We Tried Coffee Mate Dirty Soda Coconut Lime Flavored Creamer With Dr Pepper And It's A Shockingly Well-Executed Mash-Up

Combining dairy and soda isn't as far-fetched as it may seem. Coloradans have been enjoying root beer floats since 1893. Dirty Soda is another iteration that's become a viral sensation since its debut in Utah in the early 2000s. At that time, Mormon church members were informed that they didn't need to refrain from caffeinated beverages entirely, just hot ones. Soda shops like Sodalicious and Swig jumped on this opportunity by developing flavored soda drinks with unusual ingredients like coconut creamer, half and half, and lime juice.

Many entrepreneurs have jumped on the Dirty Soda bandwagon, further muddying who can claim the term as their own. The latest to do so is Coffee mate, in conjunction with Dr Pepper. This distinct collaboration simplifies the process of making Dirty Soda and bringing it into your home with a heavenly new Coconut Lime Flavored Creamer designed to be added to your favorite Dr Pepper flavor. This iconic blend is available now for a limited time only at grocery stores nationwide.

We here at Daily Meal are hip and love to follow viral trends. As such, I used my skills as a professional chef to put this new product to a rigorous taste test, combining the creamer with carbonated water and Dr Pepper to assess each based on aroma, flavor, and overall execution. Find out how this product fared and if you should add it to your next grocery list. 

Some recommendations are based on first-hand impressions of promotional materials and products provided by the manufacturer/distributor/etc.

To get a baseline sense of what the Coffee mate Dirty Soda Coconut Lime Flavored Creamer tastes like, I started my review by adding it to plain carbonated water. I filled a glass almost to the top then added just a tablespoon of the creamer to the carbonated water, per the serving size recommendations on the back of the bottle. You can adjust the amount you add to your liking, but I tend to prefer things on the more savory side, so I didn't want to overdo it.

The aroma of the coconut Dirty Soda Coconut Lime Flavored Creamer is very coconut forward, with a sweet note that's simultaneously nutty and has a subtle piña colada vibe. When I poured the creamer into the carbonated water, it fizzed up even more, almost overflowing my glass. It quickly settled down before I stirred it well to combine it. I have to admit I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed this beverage. It was simple yet refreshing, with a hint of coconut, but not cloyingly sweet.

My only slight complaint is that I detected little to no lime flavor. The coconut dominated and could have benefitted from more of the acidity and tang that lime would have provided. That said, I didn't mind this and could easily see myself sampling this product added to other flavored sparkling waters, particularly pineapple and tropical fruit varieties.

I enjoyed the Coffee mate Dirty Soda Coconut Lime Flavored Creamer in carbonated water, but I was still skeptical of how it would fare when added to Dr Pepper. This soda, which originated at Morrison's Old Corner Drug Store in Waco, Texas, in the early 1880s, has long been a favorite of mine. While its distinctive flavor and fizz is a common addition to recipes ranging from rich, fudgy brownies to tender pulled pork, the idea of it with coconut lime flavored creamer seemed odd.

I proceeded cautiously, pouring Dr Pepper into my glass and adding a tablespoon of the creamer. Like the carbonated water, the concoction initially had an explosive reaction, fizzing furiously before settling down. After mixing the drink, I noticed the color resembled a sparkling cafe latte. Its aroma was assertively Dr Pepper forward, with the coconut notes somewhat muted.

After the first sip, I was underwhelmed, thinking the soda overpowered the creamer. That said, I was also intrigued, so I took another gulp. This time, I allowed the combination to swirl around my mouth to coat all my taste buds more evenly. When I did that, the flavor became quite complex and satisfying, if not slightly too sweet for my taste. As a treat, this concoction was quite pleasing, and I could easily see myself drinking this Dirty Soda again.

Each 16-fluid-ounce bottle of Coffee mate Dirty Soda Coconut Lime Flavored Creamer contains 32 servings. A one-tablespoon serving has 35 calories, 1.5 grams of fat, 5 milligrams of sodium, and 5 grams of sugar. Ingredients include water, sugar, soybean oil, emulsifiers, stabilizers, and artificial flavors. This product may contain milk, as noted on its allergen warning.

One can of Dr Pepper contains 150 calories, 55 milligrams of sodium, and 40 grams of sugar. Ingredients include carbonated water, high fructose corn syrup, natural and artificial flavors, preservatives, and caffeine. Contrary to popular belief, Dr Pepper does not contain prune juice.

The precise nutritional content of a drink made with Coffee mate Dirty Soda Coconut Lime Flavored Creamer and can of Dr Pepper depends on how much of the creamer you add. For my taste, one serving was more than adequate, but if you prefer your drink more coconut-forward and creamier, you can increase that. Either way, this treat lands in the range of 200 calories per glass.

I went into this convinced I would not enjoy this combination. Something about the idea of the flavors just didn't jive in my brain, which is surprising since I have a penchant for combining some pretty unusual ingredients in my culinary creations. That said, knowing that Dr Pepper has such a distinctive flavor with notes of caramel, licorice, vanilla, cherry, warm spices, and, yes, a prune-like undertone, I couldn't fathom how coconut, limes, and cream would fit into this equation without being cloyingly sweet and a little disgusting.

I'll freely and gladly admit I was completely wrong. Not only did I enjoy it, but I thought it was extraordinarily unusual and a shockingly well-executed mash-up. I could easily see swapping this for a cafe latte or mocha as a late afternoon pick-me-up or just drinking one for a sweet treat with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or coconut sorbet thrown in for good measure, although I would use Diet Dr Pepper.

As for the carbonated water version, this could become my new guilty day drinking pleasure, with a shot of quality coconut rum thrown in to jazz things up. Opinions about Dirty Soda can be strongly contested on the internet but, in my professional opinion, this version is a resounding success. I recommend snagging a bottle of the Coffee mate Dirty Soda Coconut Lime Flavored Creamer and a few cans of Dr Pepper from your local grocery store immediately while supplies last.