers, Ranked Worst To Best

Rich, decadent, and just the right amount of fatty, sweet cream is one of the all-time best coffee creamer varieties. It's subtle enough that it doesn't imbue too much taste into your coffee, allowing you to keep things simple or further customize your cup with other add-ins. Some come infused with additional flavors, but others are simple, creamy, and clean-tasting. But, with so many different sweet cream coffee creamers on the market, how do you know which are worth putting in your cup?

As a regular coffee drinker, I've tried nine different store-bought, bottled, sweet cream coffee creamers and ranked them from worst to best to give you a better idea of which brands you might want to seek out on your own. Everyone's preferences in coffee creamers are different, but I tend to like ones that are less sweet and that have a more balanced flavor profile, so the varieties on this list that fit that bill are ranked the highest. Keep reading to find out which sweet cream coffee creamer you should try the next time you want to give your coffee a flavorful twist, and read to the very end to discover the criteria I used to establish this ranking.

Not everyone can have dairy in their coffee, which is why I love it when brands offer dairy-free versions of coffee creamers (and why some prefer plant-based milks in their coffee). Whether dairy just hurts your stomach or you prefer to abstain from animal products for environmental or ethical reasons, it's great to have a dairy-free option at your disposal. However, not every dairy-free creamer is particularly tasty. Unfortunately, my least favorite sweet cream creamer of the bunch is Violife Supreme Sweet Cream Tempting Vanilla Coffee Creamer. It's made with lentil protein, which may be why it has an off-putting, heavy flavor that doesn't really taste anything like a standard dairy creamer.

On top of that strange lentil protein flavor, you also have a really bold vanilla note in this creamer. Vanilla can be a nice touch in a sweet cream creamer, but here, it's too over the top for my taste. Add to that just a touch too much sweetness, and it's clear why this product ranks in last place.

I was immediately attracted to the packaging of Too Good & Co. Sweet Cream Coffee Creamer, not only because the small purple carton is, arguably, pretty cute, but also because it says that it has 40% less sugar than other leading coffee creamer brands. For someone who doesn't like their coffee too sweet, that sounds like an automatic win. Well, I don't know which creamers this brand is comparing itself to because this stuff was cloyingly sweet. Even when combined with dark roast coffee, the sweetness is overpowering.

But, what really turned me off of this product was the overall flavor of the creamer. As soon as I took a sip of my coffee, it immediately reminded me of the milk that you find in the bottom of your bowl after you finish a serving of Lucky Charms cereal. If you're into that kind of thing, then this creamer might be for you. On the other hand, if you're looking for a more restrained, sophisticated cup of coffee, you might want to skip this selection.

It's no secret that Starbucks sells some really, really sweet coffee in its coffee shops. It's only fitting, then, that some of Starbucks' commercially available coffees and creamers on store shelves would also taste exceedingly sweet. That's certainly what I found when I tried the Starbucks Vanilla Inspired Sweet Cream Coffee Creamer. The first red flag is right on the bottle. This stuff doesn't say it's vanilla flavored — rather, it specifies that it's "vanilla inspired." There's no actual vanilla listed in the ingredients, which didn't seem promising to me even before I took my first sip.

What I found when I did sample this creamer, though, was that it was way, way too sweet, with a vanilla note that just didn't taste quite right. It's not downright terrible, but it's definitely geared toward those who like their coffee particularly sweet. Personally, I think you're better off opting for a more toned-down creamer and adding in some homemade vanilla syrup separately if this is the kind of flavor profile you're going for.

Chobani has some seriously delicious coffee creamers in stores, and they're worth checking out if you're looking for creative ways to flavor your morning coffee. One of the simpler varieties in the brand's lineup is the Chobani Sweet Cream Coffee Creamer. Unlike many of the brand's other offerings, this one doesn't come infused with tons of different flavors. Rather, you just get a rich creaminess from the product, along with a bold sweetness that will transform a cup of bitter coffee into a super sippable drink.

I personally don't particularly enjoy very sweet coffee, so this was far from my favorite option on the list. However, apart from what I consider to be overpowering sweetness, there's really nothing wrong with this product. In fact, it has a richness that makes it feel like you're getting a high-quality product. If you're the kind of person who really likes sweet coffee, though, then this creamer is absolutely worth checking out.

I also ranked a selection of International Delight coffee creamers, and International Delight's Sweet and Creamy Coffee Creamer took the number two spot on that list, so it's one of the brand's better offerings. While it certainly wasn't my favorite in this lineup, I do think it's solid enough to end up in the top half of this list. The main drawback of this creamer is the fact that, like so many of the other creamers on this list, it's far too sweet for my liking. Of course, that's not a bad thing if you like your coffee to taste particularly sweet, but for those who like a more balanced cup, it's not ideal.

That being said, this coffee creamer has a lovely mild, dairy freshness to it that makes it easy to sip, along with the slightest hint of saltiness. This really helps round out the flavor profile nicely, counteracting some of that intense sweetness.

Now, we're getting to the most delicious sweet cream coffee creamers of them all. Lucerne Real Milk and Cream Sweet Cream Coffee Creamer just makes the top four. I found this creamer to be slightly less sweet than many of the others on this list, which is a nice respite from all the super-sugary options you'll find here. Don't get me wrong, though — this stuff is still quite sugary, so even if you like your coffee pretty sweet, you're probably still not going to need extra sweetener.

What I like most about this creamer is its mouthfeel. Perhaps because it's made with real milk and cream (which isn't true for a surprising amount of creamers out there), you get an extra dose of richness from this product, which instantly makes your coffee taste more luscious. Apart from that somewhat subtle sweetness, you're not getting much flavor here other than a clean, standard dairy taste, which makes this an accessible option for those who are craving a simple, creamy cup.

If you're anything like me and not lactose intolerant, you may not find that you're reaching for Lactaid products very often. After all, they're marketed toward people who can't handle lactose. Therefore, I probably never would have tried Lactaid Sweet Cream Lactose Free Creamer if it weren't for the express purpose of this ranking. However, I was pleasantly surprised that this is one of the best sweet cream creamers in this lineup. The flavor balance here is really nice. Yes, you have some sweetness, but it's complemented by a brightness you don't always find in coffee creamers. There's a touch of saltiness here too, which rounds out those flavors nicely.

This creamer is also quite rich, but it's not so creamy that it leaves a layer of fat coating your mouth, preventing you from tasting your breakfast. Whether you can handle lactose or not, this is a great creamer to have on hand when you want some additional texture and taste in your cup of coffee without it being too heavily flavored.

O Organics Sweet Cream Coffee Creamer earns the number two spot on this list thanks to its exceedingly fresh, clean flavor. When it comes to sweet cream coffee creamer, you're probably not looking for super intense, pronounced flavors in your cup. Rather, you're looking for that fresh dairy taste accompanied by a touch of sweetness to give your coffee a boost of flavor and texture. That's just what you'll get from this organic creamer.

This stuff is definitely sweet, but that sweetness is far from cloying in this case. Instead, it adds even more flavor balance to your cup of coffee, rounding out those bitter edges that make black coffee unappealing to some. It basically tastes like you're adding quality half and half to your cup along with just the right amount of sweetener. When you're looking for a standard sweet cream creamer that delivers a more balanced flavor profile, this product can be your go-to.

Take a look at the ingredients list of most coffee creamers out there, and you'll be met with a surprisingly lengthy compilation of items you may not even be able to pronounce. But, that's not the case when you pick up a bottle of Natural Bliss Sweet Cream Coffee Creamer. This product contains only four ingredients: Skim milk, cream, sugar, and natural flavor. Perhaps the reason you don't get any strange, artificial-tasting flavors or odd, unpleasant textures in this creamer is thanks to that simple ingredients list that's void of any suspiciously named oils or additives.

The flavor of the creamer reflects those simple ingredients. You can taste the richness of the cream, with a clean, fresh, dairy flavor that works well with just about any kind of coffee. Here, too, you'll find a nice subtle saltiness that counteracts the intensity of the sugar (which also isn't too assertive). It may not be the most exciting coffee creamer you've ever had, but that's exactly why I love it: It offers the simplicity you may be looking for in a delicious morning cup of Joe.

These particular sweet cream creamers were chosen based on availability at my local grocery store. I tried each of these creamers cold, straight out of the fridge, with coffee brewed from a Nespresso pod. The main criterion for this ranking was flavor balance. I was looking for creamers that weren't too sweet and didn't otherwise feature any flavors that were too pronounced or bold, since sweet cream should offer a relatively neutral taste. I also considered the richness and creaminess of each of these products as well, favoring those that were smooth and that didn't leave an unpleasant film on your tongue.