Photo: Claire Lower
Eating a banana with a cup of coffee is a simple pleasure (and my boyfriend’s favorite light breakfast). It’s the perfect pairing of sweet and bitter, and it’s one of the fastest morning meals you can throw together. Instead of consuming the two things separately, however, various TikTokers have taken to blending them together to make #bananaicedcoffee, a cup of coffee blended with two frozen bananas.
As a lover of frosty cold coffee drinks and bananas, I gave it a try. It was, as TikTok user Ellie Gervais promised, “more than the sum of its parts.” It was creamy, sweet, caffeinated, and a little bit bitter, with more nuance than one would expect from a two-ingredient smoothie. I did, however, think it could be better.
The great thing about banana iced coffee is that you can customize it easily. I used a ripe banana, and found the sweetness to be a little intense, but two teaspoons of cocoa powder toned it down and rounded it out while (obviously) making it taste like chocolate, which I enjoy. I also added a teaspoon of vanilla, because vanilla makes everything better, and found those two additions made the beverage taste finished and complete, without any extra fat or refined sugar. (I am not someone who keeps track of such things, but it is notable that I did not feel compelled to add half & half, which is my custom.) I poured it into a glass and garnished it with a banana slice and little bit of cinnamon sugar, and breakfast was served.
All you need to make banana iced coffee is two frozen bananas and a cup of cold drip coffee (sub in a cup of cold brew concentrate if you wish to see sound). If you are lazy like me and never feel like peeling bananas before you freeze them, do not worry, it is easy to peel a frozen banana.
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You could blend those two things together and be perfectly content, but a little futzing will make for a better beverage. When looking for inspiration, think of banana bread and go from there. Vanilla extract is nice, but almond is a bit more unexpected. If you love chocolate, you can add the aforementioned cocoa powder, or dollop in a spoonful of Nutella. Finally, don’t ignore the baking spices—a pinch of cinnamon, a little fresh nutmeg, or some cardamom can make the drink a little more warm and inviting (in spirit, not temperature; it is frozen after all).
