This mocha banana smoothie is the perfect energizing smoothie recipe! Made with just five ingredients, this smoothie is simple and quick to throw together. You’ll love the combination of coffee and chocolate flavor.
Note: This post was originally published in 2015. It has been updated in 2024 with new photos and additional helpful information.

Ingredients and Instructions
Here’s a photo of all the ingredients you’ll need, along with selected ingredient notes:
- Banana – You’ll want a frozen banana as this offers the icy creaminess you expect in a smoothie.
- Chocolate chips – I like dark chocolate, but use whatever floats your boat.
- Coffee – You can use any kind, just make sure it’s cold. This smoothie is actually a great way to use up what’s left in a pot of coffee after your morning brew; just set it aside in the fridge and use it for the smoothie later in the day or the next morning.
- Milk – I use 1% dairy milk, but you can substitute with whatever milk you prefer – oat, almond, etc.
- Protein powder – This is optional, but if you want to boost the protein content, add half a scoop of chocolate protein powder to the recipe. (Make sure you choose a powder that you know tastes good, as some powders don’t have the greatest flavor and can then ruin the smoothie.)
Once you’ve got all the ingredients together, toss ‘em in a blender or blender cup.
Blend until smooth, and then enjoy!
Recipe FAQ
Here are some common questions that may come up as you’re preparing this recipe:
Smoothies are best made and consumed immediately after. The ingredients in this smoothie can separate if made in advance in left in the fridge.
Absolutely! Use plant-based milk and vegan chocolate chips to make this vegan-friendly.
Sure! Feel free to add a handful of spinach, kale, or other greens to boost the nutrition content.
Nutrition Benefits
As a dietitian, I love this recipe as a quick breakfast option before or after a morning workout. It packs in:
- Caffeine, which can potentially help performance (though if caffeine makes you jittery or isn’t your thing, you can easily sub with decaf).
- Carbs, to fuel your muscles during your workout or replenish that fuel after a workout.
- Protein, to support muscle repair and recovery. This can be valuable after a workout, but can also be helpful before a workout if you know you aren’t planning to eat for a while after your workout.
- Vitamin B12, at 24% of your daily needs, which is important for supporting energy production in the body.
- Potassium, at 17% of your daily needs, which is a key electrolyte lost in sweat and that’s involved in blood pressure regulation.
More Smoothie Recipes
If you’re looking for more tasty smoothie recipes, be sure to give one of these a try:
- Pumpkin coffee smoothie
- Strawberry watermelon smoothie
- Turmeric banana smoothie
- Beet green smoothie
- Watermelon cucumber smoothie
I hope you enjoy this recipe! If you get a chance to try it, feel free to leave a recipe rating or comment below.
Mocha Banana Smoothie
Ingredients
- 1 frozen banana
- ½ cup cold coffee
- ½ cup 1% milk (or milk alternative)
- 1 tbsp dark chocolate chips
- ½ scoop chocolate protein powder (optional)
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to a blender or blender cup. Blend until well-combined. Enjoy!
Notes
- If using protein powder, be sure you choose a high-quality powder that tastes good.
- The banana adds a good amount of creaminess, but if you want an icier smoothie, add a few ice cubes when blending.
Nutrition
Share with me: Do you ever use coffee in your smoothies? What’s your favorite coffee smoothie recipe? Do you think you’d love this mocha banana smoothie?
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This looks scrumptious! I’m all about anything with coffee…
Thanks Wendy! I’m totally not a big coffee drinker but do really enjoy it in this smoothie 🙂
I tend to love my coffee with a lot of cream so I don’t usually combine it with a smoothie but I am intrigued. I find this recipe to sound delish. Can’t wait to try something new!
If I drink coffee these days I do drink it black, so maybe my tastes are skewed – but I think it blends well into here and you get a little creaminess from milk/milk alternative you add in here.
Funny that I love coffeee. I love smoothies. I have never combined the two and I always am down for a pick-me-up! Thanks for sharing Chrissy!! You always have something yummy brewing!
I’ve found that I really like unsweetened chocolate, and it pairs really well with coffee. (The banana is enough sweetener for me.)
I’ve read that people who like black coffee & really dark chocolate are more likely to have sociopathic tendencies. Yeah … I’m okay with that. 🙂
Hahahaha oh man, should I be worried about my personality tendencies?! I like black coffee and dark chocolate too!