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If you’ve ever wished your morning coffee could double as breakfast, this coffee smoothie is your dream come true. It’s creamy, naturally sweetened, and delivers that caffeine boost you love—along with protein, fiber, and fruits and veggies to keep you going strong all morning.
Think of it as your coffee, breakfast, and nutrient boost all in one glass. Instead of sipping on a plain cup of joe and grabbing a snack later, you get a balanced meal with smooth, sustained energy—no mid-morning crash required.
Why You’ll Love This Coffee Smoothie
- Plant-based & dairy-free: Creamy without cream thanks to oat milk and banana.
- Energy + nourishment: A caffeine boost paired with protein, healthy fat, and fiber.
- Creamy mocha flavor: Bananas and oat milk make it velvety, cacao powder adds chocolatey depth, and coffee ties it all together.
- Meal replacement potential: Add protein powder for a filling breakfast that keeps you satisfied for hours.
- Easy & customizable: Works with brewed coffee, cold brew, or even decaf.
Ingredients You’ll Need
When I first started making coffee smoothies, I treated them like an iced latte in a blender—just coffee and milk. But once I realized I could turn it into a meal that actually fueled my morning, I started getting creative. Now, my coffee smoothie is loaded with good-for-you ingredients that taste amazing and keep me satisfied for hours. It’s like my morning coffee met my breakfast smoothie and they became best friends.
- Brewed coffee (cooled): Your source of caffeine and rich coffee flavor.
- Frozen banana: Adds natural sweetness, creaminess, and potassium.
- Pitted Medjool date: A natural sweetener with fiber and caramel-like flavor.
- Vanilla extract: Warms up and rounds out the flavors.
- Frozen cauliflower florets: Adds bulk and creaminess without changing the flavor—plus extra vitamin C.
- Oat milk: Super creamy and pairs beautifully with coffee’s bold taste.
- Cacao powder: Rich, antioxidant-packed, and the secret to that mocha magic.
- Collagen: Boost it with collagen or even my homemade protein powder, which adds 10+ grams of protein as well as fiber and healthy fat.
7-Day Smoothie Kickstart
Grab my free 7-Day Smoothie Plan to feel lighter, leaner, and more energized—without sacrificing flavor or sanity.
How to Make a Coffee Smoothie
I’m all about recipes that don’t require a ton of steps—especially first thing in the morning before I’m fully caffeinated. The beauty of this coffee smoothie is that it’s as simple as brew, blend, and go. Once your coffee is cooled, the rest is just tossing everything into the blender and letting it work its magic.
- Brew coffee and let it cool (or use cold brew).
- Add all ingredients to your blender.
- Blend until creamy, scraping down the sides if needed.
- Taste and adjust sweetness if desired.
- Serve immediately in a glass or to-go cup.
Pro tip: If using dates, blend on medium first until they’re fully chopped, then switch to high for that silky finish.
What Coffee Works Best in a Smoothie?
Coffee drinkers can be particular—I get it. I’ve gone through my phases of cold brew obsession, French press mornings, and even instant coffee in a pinch. The good news? Any of them work in a smoothie. The key is using coffee you actually enjoy drinking on its own, because that flavor is going to shine through in every sip.
- Decaf: Same flavor, less caffeine.
- Drip coffee: Brew and cool, then store extra in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- Cold brew: Naturally smooth and less acidic—perfect for smoothies.
- Instant coffee: Quick and easy, just make sure to cool before blending.
Tips for the Perfect Coffee Smoothie
Over the years of making this coffee smoothie (and testing all sorts of variations), I’ve learned a few tricks that can take it from good to “I need this every morning.” The difference is in the details—like chilling your coffee ahead of time and using frozen ingredients so it’s thick and frosty without getting watered down.
- Boost nutrition: Add spinach for extra greens—you won’t taste it.
- Chill your coffee to avoid melting your smoothie into a watery drink.
- Go frozen with bananas and cauliflower for creaminess without ice.
- Customize your caffeine: Use decaf or green tea if you want less buzz.
Easy Flavor Variations
I love how adaptable this smoothie is—it’s basically a coffee shop menu in your blender. Depending on my mood (or what I’m craving), I can turn this base recipe into a peanut butter mocha, a peppermint treat, or a vanilla latte. Once you know the basic formula, you can swap flavors like a barista behind the counter.
- Mint Mocha: Add a drop of peppermint extract for a refreshing twist.
- Mocha Peanut Butter: Add 1–2 tbsp peanut butter for richness.
- Vanilla Latte: Skip cacao powder and double the vanilla.
- Caramel Coffee: Swap dates for a spoonful of date syrup.
More Coffee Shop Drink Recipes
If you’re trying to be more mindful of what you put in your coffee (or even drinking caffeine in general), then you’re in the right place! I love getting my caffeine fix, yet it doesn’t have to come in a cup of joe laden with store-bought creamer with questionable ingredients. Here are a few other options that are equal parts tasty and nutritionally dense:
- Green Tea Smoothie: This recipe not only gives you a pep in your step, but it also has ingredients that help burn fat and boost your metabolism. Talk about a great way to start the day!
- Healthy Coffee: How I turned a cup of coffee into a substantial meal that keeps me full until lunch.
- Iced Matcha Latte: This is a slightly earthy, lightly sweetened beverage that is super refreshing.
- Cinnamon Dolce Latte: I love making this warming beverage when I have a slower morning.
If you make this coffee smoothie recipe, I’d love to hear how it turned out in the comment box below. Your feedback helps me and all the readers in this community. And if you’re interested in more plant-based recipes (and exclusive content), sign up for my weekly recipe newsletter.
Mocha Coffee Smoothie
Ingredients
- ¾ cup coffee brewed then cooled in the fridge
- 1 banana frozen
- 1 pitted medjool date
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ¾ cup cauliflower florets frozen
- ¼ cup oat milk unsweetened
- ½ tbsp cacao powder
- 1 serving collagen optional
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to the blender.
- Blend on high until creamy.
- Pour into a glass and enjoy immediately.
Equipment
Video
Notes
- Nutrition data doesn’t include collagen.
- You can use freshly brewed coffee or cold brew coffee.
- Swap oat milk with the dairy-free milk of your choice.
- Swap the date with maple syrup or the natural sweetener of your choice.
- Use cauliflower florets or frozen riced cauliflower.
- Adding a plant-based protein powder or collagen can easily add at least 10 additional grams of protein, easily turning this into a hearty meal replacement smoothie.
Nutrition
Common Questions
While you can technically blend coffee grounds in your smoothie, I don’t recommend it. Instead, brew a cup of coffee, or make some instant coffee then add that cup as the liquid base of your smoothie (once cooled). You can also use cold brew coffee to skip the brewing step.
Yes! Milk is a great liquid base for a coffee smoothie. I stay away from dairy milk since my stomach doesn’t respond well to it, and opt for dairy-free milk options instead. If you are a milk lover and it doesn’t cause you discomfort, go for it!
A smoothie can be a great meal replacement option for breakfast, but it depends on what you put in it. Start with whole fruits and vegetables, then add in water or dairy-free milk. Boost it with healthy fats and protein, like with a plant-based protein powder, to assist your body with breaking down the natural fruit sugars you are sipping.
I just tried the mocha breakfast shake for the first time. All of the ingredients are easy to have on hand and the recipe is very easy, as you just put everything into the blender. I couldn’t taste the cauliflower! I love the creamy texture. I didn’t use a frozen banana and added ice cubes, so next time I’ll plan ahead and freeze the banana. I added protein powder to make it a meal replacement. I look forward to making this again.
You’re so right, you don’t even notice the cauliflower in this one. The frozen bananas definitely makes a difference, you’ll definitely have to try it with that again!
What can one use in place of frozen cauliflower florets or riced cauliflower? I love cauliflower, but I just don’t have any frozen at the moment. Thank you…
Nice afternoon treat/pick me up.
use a coffee alternative and has same coffee taste, top drink, cheers
Yummm! This is delicious and I drank it heated. I modified this by substituting 1/3 avocado instead of the banana. That provides less sugar while producing smoothness. My system is hypoglycemic and even a 1/3 of a banana causes my glucose to go crazy. Thank you for this recipe.
I LOVE coffee but have not been able to find a coffee smoothie I truly enjoy. This one is delicious and I highly recommend it. Plus, it’s very easy to make. You can put all of the ingredients in the blender at once. It’s not thick but it’s super smooth and yummy.
This is quickly becoming one of my favorites! Will be making frequently.
What happened to your Boost meal replacement powder? I love it. Do you not make it anymore
Hi Alice! Unfortunately we aren’t making the PSB anymore. We do have a great homemade protein powder recipe you can try!
Making this tomorrow with some cold brew I have on hand! So excited, it’s gonna be delicious.
Hi Erin! Let me know how it turns out, I think you’ll love it!
I didn’t have frozen cauliflower so substitute me frozen broccoli – still very tasty!
Can you make this the night before and store it in mason jars
Hey Lisa,
Great question. The only ingredient that might not have a similar consistency after a long sit in the fridge would be the frozen cauliflower. I say, give it a try! With all these delicious ingredients, I can’t imagine this smoothie ever tasting bad.
Hiya love your smoothies just not a fan of bananas is there anything I can substitute it with was thinking avocado but would need something to sweeten it would u just add more dates if so how many I followed what one of your followers said and put in chia seeds am also amazed at the cauliflower didn’t notice it at all and I don’t eat any veg so this will def be a plus for me.keep up the great work
You can def try adding in another date or two to sweeten it up. Another option is to add a little maple syrup. So glad you are enjoying the smoothies. It’s amazing how you can sneak in some veggies and make them taste yummy!
This is an awesome smoothie. I am breaking the habit of drinking “hot mochas”. This is much-needed, healthier and more satisfying replacement!
This is so good! Who needs Starbucks when you can have this! You can’t even tell there is cauliflower in it.
Amen Tricia!! Way to rawk the healthy option!