If you love the mocha madness tropical smoothie from Tropical Smoothie Cafe, then this mocha smoothie recipe is definitely for you! Made without refined sugar and mystery ingredients like it’s store-bought version, this café mocha smoothie uses simple ingredients and tastes amazing!
Do you love ordering the mocha madness tropical smoothie at Tropical Smoothie Cafe but don’t like all the sugar that comes with it? This copycat mocha madness smoothie has all the flavor of your favorite but without all the refined sugar and calories!
Made with just 5 simple ingredients, this café mocha smoothie is super easy to make at home in less than 5 minutes. Not only will it save you time in the morning, but it will save you money and calories!
In this post I’ll show you how to make a mocha smoothie, what ingredients you’ll need and some tips on blending a great smoothie every time.
What do I need to make a mocha smoothie?
- Unsweetened vanilla almond milk – I’ve discovered this is one of the best milks to make smoothies with. It is limited in calories and sugar, but still has some subtle vanilla flavor. You can also use your preferred dairy or plant based milk.
- Plain Greek yogurt – adding yogurt to your smoothie not only increases the protein (keeping you fuller longer) but also creates a super creamy smoothie.
- Banana – a banana will add some natural sweetness to the smoothie and also creates a smooth, creamy texture.
- Chocolate protein powder – I use and love Orgain Chocolate Fudge Protein Powder for adding to smoothies. It has great flavor and adds a good amount of protein to your smoothie
- Frozen coffee cubes – these frozen coffee cubes are made by simply freezing coffee (drip coffee or cold brew) in an ice cube tray.
For exact ingredient amounts and full recipe instructions be sure to scroll down to the bottom of the post for the recipe. Thanks!
How to make frozen coffee cubes:
Frozen coffee cubes are made by simply freezing coffee in an ice cube tray. Simply pour cooled coffee or cold brew coffee into the tray and freeze in the freezer for 3-4 hours or until completely frozen.
Store the cubes in the freezer in a zip-loc freezer bag or resealable freezer container.
Using frozen coffee cubes is also ideal when enjoying iced coffee, as regular ice tends to water-down your coffee. Check out some of my other recipes that would be great with frozen coffee cubes:
- Vanilla Bean Iced Coffee
- Iced Vanilla Latte
- Starbucks Caramel Frappuccino Recipe
- Iced Caramel Latte
- Nutella Coffee
- Iced Caramel Macchiato at Real Housemoms
Nespresso Vertuo Coffee and Espresso Machine
Want to make both coffee AND espresso at home? This is the machine I use and LOVE. The fresh espresso is amazing and the brewed coffee tastes equally fantastic. I highly recommend!
How do I make a café mocha smoothie at home?
Making a smoothie at home is simple and quick. Start by adding the almond milk, yogurt, protein powder, banana and coffee cubes to the blender jar. I also use frozen, sliced bananas in my Strawberry Cottage Cheese Smoothie.
Add a lid to the blender jar, making sure it is tight and well secured. Blend the smoothie ingredients on medium-high speed for 45-60 seconds or until all the ingredients are well blended, incorporated and smooth.
Blendtec 650 Designer Series Blender with Wildside Jar
This is the Blender I use almost DAILY! Everything from smoothies, to cocktails, to waffle and muffin batter and even nut butter, this ultrapowerful blender creates an amazing puree every time. It’s very durable and made to last!
Ingredient Substitutions and Recommendations:
- Unsweetened cocoa powder – to increase the chocolate flavor in the smoothie, try adding 1 tablespoon of unsweetened cocoa powder.
- Instant espresso powder – to increase the coffee flavor in your smoothie, try adding 1 teaspoon of instant espresso powder. Start with a small amount and taste to see if it is to your liking. Add more if needed. Instant espresso powder is very concentrated, so start with a small amount first.
- Toppings for a mocha smoothie: Try topping your smoothie with a sprinkle of chocolate bits, cocoa nibs or dark chocolate chips.
For exact ingredient amounts and full recipe instructions be sure to scroll down to the recipe at the bottom of the post. Thanks!
Frequently asked questions about making a mocha madness tropical smoothie:
According to the nutrition menu on the Tropical Smoothie Cafe website, the mocha madness smoothie has 620 calories, 118 grams of sugar, 6 grams of protein and 143 net carbs.
When making a smoothie, add flavorful ingredients that will sweeten the smoothie to your liking, like fresh or frozen banana, frozen berries or flavored protein powders.
The best ingredients to add to a smoothie to make it creamy are yogurts and banana. These will create a smooth, creamy texture when blended.
To make a smoothie thicker, add more frozen ingredients. Start with ice, or add a frozen banana or berries. Start with a small amount of liquid and add more to blend to your desired thickness.
The best way to sweeten a smoothie without adding extra calories and sugar is to use a low-calorie, low glycemic index sweetener, like Whole Earth Granular Monk Fruit Sweetener or Liquid Sweet Drops. For a natural sweetener, try adding a frozen banana, which will naturally add sweetness to your smoothie.
I wrote the book on smoothies…literally!
Yes, that’s right! I’m the author, photographer and creator of The Protein Smoothie Bible cookbook.
It offers simple, 5-minute smoothie recipes that are perfect for quick, healthy breakfasts, snacks, or post-workout recovery.
I’ve even got a chapter all for kids! That’s right! Simple, easy, kid-friendly smoothie recipes that will get your kids and grandkids excited about making healthy food.
If you loved this smoothie recipe, check out some of these other similar posts:
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EASY Café Mocha Smoothie Recipe – Just 5 Ingredients!
Equipment
- blender I use and LOVE this Blendtec Designer Series Blender almost daily!
- Smoothie Tumbler This smoothie tumbler with lid and straw is perfect for taking smoothies on-the-go!
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
- 50 grams chocolate protein powder (2 scoops)
- ½ cup plain Greek yogurt like Fage
- 1 banana frozen
- 6 coffee cubes frozen, about 3/4 cup coffee
Instructions
- Add ingredients; milk, protein powder, banana, yogurt and coffee cubes into blender jar. Tightly secure lid.
- Blend on medium-high speed for 45-60 seconds or until smoothie is completely blended and pureed.
- Pour into a glass and enjoy right away while cold.
Notes
Nutrition
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