The Best Milk for Coffee - Dairy & Non-Dairy Alternatives

When it comes to enjoying a cup of coffee, the choice of milk can significantly impact the taste, texture, and overall experience of your drink. From traditional dairy to an ever growing list of non-dairy alternatives, the options seem endless. We've gathered all the milk and non-milk options for you and hope we can help you find the ideal one for your favorite coffee beverages.

Best Dairy Milk for Coffee:

Dairy milk, has been the classic choice for coffee drinkers for centuries. Its rich, creamy texture and slightly sweet flavor complement the robustness of coffee, and lower the acidity, creating a well-balanced cup.

Whole Milk: With its higher fat content, whole milk provides a creamy texture and adds a touch of sweetness to coffee. It's a favorite among those who enjoy a velvety mouthfeel in their coffee.

Skim Milk: For those watching their fat intake, skim milk offers a lighter alternative. While it lacks the richness of whole milk, it does adds a smooth texture to coffee without overwhelming its flavor.

2% Milk: Striking a balance between whole milk and skim milk, 2% milk maintains some creaminess while being lower in fat. It's a popular choice for those seeking a compromise between flavor and calorie content.

No matter your dairy milk choice we feel it is important to choose an option where the cows are treated ethically, both for your benefit, (stressed out cows produce stress hormones that end up in your milk) and the benefit of our sweet milk giving friends.

If your budget allows, choose Organic milk and milk that does not contain rBST, a synthetic growth hormone that stimulates milk production in dairy cows, leading to increased milk yields. Though its use is approved in the U.S. and Canada it’s banned in many other countries around the world such as the European Union for Health concerns. Milk that does not contain rBST says it on the label.

Best Non-Dairy Milk Alternatives for Coffee:

With the rise of plant-based diets and lactose intolerance, non-dairy milk alternatives become more popular everyday. Most coffee shops offer a wide variety of non-dairy milk options. These options cater to various dietary preferences and offer unique flavors profiles and textures that can enhance your coffee drinking experience.

Soy Milk: Made from soybeans, soy milk is one of the earliest non-dairy alternatives. It has a mild, slightly nutty flavor and a creamy consistency that blends well with coffee. Soy milk also froths nicely, making it ideal for cappuccinos and lattes.

Almond Milk: Almond milk, crafted from ground almonds and water, offers a subtly sweet flavor profile with a hint of nuttiness. It's lighter in texture compared to dairy milk but still provides a smooth mouthfeel when mixed with coffee. 

Oat Milk: Oat milk has surged in popularity for its creamy texture and naturally sweet taste.  It's known for its ability to create a velvety foam, perfect for lattes and other specialty coffee drinks.

Coconut Milk: Coconut milk adds a tropical twist to coffee with its distinct coconut flavor. It's rich and creamy, offering a luxurious mouthfeel, but its flavor profile may not appeal to everyone. If you don’t like coconut flavor, you may not enjoy this in your coffee.

Cashew Milk: Cashew milk is another creamy option that provides a subtle nutty flavor. It blends smoothly with coffee, adding a touch of richness without overpowering the taste of your brew.

If your budget allows, choose Organic non-dairy milk options. Though many think by default the plant based milk options are healthier than dairy, there are some issues. For example commercial oat producers, that are not certified organic, spray their oat fields with Glyphosate, which is the active ingredient in many herbicides, which is used to control weeds and improve crop yields.

Glyphosate has been classified as a probable carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), a branch of the World Health Organization (WHO). Several studies have linked glyphosate exposure to various health problems, including cancer, reproductive issues, and disruptions to the endocrine system.

Buy organic when possible. Better for the planet. Better for you.

So what's the best milk for coffee?

Just like your personal taste for coffee - it's up to you. But we find that it's very important to get one that satisfies your palette as well as your personal values - just like the beans you choose.