Healthy Coffee Milkshake [Without Ice Cream]

Make a rich and creamy coffee milkshake without ice cream for a delicious, nutritious, and optionally protein-rich morning or mid-afternoon pick-me-up! Sugar-free, dairy-free, & adaptable plus ready in just 5 minutes!

Super Thick Creamy Coffee Milkshake Without Ice Cream

If you’re looking for a drink that’s loaded with coffee flavor, rich, creamy, and delicious, but also healthy enough to enjoy guilt-free any time of the day, you have to try this easy vegan coffee milkshake recipe!

This banana coffee milkshake rests somewhere between a healthy morning smoothie and a thick, creamy, dessert-like dairy-free milkshake. It tastes like a decadent treat but with minimal empty calories, plenty of plant-based protein and fiber, and no added sugar. Not to mention plenty of coffee for that much-needed energy pick-me-up.

How? Frozen bananas! This frozen ingredient makes a wonderfully thick coffee milkshake without dairy-based ice cream and adds a natural sweetness that allows you to cut back on (and even eliminate) added sugars.

Best of all, this vegan coffee milkshake recipe relies on just 5 base ingredients (loaded with coffee, banana, cinnamon, and vanilla flavor) and is ready in minutes. Plus, several highly recommended add-ins and optional flavor variations are available to build on flavor and/or nutrients!

Looking for more delicious and nutritious breakfast drink inspiration? Check out our recipes for an avocado shake (Sinh to bo), banana breakfast shake, a banana kale smoothie, strawberry banana milkshake, or a citrus mango smoothie!

The Ingredients

• Coffee: You’ll need one cup of brewed, cooled coffee (or a shot of espresso). Use any coffee you like the flavor of (regular or decaf).
• Plant-based milk: Any will work, i.e., soy milk, almond milk, oat cashew, etc. For a thicker, more decadent non-dairy milkshake, use canned coconut milk.
• Vanilla extract: A little pure, natural vanilla is great for turning this healthy morning banana coffee vegan milkshake into a dessert-like treat.  
• Cinnamon: For a subtle warm depth to the vegan coffee milkshake. Technically optional but highly recommended.
• Banana: To make a thick and super creamy coffee milkshake without ice cream, frozen banana is key. As a bonus, overripe bananas also add natural sweetness and taste wonderful with coffee. Substitutes in the FAQs.
• Ice: (optional) While not technically necessary, some ice will further turn this non-dairy milkshake into a dessert-like frozen treat and add bulk.
• Sweetener: (optional) If you find the natural sweetness of the banana isn’t enough, add a drizzle (to taste) of your favorite liquid sweetener. i.e., maple syrup, agave, date paste, or a sugar-free option like stevia drops, etc.
• Hemp seeds: (optional) For creaminess, protein, and heart-healthy omegas.

Why Add Hemp Seeds to Milkshakes and Smoothies?

We love adding hemp seeds to our vegan milkshakes and smoothies for several reasons. First, when blended, hemp seeds help make drinks and sauces thicker and creamier, which does wonders for consistency. They’re also absolutely packed with protein (and a complete protein at that, meaning they contain all 9 essential amino acids that are the building blocks of protein). Finally, they also contain plenty of heart-healthy fats.

More so, they add extra fiber and several micronutrients, including magnesium, vitamin E, potassium, phosphorous, calcium, iron, zinc, and more. All the above combined provide several health benefits and help create a drink that will keep you full for longer.

Optional add-ins & Recipe Variations

• Nut butter: Instead of hemp seeds, you can add protein and heart-healthy fats to the vegan coffee/espresso milkshake with almond butter, hazelnut butter, peanut butter, cashew butter, sunflower seed butter, etc. Vegan Nutella would also work. Add 1 tbsp to begin.
• Cocoa powder: For a delicious mocha dairy-free milkshake, add about a tablespoon of cocoa powder to the vegan milkshake.
• Protein powder: Replace the hemp seeds with ½ a scoop of your favorite plain, vanilla, coffee, or chocolate vegan protein powder. Add more plant-based milk if needed.
• Caramel: Add a spoonful of (regular or) healthy caramel sauce for extra sweetness and rich flavor.

How to Make a Coffee Milkshake?

• 1) If you don’t already have frozen bananas, first prepare them. Peel and chop the bananas in half. Spread the pieces across a baking tray and freeze until solid. Then transfer to an airtight container/Ziplock bag.

This is best done overnight. I prefer to always freeze extras for other vegan shakes/smoothies/nice cream, etc. If you’re using a lower-speed blender, slice the banana into small slices.

• 2) Add the plant-based milk, cinnamon, vanilla, and hemp seeds (if using) to a high-speed blender and blend until milky/creamy. Then, add the coffee and banana, and blend until smooth.

If you want to add ice, add that last and blend until smooth. Taste for sweetness at this point and add some sweetener if desired.

• 3) Pour it into your glass of choice and enjoy the vegan coffee milkshake immediately!

Topping Ideas For The Best Coffee Milkshake

Optionally, top the dairy-free coffee milkshake with coconut whipped cream, caramel sauce, vegan chocolate syrup, shredded coconut, shaved chocolate, dark chocolate-covered espresso beans, crushed biscuits (like vegan biscotti), etc.

FAQs

Recipe Notes and Top Tips

• For lower-speed blenders: Use small ½-1 inch frozen banana pieces. The smaller the pieces, the easier they’ll be to blend. You can also omit the ice if preferred and/or leave the banana pieces at room temperature for 10 minutes before blending to allow them to thaw slightly.
• Adjust the sweetness: Taste it after blending and add sweetener to taste.
• Tweak the coffee flavor: Brew the coffee as strongly as you’d like/add more instant coffee powder to the vegan milkshake to suit your taste buds.
• Adjust the consistency: If it’s too thick, add a little more plant-based milk.
• Serve in chilled cups: Place them in the refrigerator/freezer shortly before serving. This will keep the frozen ingredients from thawing too quickly.
• Don’t use hot coffee: It will melt/thaw the vegan coffee milkshake too quickly. Instead, place it in the freezer for 15-20 minutes, if needed.

How to Make Ahead and Store?

We recommend always having frozen bananas in your freezer, ready to whip up vegan milkshakes, smoothies, and nice cream as needed. To do so, peel and chop the bananas into 1-inch pieces. Spread them on a tray and flash freeze until solid. Then transfer them to a freezer-safe Ziplock bag and store them for up to 6 months. Here’s a guide for more information!

Once prepared, enjoy this vegan coffee milkshake with banana immediately before the frozen ingredients thaw and change the texture/consistency.  

More Vegan Drink Recipes

• Mexican horchata
• PBJ Smoothie
• Orange Creamsicle smoothie
• Strawberry kale smoothie
• Beet smoothie bowl
• Kale Pineapple smoothie
• Easy vegan bubble tea

Photos by Alfonso Revilla