Last Updated on May 21, 2022 by John Moretti
Take energizing coffee, add muscle-building protein powder, and you have “proffee”, the ultimate drink for a brain and body boost. I dumped protein powder into my Americano… and ended up with a mug of sludge I wouldn’t drink even if it gave me superpowers. I need to find the best ways to mix protein powder into coffee for a satisfyingly smooth sip.
The top ways to mix protein powder and coffee are by blending, shaking, or whisking the ingredients into these 9 drinks:
- Protein Frappe
- Protein Bulletproof Coffee
- Coffee Smoothie
- Protein Dalgona Coffee
- Coffee Protein Shake
- Protein Cold Brew
- Protein Hot Brew
- Protein Latte
- Protein Cappuccino
Whether your go-to drink is strong and hot or sweet and cold, there’s a protein-coffee combo you’ll love. The coffee you use (instant, espresso, or brewed) and your protein powder (whey, collagen, or plant) will influence your drink’s taste and texture. Though, if you’ve got the right mixing skills, you’ll minimize the chance of chunks and powdery lumps.
Here are the best ways to make your coffee not only protein-powered but also oh-so-tasty.
1. Whizz Up A Protein Frappe
The most effective way to mix protein powder and coffee is in a blender.
Pour in chilled brewed coffee or espresso first, then add your choice of protein powder, a scoop of ice cream, a splash of cold milk, a few ice blocks, and blitz till smooth. Use chocolate or vanilla protein powder or syrup for extra flavor. And top with whipped cream for a splurge.
2. Blitz Up A Protein Bulletproof Coffee
Another blended option, protein bulletproof coffee is frothy, super thick, and decadent.
Blend together chilled brewed coffee or espresso, MCT or coconut oil, butter, and collagen protein powder until you’ve got a gorgeously frothy mixture.
3. Blend Up A Coffee Smoothie
Here’s a blended protein coffee for all the vegans out there: a plant protein coffee smoothie.
Add the following to your blender and blitz till everything’s smooth: brewed coffee or espresso, frozen fruit (bananas thicken the mixture best), plant protein powder, and nut butter. Pour in some plant milk to thin out the consistency.
4. Whip Up A Protein Dalgona Coffee
Give the trendy Dalgona coffee some protein power.
You make this coffee by whipping equal amounts of instant coffee, sugar, and hot water until they’re light and fluffy. You then dollop this mixture on top of milk. The twist: mix the milk part with protein powder (using a whisk or handheld blender) before adding the coffee cloud.
5. Shake Up A Coffee Protein Shake
Consider downing an espresso before you make this recipe, as you’ll need some oomph.
Put espresso or brewed coffee (instant will also do), milk, chocolate protein powder, chocolate syrup, and ice blocks into a shaker bottle – then shake it till your arm can’t take it! Don’t skip the ice blocks; they help smooth out the mixture.
6. Mix Up A Protein Cold Brew
Protein powder gives full-flavored cold brew coffee richness and a thicker consistency.
Add protein powder to half a cup of cold brew coffee and mix well (a fork does a better job than a spoon). Then top up with a cold brew and give the drink another good mix. Drizzle in flavored syrup for sweetness.
7. Stir Up A Protein Hot Brew
It’s trickier making smooth hot protein coffee drinks than cold. If you just spoon protein powder into your hot coffee (like I did), the powder will clump and float to the top of the coffee.
There’s a trick that will help! Mix protein powder with a bit of water to form a paste, and then mix the paste with the coffee. Add hot brewed coffee to the protein paste slowly while stirring.
To keep a strong coffee flavor, use neutral-tasting collagen protein powder. Collagen protein also tends to mix better with hot coffee than other protein powders.
8. Steam Up A Protein Latte
Vanilla protein powder and latte are a winning combo.
You’ll use the hot proffee hack when making this drink. Mix vanilla protein powder and a little water in a mug. Steam your milk, then scoop off and save a dollop of the foam. Slowly pour steamed milk into the protein paste, stirring continuously. Next, pour the warm protein milk over a shot or two of espresso and top with a thin layer of the foam you set aside.
9. Froth Up A Protein Cappuccino
Make a protein cappuccino by following the recipe steps for the protein latte, except use the unflavored protein powder and add a thicker layer of foamed milk to the top.
You could also make a cappuccino-inspired protein coffee by blitzing brewed coffee and whey protein powder in a blender until thick and frothy.
Tips For Creating Silky Smooth Protein Coffee
For the smoothest results, remember these 3 pro tips:
- Keep your protein powder somewhere cool and dry. Heat and moisture up the risk that the powder will get clumpy. If clumps form, break them up with a fork or sift them out before you mix the powder with your coffee.
- Pour in the coffee first. If you’re mixing your coffee and protein powder in a blender or shaker bottle, pour in the coffee, then add the powder. Before blitzing hot coffee in your blender, remove the plastic bit in the lid to let out steam (otherwise, the blender might crack).
- Mix little by little. Mixing coffee and protein powder by hand? Start by stirring the powder into about a quarter of the coffee. Once the mixture is smooth, add the rest of the coffee and stir until well combined.
Conclusion
The best way to get protein powder and coffee to mix into a luxuriously thick and creamy drink is to whizz them in a blender with ice cream, milk, ice cubes, and syrup. Other ways to create delicious, smooth proffee drinks are by whisking, shaking, whipping, or stirring the coffee and protein powder together.
The technique for getting protein powder to mix well with hot coffee is to first make it into a paste and then add the coffee slowly while stirring. Remember these mixing tricks, and you’ll never have to scoop slimy globs out of your protein coffee fix.
