The Starbucks Creamer Flavor You Should Keep Far Away From Your Coffee

While plenty of coffee drinkers swear by black coffee and only black coffee, many others must have their favorite creamer to enjoy their morning cup of Joe. Whether a coffee drinker needs just a splash of creamer or a "measure with your heart" amount, creamer offers coffee enthusiasts plenty of ways to enjoy java with a multitude of flavors.

We ranked 12 Starbucks creamers and came away with two conclusions. First, the Caramel Macchiato creamer, inspired by Starbucks' famous drink, took top honors for hitting all the right flavor notes. Second, Hazelnut Latte Zero Creamer is the worst Starbucks coffee creamer. 

Starbucks modeled the creamer after its famous Hazelnut Latte and markets it as having "rich hazelnut flavor" with no added sugar. Unfortunately, the rich hazelnut flavor didn't come through during our review. While the smell of hazelnut was evident immediately, the positives ended there. We found the flavor to be too artificial and that it improved only slightly once added to coffee.

Starbucks' zero-sugar option is recommended for those looking for a healthier creamer, but the lack of sugar hindered our experience and left it last on our list. We still love hazelnut, however, and ranked Starbucks' Non-Dairy Hazelnut Latte Creamer solidly in the middle of our list, noting its improved flavor (which includes sugar) over the zero-sugar offering.

While the Hazelnut Latte Zero Creamer has been welcomed by some, others shared our sentiment and were left disappointed. Several Target shoppers said they looked forward to trying it after buying it, but upon tasting the creamer they were shocked by its aftertaste, sweetness, and strange flavor.

For those getting their coffee fix in person at Starbucks, shaken iced drinks and flavor shots can be a tasty way to enjoy notes of hazelnut. But for those who prefer making coffee at home, we suggest keeping Starbucks' Hazelnut Latter Zero Creamer on the shelf and choosing another flavor.