Banana coffee, or banana iced coffee, is essentially a creamy, blended banana Frappuccino/frappe! This thick and dreamy drink is an absolutely delicious and refreshing way to enjoy your morning coffee! It’s such a treat while being made with just banana, coffee, and milk and can be made dairy-free/vegan!
Banana coffee.. essentially a banana smoothie with coffee
I first tried banana coffee when Thomas and I were on my 30th birthday trip in Costa Rica. It was on the menu at every cute little cafe and smoothie truck around certain cities (specifically Nosara!). We instantly fell in love with it. It was so refreshing in the warm weather, perfectly sweet, and so satisfying. Essentially, it’s coffee blended with plant-based milk and frozen banana, which may sound like a strange combination but they compliment each other so well!
Another combination that might sound strange, but might be my all-time favorite, is peanut butter and coffee! Definitely try my peanut butter espresso protein shake!
It’s the perfect frozen beverage for summer all year round, really!
Video – how to make a banana iced coffee
Why you’ll love this recipe
- Easy: All you need is 3 ingredients and a blender. Banana coffee can be whipped up in less than 5 minutes!
- Healthy: This simple recipe can be made lower in sugar than a classic coffee purchased out and you’re getting the health benefits of the banana (potassium, etc).
- Dietary friendly: Banana coffee can be made without dairy, is gluten-free, refined sugar-free, and DELICIOUS.
- Customizable: This blended coffee can be made vegan and dairy-free, you can add optional additions like protein powder, peanut butter, or even a dash of cinnamon!
How to make banana iced coffee
Full recipe is in the recipe card at the bottom of the post!
Tools
- Blender: I love using my Beast Blender for this! You can drink it straight from the blender vessel!
Ingredients
- Banana: Be sure to use ripe, spotty bananas! I don’t personally like to use ones that are totally brown, but definitely be sure they’re ripe with some spots so that they’re sweet! Slice them into coins and freeze in an air-tight container over-night. You want them to be super frozen to create the creamiest texture!
- Coffee: There’s a few options here! You can use espresso shots (my personal favorite), cold brew, or brewed coffee that’s been chilled. The latter two don’t have as nice of a coffee flavor in my opinion, but still delicious!
- Optional additions: protein powder, honey or maple syrup, vanilla extract
- I love adding a scoop of protein on mornings when I want a little extra protein, but only add it if you LOVE the flavor of your protein! I use Macro Mike Vanilla
Steps to make a Coffee and banana smoothie
- Add the milk, frozen banana, and coffee to a blender, along with any other additions, if using. Blend for a minute or two until completely smooth.
- Taste & adjust!
- Pour into a glass and enjoy!
Banana milk
Banana milk is a creamy, delicious, nut-free & dairy-free milk alternative. With only two-ingredients it’s quick and easy to make at home. All you need is bananas, water and a blender! This is a great option if you don’t want to make a blended/frozen banana coffee. Essentially, you can make the banana milk, add it to a glass with ice and your espresso shots. You may want to add a little sweetener like honey or maple syrup, too!
FAQ’s & Tips
- Meal prep frozen bananas! Slice the bananas into coins and store in a ziploc bag or air-tight container in the freezer so that they are ready to go whenever the banana coffee craving strikes!
- Start with less milk and add more, if needed. This way the banana coffee stays thick and creamy!
- Play around with different coffees to see what you like best. Maybe you like using espresso shots or cold brew – use whatever tastes best for you! If you want a stronger coffee flavor, be sure to use espresso shots as the cold brew/brewed coffee offers just a light coffee flavor.
Recipe variations
- Add in a spoonful of my homemade nutella for a hazelnut banana coffee shake!
- This one might sound weird, but if you’re working on your electrolyte consumption, throw a pack of LMNT chocolate electrolytes in with a scoop of chocolate protein! It’s INCREDIBLY delicious!
- Add a dash of cinnamon and tiny sprinkle of nutmeg.
- Add a little non dairy creamer like a flavored NutPods for extra flavor!
More healthy recipes to try
- Peanut butter coffee protein shake
- Chocolate banana peanut butter protein shake
- Creamy cinnamon roll protein shake
- Healthy EggNog Protein Shake (vegan)
- Pb&J chia pudding
- Banana fosters chia pudding
- No-bake cinnamon rolls (Erewhon copycat)
If you try this recipe and love, it’d mean the world to me if you left a star rating and review below! Tag me in your banana coffee creations on Instagram @danishealthyeats – I love to see! (:
Banana Coffee Recipe (Banana Iced Coffee)
Ingredients
Blended Banana coffee with espresso
- 1 frozen banana, cut into coins or halved
- 2 espresso shots (2oz total) (You can purchase refrigerated canned espresso shots at most stores!)
- 3/4 cup milk, of choice
- 1/2 cup (5-6) or so, frozen milk cubes *more as needed
optional additions
- 1 scoop protein powder (vanilla or chocolate are great!)
- 2 tsp honey or maple syrup
- 1 tbsp peanut butter or almond butter *So delicious!!*
- 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
- pinch of cinnamon
banana coffee with cold brew/brewed coffee (see notes)
- 2 frozen bananas, sliced into coins or broken into pieces
- 1 cup cold brewed coffee
Instructions
Blended Banana coffee with espresso
- Add all of the ingredients to a blender, along with any additions, starting with the less amount of milk.
- Blend for a minute or so until smooth, adding a little more milk if needed. You want to start with less milk to keep the coffee thick and creamy. If you want it thicker, you can add a little extra banana or ice cubes.
- Pour into a glass and enjoy!
banana coffee with cold brew/brewed coffee
- NOTE: Using brewed coffee/cold brew will create a lighter coffee flavor (I prefer using espresso shots), but it'll still work!
- Add the ingredients to a blender and blend on high until smooth and creamy (along with protein powder, peanut butter, or any additional add-ins). Pour into a glass and enjoy!
Video
Notes
- Meal prep frozen bananas! Slice the bananas into coins and store in a ziploc bag or air-tight container in the freezer. This way, they are ready to go whenever the banana coffee craving strikes!
- Start with less milk and add more, if needed. This way the banana coffee stays thick and creamy!
- Play around with different coffees to see what you like best. Maybe you like using espresso shots or cold brew – use whatever tastes best for you!
I’ve made this the last three days and can’t get enough!! I use espresso and it’s perfect!
Aw, yay! I’m right there with you!! So happy you love!