Banana Coffee Shake
E
By Emma
Certified Culinary Professional
•
Recipe tested & approved
Cold coffee meets creamy frozen banana. Adds raw cacao powder instead of cacao for a deep earthy note. Honey swapped for maple syrup—thicker, richer, natural sweetness. Ice cubes remain but chopped to smaller crushed bits. Blend to frothy texture with spotting bubbles, then pour over two large glasses. Whipped cream optional but that salty caramel one from the fridge is a game changer. Creamy, sweet, slightly bitter blend. Cold with lingering banana aroma and subtle cacao bitterness.
Prep:
7 min
Cook:
0 min
Total:
7 min
Servings:
2 servings
#coffee drinks
#smoothies
#fusion recipes
#banana shakes
#cold drinks
Coffee mixed with frozen bananas—sounds weird? Tried it. If you love coffee and creamy shakes, this combo punches through morning fog. Using raw cacao powder instead of regular cocoa gives that rustic earthy hint, almost a dark chocolate edge without sweetness overload. Maple syrup beats honey hands down in texture for me; thicker, less sticky but still natural and hits the right sweet spot. Ice chunks chopped finer here to avoid blender freeze up, because nothing worse than overworked blades and uneven lumps. Pouring slow, watching creamy bubbles settle, tannin bitterness dancing with banana sugar. Quick 7-min prep, no stove, just a blender. Also tried almond milk here, added silkiness while cutting dairy heaviness. Don’t skimp on coffee quality, that’s backbone. If your bananas are underripe—not sweet enough—don’t be shy to adjust sweetness on the fly.—sometimes culinary intuition over measurement. No frills, just straightforward, controlled blending for best texture.
Ingredients
- 1 cup strong brewed cold coffee or espresso chilled
- 1 cup whole milk or almond milk for dairy free
- 2 large frozen bananas peeled and broken into chunks
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup instead of honey
- 1 tablespoon raw cacao powder swapped for cacao
- 1/2 cup crushed ice cubes
- Optional canned salted caramel whipped cream for garnish
About the ingredients
Frozen bananas must be properly ripe before freezing—yellow skins with brown specks not greenish. This maximizes natural sugars and creaminess. Swapping honey for maple syrup keeps texture smooth, less stringy syrupy pull in blender. Raw cacao powder is less processed than standard cocoa, offers a deeper chocolate flavor and a tiny caffeine kick—great with coffee. Almond milk or whole milk works depending on tolerance; almond milk lightens the shake but changes mouthfeel slightly—go with creamier if preferred. Crushed ice cubes rather than whole prevent large frozen chunks from jarring the tongue or stalling blender. Cold brew coffee or strong espresso preferred for boldness; if only hot coffee available, chill thoroughly to avoid melting ice too fast. Whipped cream optional but salted caramel adds a sharp sweet-salty contrast, elevates taste. Keep ingredients cold to maintain frosty texture.
Method
- Start by chucking coffee, milk, frozen banana chunks, maple syrup, raw cacao, and crushed ice into a blender cup. Smaller ice helps avoid too dense icy lumps.
- Pulse briefly two to three short bursts to stir ingredients and get blades spinning—avoid long blends prematurely. Then blend on high for about 25 seconds, watch the texture shift. You want a thick frothy swirl, slight bubble foam forming on top, no big frozen chunks left.
- The shake should have a glossy surface with swirls of cacao visible near the top. Pour evenly between two 16-ounce glasses. If you’re feeling indulgent, top with a generous dollop of salted caramel whipped cream for contrast.
- If blender struggles or mixture too thick, splash a little more milk or some coffee neat to loosen. Or add a few more crushed ice cubes and pulse again.
- Taste to check sweetness. If bananas aren’t too ripe, add 1 more tsp maple syrup before final blend.
- Serve immediately for best cold and fresh flavors. Banana aroma hits first, then rich coffee bitterness with sweet cacao, creamy body rounding everything.
Cooking tips
Pulse to start gets blades moving and blends ingredients before full speed, preventing blender motor strain from frozen banana chunks and ice. Blend time looks short but watching texture is key—too long makes it runnier as ice melts, too short leaves gritty frozen bits. Look for bubbles and a glossy creamy swirl, signals even assimilation of banana and coffee. Tactile checks—when blender’s resistance eases and mixture flows smoothly, you’re good. Pour with care; shake will settle fast. Whip topping last second if using, so it stays firm. Adjust thickness by adding tiny milk splashes or more ice if blender refuses to blend. Taste sweet balance if bananas firm or less ripe; adjusted after first blend is easier.
Chef's notes
- 💡 Start with smaller ice pieces—big chunks freeze blades, make blending tough. Pulse blender first, short bursts. Helps blades catch speed gradually. If texture too dense or icy, splash more milk or coffee to loosen. Watch bubbles forming. Glossy swirl means good mix; stops gritty chunks slipping in.
- 💡 Raw cacao powder calls for balancing sweeteners. Maple syrup thicker than honey, less stringy in blender. Keeps shake silky without sticky residue. If bananas underripe, extra tsp maple syrup after first blend works. Taste after pulses, then blend final time. Texture changes fast; too long and it thins out.
- 💡 Frozen bananas must be ripe pre-freeze. Yellow with brown specks, otherwise starchy taste sticks. Chopping bananas helps blender blade movement, no big frozen lumps. Coffee chilled fully or you get fast melting ice diluting flavor. Best cold for that sharp bittersweet finish alongside creamy banana body.
- 💡 If blender struggles, heat sensitivity matters. Let frozen bananas thaw 5 minutes if weak motor. Keep liquid quantity just right—too little, blades stall; too much, shake too thin. Crushed ice easier than whole cubes. Adds visual sparkle, cools without freezing blowout. Texture measured by feel and look, not timer alone.
- 💡 Whipped cream topping optional but salted caramel adds a contrasting flavor punch; sweet yet savory at once. Add just before serving to keep firm. For alternatives, shaved dark chocolate or cinnamon sprinkle—both contribute aroma and subtle bitter or warmth accents. Timing important, creamy bubbles must stay intact during pour.
Common questions
Can I substitute raw cacao powder?
Cocoa powder works but less bitterness. Use less sugar after blending. Longer blend might dull aroma. Alternatives like carob powder change texture, sweeter but softer notes. Not identical; trial needed.
What milk alternatives work?
Almond milk lightens shake, less creamy but refreshing. Oat milk thicker, creamier, closer to whole milk. Soy milk adds subtle bean-nutty taste. Coconut milk shifts flavor tropical, richer fat. Adjust syrup; some milks sweeter, some bland.
How to fix gritty or icy texture?
Blend longer in short bursts, watch bubbles. Add tiny liquid, splash milk or coffee. Use crushed ice, not big cubes. Bananas shouldn’t be rock hard. If too icy, let thaw slightly. Pulse first then fast blend. Texture changes fast; don’t overblend.
Can I store leftovers?
Shake separates, not worth long storage. If needed, refrigerate max 24 hours. Stir or re-blend to re-incorporate. Ice melts, thins texture. Whipped cream loses shape quickly. Best served fresh, aroma and bubbles degrade fast.
