Coffee Banana Smoothie

Why You'll Love this Coffee Smoothie Recipe

You'll really enjoy how quickly this smoothie comes together. It's as easy as just adding all the ingredients to the blender.

As easy as it is, you might be surprised to know that this tasty, caffeinated drink can be your entire breakfast! It's an entire meal in a glass. Enjoy it as a pre-workout meal to power you through or a post-workout snack to help recovery.

It's also super versatile! There are so many different things you can do to this recipe to make it taste differently.

Ingredients

• Strong coffee or espresso
• Milk
• Cocoa powder
• Peanut butter - sub almond or cashew butter if desired
• Banana
• Ground cinnamon
• Stevia
• Ice cubes (optional)

Ingredient Notes and Substitutions

• Coffee - It's best to use cold coffee. You can substitute it with espresso or cold brew if you prefer.
• Milk - Use regular cow's milk or plant-based milk such as almond milk or oat milk. Or swap it with Greek yogurt, either plain, vanilla, or coffee-flavored.
• Peanut Butter - You can substitute it with another nut butter such as almond butter or cashew butter. If you have a nut allergy, use SunButter (sunflower seed butter).
• Banana - If you want to make a coffee smoothie without banana, you can substitute it with another fruit, avocado, coconut milk, or yogurt.
• Stevia - You can substitute it with your preferred sugar substitute.
• Ice Cubes - Freeze coffee in ice cube trays to use coffee ice cubes so the smoothie flavor isn't watered down.
• Extra Crunch - Add 1 or 2 teaspoons of cacao nibs.

If you don't want a caffeine smoothie, use decaf coffee and omit the cocoa powder because it also contains caffeine.

Ways to Add Coffee to Smoothies

• Brew strong coffee and refrigerate it to get it cold. Use cold coffee for the liquid in a smoothie.
• Make strong instant coffee by doubling the amount of the coffee granules as directed on the package. Refrigerate it before using it in a smoothie.
• Use cold brew coffee for a smoother coffee flavor.
• Freeze coffee in ice cube trays and use frozen coffee cubes instead of regular ice cubes.

How to Add Fiber to Smoothies

• Add a teaspoon of ground flaxseed.
• Add a tablespoon of chia seeds or hemp seeds.
• Add ¼ to ⅓ of old-fashioned rolled oats (uncooked oatmeal). Do not use steel-cut oats because they don't blend well.
• Add ¼ to ½ of an avocado.

Ways to Sweeten a Smoothie

• Use agave, honey, maple syrup, or sugar.
• Use your favorite sugar substitute.
• Use 1 pitted date.

Equipment Needed

• Blender
• Personal Blender Jar

How to Make a Coffee Smoothie

1. Place all ingredients in a blender or single-serve blender jar.
2. Blend, starting slowly, and then increase speed until the mixture is smooth.

3. Pour the blended mocha smoothie into a glass or mason jar.

Serve your chocolate coffee smoothie as is with a straw for easy sipping or top with whipped cream, some banana slices, and a few mini chocolate chips. Other great toppings include granola, chopped nuts, or maybe a little chocolate syrup. Mornings never tasted so good!

Smoothie Making Tips

• Use frozen fruit and vegetables to make the smoothie cold and thick.
• Use cold liquids.
• Add more liquid if the smoothie is too thick.
• Add liquid ingredients to the blender first.
• Start blending on low then increase the speed to high.
• Adjust the sweetness to your taste preference by adding or reducing the sweetener.
• Use a pitted date as an alternative to sugar, honey, agave, maple syrup, or other sweeteners.

Recipe Variations

• Coffee Berry Smoothie - Make a blueberry or strawberry coffee smoothie by substituting the banana with frozen blueberries or strawberries.
• Coffee Collagen Smoothie - Add a scoop of collagen powder.
• Coffee Fruit Smoothie - Substitute the banana with other fruit. Mango is a popular one.
• Coffee Oatmeal Smoothie - Add ¼ to ½ cup of oats.
• Coffee Protein Smoothie - For a high-protein coffee smoothie, add a scoop of protein powder.
• Coffee Pumpkin Smoothie - Substitute the banana with frozen pumpkin puree.
• Dairy-free Coffee Smoothie - Use plant-based milk.
• Green Coffee Smoothie - Add a handful of spinach leaves or a teaspoon of spirulina powder.
• Peppermint Mocha Smoothie - Add ¼ to ½teaspoon of peppermint extract.
• Vegan Coffee Smoothie - Use plant-based milk.

How to Serve a Banana Coffee Smoothie

Garnish your coffee smoothie with banana slices, chocolate chips, chocolate shavings, cacao nibs, or chocolate-covered coffee beans.

And sometimes you just want your smoothie to be over the top, right? So a little extra whipped cream and a drizzle of chocolate are in order.

Make a coffee smoothie bowl. Reduce the milk by half so it is extra thick. Pour it into a bowl and top it with banana slices, berries, nuts, or granola.

Make Ahead

Place all the smoothie ingredients except the milk in a small plastic freezer bag. When ready to make the smoothie, pour the milk into the blender and add the frozen ingredients. Blend on low then increase the speed after the frozen ingredients have broken up a little.

How to Store and Freeze

Smoothies are best right after blending. However, if you have leftovers and you want to save them, here's what to do:

Store any smoothie leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours. Stir or shake it before drinking because it may separate.

Freeze smoothie leftovers in a freezer-safe container or plastic freezer bags for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight. Blend again with ice cubes to get a usual smoothie texture.

Or you can freeze smoothie leftovers in popsicle molds to make popsicles like these cherry chocolate smoothie breakfast popsicles.

Frequently Asked Questions

More Smoothie Recipes

If you love smoothies, whether it's for breakfast or a mid-day boost, check out these healthy smoothie recipes. They're all easy to make, nutritious, and sure to have you feeling your best.

• Blueberry Coffee Smoothie
• Key Lime Smoothie
• Strawberry Banana Smoothie
• Pineapple Banana Smoothie

Want more? Find lots of healthy smoothie recipes here on 2CM!