We Tried Over 100 Protein Supplements — These Are the 7 Best Coffee Proteins Our Experts Are Loving for Their Morning Jolt

Coffee and milk is a classic combination, so putting whey protein with coffee feels like a natural fit. However, not every combination of whey protein and coffee is as heavenly as our favorite, Chike.

“This protein powder is, in a word, delicious,” said food and nutrition editor Katie Tuttle. “The flavor is that of a sweetened iced coffee, and it comes in several flavors, such as vanilla, mocha, and caramel.” After trying all five flavors in the sampler pack, Tuttle said: “I enjoyed the taste very much. This protein powder comes as close as anything else I've tried to an iced coffee, especially when mixed with milk or almond milk. The caramel is perhaps the sweetest, and I liked the mocha flavor the most.”

The Ancient Nutrition Multi Collagen Protein Cold Brew combines several different collagen sources, including bovine, egg, chicken, and fish. It gives you 9 g of protein per serving. The caffeine is on the lower side as well at 42 mg — about half a cup of coffee. So if you wanted to double up on this supplement, you certainly could.

Health writer SaVanna Shoemaker, RDN, especially loved the smell, and said it reminded her of a coffee from a coffee shop. “It blended well, but fine coffee grounds settled at the bottom of the cup,” she said. She thinks it would be good mixed into milk or even mixed into coffee. We could easily see enjoying it as a lower-caffeine boost for midday, or as Shoemaker suggested, sliding it right into your morning coffee. But take note: Collagen is made from animal byproducts, so it’s not appropriate for vegan and vegetarian diets.

Vegan proteins can be more challenging to work into beverages without compromising flavor or texture. Fortunately, if you’re in the market for a vegan coffee protein, the Owyn Double Shot passed with flying colors where many others failed.

The Double Shot is a pre-mixed, bottled option, so you won’t have to mix it yourself. And not only does it have a whopping 20 g of protein, but it’s also complete with all essential amino acids from pea and pumpkin seed proteins. It does come in as the highest caffeine content on our list at 180 mg, but with a name like “double shot,” this might well be the reason you reach for it. We do love that it also includes vegan omega-3 fats and 3 g of fiber to boot.

Our tester, Tuttle, tried all three flavors (vanilla latte, mocha, and caramel macchiato) in order to get a feel for what the brand has to offer. “The caramel [flavor] wasn't overly cloying and sweet, and the mocha had a good chocolatey flavor,” said Tuttle. “This protein drink is smooth and creamy, though on the thin side. If I were to compare it to a dairy product, it would be more akin to skim milk than whole milk.”

Most of the vegan options we tested had a gritty texture or a strong aftertaste. While the Owyn Double Shot has a touch of chalkiness, it is far and away better than its competitors. 

Finding the right coffee protein with no added sugar means just enough sweetener to take the edge off the coffee, but not enough to overpower it or leave an aftertaste. Javvy hits the sweet spot perfectly.

“This is pure coffee flavor, like if you were to brew some dark roast at home and throw it on some ice,” said writer Raki Swanson after testing this product. She also “loved, loved, loved the taste.” Swanson described the texture as “smooth and creamy, not thick consistency,” and she said that there was “no protein flavor.” While we only tried the original flavor, we could easily see the coconut mocha, hazelnut, and white chocolate flavors being incredible — and we trust Javvy to find the right balance of sweetness.

Beyond the flavor, the protein content is also noteworthy. With 10 g of protein from whey protein concentrate, it’s lower in protein than some others on our list (most of them are around 20 g per serving). But it’s a perfect boost of protein with breakfast. And with a slightly lower caffeine content (80 mg), you could also double up and enjoy two servings to get the same protein and caffeine content as the rest of our list. With less than 1 g of sugar overall and 5 g of carbs, it’s a great low-carb starting point if you do end up adding to it or blending it into something fun. 

Supplements can be tricky to choose safely, as some can interfere with medications. This means that all-in-one supplements, which do have a lot to offer, can be a minefield for some. If you’re generally healthy and don’t have any need to avoid supplements, using an all-in-one can be efficient and, in the case of VitaHustle’s One Superfood Protein Coffee, also pretty tasty.

The supplement-facts label reads a bit like the inventory sheet of a health food store: vegan protein, adaptogens, a probiotic, omega-3s, herbs, greens powder, and a multivitamin, all conveniently and cost-effectively combined in one scoop. Where you could easily spend hundreds a month on that list of supplements, this will only cost you about $60 for 15 servings. It also saves you the trouble of swallowing a boatload of pills. Instead, you can enjoy a yummy coffee beverage that hits all the marks.

I tested this myself, and I was surprised at how good the cafe latte flavor was. The coffee flavor comes from a dark-roast robusta coffee blended with mushroom adaptogens. I think it’s best blended into something creamy or into a smoothie, as there can be a bit of texture to it when combined with a thinner liquid. I loved it mixed into coconut milk or oat milk and poured over ice. I also suggest blending it with a banana and your favorite non-dairy milk for a frozen banana coffee.

Caffeine content can be a double-edged sword. It can give you a boost when needed, but it can quickly land you in a jittery, sleep-deprived state when overdone. For the times when you want some caffeine but don’t want to go full-blast, the Super Coffee Protein+ line is a fabulous choice.

The pre-mixed shakes tested really well among our team of food experts, and we found them highly drinkable and tasty. “I liked the flavor and smooth mouthfeel of this protein drink; it felt more like whole milk than skim, if I were to compare it to another beverage,” said Tuttle. She described the mocha latte flavor as “creamy and thick, with a chocolate-forward flavor and a hit of coffee on the back end.”

Available in both ready-to-drink and powder options, it’s perfect for when you're on the go and need a midday caffeine boost with some protein as well. Use it as a snack, a way to supplement a meal to boost your protein and get a little caffeine, or even use it as a coffee creamer for an extra boost. One downside? It comes in only two flavors: mocha and vanilla latte.

Soylent is known for its tasty, ready-to-drink beverages that offer not only substantial protein content but a nutrition label engineered to fully replace a meal. The Cafe Chai flavor has all of this plus a bit of caffeine, and it tastes just like your favorite chai latte. This flavor doesn’t have coffee as an ingredient on the label and only packs a small caffeine punch with just 30 mg. But if you want the real coffee experience (and more caffeine), you can try the mocha flavor for actual coffee and a much higher 150 mg of caffeine.

No matter what flavor you go for, though, these are pre-mixed and made with soy-based protein that offers a complete amino acid profile, a fully vegan label, and a really robust mix of other nutrients. Those nutrients include fat, carbohydrates, and a laundry list of vitamins and minerals.

I was fortunate enough to taste this one myself. Not only was the flavor really enjoyable, but the texture was also very creamy and rich. I could see pouring this over ice in the mornings or sipping for an afternoon pick-me-up. While I was initially pretty full from drinking this, it didn’t keep me full as long as my typical breakfast. I paired mine with some whole-grain toast for added carbs and fiber, and I found that to be more satiating. But I could see grabbing one of these on a busy morning when making food and coffee is too much of a reach.