Hot or Iced, These Easy Protein Coffee Recipes Don’t Taste Gross
Protein coffee is a popular way to utilize protein powder in coffee drinks. Here’s how to try this trend.
Ever wonder, “Can you put protein powder in coffee?”☕️
Yes, you can, and it’s such a smart and yummy way to hit your protein goals while staying caffeinated! I have made my iced coffees this way for a while, and today I’m sharing not only my iced proffee recipe, but also a hot variation – and both use only three ingredients you’re likely to already have on hand if you’re a coffee drinker.
What is proffee? Proffee = Protein + Coffee.
It’s exactly what it sounds like: a high-protein drink made by combining your favorite protein powder in coffee. It’s often paired with milk or a milk alternative for creaminess and flavor. Protein coffee is perfect as a pre-workout, post-workout, or mid-afternoon pick-me-up.
Hip Tip: Opting to use your favorite protein powder plus milk will typically be less expensive than using premade protein shakes. The cost per gram of protein with powder is around $0.04–$0.08, and with premade shakes is $0.10–$0.20.
Here are some proffee benefits worth noting:
- Energy + Fuel: The caffeine keeps you alert, and the protein keeps you full.
- Supports muscle growth: Great post-workout option.
- Customizable: Use any flavor of protein powder and milk you like.
- Easy to make: Takes just a few minutes, hot or cold.
Hot or Cold Protein Coffee
yield: 1 SERVINGS
prep time: 5 MINUTES
total time: 5 MINUTES
Here's how to easily blend up a protein coffee with just a few easy ingredients!
Ingredients
- 1-2 shots espresso coffee
- 1 cup milk of choice
- 1 scoop (or serving) protein powder
Directions
1
For Hot Protein Coffee:
Brew espresso. In a separate container, warm milk in the microwave or on the stove. Blend the protein powder and the milk using a frother. A blender or blender cup would also work. Add the milk mixture to the coffee and blend again. Enjoy!
2
For Iced Protein Coffee:
Brew espresso and let it cool. Blend the milk and protein powder using a frother. Add ice cubes to a cup and pour the espress and milk mixture over the ice. Mix with a straw and enjoy!
Additional Notes
*Nutritional values will vary greatly with whichever milk and protein powder you opt for.
Nutrition Information
Yield: 1,
Amount Per Serving:
228 Calories | 6.1g Fat | 12.4g Total Carbs | 2.0g Fiber | 8.0g Sugar | 0g Sugar Alcohol | 35.1g Protein | 10.4g Net Carbs
Extra tips for making this delicious proffee recipe:
- Don’t have an espresso maker? You can use strongly brewed coffee, or I sometimes use this Nescafé instant espresso. It’s super convenient and tastes fantastic!
- Using protein powder? The key to using protein powder in your proffee is in how you mix it. Protein powder can clump in hot liquids, so either mix it with milk first or use a blender, shaker bottle, or mini handheld frother to help it dissolve smoothly.
- Use your favorite brands and flavors: I used Just Ingredients vanilla protein powder because of how nicely it pairs with coffee. Some brands like Orgain also have coffee-flavored powder, or you could even use unflavored. Chocolate protein powder gives a nice mocha taste, too.
- Pick any milk you’d prefer. I love that Fairlife brand milk has 13 grams of protein per 1 cup. So my protein coffee ends up being 35 grams of protein if I use my Just Ingredients vanilla protein powder and Fairlife milk!
- Feel free to further jazz up your coffee with additional flavored coffee syrups, coffee creamer, and whipped cream. For example, I love adding sugar-free Torani vanilla syrup.
Try my shortcut version, too:
I have to admit that sometimes when I’m in a hurry, I simply combine a Fairlife chocolate shake from Costco with Nescafe espresso powder. Using the handheld frother is easy to blend the two products, or adding ice to a blender for a frozen mocha frappuccino result, makes it over the top!
Let us know in the comments how you make protein coffee so we can all get ideas!
Here’s how other Hip2Save team members make their proffee:
“I don’t typically make protein coffee for myself, but I do make collagen hot coffee! Just a scoop straight into my coffee in the morning – it looks chunky at first, but there’s no smell or flavor, and it dissolves fast.
I have also made protein coffee using Orgain protein powder. Iced is much easier to blend! The recipe I followed suggested shaking the protein powder in a shaker with milk first, and that’s worth the extra step!” – Chelsey
I make hot protein coffee pretty much every single day! I use Nescafe Gold Blonde instant espresso and pair it with a Premier Protein Cafe Late shake or a Jocko Molk protein shake and hazelnut creamer (any one I have on hand) – just a tiny bit for added flavor. If I have my collagen on hand, I’ll also add that into the mix. – Krystal
Make my 4-Ingredient Frozen Protein S’mores this summer, too!
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