If you want a coffee with something extra, this hot chocolate protein coffee is what you need. It tastes like a homemade mocha, because chocolate protein powder and cocoa give it a nice chocolaty flavor. Made in seconds!

Since I don’t eat meat, I like to think of other creative ways to add protein to my meals, especially when I’m low on time. And protein powder usually does the trick.

Adding it to smoothies is my usual go-to, but I one day decided to try protein powder in coffee just to see if it works. And surprisingly it does! So I want to share my protein coffee recipe with you.

Best protein powder

I’d say the best protein powder to use is any protein powder you like the taste of. I like using chocolate protein powder in coffee because the flavors work so nicely together. And since I prefer a hot coffee, especially in the mornings, I add protein powder in hot coffee, along with other ingredients and it comes out perfect. Like a fancy mocha latte.

But you can use vanilla protein powder, a mocha protein powder or any other flavor you think would work in your coffee. The options these days seem endless.

From my testing, I can say that whey protein powders are the creamiest. They are made from dairy, so that’s probably why. A well blended whey powder gives a nice, thick, velvety texture.

However you can make a vegan protein coffee with pea protein or brown rice protein or any of the other vegan alternatives. The texture with pea protein isn’t the best right at the start, but it still works. You just have to blend it well. And you can improve it by adding maple syrup and a good plant based milk to the mix.

Recipe variations

To make a hot coffee protein shake, add more milk. To make sure you end up with a hot protein shake, I recommend you warm up the milk first on the stove or in your microwave. It doesn’t need to come to a boil, just make sure it’s warm like a bath. Then combine that with hot coffee and other ingredients in a blender and blend until it’s smooth and frothy.

To make a mocha smoothie, add all ingredients to a blender along with a frozen banana and blend on high. Add more milk if needed. You can also add cauliflower florets for a vegetable spin.

To make an iced protein coffee, combine coffee with the rest of the ingredients and blend them until frothy and smooth. Then pour that over a glass or tumbler filled with ice.

To make a chocolate coffee frappe with protein, combine all ingredients with a cup of ice in a blender and blend on high until the mixture is smooth but thick and perfectly icy. If needed, add more ice.

If you’re making a warm drink, use fresh hot coffee. But if you’re making an iced protein coffee or any variation that uses ice, you can use cold brew coffee.

Whether you’re making a hot protein coffee or something cold, you need a good blender. A handheld frother could work, but I have more success with a personal blender like Nutribullet or Ninja. That’s my go-to because it’s small, easy to clean and just enough for one serving.

But if you’re making a frappe with whole ice cubes, you might want something stronger, like a Vitamix that’s a professional blender and can handle thicker mixtures.

More breakfast beverage recipes to explore

Fresh ginger tea with chamomile (Really great to sip on all winter long.)
Oatmeal smoothie with apples (Really filling and great on the go.)
Amazing sweet potato smoothie (Great way to add some vegetables to a smoothie.)
Banana cream smoothie with Greek yogurt (Really creamy and easy to make.)

Recipe