Mocha Madness Tropical Smoothie Recipe

Mocha madness tropical smoothie is made with brewed coffee and simple, nourishing ingredients. This healthy coffee smoothie is naturally sweetened with maple syrup and perfect for adding your favorite mix-ins. It’s a quick and energizing breakfast and snack you’ll love!

What is in a mocha madness tropical smoothie?

The mocha madness smoothie from Tropical Smoothie Café is made with chocolate, coffee, cappuccino, non-fat yogurt, and turbinado sugar. I think they also offer a low-carb option with Splenda as a sweetener.

My homemade version is wonderfully creamy and has a mellow coffee flavor with a hint of chocolate thanks to the addition of cacao powder. It’s similar to a mocha shake, but lighter because it contains no ice cream.

And while this smoothie is indulgent, it also packs a bunch of nutrients, minerals, and antioxidants. It’s a great way to kick-start your day and will energize you after a workout. Yogurt and milk powder help to fill you up and keep you satisfied.

Reasons to love mocha madness smoothie

Let me tell you all about this creamy, delicious coffee smoothie recipe. It’s pretty much a chocolate latte in smoothie form!

• Java boost: Morning coffee smoothie is a delicious breakfast option and post-workout pick-me-up that will wake you up and energize you for the day. Caffeine is said to increase mental alertness and concentration.
• Delicious flavor: If you love chocolate and coffee-flavored treats, you’re going to absolutely love this mocha madness tropical smoothie.
• Naturally sweetened: The easy coffee smoothie recipe is naturally sweetened with maple syrup.
• No bananas: While I personally love bananas in smoothies, I know that some aren’t fans. To focus on the coffee aroma, this is a coffee smoothie without bananas.
• Great to customize: I’ll share suggestions about all of the tasty add-ins you can try. You got so many options to adapt this smoothie recipe!
• Decaf option: You can make this smoothie caffeinated or decaf if you want. See below for options.

Ingredients

The ingredient line-up of this mocha madness tropical smoothie recipe is pretty simple, and you probably have most of these items in your kitchen. Refer to the recipe card at the end of the post for specific measurements.

• Coffee: This smoothie recipe starts with a cup of strong, cold coffee. You can either brew and chill the coffee yourself or grab a bottle of cold brew from the grocer. Add a kick of caffeine or opt for decaf – it’s up to you! I’ll share more tips in just a moment.
• Cacao powder: The chocolate portion of this coffee smoothie comes from rich cacao powder. It adds delicious chocolate flavor and has a good amount of iron and manganese. I recommend cacao over cocoa because cacao has a richer flavor and contains more minerals and antioxidants.
• Yogurt: Plain or vanilla non-fat yogurt is best here. It boosts the protein content and adds a delicious creaminess to the smoothie.
• Milk: Feel free to use any milk according to your preferences. Regular milk adds extra protein, almond milk is dairy-free with a neutral taste, and coconut milk provides a creamy, slightly tropical flavor.
• Maple syrup: The smoothie is sweetened with maple syrup. You could use another liquid sweetener like agave syrup or honey.
• Vanilla: A splash of vanilla extract adds depth of flavor and makes the chocolate and coffee shine.
• Milk powder (optional): I added a few scoops milk powder to this smoothie for extra calcium and protein. Milk powder also creates a thick, creamy texture.

How to incorporate coffee in smoothies

You have a few options to include coffee in your smoothies. Each results in a slightly different flavor and texture, but they all taste delicious. Here’s how to prepare coffee for smoothies:

• Brewed coffee: Brew a pot as you normally would and set aside a few cups for making smoothies. Let the coffee cool to room temperature, then fill it into a mason jar and keep it in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. This way, the coffee will be ready when you want to make a smoothie.
• Instant coffee: Whip up a cup of instant coffee according to the package instructions and let it cool. I like to make my coffee the night before, so it’s cold and ready to go when I want to make my coffee smoothie the following day.
• Cold brew is a convenient choice for smoothies because you don’t have to wait for it to cool. You can make your own at home or buy a store-bought cold brew.
• Ground coffee beans: The only thing I don’t recommend is ground coffee beans as they will create a gritty texture and taste too strong.

How to cool coffee quickly

If you are brewing fresh coffee or making instant coffee, I have a quick trick to cool it down. After making the coffee, pour it into a large glass or bowl and add as much ice as possible. This will cool down the coffee, and you can get right on blending your smoothie.

If using this method, brew your coffee stronger or use more instant coffee granules. The ice will water the flavor down a bit.

How to make mocha madness tropical smoothie

This chocolate coffee smoothie is so easy to whip up at home! You will have made and drank it before you could even drive to Tropical Smoothie Café. Here’s the step-by-step:

1. Add ingredients. Add the coffee, milk, yogurt, maple syrup, vanilla extract, cacao powder, and milk powder into a blender.
2. Blend smoothie. Start the blender on low speed and gradually raise the speed until the ingredients are well combined and blend into a thick, creamy texture. If needed, scrape down the sides and mix again. Feel free to add any optional mix-ins to your mocha smoothie if you’d like.
3. Adjust texture (optional). If the smoothie seems too thick, add a little more liquid, e.g., milk or coffee. And if you’d like to thicken the smoothie some more, add more milk powder.
4. Serve. Pour the smoothie into 2 cold glasses. Optionally, garnish the top of your coffee smoothie with a sprinkle of cacao powder. Serve the smoothie cold, and enjoy!

Helpful tips

• Use cold ingredients: Because we aren’t adding any frozen fruits or ice, you want your coffee and other ingredients nice and cold. You can even put your healthy coffee smoothie in the freezer for 10 to 15 minutes to cool it down some more.
• Don’t skip the milk powder as it helps to thicken the smoothie, and don’t be afraid to add more if it seems too thin. You could also use ice to thicken the smoothie, but ice can make the drink watery and sometimes creates a grainy texture.
• Blender speed: Start blending on low speed and gradually increase the speed to high. This helps combine the ingredients more smoothly.
• Sweetness level: Some coffees taste stronger than others. If the smoothie doesn’t taste sweet enough to your liking, simply add more maple syrup.
• Iced: Add some ice and turn this smoothie into a refreshing, iced summer drink.

Add-ins

You can enhance your mocha madness tropical smoothie by including more nutritious ingredients to make it your own. I’ve put together a few mix-in ideas that you can add to this homemade coffee smoothie:

• Oats: Make the drink more nourishing and heartier by blending in 1/3 cup of rolled oats. Don’t use steel-cut oats as they won’t blend well.
• Nut butter: Add nut butter to up the healthy fats and protein in this smoothie. Almond butter, peanut butter, and cashew butter are all excellent options.
• Spices: For cozy warmth, season your coffee smoothie recipe with 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice.
• Peppermint: To turn this into a peppermint mocha smoothie, add 1/8 teaspoon peppermint extract.
• Chia seeds are one of my favorite smoothie mix-ins because they boost healthy fats and fiber. 1 tablespoon is plenty.
• Flax seeds: Increase your smoothie’s fiber and mineral content with 1 tablespoon of flaxseed meal.
• Hemp seeds: Throw in a tablespoon of hemp seeds for an extra bit of omegas, minerals, and healthy fats.
• Cauliflower: Add 1/3 cup frozen cauliflower florets to sneak in healthy veggies. You won’t taste it, and it makes the smoothie super thick and cold.

Storage instructions

How to store mocha madness tropical smoothie

Coffee chocolate smoothie is a great smoothie to prepare in advance and enjoy later. It will keep well overnight in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. I like to store my smoothies in mason jars because you can seal them airtight and drink right out of the jar.

Freezing coffee smoothie

To store the mocha smoothie even longer, freeze it for up to 3 months. Here are 2 handy methods to freeze smoothies:

• Ice cube tray: Pour the smoothie into the cavities of an ice cube tray and freeze. When it’s time to enjoy your mocha smoothie, place the frozen smoothie cubes in a mason jar and let defrost in the fridge for 1 hour. Screw the lid on tightly and shake the jar. Your coffee smoothie is ready to drink!
• Mason jar: Pour the smoothie into a mason jar and seal with a lid. Place the jar in the freezer and freeze for 2 to 3 months. Once you want to enjoy the smoothie, let it thaw in the refrigerator for a couple of hours or at room temperature.

FAQ

Does mocha madness smoothie have caffeine?

Yes, mocha madness is a smoothie with caffeine because coffee is involved. When consumed reasonably, caffeine shouldn’t be an issue for most adults and is associated with benefits such as alertness, focus, and increased athletic performance.

Can I make a caffeine-free coffee smoothie?

Of course! If you’d rather have a caffeine-free drink, prepare the simple smoothie recipe with your favorite decaf coffee. I recommend decaf if you want to enjoy the smoothie as an afternoon snack, so it doesn’t interfere with your bedtime.

What are the mocha madness tropical smoothie calories?

1 serving of this mocha madness tropical smoothie recipe contains xx calories, xx fat, xx protein, xx carbohydrates, and xx sugar. The full nutrition info is listed in the recipe card above.

More smoothie recipes

Smoothies come in all sorts of flavors and colors and are perfect for breakfast and snacking. I’ve put together a few of my other favorite smoothie recipes for you. You’ll definitely want to try all of these!

• Bahama Mama Smoothie
• Angel Food Smoothie
• Mango Magic Smoothie
• Sunrise Sunset Smoothie
• Kiwi Quencher Smoothie
• Peanut Paradise Smoothie
• Triple Berry Oat Smoothie
• Glowing Skin Smoothie from Soap Deli News