Coffee Mate Is Testing A New Frozen Creamer And I Was Among The First To Try It

Coffee Mate is testing a new line of creamer products, but this time the brand has its eyes on the freezer aisle. At an event called the "House of Nestlé," I was treated to a sneak peek at all sorts of new products gracing or soon-to-be-gracing grocery store shelves, but the Cool Crème frozen creamer stood out as a real innovation in the coffee creamer category.

Available in two flavors — cookies & crème crumble and vanilla caramel swirl — I got the chance to try the new item before basically anyone else. And while I wouldn't say this is a home run, it's an interesting product that I'm sure people will find appealing.

Served similar to an affogato, I tasted the vanilla caramel swirl Cool Crème with an iced coffee. The frozen creamer was scooped ice cream-style on top of the beverage. The flavor was quite sweet, with the caramel swirls really stealing the show. The consistency is where things went a bit awry; something in the creamer turned into little frozen shards when it hit the ice cubes. It wasn't something I couldn't get over (if you've had mediocre ice cream before, you're probably familiar with the sensation), but it wasn't exactly pleasant. That said, I don't think you're intended to eat it with a spoon, but rather allow the frozen creamer to slowly melt into your glass.

The part I drank was enjoyable, tasting like, well, coffee with creamer in it. I think I personally would have preferred it if the coffee were hot, allowing the frozen creamer to melt more quickly and, I imagine, preventing those little ice crystals from forming.

If you can get your hands on it, I would suggest giving the new Coffee Mate Cool Crème a whirl. It would work great in an affogato if you're looking for a lighter alternative to ice cream or are already a huge fan of Coffee Mate flavors.

Diehard iced coffee fans may want to stick to the traditional creamer or one of the new cold foams that have recently hit the market. (Coffee Mate even sells them, though admittedly these are a little more whipped cream-adjacent than ice cream dupes.) You could also try this on cold brew. I have a feeling those tiny crystals were created by direct contact with ice, so it's possible the cold coffee itself wouldn't cause the unpleasant texture to appear.

Coffee Mate's new Cold Crèmes are available in select locations (if you live in Chicago or the Arlington/ D.C. area you might be able to find it on GoPuff; Cleveland will have to make a trip to Heinen's to see if its store is part of the test) for a very limited amount of time and will retail at $4.99 for 8.3 ounces. If you're not lucky enough to be in an area where they're being tested, you'll have to wait and hope they're successful enough for a full nationwide release.