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Author:
Tracy Nawara
Bananas and coconut milk are two popular ingredients served in tropical drinks on vacation. Having an ice-cold blend of tropical fruits in your glass is a fabulous reminder of being on a trip, even if you are stuck at home. A tropical blended drink is a perfect treat for a stay-cation.
Who says you can’t have a tropical drink for breakfast? By adding some cocoa powder and coffee to the banana/coconut blend, you get a creamy and dreamy tropical coconut coffee smoothie. This smoothie tastes like you’re having coffee on an island!
Coconut lovers, this is the coffee drink for you. Instead of half and half, this coconut smoothie uses full-fat coconut milk. That means that this drink is 100% dairy-free and vegan.
You can use sweetened or unsweetened coconut milk for your smoothie. The recipe as written uses unsweetened to control the amount of sugar is in the recipe. If you like a sweeter coffee, go for the sweetened variety. The beautiful thing about cooking is that you can change out any ingredient you don’t like for something you do like.
Full-fat canned coconut milk or cream tends to separate in the package due to the fat content inside. For this recipe, use the solids at the top for whipping into coconut whipped topping. Simply blend the coconut solids in a chilled bowl with a hand mixer until light and fluffy. You can add some additional sweetness with powdered sugar or vanilla here if you like. The liquid from the can will be blended in with the smoothie. This makes a delightful vegan whipped cream to serve on top of the smoothie.
Garnish is important in a fancy coffee recipe. Coconut whipped cream is the perfect topping, but for texture and crunch, coconut flakes are also added to the top. For even more cocoa flavor, you can also top your smoothie with an extra sprinkle of cocoa.
Frozen bananas give this tropical coffee smoothie a smooth texture when blending. By freezing the bananas first, you are getting a head-start at the perfect consistency during blending. All good smoothies have a creamy base from banana or avocado, which gives the signature smoothie texture that everyone craves. The blended frozen banana is a must-have in this recipe.
Yes, you will also be adding some ice cubes to this smoothie. Ice cubes tend to water-down drinks, especially when blending. By also using frozen bananas, less ice is needed. That means no water-down drink, just a flavorful, rich blend of coconut, banana, and chocolate.
What is a decadent smoothie recipe without some chocolate? This tropical drink is more about the coconut flavor, so chocolate is the supporting flavor in the drink. It also lends a nice color to reinforce that this is a coffee drink.
The night before, chill your can of full-fat coconut milk in the fridge to encourage fat separation. Do not open, shake, or mix.
Start by brewing your favorite coffee. Make a stronger pot so that the coffee flavor does not get lost in the smoothie.
Cool your coffee by leaving it at room temperature for an hour or by placing it in the fridge.
Meanwhile, drain the solids from the liquid from your coconut milk. Add the solids from the canned coconut milk to a chilled bowl. Blend with a hand mixer until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add sweetener if preferred. Set aside.
When ready to blend, add the freshly brewed coffee, coconut milk liquid, frozen bananas, cocoa powder, and ice cubes to the blender.
Blend on high or the smoothie setting until frothy and smooth.
Pour into a tall glass and garnish with whipped coconut cream, coconut flakes, and more cocoa powder if desired.
