Quick Answer
The number of calories in a cup of coffee with sugar free creamer can vary depending on the specific ingredients, but on average a cup contains around 15-25 calories. Sugar free creamers contain minimal calories, while the coffee itself contains a small amount of calories. Using skim milk as a creamer adds a few more calories. Exact calorie counts will depend on the brewing method and size of the cup.
Calories in Black Coffee
Black coffee itself contains very few calories. The calories come primarily from the coffee beans and any oils released during the brewing process.
An 8 ounce (240 ml) cup of black coffee contains:
- 2 calories if brewed using a drip coffee maker
- 3 calories if brewed using a percolating pot
- 5 calories if brewed using a French press
So plain black coffee itself contains almost no calories. The tiny amount of calories comes from trace amounts of oils and compounds in the coffee beans.
The brewing method makes a difference because different techniques result in different amounts of oils from the beans ending up in the finished coffee.
For example, the paper filters used in drip coffee makers absorb some of the oils. While the French press brewing method allows more oils to be retained in the coffee.
Calories in Sugar Free Creamers
Many people add creamer to coffee to mellow the bitter taste and lighten the color.
Using a splash of liquid non-dairy creamer or powdered creamer adds minimal calories:
- 1 tablespoon liquid non-dairy creamer: 12 calories
- 1 tablespoon powdered creamer: 20 calories
Sugar free or artificially sweetened non-dairy creamers contain little to no calories. They are sweetened using low or zero calorie sweeteners like sucralose or stevia rather than sugar.
Some examples of popular sugar free creamers and their calories per tablespoon:
| Creamer | Calories |
|---|---|
| Coffee Mate Sugar Free French Vanilla | 10 |
| International Delight Zero Sugar Caramel Macchiato | 5 |
| SO Delicious Unsweet Coconut Milk Creamer | 10 |
As you can see, using a sugar free or artificially sweetened creamer adds minimal calories to your coffee.
Calories Using Milk or Cream
Some people prefer using milk, half and half, or heavy cream to lighten their coffee instead of artificial creamers. These add more calories, but still remain fairly low in a small serving.
- 2 tablespoons whole milk: 18 calories
- 2 tablespoons half and half: 40 calories
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream: 103 calories
Opting for skim or non-fat milk keeps the calorie count down. For example, 2 tablespoons of skim milk has just 9 calories.
Here are the calories with different types of milk in a splash or 2 tablespoons:
| Milk/Cream | Calories (2 Tbsp) |
|---|---|
| Non-fat milk | 9 |
| 2% reduced fat milk | 18 |
| Whole milk | 18 |
| Half and half | 40 |
| Heavy cream | 103 |
As shown above, the lowest calorie option is using non-fat or skim milk, while heavy cream contains the most calories.
Sweeteners
What about adding sugar or other sweeteners to coffee? This can significantly increase the calorie content.
- 1 teaspoon white sugar: 16 calories
- 1 teaspoon honey: 21 calories
- 1 teaspoon maple syrup: 52 calories
As you can see, adding just a teaspoon of even “natural” sweeteners like honey or maple syrup adds a considerable number of calories.
Artificial sweeteners contain minimal or no calories:
- 1 packet artificial sweetener like Splenda or Equal: 0 calories
- 1 teaspoon white sugar: 16 calories
So using an artificial sweetener instead of sugar can save a significant number of calories.
Dairy-Free Creamer Options
Here are some dairy-free, plant-based creamer options for lightening coffee:
| Creamer | Calories (1 Tbsp) |
|---|---|
| Coconut milk beverage | 17 |
| Oat milk | 10 |
| Soy milk | 8 |
| Almond milk | 7 |
| Ripple Pea Milk | 8 |
As shown above, unsweetened plant-based milk alternatives like oat, soy, almond, and pea milk contain minimal calories per tablespoon. So these can be used to lighten coffee for fewer calories than dairy cream.
Coffee Shop Creamers
When getting coffee from a cafe or coffee shop, the creamer options also have varying calorie counts:
| Creamer | Calories (1 Tbsp) |
|---|---|
| Half and half | 20 |
| Whole milk | 9 |
| Non-dairy creamer | 25 |
| Soy milk | 4 |
| Skim milk | 4 |
Once again, skim or nonfat dairy milk and non-dairy milk like soy contain the lowest calories when adding a splash to coffee from a shop or restaurant. Heavy cream and half and half provide the most calories per tablespoon.
Cappuccino vs Latte Calories
Cappuccinos and lattes contain more calories than plain black coffee with creamer. This is due to the addition of steamed milk.
A tall cappuccino from Starbucks contains:
- 75 calories
- 5g fat
- 9g carbs
- 0g fiber
- 8g sugar
A tall latte from Starbucks has:
- 90 calories
- 5g fat
- 9g carbs
- 0g fiber
- 1g protein
As you can see, the two drinks are comparable calorie-wise due to containing shots of espresso and steamed milk. However, lattes contain slightly more milk overall, accounting for the small increase in calories.
Calories in Flavored Coffee Drinks
Flavoring and sweetening coffee drinks adds calories on top of the base ingredients.
For example, here are the calories in a 16 ounce Starbucks flavored latte:
| Drink | Calories |
|---|---|
| Caramel macchiato | 250 |
| White chocolate mocha | 420 |
| Pumpkin spice latte | 380 |
| Peppermint mocha | 440 |
| Skinny vanilla latte | 140 |
The skinny versions containing sugar-free syrup and nonfat milk have the lowest calories. However, the specialty flavored drinks can contain over 400 calories for a large size.
Ways to Reduce Calories in Coffee Drinks
If you want to keep your coffee drink calories low but still enjoy a splash of flavor, here are some tips:
- Use sugar free flavored creamers or skim milk
- Opt for skinny/light versions with nonfat milk
- Choose small or tall sizes rather than large
- Skip the whipped cream topping
- Use a sprinkle of cinnamon instead of syrups
- Ask for less pumps of flavoring syrup
- Substitute artificial sweetener for sugar
- Request half water, half milk for Americanos
Making your coffee at home also allows you to better control what goes into it for the lowest calorie options.
Calories in Iced and Blended Coffee Drinks
Iced and frozen blended coffee beverages tend to be higher in calories than hot coffee.
For example, a 16 ounce Starbucks:
| Drink | Calories |
|---|---|
| Iced caramel macchiato | 270 |
| Iced white chocolate mocha | 460 |
| Java chip frappuccino | 420 |
| Caramel frappuccino | 410 |
| Cold brew with cold foam | 100 |
The cold brew coffee has the lowest calories since it contains no cream or sweetener. But the iced lattes and frozen blended drinks can pack over 400 calories per serving.
Some ways to lower the calorie count in icy coffee beverages include:
- Ask for skim or nonfat milk
- Opt for a small size
- Light ice or no whipped cream
- Sugar-free syrup instead of regular
- Substitute milk with a splash of cream
- Try cold brew coffee as a lower calorie base
Instant Coffee Calories
Instant coffee made by adding hot water contains very minimal calories.
An 8 ounce cup of black instant coffee prepared with water has about:
- 5 calories
The calories come from trace amounts of coffee solids dissolved in the water.
Adding 2 tablespoons of powdered creamer adds about:
- 20 calories
So a cup of instant coffee with powdered creamer would contain around 25 calories total.
Using fresh milk or cream adds more:
- 2 tablespoons whole milk: 18 calories
- 2 tablespoons half and half: 20 calories
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream: 51 calories
As always, skim or nonfat milk keeps calories to a minimum when adding to instant coffee.
Decaf Coffee Calories
Decaf coffee contains a similar number of calories to regular caffeinated coffee. This is because the base ingredients are the same, it just contains lower amounts of caffeine.
An 8 ounce cup of decaf coffee contains:
- 2-5 calories for black coffee
- 15-25 calories with creamer
So decaf coffee with sugar free creamer or milk has minimal calories, similar to regular coffee. Of course, adding sweeteners, cream, and flavors increases the calories. But the decaf coffee itself does not contain more calories than regular.
Conclusion
Black coffee itself is very low in calories, containing just 2-5 calories per cup depending on the brew method. Adding sugar free non-dairy creamer or a splash of milk adds minimal extra calories to your coffee.
Heavy cream, half and half, and sweetened creamers increase the calories more significantly. Flavored coffee drinks are also higher in calories due to added syrups and toppings like whipped cream.
To keep your cup of coffee low in calories, opt for black coffee or use skim milk, nonfat creamers, and sugar substitutes. Drink smaller coffee drinks sizes, avoid heavy whipped cream, and minimize sweet flavor pumps.
Making coffee drinks at home allows you to better control the ingredients and calories. But you can also customize lower calorie coffee drinks at coffee shops by choosing skim milk, sugar free syrups, and avoiding toppings like whipped cream.
