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Make a creamy coffee smoothie on mornings when you want both a smoothie and a coffee in one! It’s blended with oats, flaxseed, bananas, brewed coffee, and cocoa powder for a deliciously satisfying drink.
I’ll blend up this coffee smoothie, grab one of my chunky banana cookies or a morning glory muffin, and breeze out the door on busy mornings.
Today’s coffee smoothie has been my go-to during back-to-school season. With all the running around, I’ve been making this egg bites recipe for the girls to grab and go while blending bananas, oats, and flaxseeds to go in my morning coffee. The result is a creamy and delicious smoothie that’s quick to make and easy to enjoy.
Why You Should Start Your Day With This Coffee Smoothie Recipe
- Rich coffee flavors. This coffee smoothie recipe is rich and creamy with a subtle mocha flavor. Add more or less brewed coffee or espresso, depending on how strong you’d like your drink.
- Delicious ingredients. This smoothie has all the creaminess of a frappe, made with flax, oats, and fruit. It’s a coffee and a breakfast option in one!
- Adaptable. You can make a decaf version that’s just as flavorful. This recipe can also be made plant-based and gluten-free.
What You’ll Need
Check out my notes here, and scroll to the printable recipe card for the full ingredients list and recipe details.
- Brewed Coffee – You’ll need a batch of strong brewed coffee using your preferred method. I go over the various ways to brew espresso in my iced Americano recipe.
- Banana – The riper your bananas, the sweeter your smoothie will be. Make sure they’re ripe, or even overripe, for the best flavor and creamiest texture. Aside from banana bread, smoothies are my second favorite way to use up overripe bananas!
- Oats – Old-fashioned rolled oats or quick oats are best here, as steel-cut oats are harder and will be chunky.
- Cocoa Powder – This can be natural, unsweetened cocoa powder or Dutch-processed, which will make the flavor fudgier.
- Flaxseed – Feel free to swap in your favorite nuts or seeds, like chia seeds, hemp seeds, walnuts, sunflower seeds, or bran. Another option is to substitute the flaxseed meal with peanut butter, almond butter, or cashew butter.
- Cinnamon – You can omit the cinnamon if you’re not a fan. Try to use good-quality Ceylon cinnamon if you can.
- Milk – Any kind. Use dairy-free soy, oat, coconut, or almond milk if needed.
- Honey – Or your choice of sweetener (maple syrup or agave is a good alternative).
Tips for Best Results
- Blend it well. Remember to blend your oats and flaxseeds thoroughly for a smoother texture.
- Thicken it up. For a thicker smoothie, use frozen bananas.
- Use a high-powered blender. I love mine, and it makes blending everything from smoothies to vanilla bean frappuccinos super quick and easy. If you’re using a less powerful blender, I recommend chopping your banana and coffee ice cubes into smaller pieces to make blending easier.
Try These Coffee Smoothie Variations
- Make a protein smoothie and add a scoop of protein powder for extra protein after your workout.
- Add 1 tablespoon of nut butter if you’d like.
- Use plant-based milk and agave nectar to make it vegan.
- Be sure to use certified gluten-free oats (check the label) for a gluten-free smoothie.
- Add ½ of an avocado to boost the fats and make the consistency extra creamy.
- Boost the flavors with a dash of vanilla extract or vanilla paste.
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Coffee Smoothie
Ingredients
- 1 cup strong brewed coffee
- 1 ripe banana
- ¼ cup rolled oats
- 1 tablespoon cocoa powder
- 1 tablespoon flaxseed meal
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 cup milk,, you can use any milk including soy milk or almond milk
- 1 teaspoon honey
Instructions
- Freeze the coffee. Pour brewed coffee into an ice cube tray and freeze for several hours or overnight.
- Blend the smoothie. Combine the coffee ice cubes, banana, oats, cocoa powder, flaxseed meal, cinnamon, milk, and honey in a blender and blend until smooth.
- Finish and serve. Taste for sweetness and adjust accordingly. Serve.
Equipment
Notes
- Blend in stages: To get a smoother texture, blend the oats and flaxseeds with milk before adding the remaining ingredients.
- Use a ripe banana: Ripe bananas are naturally sweeter and blend better, giving your smoothie a sweeter and creamier texture.
- Freeze your coffee in advance: Frozen coffee cubes not only chill your smoothie but they also keep it from becoming watered down. Be sure to freeze your coffee the night before.
- Customize the sweetness: Depending on the ripeness of your banana and your personal preference, you might not need any additional sweetener.
- Add protein: Consider adding a scoop of your favorite protein powder for an even more satiating smoothie.
- Toppings: Consider topping your coffee smoothie with a sprinkle of cacao nibs, granola, chia seeds, or a drizzle of nut butter for added texture and flavor.
Nutrition
Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.
How To Blend a Coffee Smoothie
Freezing the coffee into ice cubes is my easy hack for blending a thick and creamy coffee smoothie without watering down the flavors. To make your coffee smoothie, you’ll need to do this step several hours in advance or the night before.
- Freeze the brewed coffee. Brew a strong batch of coffee and pour it into an ice cube tray. Place that into the freezer to chill until solid.
- Combine and blend. The next morning, add the coffee ice cubes to the blender along with the rest of your smoothie ingredients. For best results, blend the oats and flaxseeds with milk first, then add your remaining ingredients and blend until the texture is silky smooth. This can take a bit longer if you’re not using a high-powered blender.
- Taste test, then serve! Do a quick taste test and adjust the flavors to your liking, then pour your smoothie into a glass and enjoy.
Pro Tip: If you don’t have time or forget to freeze the coffee beforehand, you can just as easily add the freshly brewed coffee to the blender with a handful of regular ice cubes and blend as directed.
Make a Smoothie Bowl Instead
When I’m not dashing out the door, smoothie in hand, I love making a smoothie bowl instead. After blending the coffee smoothie, transfer it to a bowl. Top the smoothie with chocolate granola, cacao nibs, chia seeds, fresh berries, and a drizzle of nut butter.
I absolutely love this recipe! I needed something to get me back into smoothies, especially in the morning. In mine, I add about 1/2 TBSP of maca powder and sometimes some peppermint leaves from my herb garden. This is my favorite coffee smoothie recipe, and I share it with everyone!
That’s great! I am very glad you enjoyed it! Thank YOU! 🙂
Hi, can I replace the rolled oats with instant oats? Can’t wait to try this smoothie!
Since I’m lactose sensitive, can I use my lactose free milk?
Yes, that will definitely work.
This was very yummy!!
I am very happy you enjoyed it! Thank YOU! 🙂
This was good. I used hot cocoa powder instead of cocoa powder.
Wow , this is so wonderful, thank you so much for this , Love the recipe
You have the best recipes and I’ve been following you for years and pin so many, but how come when I copy a recipe it never has the picture on it like you show??
Also leaving up that sad lady’s comment shows what a wonderful person you are and you know it takes all kinds…..one time {on a blog I wasn’t all that into anyway] I told the gal there was an entire part of her recipe missing as I really wanted it and thought she would be happy to have it brought to her attention. OMG I received the most filthy nasty email I could not believe it and i replied and said I am sorry for being kind and trying to help you out, please remove my name from this list and the Best of everything to you! What else can you do.
I cannot ha e rolled oats can I use instant
Very good! I’ve been making this for my husband and I every morning for a few weeks now. We have been changing it up day by day to meet our needs. Like adding honey flavored yogurt to ours for the probiotics and extra protein.
Not bad at all! A different flavor combination than what I’m used to but it’s really not a bad one. I love that I can have a frozen coffee drink without feeling the guilt that comes along with drinking the syrupy sugary concoctions from coffee shops. Also, I didn’t have frozen coffee but I did have cold brew so I used that and added ice. In the end, it turned out fine just thinner than your recipe. Thank you for sharing!!!