This protein iced coffee is a refreshing beverage to kickstart your day with! Creamy and rich, it is a great way to sneak extra protein into your diet. This beverage is also easy to make and is ready in minutes.
If you are looking for fun ways to add more protein to your diet, give this protein iced coffee a go! Featuring freshly brewed coffee, protein powder, milk, and optionally sweetener of choice, it has been my go-to morning beverage of late.
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💚Why you will love this recipe
- Creamy and rich yet refreshing
- Quick and easy to make - ready in 5 minutes!
- A great source of protein - a serving contains more than 20g of protein
- Versatile and highly customizable
🤔Type of coffee to use
Most ways of brewing coffee will work in this protein iced coffee, so choose whichever way you prefer!
- Espresso - my preferred way of making coffee. Use 1-2 shots, depending on how strong you want your coffee to be. I usually make my espresso using the Nespresso coffee machine.
- Drip coffee
- Cold brew - use around ½ cup, either store-bought or homemade
- French press coffee - I recommend reducing the amount of hot water used to about ½ cup, so the coffee will not be too diluted.
- Instant coffee - Mix around 1-2 teaspoons with ½ cup of hot water. I recommend getting a higher quality one like the Waka Colombian instant coffee.
☕What you will need
📃Ingredients notes and substitutions
- Coffee - My preferred way is to brew 1-2 shots of espresso in my Nespresso coffee machine, but feel free to use any other brewing method! I recommend checking out my ‘types of coffee to use’ section above.
- Protein powder - Both plant-based and whey protein powder can be used in this recipe. I recommend going with either vanilla, coffee-flavored, or unflavored protein powder.
- Milk - I am going with almond milk, but other kinds of milk work in this recipe.
- Sweetener (optional) - If you like sweetened coffee, add your favorite syrup or sugar-free alternatives like Splenda or stevia.
🔪How to make
Brew your coffee, then stir in sweetener if using.
Place your protein powder and milk in a shaker and shake until everything is well combined.
Pour your coffee and protein shake over some ice. Your protein iced coffee is ready to be served.
✔️Helpful tips and variation
- You can substitute the protein powder and milk with ¾ of bottled pre-made protein shake. It will further reduce the preparation time.
- Decaf version - If you prefer your protein iced coffee to be lower in caffeine, use decaffeinated coffee instead of regular ones. Do bear in mind that decaffeinated coffee still contains some caffeine.
- This coffee is on the thicker side. You can reduce the amount of protein powder to 2 tablespoons if you prefer a thinner consistency.
- Make it warm - Make your protein shake, and heat it in the microwave at 15 seconds burst, or until it is warm. Keep an eye on it to prevent it from spilling over. Combine coffee with protein shake, and stir in the sweetener of choice if using.
🍫Fun add-ins
Here are some fun ways to spice up your coffee -
Chocolate coffee - The combination of coffee and chocolate might be unconventional, but they go well together! To make it, opt for a chocolate-flavored protein powder, and add a teaspoon of cocoa powder to make it extra chocolatey.
Coffee syrups - Go with the classic caramel and vanilla, or try bolder combinations like coconut and raspberry!
Spices - To give some warmth to your coffee. Ground cinnamon, turmeric, and pumpkin spice are some of my favorites.
Flavorings - if you want the flavor but not the sweetness, you can add extract of choice like vanilla or mint. A little goes a long way when it comes to these extracts!
❔Commonly asked questions
Both whey and plant-based protein powders like soy, pea, or hemp work well in this iced protein coffee. I recommend sticking to vanilla, coffee-flavored, or unflavored ones, but feel free to play around with the flavor combo!
If you use unsweetened protein powder, you might need to add sweeteners like syrups, sugar, or sugar-free alternatives. However, if you prefer unsweetened coffee, that is fine, too!
A pre-made protein shake is an excellent substitute for protein powder and milk. Use ¾ to 1 cup.
The sweetness of this protein iced coffee hugely depends on the ingredients added. If you prefer unsweetened coffee, choose a protein powder that is unflavored and unsweetened. However, if you like your coffee on the sweeter side, add a sweetener of your choice.
🍽️More recipes using protein powder
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📖 Recipe
Protein Iced Coffee
Ingredients
- ¾ cup soy milk or another plant-based milk/regular milk
- 3 tablespoons protein powder unflavored/vanilla-flavored*
- 4 oz brewed coffee see notes**
- 1 tablespoon erythritol or another sweetener of choice (optional)
Instructions
- Stir in maple syrup into the coffee, if using.
- Place your protein powder and milk in a shaker and shake until everything is well combined.
- Pour your coffee and protein shake over some ice. Your protein iced coffee is ready to be served.
Notes
- ou can substitute the protein powder and milk with ¾ of bottled pre-made protein shake. It will further reduce the preparation time.
- If you prefer your protein iced coffee to be lower in caffeine, use decaffeinated coffee instead of regular ones. Do bear in mind that decaffeinated coffee still contains some caffeine.
- This coffee is on the thicker side. You can reduce the amount of protein powder to 2 tablespoons if you prefer a thinner consistency.
Nutrition
Nutrition info calculated is just a rough estimate and is provided as a courtesy. Bear in mind that value will vary based on variables like specific brand or type of product used. To obtain the most accurate representation, it is highly recommended that you calculate it on your own with the actual amount and type of ingredient used.
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