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    Home » Drinks

    Published on: March 21, 2012 by Janice; Updated on: April 4, 2022 16 Comments

    Coffee banana smoothie

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    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    Glasses of coffee banana smoothie garnished with cocoa nibs and espresso powder.

    Learn how to make a coffee banana smoothie with this easy recipe, made with frozen banana and coffee granules!

    Glasses of coffee banana smoothie garnished with cocoa nibs and espresso powder.

    I'm currently dealing with a mountain of frozen bananas. Sure, you could make the best banana bread (without baking soda) with them, but smoothies will also do the trick when it comes to getting the frozen banana stash under control.

    Jump to:
    • Ingredients
    • Special equipment
    • Variations
    • Substitutions
    • Storage
    • 📖 Recipe
    Ingredients to make a banana smoothie with coffee in it, ready to be blended.

    Ingredients

    You don't need much to make this easy smoothie recipe!

    For the smoothie

    • milk and yogurt—I use a combination of 2 % milk and 2 % plain yogurt
    • ice to give the smoothie some body and thickness
    • frozen banana—I like to keep sliced ripe banana in the freezer for things like this, but if your banana is frozen whole, that will absolutely work too!
    • coffee—I use instant coffee granules (the kind you add boiling water to when making a quick cup of coffee) but espresso powder will work too
    • ground green cardamom

    Fun toppings

    While I topped this smoothie with espresso powder and cocoa nibs, you could try cocoa powder, shredded coconut, and so many other ingredients. Get creative!

    See recipe card for quantities.

    Collage of four images to show how to make a coffee banana smoothie in a blender, starting with adding milk and yogurt to the jug (image 1), adding sliced frozen banana (image 2), adding coffee granules and cardamom (image 3), and blending (image 4).

    Special equipment

    I tend to make my smoothies in my KitchenAid blender. Another option would be to use a stick blender and blend it directly in a large glass or jug. The KitchenAid stick blender kit comes with a large glass that can fit these ingredients.

    Coffee smoothie with banana before blending.

    Variations

    I love the frothy layer that forms when you blend smoothies, like the milky foam of a cappuccino. This banana smoothie is so versatile and there are a lot of possible variations.

    • Spices: I added cardamom to this banana drink, while thinking of Turkish coffee, which combines coffee and cardamom seeds, but you could try cinnamon, nutmeg, or even allspice for a different, warm flavour profile
    • Chocolate: the coffee smoothie is topped with espresso powder, but you could try cocoa powder instead or even a splash of chocolate syrup
    • Berries: one surprising flavour pairing is coffee and berries (like in this coffee raspberry bread pudding! Try adding a few strawberries or raspberries to the blender and see if you like it!
    • Oats: to give the smoothie more body and to make it a better meal replacement, you can add large flake oats (also called rolled oats) and blend them in. They won't add much taste but will thicken up this smoothie and make it more substantial.

    For a sweeter smoothie, add a splash of maple syrup or honey to the blender before mixing. For thicker smoothie, use less milk or add more ice cubes. For a thinner smoothie, add more milk. Smoothies are very forgiving.

    Pouring a banana coffee smoothie into small glasses to serve.

    Substitutions

    • plain yogurt is unsweetened, but if you want more sweetness, and easy way would be to use vanilla yogurt instead or sweetened plain yogurt.
    • lactose-free:
      • This smoothie has a lot of dairy with lactose in it, if that's a problem, you can replace the regular milk with lactose-free milk.
      • For the yogurt, there are lactose-free plain yogurt options now in stores
    • vegan:
      • you can try a vegan milk beverage to replace the cow's milk, like oat milk, almond milk, or even soy milk or coconut milk. Use the type of milk you like to drink.
      • you can try coconut milk yogurt or even oat milk yogurt, which is slowly becoming more common and easier to find.

    Each time I make this coffee and banana smoothie, I make it a little differently. Some days, I add more honey because I want it to be sweeter, other days, I add a cinnamon.

    Garnishing banana smoothies with cocoa nibs and espresso powder to serve them.

    When I have some freshly brewed coffee on hand, I use it instead of the instant coffee and consequently, I reduce the milk used. If it's summer, I blend in a few ice cubes. Cocoa powder would also taste great in this recipe. The smoothie you create will be a matter of taste, but here's a recipe to get you started. And, by all means, tweak away when you make your version of this smoothie!

    Small glasses of coffee banana smoothie topped with espresso powder and cocoa nibs.

    Storage

    I prefer to make smoothies when I'm going to consume them and I prepare the quantity I'm going to drink. I find that otherwise, smoothies can separate or change colour, becoming less appealing. For this reason, I recommend making a smoothie fresh, not storing it.

    If you must store a banana smoothie, put it in a mason jar, close the lid, and store refrigerate it for up to a day.

    Garnishing banana smoothies with cocoa nibs and espresso powder to serve them.

    📖 Recipe

    Glasses of coffee banana smoothie garnished with cocoa nibs and espresso powder.
    Save Recipe Saved! Print Pin

    Coffee banana smoothie

    Prevent your screen from going dark
    Learn how to make a coffee banana smoothie with this easy recipe, ready in less than 5 minutes. This banana drink makes a healthy snack!
    Course Breakfast
    Cuisine American
    Keyword Coffee banana smoothie
    Prep Time 5 minutes
    Total Time 5 minutes
    Servings 1 large glass
    Calories 290kcal
    Author Janice

    Ingredients

    • 190 mL (¾ cup) skim milk (fat free) more or less depending on the desired consistency
    • 190 mL (¾ cup) yogurt (2 % fat)
    • 4 ice cubes
    • 1 frozen banana sliced
    • 5 mL (1 teaspoon) instant coffee granules
    • 1.25 mL (¼ teaspoon) ground cardamom

    Optional toppings

    • cacao nibs
    • instant espresso powder

    Instructions

    • Combine all the ingredients in a blender, and pulse. Continue blending until smooth.
    • Pour the smoothie in a tall glass, or several smaller glasses, and top with a sprinkle of espresso powder and a few cocoa nibs. Serve immediately.
    Give backIf you enjoy the free content on this website, say thank you!

    Notes

    • For added sweetness, blend in a splash of maple syrup or honey, or you can use sweetened plain yogurt or vanilla yogurt.
    • To make this banana smoothie more substantial and filling, add 25 grams (½ cup) of rolled oats and blend them in.
    • lactose-free options:
      • This smoothie has a lot of dairy with lactose in it, if that's a problem, you can replace the regular milk with lactose-free milk.
      • For the yogurt, there are lactose-free plain yogurt options now in stores
    • vegan options:
      • you can try a vegan milk beverage to replace the cow's milk, like oat milk, almond milk, or even soy milk or coconut milk. Use the type of milk you like to drink.
      • you can try coconut milk yogurt or even oat milk yogurt, which is slowly becoming more common and easier to find.
    Tried this recipe?Mention @bakesomethingawesome or tag #bakesomethingawesome!

    Nutrition

    Calories: 290kcal | Carbohydrates: 50g | Protein: 15g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 24mg | Sodium: 163mg | Potassium: 1218mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 33g | Vitamin A: 714IU | Vitamin C: 11mg | Calcium: 508mg | Iron: 1mg
    Ingredients for coffee banana smoothie made with coffee grinds, frozen banana, cinnamon, and milk.
    Banana coffee smoothie viewed from above to show foamy top, served with orange straw.
    Coffee banana smoothie in a tall clear glass with orange straw, foamy on top
    banana coffee shake in a tall glass, half drunk with orange straw

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    Comments

    1. Jesica @ Pencil Kitchen says

      March 21, 2012 at 7:03 am

      i always tend to favor people who can make me smoothies... (just hinting eherm*) Especially one that has coffee....

      Reply
    2. Tina says

      March 21, 2012 at 2:42 pm

      Awesome flavor blend here with the coffee and banana-makes me think of early morning in Jamaica. I could really enjoy these-yum! Great post

      Reply
    3. MyFudo™ says

      March 24, 2012 at 6:07 am

      Wonderful morning start with coffee flavored anything for me...The banana in the mix is a bonus. Love the combo. Thanks for sharing.

      Reply
    4. Juanita says

      March 24, 2012 at 10:47 pm

      Great combo of ingredients for taste.

      Reply
    5. Cooking Rookie says

      March 30, 2012 at 11:26 pm

      Such a nice idea, I am definitely trying this 🙂

      Reply
    6. Jesica @ Pencil Kitchen says

      April 01, 2012 at 7:35 am

      Oh dear, please do post again soon! I always enjoy your posts! btw, I have just passed on the Kreativ Blogger Award to you! For details: http://pencilkitchen.blogspot.com/2012/04/brownie-layer-cake-with-chocolate.html#more

      Reply
    7. Beth says

      April 01, 2012 at 11:40 pm

      Hi there!

      Are you moving to Ottawa to attend Algonquin's baking program? I just wondered, as I am finishing my last semester this month!

      Reply
      • Jan says

        April 04, 2012 at 3:27 am

        I moved to Ottawa to do a diploma in pastry at the Cordon Bleu, actually! Congrats on finishing Algonquin's baking program! That's amazing, and must feel so awesome 🙂

        Reply
    8. El says

      April 02, 2012 at 1:53 pm

      I hope your move went well. Keep us posted. The smoothie looks great!

      Reply
    9. Steph says

      April 05, 2012 at 4:48 pm

      This is totally screaming my name!! I think I'm making this tonight!!

      Reply
    10. Kiri W. says

      April 05, 2012 at 6:27 pm

      Oh, this looks delicious! I love coffee, and banana would be a prefect creamy sweet counterbalance. Thank you for sharing this!

      Reply
    11. mjskit says

      April 06, 2012 at 2:14 am

      I love keeping bananas in the freezer for smoothies but I've never seen the combination of bananas and coffee. It sounds quite delicious! I wonder if leftover coffee would work. I always have about a half of a cup in the morning. Thanks for sharing this!

      Reply
    12. themessybakerblog.com says

      April 06, 2012 at 11:31 am

      1. I love smoothies! 2. Who would have thought to combine coffee and banana- brilliant! 3. They look and sound amazing. 4. I want one.

      Reply
    13. Medeja says

      April 06, 2012 at 9:25 am

      What a great smoothie! It should be really great combination of flavors!

      Reply
    14. Emily says

      April 06, 2012 at 10:49 am

      This sounds like a delicious breakfast. Plus the little bit of coffee will be sure to perk you up for all your packing.

      Reply
    15. La Cuisine d'Helene says

      October 24, 2014 at 12:12 pm

      Welcome to Ottawa. If you would like to be added to bloggers FB group please let me know. We meet once in a while. Waiting to hear from you.

      Reply

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