If you’re looking for a coconut-based coffee creamer maybe this is for you, but do not buy mistakenly thinking it’s just a smaller carton of ready-to-drink nog. This is bitter, dry, not nog-like, and generally totally unsuitable as a beverage – which, once again, it was never marketed as and the fault is mine. I sampled it for the purposes of this test, keeping an open mind, and thinking, well, non-vegan eggnog often seems to contain heavy cream and a super-high fat content so maybe that’s more like coconut cream than milk? Yeah…. This product is marketed as coffee creamer and is not intended to be drunk on its own and I really have to strongly suggest you listen to that recommendation. Nut Pods Holiday Nog Almond & Coconut Creamer Spices and flavors were reportedly added, but they’re hard to find. It pours pure optic white and as thin as your typical almond milk (if not thinner). Also, it bears no actual resemblance to eggnog. There is a powdery, cotton candy sugar like quality (though not as nice as that sounds) to this flax-based option. If the Califia was a little sweet for my taste, this one was fully cloying. There is a bit of a sticky, unpleasant aftertaste left in the mouth after a sip. It’s strong on visual, aroma, and taste, though the mouthfeel is surprisingly more watery than would be expected from how it pours. If you’re a coconut lover, this should be your pick. So Delicious Dairy-Free Coconut Milk Holiday NogĬoconut really comes through strong with this, which isn’t a criticism, but did make me think more of coquito than traditional eggnog. This nog was among the sweetest in the sample group, which might work for you if you’re planning to mix in liquor and additional spices, but was a bit too much when sipped as-is. This nog looked and smelled fine, but the taste just did not work for me. It also comes in a 48 ounce jug, which might be useful if you’re planning to serve your vegan eggnog for a holiday party. I generally really like Califia Farms products and I appreciate that this one was the most widely-available, sold at nearly every store I checked in the process of shopping for this test. Despite all those promising elements, this one came in second place for me due to underwhelming flavor not bad, just a bit faint. As soon as you open the carton, you’ll get a wallop of nog aroma and it looks great in the cup with an extra-thick texture and deep creamy color showing lots of nutmeg specks. If you’re not able to do the Almond Breeze due to allergy or preference, this seasonal Trader Joe’s option is my second choice in the nog-off. Trader Joe’s O’Nog Non-Dairy Oat Beverageīeing married to someone with a nut allergy, I know it can be a bummer when so much plant-based dairy ends up being made from nuts. The aroma is good and… noggy(?), flavor seems pleasant and natural, and there’s no icky aftertaste. It has a pleasingly dark cream color accented by a small number of spice specks, and pours with an appropriate thickness that sticks to the sides of the glass as you take a sip. This one ended up the winner amongst the six I tried. So that you, dear reader, do not waste your time, money, and tastebuds on anything less than the best available dairy-free holiday cream drink, I drove around to multiple Los Angeles-area supermarkets to pick up as many brands as I could find and stage a side-by-side comparison. And, as you probably know first-hand, supermarket nog is highly hit-or-miss. Nonetheless, it’s as much a part of holiday traditions as pumpkin spice is of fall – and, even though I know I’m probably going to feel a little regret afterwards, at least once a December, I crave a cup of the creamy, nutmeg-dusted stuff.Ī person more dedicated to the task would make their own, but for a vegan eggnog dilettante such as myself, looking for a quick sip (or, more likely, just something to dollop into a cup of coffee) the store-bought stuff is my go-to. Let’s just get this out of the way right away: carton eggnog (in my case, vegan eggnog offerings) is never quite right or great in comparison to something whipped up fresh, and even the very best homemade nog is kind of a strange proposition (is it, like, a melted milkshake, but on purpose?). Heading out the door? Read this article on the new Outside+ app available now on iOS devices for members!
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