Peanut butter coffee: A creamy twist on your favorite brew (and how to make it)

Unlike french vanilla or hazelnut coffee, the term “peanut butter coffee” isn’t one you’ve likely heard often (or at all). I first encountered peanut butter coffee on an Instagram reel where a fellow coffee lover showed a latte brewed into a cup filled with peanut butter. Since I love creamy peanut butter almost as much as I love coffee, it’s safe to say the idea of peanut butter coffee intrigued me.

As it turns out, Alex Zapata’s variation of peanut butter coffee is only one of the many ways creative coffee lovers use peanut butter and coffee together. If you’re as intrigued about this flavor pairing as I am, here are three ways to try peanut butter coffee for yourself.

Plant-based peanut butter coffee

For those who follow a plant-based diet, peanut butter inside coffee offers a tricky (and delicious) way to add extra protein to your day. This method of making peanut butter coffee takes only five minutes and can be made with any plant-based, dairy-free, or vegan milk of your choice. I like using oat milk in this recipe, which has recently been my go-to milk alternative.

Ingredients

• A small cup of freshly brewed coffee
• 1/2 cup of plant-based milk such as almond milk, oat milk, or coconut milk
• 1 tablespoon sweetener (maple syrup, sugar, monk fruit, stevia, honey, etc)
• 1 tablespoon creamy peanut butter
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Method

1. Brew coffee as desired. Any coffee roast will work for peanut butter coffee, but the chocolate notes of a dark or espresso roast tend to pair best.
2. Heat plant-based milk on the stove or in the microwave until steaming hot.
3. Pour hot milk into the blender. Add coffee, sweetener, peanut butter, and vanilla extra to the blender.
4. Blend until smooth and frothy.
5. Pour into a glass and enjoy.

As Alex Zapata mentions in his original peanut butter coffee recipe, he recommends using honey to sweeten your peanut butter drinks, paired with some optional cinnamon atop your coffee. These flavors pair nicely with coffee, so if you have honey on hand, I recommend trying honey as your sweetener choice for this recipe.

Peanut butter iced coffee

We all know that peanut butter and chocolate go together almost as well as peanut butter and jelly. As you can expect, many peanut butter coffees add a touch of chocolate for that “Reeses peanut butter cup” taste. This unique variation of iced coffee uses creamy peanut butter to make a peanut butter-flavored creamer, which is added to the drink. The process sounds a bit daunting, but it’s pretty simple. If you don’t want to use Nutella, another sweetener or chocolate syrup could also be substituted for it.

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon creamy peanut butter
• 1/2 tabelspoon Nutella
• 3 tabelspoons half-and-half cream
• Cold coffee
• Ice

Method

1. Add peanut butter, Nutella, and 1.5 TBSP of cream to a small pot or saucepan.
2. Heat while whisking until thoroughly combined. Once smooth, add the rest of the cream to the mixture and whisk fully. Alternatively, a blender can be used to combine all ingredients.
3. Pour the peanut butter creamer into a container and cool in the fridge.
4. Fill a tall glass with ice and your cold coffee of choice.
5. Add peanut butter creamer to the glass (to taste preference).
6. Mix, sip, and enjoy!

Classic peanut butter coffee

This method of making peanut butter coffee is my personal favorite. It is warm, creamy, and delicious. You could even call it a peanut butter latte if you use espresso instead of regular dripped coffee. Not only is this a great option for when you’re feeling something a little different than usual, but it only takes about five minutes to whip up.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/4 cup strong coffee or espresso
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 2 teaspoon maple syrup
• 1 tablespoon creamy peanut butter
• Optional: whipped cream

Method

1. Combine the milk, cinnamon, vanilla, syrup, and peanut butter in a pot.
2. Whisk and allow to melt without letting it come to a boil.
3. Pour coffee or espresso into a mug
4. Froth the milk mixture well. Pour into a mug atop the coffee.
5. Serve and enjoy.

Peanut butter coffee

As delicious as these variations of peanut butter coffee are, there’s also another way to enjoy the flavor. Ideal for everyday and quick brewing, flavored peanut butter coffee is an option worth noting. While peanut butter-flavored coffee isn’t something you’ll find offered by every brand, there’s still a good selection of roasteries that offer this specialty flavor.

Options such as LifeBoost’s Chocolate Peanut Butter Truffle roast or Door County Coffee’s Peanut Butter Crunch might interest those who love the taste of coffee combined with peanut butter. However, these peanut butter coffee blends are more likely to give you light notes of peanut butter than the bolder peanut butter flavor you’ll get when making coffee drinks with real peanut butter.