Review: Coffee Mate's New Seasonal Creamer Flavors Have Us Looking Forward To Fall

There are some who enjoy black coffee, then there are those who like to sweeten things up. While you could simply add sugar to your cup of Joe, coffee creamer certainly makes things a little more exciting because it gives you the chance to experiment with flavor while adding a creamy element to the mix. Of all the coffee creamer brands out there, Coffee Mate is one that you've likely seen at the grocery store. Perhaps, you've even tried one of the brand's classic flavors, like French vanilla, caramel, or even peppermint mocha around the holidays.

While Coffee Mate has staple flavors that are available at most grocery stores year-round, it also rolls out seasonal flavors, including the latest and greatest seasonal flavors: Kit Kat, zero-sugar white chocolate peppermint, and caramel apple crisp. Those who have a go-to Coffee Mate flavor may be hesitant to give a seasonal flavor a try, so I've put the flavors to the test alongside old cups of plain, hot, black coffee to determine which ones are worth the purchase. 

Some recommendations are based on firsthand impressions of promotional materials and products provided by the manufacturer.

If you've ever perused the candy section of a grocery store, then there's a good chance you've at least heard of a Kit Kat bar, and an equally good chance that you've enjoyed the treat at some point. Coffee Mate has supposedly infused the flavors of the classic candy bar into creamer form, stating in an email announcement that the creamer "combines the chocolatey, wafer-forward flavors for a smooth cup that just hits different." In a 1 tablespoon serving, you'll find 35 calories, 1 gram of fat, 5 grams of carbs, and 5 grams of sugar. 

Next up, we have a more fall-forward flavor: caramel apple crisp. Coffee Mate describes this creamer as having "tastes of sweet baked apples, cinnamon spice, milky coffee notes, and caramelly goodness." In every tablespoon of the caramel apple crisp creamer, there are 30 calories, 1 gram of fat, 5 grams of carbs, and 5 grams of sugar.

Finally, we've got a more wintery addition to the lineup, zero-sugar white chocolate peppermint, which "includes white chocolate, peppermint candy notes, and a swirl of milky coffee notes," per Coffee Mate. Now, unlike the Kit Kat and caramel apple crisp flavors, this white chocolate peppermint creamer is sugar-free, so the nutritional stats look slightly different for every 1 tablespoon serving: 15 calories, 1 gram of fat, no carbs, and of course, no sugar.

While availability can differ depending on where you're located and where you get your groceries, there's a good chance you'll start seeing these creamers pop up in August 2024. Per Coffee Mate's email announcement, the Kit Kat creamer should be on shelves at the time of this review's publication, with a 32-ounce bottle coming in at around $4.69. Though no specific dates are set for the rollout of the caramel apple crisp and zero-sugar white chocolate peppermint flavors, the brand notes that all of its seasonal flavors should be available by the end of August. While we don't have specific price points as of yet for the caramel apple and white chocolate flavors, we can assume that 32-ounce bottles will be in a comparable, if not identical, price to the Kit Kat one.

As for where you can find these creamers, Coffee Mate says that they'll be available "at grocery stores and mass retailers." If you're super excited to get your hands on these flavors, think large grocery chains, like Walmart, Target, Kroger, Meijer, or Publix.

I'm always a bit skeptical about drinkable products that claim to be infused with the flavor of a candy, cookie, or baked good. Not that I think it's impossible to capture those flavor notes, but simply because part of the experience of enjoying something like a Kit Kat comes down to texture as much as it does the flavor. So, naturally, I was not expecting to be wowed by Coffee Mate's Kit Kat creamer, but much to my surprise, this stuff is smooth, creamy, chocolatey, and super delicious.

If you've enjoyed a Kit Kat before, you know that there's essentially two components that make up the candy bar: chocolate and wafer cookies. The Kit Kat creamer leans heavily into the wafer cookie flavor profile, a flavor that really shines through and, more importantly, pairs well with coffee. I particularly enjoyed how rich and chocolatey the creamer tasted as well, with the dominant notes of creaminess, chocolate, and wafer cookie all working well together. 

There isn't much bad to say about this creamer, though I did find that the flavor notes presented somewhat separate from one another. Upon first sip, I got notes of chocolate first, then a strong aftertaste of wafer cookie. There's nothing wrong with this flavor breakdown, though if the chocolate notes and wafer notes hit more at the same time, then perhaps the creamer would've tasted like an actual Kit Kat bar.

I love a good caramel-flavored coffee creamer, and in fact, I'd consider it one of the best flavors you can add to a cup of coffee. I'm a little more hesitant about apple-flavored coffee creamer, mainly because "apple" and "creamy" aren't two flavor profiles that I think go together super well. Alas, that flavor concoction can be found in Coffee Mate's caramel apple crisp flavor, a very fall-forward addition to the lineup.

Upon first sip, I was a bit overwhelmed by the sheer sweetness of this creamer — not that it has any more sugar than the Kit Kat creamer, or really any creamer for that matter, but because the sweet apple flavor was quite strong. That flavor mellowed out quickly, however, into something that was surprisingly warming, comforting, and quite pleasant. The caramel notes shined through nicely after that initial apple-forward flavor, but as for the crisp part, I think that gets a little bit lost with everything else going on.

I really appreciated how this creamer tasted in contrast to bitter black coffee. I'm not sure how good this one would work in other contexts (like in a cup of tea) without that acidic coffee to balance it out, though there's a chance that it might still be good, especially if you enjoy sweeter flavors. With coffee, however, this creamer was tasty, surprisingly mellow, and definitely reminded me of fall with every sip.

White chocolate and peppermint make up perhaps my favorite flavor duo out there, so I was stoked to try this creamer. Unlike the other two creamers in this lineup, Coffee Mate's white chocolate peppermint creamer has zero sugar, a stat that I felt neutral about going in. I did anticipate that the lack of sugar would mean an artificial aftertaste, though that is something that's to be expected in a product using artificial sweeteners — so I wasn't prepared to knock the creamer for it.

This creamer pretty much met all my expectations, which is a good thing, though it didn't quite impress me as much as the other two flavors. At first, it presents a very rich, white chocolate-forward flavor, and that's followed up with a minty flavor that, fortunately, isn't overbearing. Yes, this creamer does have a certain aftertaste to it, but anyone who enjoys sugar-free products on the regular won't find issue with it. 

Overall, I appreciate the way this creamer balances white chocolate and peppermint so effortlessly. Paired alongside a cup of black coffee, this creamer adds a lovely touch of flavor that contrasts nicely without taking away from the coffee itself or presenting as overbearing.

If you enjoy coffee creamer on the regular, you're likely wondering if it's worth it to ditch your go-to and give one of the seasonal flavors a spin. While this quandary ultimately comes down to how married you are to your favorite flavor, I can say with confidence that you won't be disappointed by any of these seasonal flavors, should you be looking to switch things up. Now, if you're go-to is French vanilla and you decide to get the caramel apple crisp, that might be a misstep (unless, of course, you're a big caramel apple fan). 

However, if you're go-to is something like café mocha, then the Kit Kat creamer would be a great alternative to try since it has very chocolate-forward flavors, with the wafer cookie that adds a unique profile to the mix. If you enjoy Coffee Mate's peppermint mocha flavor every holiday season, then the white chocolate peppermint makes for a natural switch, especially for those who want to add a little flavor to their creamer but don't want any extra sugar. 

Since coffee creamers are not meant to be enjoyed on their own but rather paired with a beverage, I didn't find it necessary to take a swig of each creamer. Instead, I paired each one flavor with the ultimate companion: a cup of black coffee. For reference, I brewed a cup of medium-roast coffee (with no added flavors or sweeteners) before sampling each flavor; I felt was the most neutral vessel I could go with. There are other ways one might enjoy these creamers, like in a cup of tea or perhaps in a Coke or Pepsi to make a dirty soda. Since I didn't pair the creamers with these beverages, I can't speak for how they might taste in such contexts — I can only speak for how they tasted alongside a cup of hot, medium-roast coffee.

As for how much creamer I added to a 10-ounce cup of coffee, I started with a serving size, which is 1 tablespoon for each creamer. I found that the flavor of the creamer wasn't quite able to shine through with such a small serving size, so I ended up basing my review off of 2 tablespoons' worth of creamer. Of course, depending on how much creamer you add to your beverages at home, both the flavor and the creaminess will vary.