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This energizing Mocha Coffee Protein Shake is thick, creamy, and packed with protein. It’s perfect for a quick energy-boosting breakfast or to help with recovery after a workout!
Looking for a protein-packed coffee that’s better than Starbucks? This mocha coffee protein shake is made with chocolate protein powder and coffee to give you a little caffeine and add protein to your morning. Protein helps regulate your blood sugar and helps repair your muscles after a workout, so this shake is nutritious and delicious!
If you like healthy chocolate recipes, you will love my healthy Greek yogurt brownies and healthy chocolate banana bread!
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Plant-Based: This mocha protein shake recipe is vegan and only uses plant-based ingredients like bananas, almond milk, and protein powder.
- Only 5 Ingredients: There’s nothing complicated about this smoothie! It’s only 5 simple ingredients: chocolate protein powder, almond milk, coffee, banana, and vanilla extract.
- Quick and Easy Protein-Packed Breakfast: If you’re looking for a fast and nourishing breakfast, this mocha smoothie has enough protein to keep you full and energized.
Ingredients
- Banana: Keep a few peeled and chopped bananas in the freezer to use for protein shakes in the morning. The frozen banana gives this shake its frozen, smoothie-like consistency.
- Chocolate Protein Powder: Use your favorite chocolate protein powder to make this shake. The flavor of the protein powder makes or breaks a protein shake.
- Almond Milk: Thin out the smoothie and give it a rich, creamy texture with a plant-based milk. You can also use coconut milk if you don’t have almond milk on hand.
- Coffee: Be sure to chill your coffee or use cold brew coffee before adding it to the smoothie. Use decaf coffee if you don’t want the extra caffeine.
See the recipe card below for exact ingredient amounts, nutritional information, and detailed instructions.
Variations & Dietary Modifications
- Add Unsweetened Cocoa Powder: If you want to enhance the chocolate flavor in this coffee protein shake recipe, add a little scoop of unsweetened cocoa powder. Especially great when paired with healthy cookie bars for a quick afternoon treat.
- Try It with Collagen: Add a little collagen to your morning protein smoothie to make it thicker, achieving a more milkshake-like consistency.
- Top with Whipped Cream: If you’re looking for more of a sweet treat versus breakfast, add a dollop of plant-based whipped cream on top to make a protein-packed dessert.
How to Make a Mocha Protein Shake
This chocolate coffee protein shake is the perfect way to get a quick energy boost in the mornings or to help your body recover after a workout. It’s simple, delicious, and full of protein.
Step 1: Add the Ingredients to the Blender. Pour the frozen banana, almond milk, protein powder, vanilla, and coffee into your blender.
Step 2: Blend, Blend, Blend. Blend the ingredients for 1-2 minutes until they reach a smooth consistency, then pour and enjoy. Add in a drizzle of healthy pumpkin spice coffee creamer to make a high-protein pumpkin spice coffee shake!
Expert Tips
- Make it Sweeter: The banana should provide plenty of natural sweetness to your protein mocha coffee but if you need more, add a bit of stevia or honey to your shake.
- Find the Perfect Protein Powder: The trick to finding a delicious protein powder is to find one you like to drink with just milk or water! If it’s delicious plain, it will taste even better in a flavorful smoothie.
- Use Cold Coffee: When combining coffee and protein powder, it’s important to use chilled coffee. Hot liquid causes the protein powder to clump, and it may affect the effectiveness of the protein.
Serving Suggestions
This protein shake with coffee is packed with protein and tastes delicious! Enjoy it for breakfast or as part of your recovery after a vigorous workout. Due to the protein content, this mocha smoothie is a meal in itself, but it also pairs well with a variety of other breakfast dishes.
- A muffin and a smoothie make the perfect pair for breakfast on the go! Try these chocolate raspberry muffins or healthy peanut butter and banana muffins.
- Sit down for a full breakfast with your protein smoothie and these flourless low carb pancakes or a tomato and cheese egg bake.
Recipe FAQs
The combination of coffee and chocolate makes this a cafe mocha protein shake, but if you don’t have chocolate, you can use vanilla or coffee-flavored protein. Just use a little unsweetened cocoa powder or chocolate almond milk to give it that mocha flavor.
Protein shakes are best enjoyed immediately after blending, and this recipe only makes one serving, so I don’t recommend saving any leftovers.
For a richer and more intense coffee flavor, you can use chilled espresso instead.
More Delicious Smoothie Recipes
Breakfast
Healthy Hot Chocolate Smoothie
Drinks
Cherry Smoothie
Breakfast
Strawberry Greek Yogurt Smoothie
If you tried this Mocha Coffee Protein Shake recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how you go in the 📝 comments below.
Mocha Protein Shake
Ingredients
- ½ banana, ripe and frozen
- ¾ cup unsweetened almond milk, or milk of choice
- ½ cup coffee, chilled
- ½ cup chocolate protein powder
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- Stevia, or sweetener of choice
Instructions
- Blend all ingredients in a blender together until smooth.
- Transfer to a glass and drink!
Notes
- If you need more natural sweetness, add a bit of stevia or honey.
- Find a protein powder you like to drink with just milk or water, so it always tastes great in a blended shake.
- Always use chilled coffee when combining coffee and protein powder. Hot coffee gives the protein powder an awful texture.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Vega is a great protein. I tried it when I wanted something not all soy. I switched to something else recently, but would love more Vega!
That looks yummy!!
Now, that’s a good looking smoothie 🙂
Thanks, it’s more like dessert!
My favorite smoothie is frozen watermelon, a whole non frozen nectarine and a little bai5 antioxidant drink, dragonfruit flavor with fresh mint!!!!!! Its fantastic..i crave it!
Sounds really good. Totally making it!
can’t believe this is healthy! it looks like a dessert 🙂
It really is dessert. 🙂
Hey! I am a new reader on your blog, and I see that you’re going through HA… I HAVE TOO! I actually recovered from it 6 months ago after having it for 2 years! I would love to connect and talk sometime! Please feel free to shoot me an email!
I would love to swap stories and experiences.
Thank Hannah, connecting would be great!
Oh the medical field. It all depends on which doctor is looking at which body part. I’m dealing with early menopause symptoms and am having 20+ hot flashes a day. Not mild ones either and getting any doc to take you seriously is so frustrating. Thank you for sharing your story with us. It does help to hear what challenges other women (and runners!) are going through. Would love a smoothie like that right now!
I’m sorry to hear you’re going through that. I hope you find a good doctor who will listen. It’s hard to find those kind anymore.
I’m not a protien powder person, but th e name of this alone makes me want to be one!! This looks amazing!!
I used to not like protein powder either, but this Vega one is dreamy.
Oh man, Megan. You can’t get a break. I hope you start to feeling better soon! And this smoothie looks completely delish. I enjoy all types of protein powder and have it in a smoothie or shake usually once a day. May need to try this one out!
Hi Ashley! Hope you try the Vega. This flavor is too good to be true.
Of course I love this because I LOVE Vega! This looks so delicious!
Another Vega fanatic yeah!