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 healthy 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 brewed coffee, 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!

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:

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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!
4. Use homemade or store-bought cold brew 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 coffee that has been cooled. Feel free to get a little fancy with cold brew, too!
• 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 butter (or your favorite nut butter) adds a bit of protein and healthy fats, plus a delicious creaminess to this smoothie. Feel free to use your favorite brand of all natural nut butter, which should be just nuts + salt. Use the code ‘AMBITIOUS15’ to get 15% off of my favorite brand, Wild Friends!
• Vanilla: vanilla is always recommended.
• Protein powder: I made this a post-workout smoothie by adding a scoop of collagen peptides protein, but you can use a plant based protein powder instead. I recommend Vital Protein collagen peptides or Four Sigmatic for a vegan option.
• 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 additional nutritious ingredients to really make it your own. Here are a few suggestions that you can add to this coffee smoothie:

• 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 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:

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. 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

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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!

Recipe by: Monique Volz // Ambitious Kitchen | Photography by: Eat Love Eats

This post was originally published on July 11, 2019 and republished on September 6, 2021.