This smoothie is probably one of our favorite smoothie recipes of all time. It’s creamy & delicious and the perfect drink after my early morning workouts or if I want a caffeine-infused afternoon snack that’s both nutrient-dense and protein packed. Say hello to my coffee smoothie recipe that tastes like a peanut butter banana smoothie and a mocha had a baby and I’M HERE FOR IT!
Not only is this smoothie packed with flavor, but it also includes plenty of nourishing ingredients like peanut butter, banana, cauliflower (yes that’s right!), cacao, and protein powder. Trust me, you’ll never know there’s cauliflower in this recipe either; all it does is add a creamy consistency to the smoothie!
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Ways to add coffee to smoothies
There are a few ways that I like to add coffee to my smoothies that I feel work best in both flavor and texture. I would not recommend using ground coffee beans as they’ll most likely be too potent (and crunchy). Here are the best ways to prepare your coffee for smoothies:
- Brewed, cooled coffee. Brew a pot of coffee like you normally would and then reserve a few cups for making smoothies. First, allow the coffee to cool completely to room temperature, then add the coffee to a mason jar or glass container and store in the fridge for up to 5 days for smoothie use.
- Make coffee ice cubes. Another option is to pour room temperature coffee into an ice cube tray and freeze them for later. This is a great option because then you are able to make the smoothie anytime you’d like, just know that you may need to add more milk to the coffee smoothie in order to get the ice to blend properly.
- Make strong instant coffee. Occasionally I’ll do this if I don’t feel like making a fresh pot of coffee. Simply make a cup of instant coffee like you normally would according to the directions on the package, except add an extra serving of instant coffee granules since you’ll be adding lots of ice later to cool it down. Once the instant coffee dissolves in warm/hot water, you’ll immediately transfer it to a large bowl or large glass and add as much ice as you can. This is to cool down the coffee so that you can immediately use it to make your smoothie. Yum!
- Use cold brew. Homemade or store-bought cold brew will work instead of coffee. This is another great option if you like your coffee smoothie a little stronger on the caffeine side or if you just want the convenience of using something store-bought.
Coffee smoothie ingredients
Below are ingredients you can feel free to mix and match in this coffee smoothie, but in general, I suggest trying to stick to the fruit and liquid ratios. This recipe is packing some seriously nutritious ingredients and includes 17g protein and 9g fiber per serving. Whoo hoo! Here’s what you’ll need:
- Brewed coffee: add a kick of caffeine (or use decaf) and a delicious coffee flavor to your smoothie by adding brewed, cooled coffee, or any of the options I listed above.
- Frozen banana: using frozen fruit is best in smoothies and banana helps to sweeten this one!
- Frozen cauliflower: I use frozen cauliflower instead of ice to thicken this smoothie while sneaking in some extra veggies. You won’t taste it at all (Tony didn’t!) and it thickens it up without making it watery like ice can. Try it out and let me know what you think.
- All natural peanut butter: a bit of peanut butterhttps://amzlink.to/az0eoiePT21HNThis (or your favorite nut butter) adds protein, healthy fats, and a delicious creaminess to this smoothie. Feel free to use your favorite brand of all natural nut butter, which should be just nuts + salt.
- Vanilla: a little vanilla extract is always recommended to bring out the natural sweetness.
- Protein powder: I made this a post-workout protein smoothie by adding a scoop of collagen peptides protein, but you can use any plain, vanilla, or chocolate protein powder you’d like. I recommend Vital Protein collagen peptides, or for a vegan option, try Four Sigmatic.
- Cacao powder: cacao powder has a richer chocolate flavor than regular cocoa powder, and it contains more minerals like magnesium. This is a brand I like to use.
- Milk: feel free to use any milk you’d like in my smoothie recipes according to your preferences. Almond milk tends to have a neutral taste in smoothies, coconut milk will add a more tropical and creamy flavor, and regular milk will add a boost of protein. Try my homemade Homemade Chocolate Hazelnut Milk for a delicious Nutella flavor!
Adding extra nutrition to this coffee smoothie
You can enhance any smoothie by adding nutritious ingredients to really make it your own. Here are a few suggestions:
- Flaxseed meal: this is one of my favorite ingredients to add to smoothies for a little boost of fiber and minerals, and is especially great for nursing mamas as flaxseed can help increase milk supply. Usually, a tablespoon is plenty! Here’s a brand I love.
- Chia seeds: feel free to add in a tablespoon of chia seeds to your smoothie for a boost of healthy fats and fiber.
- Hemp seeds: if you’ve been wondering what to do with those hemp seeds lurking in your cupboard, feel free to throw in a tablespoon into your smoothie for a boost of healthy fats, omegas and minerals.
- Oats: to add a little heartiness to your smoothie and to help thicken it, feel free to add in 1/3 cup rolled oats. Do not use steel cut oats as they will not blend well.
- Avocado: add healthy fats and create a thick, creamy smoothie by adding ripe avocado. Usually 1/4 or 1/2 of an avocado will be sufficient and also help to keep you satisfied thanks to those healthy fats.
Make it ahead of time
Be sure to check out our three different ways to prep and store smoothies in your freezer so that you can make this healthy coffee smoothie ahead of time! Feel free to double or triple it and enjoy all week long.
Tips for making smoothies
Here are a few of my favorite tips I like to share in regards to making the best creamy, healthy smoothies:
- Use frozen produce. Using frozen fruits & veggies is best as it helps keeps the smoothie cold and thick. Sometimes ice doesn’t blend as well, so it’s best to skip unless absolutely necessary.
- Adjust the liquid. Don’t be afraid to add more liquid if your smoothie is too thick or won’t fully blend. High powered blenders tend to blend frozen fruit much better, so if you have a regular or personal size blender, you may need to add more milk.
- Start slow. Start the blender on low speed, then gradually increase to high to help blend all ingredients. Finally end with the blender on low speed.
- Choose your sweetness level. If a smoothie doesn’t taste sweet enough for your liking, you can add a 1/2 tablespoon of honey, pure maple syrup or 1 pitted Medjool date.
Recommended tools
Check out more of our favorite go-to kitchen essentials here.
Watch me make this delicious coffee smoothie recipe
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- Get Your Greens in Smoothie (the best green smoothie!)
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- Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Smoothie
- Salted Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookie Shake
- Almond Cherry Smoothie (my favorite smoothie ever!)
Get all of our amazing smoothie recipes here!
I can’t wait to hear how you like this coffee smoothie! Come back tomorrow for another delicious smoothie recipe you won’t want to miss. And don’t forget to check out our guide on how to prep smoothies ahead of time. xo!
Ambitious Kitchen
Cookbook
125 Ridiculously Good For You, Sometimes Indulgent, and Absolutely Never Boring Recipes for Every Meal of the Day
High-Protein Coffee Smoothie
Ingredients
- ¾ cup brewed coffee, cooled in the fridge*
- 1 frozen medium ripe banana
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon natural peanut butter (or nut butter of choice)
- ¾ cup frozen cauliflower (or ½ cup ice)
- ¼ cup unsweetened coconut or almond milk, plus more if necessary
- ½ tablespoon cacao powder (or use unsweetened cocoa powder)
- 1 serving collagen peptides (or your favorite protein powder)
Instructions
- In a large high-powered blender, add in all ingredients and blend on high for 1-2 minutes or until all ingredients are well combined. If necessary, add in more almond milk to thin the smoothie. Makes 1 smoothie.
Recipe Notes
Nutrition
Recipe by: Monique Volz // Ambitious Kitchen | Photography by: Eat Love Eats
This post was originally published on July 11, 2019, republished on September 6, 2021, and republished on June 5th, 2025.
This has become my go-to afternoon pick-me-up! I used cold brew ice cubes like you suggested and it honestly tastes like a mocha from a coffee shop, just thicker. I was sceptical about the frozen cauliflower at first, but you really can’t taste it at all — it just makes everything extra creamy. I also swapped in almond butter and it worked beautifully. Thanks for this one!
Looked at your coffee lovers’ smoothie recipe & the link for the peanut butter didn’t work, keep up the great work, fantastic recipes
So strange! Here’s the chocolate peanut butter one 🙂
So delicious! Creamy, dreamy!
I added cinnamon, too!
Love it! Perfect breakfast or snack 🙂
This was very good. I made coffee fresh with my aeropress and quickly cooled it with ice. Used 1/4 an avocado and organic cacao protein powder. Would make again.
The perfect breakfast!
These are SO yummy! I add some spinach, one packet of Stevia and a little bit of unsweetened coconut. Great for a post workout meal!
Perfect! So glad you enjoyed!
Just a heads up… the proteins in collagen powders aren’t the kind which support muscles, they only support collagen. Collagen proteins don’t absorb the same way and while they’re good for joints, skin, and hair/nails they aren’t nutritionally considered proteins.
Just drinking this now and wow, banana smoothie meets mocha is an absolutely spot on description – it’s delicious, and you really can’t taste the cauliflower. I used oat milk and almond butter in place of almond milk and peanut butter and cold brew coffee and scoop of vanilla protein powder. This will defo be replacing my regular post-workout protein shake!!
One of my all-time favorites! Glad you loved it!
Hello! Have you tried adding greens to this smoothie with success?
Yes it works very well!
I love your recipes, and this one is NO exception! Delicious. I’m allergic to bananas and vanilla (believe it or not!); so I used half of a Gala apple as they are sweeter apples and omitted the vanilla. So good! Love the cauliflower idea.
I’m glad that swap worked out well! Such a great breakfast or snack 🙂
This is awesome and so nutritious! I made it for my brother and sister and they loved it!
Amazing! Such a great breakfast or snack.
Can I substitute spinach for the cauliflower?
Sure!
I used half & half instead of non-dairy milk, avocado instead of cauliflower, and I didn’t have the collagen/protein powder so I left it out. I found the smoothie not sweet enough for my taste, so I added 1T of maple syrup. Perfect!
YUM! Sounds delicious, so glad your subs turned out great for you and you enjoyed this recipe, Nicole 🙂
Honestly, I was skeptical. I’m typically not a fan of bananas in smoothies…and cauliflower?
We’ll, I’m so glad I tried this. It’s amazing! And so much better than the overpriced oversweet drink I get at my local coffee shop. I’m sold!
Yay! I am so excited you gave this recipe a try and it is a hit 🙂❤️
Fantastic smoothie. I up the cocoa to 1.5 Tbsp and add 1 Tbsp each hemp, chia, flax and dash of cinnamon. 1/4 cup of oats too, like many of Monique’s other smoothies. Just delicious!!!
This is one of the best smoothies I have had, absolutely delicious. It came out creamy, sooooo delicious! I made it in 900W NUTRIBULLET, did not want to drag out my VITAMIX for one serving. Made i5 2 days in a row,
Ah excellent! I am so glad you are loving this smoothie ❤️
This is weird. I saw this posting, today, but I already made a similar protein shake, this morning. I used Almond milk, Maple Pecan coffee, almond butter, vegan chocolate protein powder, and fresh fruit/veggies. It was very good and filling. I’m loving the shakes because I feel so bloated, eating a lot of solid foods. The shakes hold me, until lunch time.
This smoothie is absolutely AMAZING!!!! I’m still a teenager, so i don’t really drink coffee yet but this is a game changer! Literally the best way to drink coffee! I did change I few things, i only used 1/4 cup of frozen riced cauliflower and then a half a cup of ice. I also added flaxseed to fill me up (since I made this for lunch;) and honey because I like sweet. But seriously this tastes better than a Starbucks frap and I can’t believe it has VEGETABLES in it. You’re a genius, Monique, thank you!!! Will definitely make again.
Aw this means so much to me! I am SO glad that you are loving this smoothie. Thank you so much ❤️
yamm ! Definitely gonna try try this out! thanks
I make this all the time and I love it!!!
Made and really like. Used ice cubes not cauliflower and sweet coconut milk as did not have unsweetened. Otherwise followed recipe. Excellent morning or afternoon drink. Flavors all blended together well.
Love this for mornings after I work out. I pre made a few servings and froze them so my husband and I can have something delicious and energizing before running off to work in the mornings. Thanks for the freezing tips too!
So glad you guys are loving them and that you’re enjoying meal prepping them, too! ❤️
I was so excited to try it but the texture and taste was so weird:(
So sorry you didn’t love it! I’m wondering if it was the protein/collagen you used… What brand was it?
Yummy! The flavor ended up pleasantly complex with the coffee, cacao, PB, and vanilla. I also added a little cinnamon and pinch of salt, and used up some frozen spinach. Loved combining coffee + breakfast in one glass on a lazy weekend morning!
Today I made the coffee lovers smoothie!! It is another delicious win for me! I used some frozen avocado as well, since I didn’t have enough cauliflower left. Also added 1 tsp of my superfood tumeric creamer and my 2 tsp serving of chicory and collagen blend! I love it! 😍😋
I’ve loved every other one of your recipes I’ve made, but I wasn’t a fan of this one. The cauliflower made the smoothie icy instead of creamy, and it had a bitter rather than a sweet taste. Moral of the story: I’m going to stick to bananas in smoothies.
Hi, Jenny. Sorry you didn’t love this one! Do you have a high powered blender (such as a Vitamix)? I’m wondering if the cauliflower didn’t fully process/break down, leading to an icier texture.
You had me at coffee and chocolate! This was fantastic! I added my vanilla protein powder and it made it nice and creamy.
I didn’t have any cauliflower… but I used chameleon cold brew which was a perfect option for this. I used silk soy milk along with sun warrior vanilla protein powder & frozen banana. Perfect smoothie in the am if you love coffee like me!
Yum! your recipe looks so delicious to me. No doubt, iced coffee is the best recipe at the evening, specially in New York
Thanks for the Wonderful Tips as my Loved One is a coffee addict and I will surly try this to amaze him
Used two rounded tsps of instant espresso. Put in measuring cup then added vanilla, cocoa, date sugar (about a tablespoon–or you could just add a date), tap water and cold flax milk to make a cup. Poured in blender with frozen banana, four large ice cubes and a tablespoon of almond butter. It had enough liquid so I didn’t have to keep shaking the blender, but was still very frosty. Delicious.
Thanks for sharing, I’m happy you enjoyed it!
Made this after yoga this morning with cashew butter instead of peanut butter. Love the addition of cauliflower, this was super creamy an delicious!
Yay! Glad to hear you enjoyed it, Hannah. Thanks for leaving a review!
So good!!!!! The cauliflower trick is genius. Also, I made this using a tablespoon of instant coffee dissolved in a tablespoon or 2 of boiling water, without bothering to cool that down in the fridge first. I just chucked it in hot, and it was still great.
Cauliflower in smoothies is my fav! Happy that you loved this! And great idea to use the instant coffee 🙂