Protein Coffee (Proffee): High-Protein Iced Coffee That Actually Tastes Good

Protein coffee, affectionately called proffee, is exactly what it sounds like: coffee plus a scoop of protein, shaken or blended over ice. It went viral for good reason. It's high in protein, low in calories, keeps you full for hours, and when you make it right it drinks like a coffee-shop treat instead of a chalky shake. It's basically breakfast and coffee in one glass.

Protein and calories depend on your powder. Cold brew or strong chilled coffee both work as the base.

What You Need

• 6 to 8 ounces of cold brew or strong chilled coffee (our cold brew concentrate is perfect)
• 1 scoop of protein powder (whey or a plant blend; vanilla or chocolate work best)
• Ice
• A splash of milk or water, and optional sweetener

How to Make It (Without the Clumps)

• First, shake or blend the protein powder with a small splash of cold liquid until completely smooth. Stirring it into a full glass leads to clumps; mixing it with a little liquid first doesn't.
• Fill a glass with ice and pour in the coffee.
• Add the smooth protein mixture, top with a splash of milk, and stir.
• For a frothy, milkshake-like version, blend everything with the ice instead.

Depending on your powder, that's roughly 100 to 150 calories with 20 to 30 grams of protein.

Flavor Pairings

• Mocha proffee: chocolate protein plus Resurrection Espresso tastes like a chocolate malt.
• Caramel-vanilla: vanilla protein plus the caramel notes of Rise & Shine.
• Extra refreshing: plain cold brew with a lightly sweetened vanilla protein over lots of ice.

A Couple of Tips

Good coffee still does the heavy lifting on flavor, so start with a sweet, smooth specialty brew and your proffee won't need much help. Cold brew is the easiest base because it's already strong and low in bitterness (see the cold brew guide). Want the indulgent version instead? Our blended iced coffee is the treat-day counterpart, and the skinny iced latte covers lighter everyday sipping.