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Hey friends, it's Lizzie! My non-negotiable morning ritual and the easiest 30 grams of protein you'll ever get: high-protein iced coffee. It tastes like a treat, keeps me full for hours, and takes two minutes. Here's exactly how I make it.
The recipe
You'll need: 1 cup cold brew or chilled coffee, 1 scoop vanilla protein powder, ½ cup milk of choice, ice, and a shaker or blender.
- Add the protein powder and a splash of milk to your shaker first and shake until smooth (this stops clumps).
- Fill a glass with ice, pour in the coffee, then the protein mixture and remaining milk.
- Stir, sip, feel like you have your life together. ☕
Easy variations
- Mocha: add a teaspoon of cocoa.
- Salted caramel: caramel protein + a pinch of salt.
- Iced latte vibes: blend it all with extra ice for a frappe.
Make it ahead for busy mornings
On hectic weeks, batch it: brew a big jar of cold brew and keep it in the fridge so your coffee is ready to go. You can even pre-mix the protein and milk in a bottle the night before and just pour it over ice and coffee in the morning — 30 seconds to a high-protein breakfast on your way out the door. Future you will be so grateful.
A note on protein in coffee
Use a protein powder that's made to mix (whey isolate and most blends do great) and always combine it with a little liquid before adding it to cold coffee to avoid clumps. If you like it frothy, a quick blend or a handheld frother makes it feel like a café drink. This one simple swap has kept me consistent with my protein for years. ☕
💪 My protein: Rule One
Vanilla mixes perfectly into coffee with no chalky aftertaste — the reason this actually tastes like a treat. Code LILO at checkout.
Why protein coffee works
Most of us drink coffee first thing anyway — so building 25–30g of protein into it is the easiest win there is. It steadies your energy, kills the mid-morning snack cravings, and front-loads your daily protein before the day even starts. If you struggle to hit your protein goal, start here. ☕🌴
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