Protein + Creatine Coffee

High-Protein, Dairy-Free, Muscle-Supporting + No Added Sugars

I’ve been looking for simple ways to get more protein into my mornings, and this might be my new favourite. It’s literally just coffee, protein, creatine and almond milk but blending everything together first makes it SO creamy and frothy that it tastes like a vanilla latte.

The vanilla Bone Broth Protein gives it that naturally sweet vanilla flavour, so there’s no need for flavoured syrups or added sugar. I use Designs for Health Bone Broth Protein and Creatine Monohydrate Powder, giving me 21 g of protein + 5 g of creatine in something I was already going to have in the morning anyway. Pour it over a double espresso and ice and the whole thing takes literally two minutes.

I especially love making this after an early workout or on busy mornings when I want to get some protein in quickly. And because creatine is something I take consistently rather than treating it like a one-off pre-workout supplement, adding it to something I already have every morning makes remembering it almost effortless.

Simple, SO good hot or iced, and one of those little habits that makes supporting my protein intake and staying consistent with creatine so much easier.

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You can shop the Designs for Health Bone Broth Protein + Creatine Monohydrate Powder I use in this recipe and save 20% off your entire order with my code:

CODE: DISHINGWITHTAY20

IMPORTANT: You MUST shop through my specific link for the discount code to work. Open my link first, add your products to your cart, and then enter DISHINGWITHTAY20 at checkout for 20% off your order.

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What You Need (Makes 1 Serving)

21 g protein from Bone Broth Protein | 5 g creatine | ready in 2 minutes

1 scoop Designs for Health Vanilla Bone Broth Protein
1 scoop Designs for Health Creatine Monohydrate Powder
1 cup unsweetened almond milk, or milk of choice
2 shots espresso or 1 double Nespresso pod
Ice, for serving, optional

Method

Add the Bone Broth Protein, creatine and almond milk to a blender. Blend until completely smooth, creamy and frothy.

For an iced coffee: Fill a glass with ice and add your double shot of espresso. Pour the blended protein-creatine milk over top, stir and enjoy.

For a warm coffee: Gently warm your milk first, then blend it with the protein and creatine until smooth and frothy. Pour over your freshly brewed espresso and enjoy immediately.

Why I Add Protein + Creatine

Protein for Muscle

One scoop of Designs for Health Vanilla Bone Broth Protein provides 21 g of protein. I’m always looking for realistic ways to increase my protein throughout the day, and adding it to something I’m already going to have in the morning is probably one of the easiest.

Dietary protein provides the amino acids our bodies use to build and maintain tissues, including muscle. Protein is especially important when you’re resistance training because exercise and dietary protein work together to support muscle protein synthesis.

I don’t think every coffee needs to become a “functional” drink, but if I’m already making one every morning, getting an extra 21 g of protein from it feels like a pretty easy win.

Creatine Isn’t Just for Bodybuilders

This is probably the part I wish more women knew about.

Creatine is one of the most extensively researched sports supplements. When paired with resistance training, creatine supplementation can support improvements in strength, power and lean body mass, although individual results will always vary.

Creatine helps increase the availability of phosphocreatine in the body, which helps rapidly regenerate ATP—the energy our muscles rely on during short, high-intensity efforts like lifting, sprinting and other explosive exercise.

One scoop of Designs for Health Creatine Monohydrate provides 5 g of creatine monohydrate. It’s completely unflavoured, I can’t taste it in my coffee, and adding it to something I already have every morning makes consistency incredibly easy.

What About Creatine + Brain Health?

This is an area of research I find REALLY interesting.

Creatine isn’t only relevant to skeletal muscle. It also plays a role in cellular energy metabolism in the brain, and researchers are continuing to investigate whether creatine supplementation may have cognitive benefits and whether certain populations or circumstances respond differently.

The research here is still evolving, so I wouldn’t look at creatine as some magic “brain-boosting” supplement. But the emerging research beyond exercise performance is fascinating and definitely something I’ll continue following.

Collagen-Rich Protein + Skin

Bone Broth Protein is a collagen-rich beef protein, so it provides amino acids found in collagen and connective tissues.

There has been a LOT of interest in collagen supplementation for skin health, particularly when it comes to hydration and elasticity. Some research has reported benefits, but the overall evidence continues to evolve.

I like to think of the collagen-rich nature of this protein as an added nutritional bonus rather than some magic skin supplement. My main reason for using it here is still incredibly simple: it’s an easy way to add meaningful protein to something I already love drinking.

For me, that’s really the biggest reason I love this combination. I’m getting 21 g of protein + my daily creatine in something I was already going to have anyway. It takes two minutes, tastes SO good, and on busy mornings or after a workout, it’s kind of a no-brainer.

Is Protein Coffee a Complete Breakfast?

This is NOT a meal replacement and I think this is worth mentioning.

This coffee gives me an easy 21 g of protein from the protein powder, I still pair it with an actual breakfast containing whole-food protein, carbohydrates, healthy fats and fibre.

On other mornings, especially after an early workout or when I’m running out the door, it’s simply an easy way to start getting some protein in rather than waiting until much later in the day.

Think of it as a really convenient protein boost, not a rule that your morning coffee needs to replace breakfast.

Nutritional Information

Approximate nutrition will vary depending on your milk and coffee of choice.

Designs for Health Vanilla Bone Broth Protein provides per scoop:

Calories: 110
Protein: 21 g
Fat: 1 g
Carbohydrates: 4 g

One scoop of Designs for Health Creatine Monohydrate provides:

Creatine Monohydrate: 5 g

When made with 1 cup of the unsweetened almond milk I use, the finished coffee is approximately:

Calories: 185
Protein: 23 g
Fat: 7 g
Carbohydrates: 7 g
Fibre: 3 g
Creatine: 5 g

Your final calories, protein, carbohydrates and fat will vary depending on the milk and coffee you use.

If You’re a Vanilla Latte Lover…

This might be my favourite part.

The vanilla Bone Broth Protein gives the coffee that naturally sweet vanilla flavour, and blending it with almond milk makes it SO creamy and frothy. It scratches that same itch as a sweet coffee-shop vanilla drink, but I’m also getting protein and my daily creatine at the same time.

For a little coffee-shop perspective, a standard Grande Vanilla Bean Crème Frappuccino at Starbucks Canada is listed at 380 calories and 52 g of sugar. It’s worth noting that the standard Vanilla Bean Crème Frappuccino is a crème-based blended drink and doesn’t contain coffee, so this isn’t meant to be a direct nutritional comparison, just a little perspective on two very different ways to get that creamy vanilla flavour.

My protein coffee made with the unsweetened almond milk I use comes in at approximately 185 calories with 23 g of protein + 5 g of creatine, without adding flavoured syrup or sugar.

And I actually think mine tastes better.

Serving Suggestions

I LOVE this poured over lots of ice with a double espresso, but it’s equally good warm on colder mornings.

If you want a little extra flavour, add cinnamon or a splash of vanilla. If you prefer your coffee sweeter, you can also add a small drizzle of pure maple syrup or honey.

You can even blend the entire iced version with ice for more of a creamy protein coffee frappe.

Notes

Blend first, coffee second. Blend the protein, creatine and milk before adding them to your espresso. This is what gives it that smooth, creamy, frothy texture instead of trying to stir protein powder directly into coffee.

The creatine is completely unflavoured, so you really don’t taste it in the finished coffee.

You can use any milk you love. I usually use unsweetened almond milk, but a creamier plant-based milk will give you even more of a latte texture.

For the warm version, gently warm the milk rather than boiling it, then blend until frothy before adding it to your espresso.

And if you’re taking creatine regularly, consistency is generally more important than trying to perfectly time it around your workout—which is exactly why putting it in my morning coffee works so well for me.

Want to Make This Coffee? Save 20%

You can shop the Designs for Health Bone Broth Protein + Creatine Monohydrate Powder I use through my link and use DISHINGWITHTAY20 at checkout for 20% off your entire order.

IMPORTANT: The discount code only works when you shop through my specific link first. Open the link, add your products to your cart, and enter DISHINGWITHTAY20 at checkout.

SHOP DESIGNS FOR HEALTH + SAVE 20%

Recipe by Taylor Robinson | Holistic Health & Wellness Chef | Dishing with Tay