Healthy Chocolate Coffee Smoothie Recipe

This rich, creamy smoothie is for all of you coffee lovers out there! This smoothie tastes like one of those fancy blended coffee drinks from the coffee shop, but it’s packed with healthy fats, calcium, potassium, and other vitamins to make it nourishing as a meal or snack.

The natural sweetness of banana helps make this smoothie really shine. Combine it with strong coffee, rich dark cocoa, and creamy Greek yogurt, and you’ve got a morning drink that is the best of all worlds!

What do I need for a chocolate coffee smoothie?

You’ll need to plan ahead a little for this one, because you need strong coffee—and nobody wants hot coffee in their smoothie! So you need to brew up a cup far enough in advance that the coffee is cooled.

All in all, this is what you’ll need:

• Frozen banana. Instead of diluting your smoothie with ice, use a frozen banana to chill and thicken your drink. Plus, it adds a little sweetness!
• Coffee. Any coffee will work, but we recommend a strong dark coffee so that the coffee flavor can really shine through.
• Cocoa powder. You’ll want the unsweetened cocoa powder here, not the hot chocolate mix. That way you can fully control the sweetness.
• Greek yogurt. The yogurt adds a creamy texture, and it adds a boost of protein so that your smoothie has more staying power.
• Honey or maple syrup. Depending on how sweet your banana is, you may or may not need this one.

Don’t I need ice?

Not if you are using a frozen banana! Most smoothie recipes that call for ice do so because it chills and thickens the smoothie. But frozen fruit can do that too!

The exception is if you choose to use fresh fruit instead of frozen. If so, you’ll want to add a handful or two of ice to the blender.

How do I make a healthy coffee smoothie?

Making a chocolate coffee smoothie is as easy as 1, 2, 3!

1. Put the yogurt and coffee in the carafe of your blender.
2. Add a frozen banana and some cocoa powder. This is the time to toss in any other add-ins, too!
3. Start the blender on low, and slowly increase to high speed, until everything is blended. Sweeten to taste.

Can I make a coffee smoothie without banana?

Absolutely! Here’s how:

• If you’re a peanut butter fan, try our Peanut Butter Mocha Smoothie Without Banana. It uses canned pears to sweeten and thicken the smoothie in place of banana. You can also sub in almond butter if you prefer!
• Replace the banana with another half cup of yogurt and a handful of ice cubes. You’ll need to use a tablespoon or so of added sweetener as well.
• Use half an avocado and a handful of ice instead of the banana.

How do I make a vegan coffee smoothie?

Use your favorite plant-based yogurt instead of Greek yogurt. I often use coconut yogurt, but any will work! And be sure to use maple syrup instead of honey for the sweetener. You’ll have a stupendously delicious dairy-free, plant-based smoothie to enjoy!

Can I pack more nutrition into this smoothie?

This is the simplest version of a chocolate coffee smoothie, but you can add whatever sounds good to you! I might recommend:

• Spinach or other leafy greens. Between the strong flavors of chocolate and java, you won’t even notice the greens! And who wouldn’t benefit from an extra boost of Vitamin A, Vitamin C, and iron to start the day?
• Rolled oats. Oats can really help bulk up a smoothie to keep you fuller for longer. Plus they add a dose of fiber!
• Ground flax seeds. Flax has so many nutritional benefits, and will thicken the smoothie a bit, too!

Once you know what mix-ins you love, you can mix them together into booster packs for future smoothies.

Want more smoothie recipes??

• Peanut Butter Mocha Smoothie
• Dreamy Orange Smoothie
• Mixed Berry Smoothie
• And 20+ other smoothie flavors