High-Protein Whipped Iced Coffee

Meet your new favorite afternoon pick-me-up: High-Protein Whipped Iced Coffee! It’s a creamy drink with the rich flavors of coffee, almond butter and cream. When you whip the ingredients together, it results in a thick, frothy texture that pairs perfectly with protein-packed whole milk. Whether you’re powering through a workday or just need a little something to perk you up midafternoon, this beverage is one you’ll come back to often. Read on for our best tips and tricks for making the most of this delicious drink.

Tips from the EatingWell Test Kitchen

These are the key tips we learned while developing and testing this recipe in our Test Kitchen to make sure it works, tastes great and is good for you too! 

• Unsalted smooth almond butter is the way to go here. Natural almond butter with no additives will give you the best flavor and texture.
• Feel free to use decaffeinated instant coffee granules in place of regular. Keep in mind that using decaf doesn’t completely eliminate all caffeine from the drink, but it will reduce it.
• Whole milk gives this drink a silky texture. If you are looking to cut down on saturated fat, reduced-fat milk, nonfat milk or a plant-based milk can be used in its place.
• While you may have used half-and-half in place of cream in the past, we don’t recommend it in this recipe. Half-and-half doesn’t have enough fat in it, so it won’t whip up into the fluffy mixture needed in Step 1. 

Nutrition Notes

• Whole milk is considered a complete source of protein, as it contains all nine essential amino acids that our bodies can’t produce. In addition to protein, milk also offers calcium to support bone and teeth health. Plus, it contains vitamin B12, which is important for building red blood cells. 
• Almond butter is a good source of vitamin E, which plays a role in protecting our cells from damage. Almond butter also contains unsaturated fats, which can support heart health, and fiber, which can support gut health.