Have you ever thought of mixing coffee with your protein shake? Well, we’re doing that! Read on further to see why this creamy, dreamy, and insanely yummy coffee protein shake is worth giving a try.
This shake is my newest breakfast obsession. Why? Well, it contains two of my favorite things: coffee and almond butter.
And then it just keeps getting better with the chocolate protein powder and cinnamon.
Almond butter is simply amazing and if you haven’t tried it yet, I highly recommend it.
It’s pretty much what you’d expect it to taste like and is a nice change from peanut butter. You could totally make this shake with peanut butter, but I like the extra nuttiness that almond butter gives.
I’ve been using any excuse to eat almond butter lately. I’ve recently enjoyed spreading it on a sliced banana with a little cinnamon or in this tasty protein shake. Yum.
Now, let's discuss why this coffee protein shake is so worth waking up to!
If you love it, try my 7-Ingredient Healthy Coffee Smoothie, next!
Can You Put Coffee In A Protein Shake?
Yes, you can put coffee in a protein shake. In fact, it’s a genius idea especially if the ingredients match! Mixing protein powder and coffee may even come with certain benefits. Cocoa powder or chocolate protein powder and coffee in a combo come to mind for a delicious mocha type flavor. Coffee protein shakes are versatile so perfect this one, and then vary it a bit if you like.
I'm happy to suggest you try cleanish Plant-Based Protein Powder. It's 100% natural and with flavors like Chocolate + Sea Salt, Caramel Latte and oh-so-tasty Vanilla Bean, you'll add nutrition and a smack of deliciousness to your protein shake.
Here are a few benefits:
- It may help improve your workout: Since coffee is a natural stimulant, it can improve your muscle’s ability to fight fatigue. (Especially when you drink it at least an hour before your workout.)
- It may further aid in weight loss: Protein can help reduce your hunger hormone and increase your satiety. Coffee, on the other hand, is linked to increasing your metabolic rate. So pour yourself a coffee protein smoothie and head out for a power walk!
- It can efficiently help you reach your daily protein needs: You’re basically combining two super awesome things in one go, which just adds up in benefits. You get your antioxidants and pick-me-up from the coffee and your protein fix from the shake. Any way that we boost our daily nutrition levels is a win.
Is It Ok To Mix Whey Protein With Coffee?
Yes, it’s okay to mix whey protein with coffee. You can blend it or mix it in, whichever way is fine. Just know that protein powder may foam up when mixed with really hot coffee. If that bothers you, you can always wait for it to cool until adding your whey protein.
Another option is to blend your coffee into your protein shake or smoothie which is exactly what I’m going to show you in my version of an iced coffee protein shake recipe below. Read on to see why this combination might just be your next favorite breakfast treat!
Does Coffee Make You Gain Weight?
On its own, coffee does not make you gain weight. In fact, studies show that coffee can help promote weight loss by boosting your metabolic rate. It’s also a great appetite suppressant.
This is why people on an intermittent fasting diet happily consume black coffee to start their day. Trust me, you’ll learn to enjoy it especially if you’re using good quality healthy coffee.
What could make you gain weight are the other ingredients you might be putting too much of in your coffee.
Here are some examples of ingredients that may be upping your coffee’s calorie count:
- Too much cream (unless you make your own healthy version)
- Artificial sweetener
- Artificial flavoring
- Highly processed syrups and sugars
As with anything, moderation and mindfulness are key. There’s nothing wrong with sprucing up your usual cup of joe. However, calories can easily add up throughout the day with multiple cups and high-sugar or highly processed ingredients.
What Is In This Coffee Protein Shake?
With only 6 simple ingredients and an amazing choice of beans, this shake is something that’s sure to start your mornings right.
Here’s all you need:
- Unsweetened almond milk: I love using unsweetened almond milk as opposed to a dairy product for my smoothie and protein shake recipes. But you can also use your milk of choice for this. Oat milk is another tasty option, BTW.
- Protein powder: Check this post out for a list of the 4 fave brands I like to alternate in my shakes. For this recipe, use chocolate-flavored protein powder. Vanilla protein powder is fab, too. Dustin and I developed our cleanish Protein Powder with these sought after tastes in mind!
- Almond butter: This is the best! A great alternative to the usual peanut butter in my smoothies, plus it’s rich in healthy fats. Almond butter may lower your risk for heart disease and improve your heart health too! Use your favorite nut butter to up the nutrition and flavor profile to your liking. Cashew butter, anyone?
- Cinnamon (ground): This is another way to boost both flavor and antioxidant content in this heavenly shake.
- Coffee beans (3-4): You can also choose to use 1 tablespoon of (cold) brewed coffee instead. For the beans, I like the bold and bright flavor of these organic arabica beans.
- Ice cubes: You’ll want it nice, cold, and thick. Yum! Some people may opt for coffee ice cubes. You can even put leftover brewed coffee in ice cube trays in the fridge.
How Much Protein Do I Need A Day?
The typical sedentary adult should have at least 0.8 grams of protein for every kilogram of body weight. So on average, sedentary men should have around 56 grams of protein per day and women should have approximately 46 grams. Whether it's plant-based protein or sources like poultry, lean beef, or protein powder, the benefits of protein to your overall health are many. So don't skimp on protein!
How do you calculate your protein intake? Simply multiply your weight in pounds by 0.36. You can also use an online protein calculator that will factor in your daily activity level.
If you need help calculating your macros (which is very important when it comes to weight loss), check out this post on How to Calculate Your Macros.
What Is The Healthiest Coffee?
Generally, the healthiest cup of coffee depends on your health goals. For example, here are some common health goals and the kind of coffee you should focus on:
- For weight loss goals: You will want to consider drinking your coffee black or choosing low-calorie coffee.
- For heart health issues, anxiety, or sensitivity to caffeine: You may want to stick to decaf, which still contains antioxidant benefits, btw.
- For people living with diabetes: You might want to reduce or skip out on sugar entirely.
- For people who want anti-inflammatory-rich diets: You might want to consider adding antioxidant-rich ingredients such as turmeric or cinnamon. Chia seeds are anti-inflammatory and give a fiber boost, too.
But if you’re looking for the healthiest coffee based on a specific type of coffee bean, then Robusta beans are rich in antioxidants for light or blonde roasts.
If you’re like me and you enjoy the coffee flavor of medium to dark roasts, Arabica beans are the healthiest. They also contain a high level of antioxidant content. I like specifically like my very own Better Than Yesterday blend. It’s perfectly smooth and has a nice boldness to it that isn’t overpowering for my usual morning coffee.
In fact, these are the exact beans I also use for this coffee protein shake recipe.
More Healthy Shake Recipes
If you’re looking for more creamy, dreamy, and delicious shake recipes… Look no further! Here are some more for you to try:
- Blueberry Protein Shake | Thick & Refreshing
- Chocolate, Banana, Peanut Butter Protein Shake
- Strawberry Protein Shake | With Honey and Greek Yogurt
- Almond Butter, Chocolate & Coffee Bean Protein Shake
- Green Protein Smoothie | With Baby Spinach & Coconut Milk
- Pumpkin Cheesecake Protein Smoothie
- Peach Protein Shake | Just 5 Simple Ingredients!
- Banana Protein Shake
This post contains affiliate links for products I use regularly and highly recommend.
Almond Butter, Chocolate & Coffee Bean Protein Shake
Equipment
*This post may contain affiliate links for products I use often and highly recommend.
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsweetened almond milk or milk of choice
- 1 scoop chocolate protein powder
- 1 tablespoon almond butter
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 3-4 coffee beans or 1 tbsp. brewed coffee cold
- 5-8 ice cubes
Instructions
- In order to get your preferred consistency, you can also start by not adding any ice, following the other steps above. Once all other ingredients are mixed together, slowly add the ice, mix and then test. Continue to add more ice cubes until the desired consistency is met.
- If too thick, you can add some more vanilla milk, little by little.
Vesta
Absolutley delicious . I followed the recipe to a t. Thought it funny that my hubby's name is Dustin and he too does not care for coffee. To each is own. Thanks for the recipe. I'll be drinking this one alot.
Kerry
I googled "adding coffee to a breakfast smoothie". A few recipes came up with banana, which I skipped bc I don't care for bananas. Then I found yours. Holy cow! Using ingredients I had on hand, it was spectacular. My differences: I had maple almond butter (adding about 2 more calories) and 1 heaping tsp of dark cocoa (bc my vegan protein powder is vanilla). Threw in a tiny pinch of salt. I love your idea of using coffee beans. It's easier, but also such a great flavor. Thank you for the recipe!
Dustin
This protein shake could use an update 🙂