20 Best Breakfast Drinks

If you just can’t face a big meal first thing in the morning, it might be worth trying out a few of these delicious breakfast drinks instead.

They’re quick and easy to make – not to mention delicious!

Many nutritionists now agree that breakfast is no more important than any other meal during the day.

So, if all you can manage in your tired state is a coffee or tea, that’s ok!

But if you want something with a few more nutrients that you can take on the road, I’ve found a few terrific smoothie recipes and other filling breakfast drinks that will be sure to give you a boost of energy.

1. Peanut Butter Banana Smoothie

Peanut butter and banana are an irresistible flavor combination, and when they’re blitzed into a smoothie, you’ll have a hard time sticking to just one. 

You can easily use dairy-free milk to make it a vegan smoothie (leave out the honey or swap it for agave).

And I recommend using frozen bananas instead of ice cubes. That way, the ice can’t water down your drink!

Of course, feel free to use almond butter if you have an allergy, and remember that if your nut butter has honey mixed in already, you might not need any extra.

2. Blended Oat Breakfast Drink

Oats are one of the best grains around, and they’re packed with vitamins, minerals, fiber, and antioxidants.

But there’s no reason you should miss out on all that goodness just because you’re having a breakfast drink, right?

All you’ll need is a top-quality blender, a sweetener like honey or maple syrup, and maybe some extra spices. 

You need a good blender because the oats will need to be blitzed for at least 30 seconds on high to get them to a drinking consistency.

A cheaper blender might overheat if you try this. 

3. McDonald’s Iced Coffee

I’ve been a massive fan of McDonald’s coffee for a while now. It’s very smooth, lightly sweet, and not to mention cheap!

The French vanilla option is the best (in my opinion), but if you don’t have vanilla coffee beans, you can still add vanilla flavor after the fact.

One way is to add vanilla extract to the grounds and then brew your coffee as normal. Another option is to grind your own beans with dried vanilla pods.

If you use vanilla pods in your baking, always keep the leftover pods.

I pop them in the freezer and then grind them down into a powder. This is great as a dusting over your coffee, too. 

4. Green Smoothie

People are always looking for healthier foods to try and get back on track after indulging.

That’s probably why green juices and smoothies are so big right now. 

I know I love starting my day with a jolt of vitamins and minerals, and they’re so easy to whip up.

If you’re not sure because these always look so, well, green, give this recipe a shot, and I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised. 

Spinach is my go-to for green smoothies because it’s a superfood with very little taste. In this smoothie, you hardly taste it at all. 

5. Starbucks Chai Tea Latte (Copycat Recipe)

With its combination of sweet and warm spices, chai lattes are the perfect way to start a chilly day. They’re creamy, rich, and super tasty.

Some ready-made chai tea bags are better than others, but you can just use your favorite black tea and add spices. 

You’ll often see a blend of cloves, cardamom, and cinnamon, but feel free to add to that if you want.

Or, Tazo makes an excellent chai concentrate to which you just need to add hot milk. How easy is that?

6. Fresh Squeezed Orange Juice

If you like to start your day with a zing, fruit juice is the way to go. It’s bright, sweet, and naturally delicious, plus it’s brimming with goodness.

And nothing is better than a big glass of freshly squeezed OJ!

Store-bought orange juice is often loaded with lots of added sugar, and if you opt for the no-pulp kind, you’ll miss out on most of the natural vitamins of the fruit. 

Navel and Valencia oranges are my top choices for juicing because they’re wonderfully sweet and tart and have plenty of juice, so you won’t need a million oranges for one glass. 

7. Iced Caramel English Breakfast Tea Latte

Tea purists (and anyone reading from the UK) are likely a little confused right now. Not just iced tea, but iced tea with milk and caramel?

I know enough Brits to know that this would be considered sacrilege. But *lowers voice to a whisper* it’s surprisingly delicious!

If you like iced chai lattes, I’m sure you’ll love this. Of course, there are no warm spices involved, but it’s creamy, sweet, and full of tasty black tea flavors. 

8. Cleansing Cucumber Pineapple Juice

Although I don’t recommend juicing to replace whole meals, they are a fantastic way to start your day. 

After all, if you add the right ingredients, you’ll get plenty of fiber, antioxidants, and hydrating properties in one small glass. 

Cucumber has a shocking amount of nutrients, plus it’s almost all water, so you’re getting a boost of H20 right away. 

Add pineapple to the mix, and this juice becomes wonderfully sweet, tart, and lightly tropical.

9. Simple French Vanilla Cappuccino Recipe

Cappuccinos are made up of equal parts steamed milk, espresso, and foam.

Unlike lattes, which are more milk than coffee, this drink has a much stronger coffee taste. 

To achieve that beautiful vanilla taste, you’ll start by infusing the milk. Add them both to a pot and gently heat, stirring and watching, so it doesn’t boil.

You should be able to smell the vanilla, but before adding the coffee, be sure to remove the vanilla pod. 

10. Smoothie King Angel Food Smoothie

If you live in Nebraska, Kansas, Missouri, or Oklahoma, I’m sure you’ve tried a smoothie from the Smoothie King. 

Per their website, they only use “whole fruits and organic veggies, and never any syrups or artificial colors, flavors or preservatives.” 

That makes these pretty darn healthy and insanely delicious. 

But if you don’t live in any of the states mentioned above, you’ll have to make do with a homemade recipe. 

One of their secrets to an extra creamy smoothie is to add nonfat dry milk powder. Trust me; it makes a world of difference!

11. Mixed Berry Smoothie Recipe

Berries are such a fantastic option for making smoothies.

They’re readily available, work well in any combination, and make your breakfast drinks extra pretty.

This recipe includes apple juice, which adds a tartness to the mix. But it’s still plenty creamy, thanks to the Greek yogurt.

Go ahead and use a frozen bag of mixed berries, or make up your own with what you have.

Frozen fruits will make this extra-thick, but you can also add fresh berries, too. 

12. How to Make an Americano

An Americano is essentially espresso diluted with hot water. It’s a strong black and delicious type of coffee and should never have milk included.

The idea is to brew strong coffee with a rich taste but then to mellow that out with hot water.

Adding water will cut down on any bitterness and help it to last longer to boot. 

For a more robust coffee, use two parts water to one part espresso. For those who like it more mild, use three parts water to one part espresso. 

13. Dalgona Coffee

Speaking of pale and foamy, have you tried this viral coffee yet?

Dalgona coffee is a thing of beauty, and it’s ridiculous how easy it is to make at home. You don’t even need a fancy coffee machine! Instead, this recipe calls for humble instant coffee. 

It’s a little like the Cafecito above, only this recipe uses instant coffee in larger quantities to make it much frothier. 

Whisk boiling water, instant coffee, and sugar until it looks like soft peak egg whites. Pour this over a glass of milk and plenty of ice.

14. Coffee Smoothie

If you’re a lover of frappuccinos, you’ll love this thick and creamy coffee smoothie. 

It’s not loaded with sugar and calories but rather dates for natural sweetness, nut butter for a lovely light nutty taste, and hemp seeds for a boost of protein. 

The dates will also give this a caramel taste. To ensure they’re juicy and flavorful, try soaking them in hot water until they soften up. 

To get this thick, you’ll add ice cubes. But if you don’t want to lose any flavor, try making coffee ice cubes.

Just brew a pot of regular coffee and pour it into ice cube trays (when it’s cooled).

Alternatively, make a cold brew and freeze that in your trays.

That way, you get the same great texture in your smoothie, but it won’t get watered down as it sits. 

15. Starbucks Caramel Frappuccino Recipe

Where the above recipe isn’t loaded with sugar and calories, this Starbucks frappuccino is. But you deserve a treat, so go ahead and indulge!

Along with your choice of coffee, you’ll need half & half, caramel sauce, sugar, xanthan gum, and vanilla.

Salted caramel will be your best friend in this, as that hit of salt will help to mellow any bitterness in the coffee. Of course, any caramel will be scrumptious.

Xanthan gum is something you can add to prevent your drink from splitting, which can happen when you blend cream or dairy-free milk. 

Leave it out if you want, but just know your drink may not stay perfectly smooth.

16. Chocolate Almond Butter Berry Smoothie (No Banana)

Many smoothie recipes use banana because it’s naturally sweet and, when frozen, makes the drink lovely and thick. 

But not everyone likes bananas, and some people are even allergic. So, what can you do to make your smoothies thick and creamy?

As mentioned above, frozen berries are readily available and will leave your smoothies dense. It won’t be as rich, but it’s a good alternative. 

Almond butter will also help with that, but if you want it creamy, try adding avocado instead. 

They’re jam-packed with nutrients and healthy fats, and they’re mild enough that you won’t taste them at all.

17. Cafe Latte 

Anyone with a coffee addiction will tell you that it’s an expensive habit. That’s especially true if you like lattes. 

Milk isn’t overly expensive, but for some reason, when you ask for it to be steamed, the price of your drink goes way up. 

So, maybe we should try making them at home every now and then? That way, when we do indulge, it’ll be extra tasty!

No fancy coffee machine and frother? No worries. Just heat the milk in a pot and pour it into your mug.

Next, use a cheap, battery-operated milk frother to whisk it up a little, then add your coffee. 

For a vegan version, I recommend using oat milk. I find it froths much better than other dairy-free milks, which are often very watery. 

Or, you could always use coconut milk, which is lovely and creamy. 

18. Easy Iced Mocha Recipe

Have you ever tried adding chocolate milk to your coffee?

Isn’t that combination of strong, rich coffee and creamy, smooth chocolate just to die for?

To make this chocolate coffee combo, you’ll just need your favorite chocolate syrup and a pot of cold brew. 

When making iced coffee, you can make a pot and leave it to go cold.

But if you start out with cold-brewed coffee, I think you’ll agree that it’s so much smoother.

19. Blueberry Mango Smoothie

Blueberries have such a unique taste, and if you get them when they’re ripe, they’re very pleasantly sweet. 

I always stock up when they’re at their best during the summer, freezing them to lock in the flavor.

That way, I have delicious, sweet, and juicy blueberries year-round.

Add mango into the mix, and this smoothie might just become your new favorite. 

I mean, just look at that blue-purple color! It’s so deep and rich, but when you take that first sip, you’ll get a hit of juicy mango that will blow you away. 

20. Ghirardelli Hot Chocolate Recipe

I don’t know about you, but I crave something warm and comforting as soon as I get up. 

Hot chocolate is an amazing option for people who don’t like coffee or live in a cold climate where smoothies are too cold. 

And if you plan on indulging in hot chocolate, it really should be the best!

Ghirardelli is known to be top-quality. Their chocolate is flavorful and rich, and their hot chocolate mix is dreamy.