Every year, as the calendar flips from fall to winter, food culture shifts right along with it. Pumpkin spice lattes quietly exit center stage as holiday flavors, like peppermint, gingerbread and sugar cookie, step into the spotlight. But one seasonal treat routinely outshines all the rest: Little Debbie Christmas Tree Cakes.Since 1985, these vanilla snack cakes with their signature green sprinkles and red zigzag icing have been an unofficial marker that Christmas has begun. The annual buzz around the festive treats has grown so intense that they’re no longer just a snack; they’re a seasonal event.
That popularity led to a now-viral spinoff, Little Debbie Christmas Tree Cake Coffee Creamer. Made to mimic the nostalgic flavors of the cakes, the creamer is sold in stores—if you can find it! It often sells out quickly.For fans who want to enjoy that iconic holiday flavor without hunting store shelves, you may be happy to know that you can make Christmas Tree Cake creamer at home and it's not that hard to do. Social media is full of DIY versions, but I was originally drawn in by a recipe shared by Marissa, the content creator behind @thethriftwitch.
In my quest to upgrade my morningcoffee for the holidays, I tested a few different versions of this DIY creamer to find the one that delivers the closest flavor match to the cute cakes and looks cute, too. Read on to find out how you can decorate your coffee for the holidays, too. Related: I Made My Own Coffee Creamer and My Mornings Have Gotten a Whole Lot Better
What Is the Copycat Little Debbie Christmas Tree Cake Coffee Creamer?
Courtesy Angel Albring
Christmas Tree Cake coffee creamer is inspired by the beloved Little Debbie snack cakes that appear every holiday season. The cakes themselves are soft, light vanilla cakes layered with a cream filling, coated in a white frosting and decorated with bright green sprinkles and cheerful red icing.
The homemade version of the original creamer aims to bottle that exact flavor and pour it straight into your morning coffee. When the extract is blended with the creamer, the whole mixture turns a pale yellow color. You can use it as-is for a simple creamer, or you can whip it for more of a cold foam version.
For the cold foam styles, several recipes include red frosting and/or sprinkles as a visual nod to the snack cake. But even without the decorations, the flavor profile stays true to the cake version. It's sweet vanilla cake batter, a hint of frosting and a rich creaminess that tastes like that iconic December treat.
Related: No Eggs, No Problem! You Can Make a Boxed Cake Without Them—Here's How
View this post on InstagramIngredients for Homemade Little Debbie Christmas Tree Cake Coffee Creamer
Most DIY Christmas Tree Cake coffee creamer recipes online share the same core set of ingredients. Each element helps create the signature sweet-vanilla flavor and creamy texture the original cakes are known for.
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Courtesy Angel Albring
The base typically includes a mix of milk and heavy cream to create the ideal creamer base. Milk keeps it pourable and balanced, while cream adds body and that classic coffee-creamer texture. Variations include half-and-half, oat milk, coconut milk or evaporated milk for different levels of richness, but I stuck with the standard dairy milk and cream combo.
2. Cake batter extract
Cake batter extract is a staple ingredient because it adds the nostalgic cake flavor that defines the original snack. This extract is a concentrated flavoring that mimics the sweet, vanilla taste of boxed yellow cake. In Christmas Tree Cake creamer, it delivers that Little Debbie flavor (rich and buttery) without complicated ingredients.
I found my cake batter extract (McCormick) on Amazon for just over $4, but there are more expensive brands. You can also find this extract in many grocery stores in the baking aisle.
I also ordered this on Amazon, but you can find it in many coffee aisles of local grocery stores and chain stores.
White chocolate syrup adds sweetness (the extract and the creamers aren't sweet) and that signature “frosted” flavor you associate with Little Debbie Christmas Tree Cakes. It makes the final mix taste richer and smoother.
4. Decorations
Sprinkles and red frosting are used to echo the holiday decorations found on the cakes, though they're more for aesthetics than flavor. Personally, I wasn't a huge fan of the frosting (more on that in a bit).
Related: I Tried Every Flavor of Chobani Coffee Creamer To Find the Best One for Your Morning Brew
How To Make the Copycat Little Debbie Christmas Tree Cake Coffee Creamer
The simplest method for making Christmas Tree Cake coffee creamer starts by mixing the milk, heavy cream, cake batter extract and white chocolate syrup. You can pour that into your coffee and call it a day, or jazz it up a bit. I ended up making four different versions to find my favorite way to make this fun drink.
Courtesy Angel Albring
For my first round, I used a handheld frother to blend the ingredients. That version was quick and tasted good, but it didn't fully capture the “cake” vibe because it looked bland, like regular coffee, and I was looking for a little more flair.
After the first experiment, I tried whipping the mixture until it was a cold foam texture, but that wasn't the right match for my hot coffee because it melted too quickly. I also tried a version topped with sprinkles and a zigzag of red decorator's frosting that you find in the baking aisle, but it clumped together and tasted like plastic.
In the end, the version that I liked the best for my cup of hot coffee was mixing the ingredients in my bullet blender until it was thicker than cold foam but not as light as whipped cream from a can. The mixture sat beautifully on top of hot coffee, held its shape, supported the sprinkles without issue and delivered a creamy, sweet finish that actually tasted like Christmas Tree Cake. This time, I skipped the red frosting.
Courtesy Angel Albring
Related: We Tried 7 Store-Bought Vanilla Frostings and the Winner Was a Total Shocker
Christmas Tree Cake Coffee Creamer Copycat Recipe Review: My Honest Thoughts
Overall, despite my multiple experiments, making a homemade Little Debbie Christmas Tree Cake coffee creamer was easier than expected. Once I skipped the frosting, the flavor became much more enjoyable.
Courtesy Angel Albring
If you don't care about the drink resembling the Christmas Tree snack cake, just mix the ingredients, give it a little whirl with a frother and enjoy the creamer straight in your coffee. If you want more visual appeal, blend the ingredients together for a few minutes to create a whipped topping.
I will make this again, but I’d stick to the whipped topping method, personally. It captures the holiday magic and it turns an everyday cup of coffee into something worthy of the season.
Related: The Easy Way To Make Your At-Home Coffee 10x Better
Tips, Helpful Hints and Substitutions
After making this more than a few times, I have some tips to share.
If you have half-and-half in the fridge but not heavy cream, you can use a mix of half-and-half and milk. It won't be quite as rich, but it will still be tasty.
Switch out the syrup
If you can't find or don't want to buy white chocolate syrup, you can use sweetened condensed milk for a thicker, more decadent version. You won't get the exact flavor profile the syrup adds to the creamer, but it will add a nice texture.
Give it a shake
I noticed a bit of separation when I store the leftover cream in the fridge. Just be sure to give it a quick shake before you use it.
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