Coffee Protein Milkshake

A heatwave, summer days, and national coffee milkshake day can only call for one thing: a creamy caffeinated protein filled coffee milkshake.

While there's nothing wrong with going out and purchasing a coffee milkshake at a restaurant, sometimes you just want a bit of a healthier option for a summer treat.

It’s all about what nutrients you can add into your meals/snacks rather than eliminating ingredients and foods you love. Adding nutrients into fun foods helps to create a bit more of a balanced snack/meal/dessert option.

Coffee ice cream, coffee protein powder, and coffee smoothies are my absolute favorite. I will gladly call anything coffee flavored as the best flavor option (RIP to the best RX bar flavor). For me, it is not a vanilla or chocolate debate; It’s all about the coffee.

So I present the…. Coffee Protein Milkshake… dessert delight!

We can’t truthfully call it a milkshake without ice cream, at least not in my book. You can use any coffee ice cream you prefer here. I’ve made this recipe with a few different brands, some of which no longer exist.

When I do buy regular ice cream, I tend to navigate towards Breyers or Edys for the coffee flavored options they have (Breyer’s also has a lactose free line which I highly recommend, however they do not have a coffee lactose free version yet). I appreciate that these brands are relatively on the cheaper side with limited ingredients. I use approximately ½ to ⅔ cup of ice cream in the shake which is about one serving of ice cream.

I include one frozen banana for some enhanced nutrients and fiber in the milkshake. Freezing the banana creates a thicker drink, as well as reduces some of the banana flavor that you would get if you used a fresh version.

Then add-in one scoop of your favorite coffee flavored protein powder. I use the Cafe Latte Iconic Protein Powder, which unfortunately is unable to be purchased right now, but you can substitute for other brands. I know Nuzest has a Coffee Protein Powder that lots of my friends use to make their smoothies and I have used for other recipes in the past.

If you're not a coffee fanatic like me, you may also appreciate choosing a vanilla or chocolate flavor to avoid the over abundance of coffee taste.

As a liquid base I use 4-6oz of the Iconic pre-made vanilla protein shake. I appreciate that they add-in extra protein, are lactose-free and create a smooth drink with some added flavor. You can also use the Iconic pre-made cafe latte protein shake as a base if you don’t have the coffee flavored protein powder as well.

When I make smoothies/protein shakes/milkshake I like to make them big (sometimes for the worst for my digestive system), however I'll always add about one to two trays of ice. Since this drink has ice cream in it, I would stray closer to the one tray to avoid ultimate brain-freeze.

The key to blending a good drink is patience. Take your time blending, and make sure all the ice is fully chopped up before pouring in a glass. If you have the option on your blender, blending on low and building up to a higher setting is always a great way to go as well. On one of my Ninja blenders, I have the option of a puree setting which also tends to help create a thick smoothness.

Now cool down, caffeinate and enjoy this tasty treat.