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This keto bulletproof coffee recipe is a great way to start your day and give you a dose of some heart healthy fats. Adding some fat to your morning coffee is going help make you feel full longer, give you tons of energy and aide with weight loss. It also helps tremendously at keeping your cravings at bay, so you won’t binge on bad foods.
This is my favorite travel mug for my bulletproof coffee. It keeps my coffee hot for hours and is leak & spill proof so I can just toss it in my bag!
Since starting the keto diet I’ve experimented around with trying to find the perfect bulletproof coffee recipe and trouble shoot common problems I was reading people were having when making bulletproof coffee.
Before I get to my favorite bulletproof coffee recipe, I wanted to let you know some of the problems I saw, in hopes that they won’t happen to you! It also might explain why you haven’t liked bulletproof coffee in the past.
So here are some common issues I’ve seen (feel free to skip down to the recipe if you want):
Problem#1: You feel like you are just drinking oil and butter. You keep getting big gulps of oil.
Solution: You are most likely not using a blender or not blending your coffee enough. I’ve experimented with this and if you try to use a spoon to stir in your oil, the oil will always separate to the the top leaving you with a mouth full of oil, yuck!
I also tried whisking for three minutes, which was not successful either. Your best bet is to use a blender and use the pulse setting if possible. This will distribute the oil and butter properly.
Another reason for this could be the recipe you were using prior uses TOO much oil. Many recipes I saw called for two tablespoons of oil and two tablespoons of butter. For me in just one cup up coffee, this is way too much oil and butter! My recipe has a lower amount of both, while still providing you with enough fat.
Problem #2 You don’t like the taste.
Solution: If you aren’t someone that likes cream or milk in your coffee, the butter gives your coffee a cream type flavor. My fiance normally likes his coffee black and did not like the butter taste. For his coffee, I just double the amount of coconut oil (or any oil you choose) and leave out the butter. Why drink something you don’t like?
I also saw comments of people saying they hated the coconut flavor. Coconut oil has a coconut flavor, no way around that. If you hate coconut, you probably will not like coconut oil in your coffee. Try an oil that is tasteless instead, like MCT Oil.
Problem #3: The coffee causes stomach upset because you can’t tolerate dairy.
Solution: Simply double the oil and leave the butter out to make it dairy free.
Okay, now that we took care of some common problems, here is my favorite tasty recipe for bulletproof coffee. Also listed are some optional add-ins to jazz up your bulletproof coffee. Enjoy!
Recipe for the BEST Bulletproof Coffee
- 1 Tbsp Unsalted Grass Fed Butter (I like the Kerrygold brand)
- 1 Tbsp of Coconut Oil or MCT Oil
- 10-12 ounces of Coffee (or however much you typically pour for your cup of coffee)
Directions: Pour your coffee into the blender and add your other ingredients. Blending time can vary based on blender, so blend for 30-40 seconds or until your your coffee is nice and frothy.
If you’re bringing your coffee on the go, this travel mug is leak proof and amazing!
The oil should be evenly distributed, but if you are seeing oil gathering towards the top of your cup, you need to blend it longer.
If your blender has a pulse setting, I’ve found this is my preferred way to blend my coffee. Pulse the mixture about 10-20 times for the perfect cup up bulletproof coffee.
Which oil is best?
Coconut oil or MCT oil are the two typical oils recommended for keto bullet proof coffee. Both are good and can aide in fat loss and give you energy.
Difference in Oils, MCT vs. Coconut
MCT is short for “medium-chain triglycerides”, which is a saturated fatty acid. MCT helps give you energy, is great for brain function, and can boost weight loss.
Think of MCT oil as the most concentrated version of MCT, but coconut oil still contains MCT as well. With coconut oil MCT makes up about 65% of the fatty acids.
MCT oil is typically more expensive and less readily available, so I typically go with coconut oil. However, many people love MCT oil. You have to do what works the best for you.
As stated earlier if you don’t like the taste of coconut, MCT oil is tasteless and you would probably prefer it to coconut.
If you’re still wondering if you should go with MCT oil or coconut oil, this article from Dr. Axe is great! The main takeaway is both oils can be beneficial and help aide in your weight loss.
Optional Add Ins To Spice Up Your Bulletproof Coffee
- Cinnamon
- Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
- Keto Protein Powder
- Vanilla
- Heavy Cream
- Pumpkin Pie Spice and/or cloves
- Cocoa Butter
- Pink Himalayan Salt
- Almond milk or dairy free milk of your liking
Let me know how your bulletproof coffee turned out or share your favorite add-ins!
You may also want to check out these posts:
-
20 Keto Snacks That’ll Help You Lose Weight
-
10 Easy Keto Diet Tips and Tricks For Losing Weight
-
30 Easy Keto Casserole Recipes For Weight Loss
-
20 Easy Keto Breakfast Recipes That’ll Help You Lose Weight
38 comments
Coconut oil does not give even close to the same effect as MCT oil. The triglycerides of very different. Also, sunflower oil is not recommended as a substitute at all. It has a different chemical makeup and can hamper fat burning and will not give the same energy effect as mct oil. Stick to the real thing, don’t fix something that’s not broken.
Hi Ryan. Both coconut oil and MCT oil are commonly recommended for bullet proof coffee and both help with fat loss. I know MCT oil might give you a little more of a boost, but it is also not as readily available and more expensive than coconut oil. I realized I mentioned MCT oil earlier in my post, but not in the recipe, I did revise this and added MCT oil. Also, I recommended sunflower just if you hate the taste of coconut and as an alternative to MCT just to get some fat. Upon further research though, I did see this one actually isn’t a great oil on keto and have revised my post. Thanks for letting me know and for your feedback. Have a good day:)
Has anyone had a problem running to the bathroom using the MCT oil? I have had my gall bladder removed and have issues with certain things. I stopped using it because of this but I’m wondering if I cut back to half tablespoon and blend it instead of whisking
Hi Janice. I’ve heard of some people having some bathroom issues with MCT oil, especially when I read through reviews of the product lol. Some people can handle it just fine, it’s hard to tell because we’re all so different. I know the gall bladder does play a big role in processing fat, so that could be an issue. I actually have issues when I do straight up oil of any kind (even coconut) in my coffee, and sadly had to pare down my bullet proof coffee or use very minimal oil. If I have fat in a meal it is fine, so maybe it is because I am getting it all at once, I’m not sure. I can’t say for certain what is right for you, I would maybe talk to your doctor and see since you had your gall bladder removed. I’ve heard that some people who have upset stomachs from MCT oil can handle it in powder form, but again I’d probably check with your doc just to be safe. Have a good weekend!
I use both coconut oil, and mct I love taste of coconut oil
Yeah, it’s great to get the benefits of both and I agree coconut oil is very tasty!
I usually use Brain Octane…yes expensive but the bestie so my health food store tell me! I have one in the morning but I would like to have another coffee in the afternoon….can I do another coffee with heavy cream or just stick to black? I also am on IF for 20/4.
Hi Kevin. Yeah, sometimes things that are good for us are definitely worth spending money on. I’ll have to check that brand out. I think you could do another coffee with cream since keto allows for so much fat. I would go off how it makes you feel. If your system handles the extra cream and you feel great, I don’t see why not:)
What if you hate coconut. Do you have to put it in your coffee and still get the same effect?
Hi Niki. If you don’t like coconut, I wouldn’t add coconut oil to your coffee. You might opt for MCT oil, it is derived from coconut oil and sometimes palm oil and has concentrated amounts of some of the same fatty acids found in coconut oil that give you energy. MCT oil is tasteless and does not have a coconut flavor. Here’s an article talking about the benefits of MCT oil: https://wellnessmama.com/98671/mct-oil-benefits/ A couple things with MCT oil, it is more expensive than other oils and I have seen some people say it causes stomach upset. You might want to start off with a smaller serving and see if it agrees with your system. Also, if you are just looking to get some fat in your coffee, you could just do heavy cream or grass fed butter and skip the oil all together. Hope this helps!
Are you putting cold coffee in your blender? My blender carafe is plastic, and I can’t imagine it not melting with hot coffee. Also, I drink my coffee with most of the coffee flavor covered up. Don’t love the taste. Is there a way to still mask the coffee taste while enjoying the benefits of both the coffee and the fats? TIA
Hey Amanda. I do put hot coffee in the my Ninja blender, my coffee isn’t that hot. I’ve seen a lot of other bulletproof recipes where they use a plastic blender cup. I know this might not be the best because ideally you probably should’t put hot liquids in plastic and if you do make sure the plastic is BPA free. I do this because I’ve found the fat and coffee doesn’t mix well otherwise (the butter or oil just sits at the top). But you have to do what feel right for you, you could use a handheld blender if you wanted (I know that’s kind of inconvenient though) or get a glass blender. To mask the taste, you could put heavy cream in your coffee and/or if you do sugar free flavored syrups (like Torani’s syrups), these should mask the flavor. If you really hate the taste of coffee (I used to as well, now I love it lol), you could just make bulletproof tea. Coconut oil and black tea are tasty together, I also strain some unsweetened coconut in my tea to give it more of a coconut flavor. Have a good weekend!
Hi. I tried the MCT oil and organic grass fed butter. The reaults: couldn’t go out of my house for 3 days. No kidding… and then: pimples all over my face. How can i try the bulletproof coffee without ALL this side effects? Thanks!! Blessings!!
Ahh, I can relate to getting acne from different foods. You may want to figure out which is causing you acne, the butter or MCT oil. Sometimes people do break out with dairy, so that could be the culprit. One week you might want to try it with just butter, the other just MCT oil to figure out which one is the problem. You might want to skip both all together and try coconut oil. Another option is just to skip bulletproof all together if you are sensitive and get some fat in the morning from another source. Bacon, eggs, avocados, handful of nuts, etc. Good luck:)
I love iced mochas and I make my own (1 cup coffee, 1 tbs cocoa, and 1/4 cup half and half – about 10g carbs). I’m just starting out on the Keto diet and don’t want to give up my morning mochas. 🙂 I’m thinking to still get my chocolaty coffee fix, I can use chocolate flavored protein powder with a cup of coffee. What would you recommend?
Hey Julie! You definitely don’t have to give up your morning mochas. Instead of half and half, you could use unsweetened or plain heavy whipping cream (it’s keto friendly) to still get that creaminess. You can also use unsweetened cocoa powder, which for me would be too bitter alone, so in that case you could add some Stevia or a low carb sweetener. Another option if you don’t mind artificial sweetners is using Torani sugar free chocolate syrup for the chocolate component (I’ve never tried this flavor, but have tried other ones and they seem to be good.) I don’t use protein powders, but a lot of people really like Perfect Keto protein powders (you can find them on Amazon). It is kind of pricey, but it’s worth a look if you wanted to go the protein powder route. 🙂
I was thinking of using honey on my next go-round, I’m not a fan of stevie, it has a bitter taste. Also, how many glasses or cups or mugs should one consume? Be for BCC, I would drink 4 or 5 cups with my Natural Bliss coffee creamer (so yummy).
Hi Stephanie. Honey isn’t keto (no judgement at all, just letting you know in case you didn’t know), but I’m sure a little in moderation wouldn’t be that bad. I think the amount of cups you consume really depends on the person and how sensitive they are to caffeine. Some people like yourself do great with multiple cups of coffee, I can only have one or two cups because anything more would make me jittery. You may want to try putting a little plain heavy whipping cream in your coffee, it will give your coffee a creamy consistency like creamer and it is a tad naturally sweet as well. I don’t really use any sweeteners, so can’t give you alternatives to Stevia, but this article goes pretty in depth about different low carb sweeteners: https://www.ruled.me/keto-diet-plan-best-and-worst-sweeteners/ but this article looks pretty in depth: https://www.ruled.me/keto-diet-plan-best-and-worst-sweeteners/ Have a good weekend!!! 🙂
Do you drink this for your breakfast, or with your breakfast? Wasn’t sure if it replaces your breakfast!
Hi Amy. Some people drink it for breakfast, others have it with their breakfast. Personally I like having it with something like an egg or a some berries. Go by how you feel. 🙂
Hi Amy – I do not have a blender, but cup you shake as a blender. Would it work using that? I know, I’m one of the few odd ones that doesn’t have a blender in her kitchen😄 I’ve never really had any use for a blender.
Hi Susan. I haven’t tried it with a shaker cup. The oil didn’t mix right when I whisked it for a long time, but it may work with the shaker cup. You may get a little bit of oil at the top, but it’s worth a try. Let me know how it turned out! 🙂
I like a little peanut butter with cocoa and stevia.
JJ, that sounds delicious! I’ll have to try that, thanks:)
I put a few drops of peppermint oil in my bullet proof coffee. I don’t know if that is keto or not but it is tasty and I have lost weight.
That’s definitely keto and sounds really yummy! I’m going have to try this, especially around Christmas, thanks!! 🙂
I’m not a coffee drinker so I make sweet & spicy tea with heavy cream. Does this qualify as keto ? I’m very new to this.
Lately I’ve been on a tea kick and it is for sure still keto. You are still adding cream, which gives you some good keto fat. Even if you have tea plain, it is technically keto because it has no sugar and carbs. I’ll be posting a keto tea recipe soon and I’ll comment back with the link!
Hi Annie!
How would one incorporate Bulletproof coffee if they are doing Intermittent Fasting? My eating window is 11-7. I’m thinking if I drink BP coffee at 11, I’ll be full until dinner. Thoughts?
Hi Heather. To make your bulletproof coffee less filling, you could cut the butter and oil in half. So just do 1/2 tablespoon oil and 1/2 tablespoon of butter. Or you could just stick to one type of fat, not both (maybe you add just butter, but skip the oil). Hope it helps:)
Can I add some Swerve to this and still be Keto for IF?
Hi Shellie. Quick disclaimer, this in no way is nutrition or medical advice. 🙂 True intermittent fasting involves consuming no calories at all, even from bulletproof coffee. So just having bulletproof coffee is breaking a fast. This article talks about what breaks a fast: https://www.ketovale.com/what-breaks-a-fast-during-intermittent-fasting/ I know that type of strict IF isn’t for everyone, I know I couldn’t do it. I would say add the Swerve because technically you aren’t fasting, more like using your bulletproof coffee like a meal replacement or snack and if you enjoy it more with Swerve, go for it.
I’m going to try a tea version of this i don’t drink coffee. My question is has anyone tried to drink it like around 4:00 in the afternoon? I’m scared to have bathroom issues at work. Any thoughts??
Hi Deanna. Sorry for my late reply. Bulletproof coffee sometimes gets things moving for people, although coffee seems to do that more in general than tea, so maybe it would have less of a laxative effect. You may want to experiment at your home first on a non-work day to see how your stomach handles it. You also may want to consider using less oil or butter. I know some people have stomach issues with dairy and/or MCT oil in particular as well. I would just experiment because everyone is different in how they handle food/drinks. For instance, I can’t have caffeine that late in the day or I wouldn’t be able to sleep lol, but some people can drink caffeine at night. Good luck:)
If I use the MCT oil to late in the day I have terrible dreams!! I don’t usually have bad dreams so this was weird, nor do I usually have any sensitivity or issues with my sleep by anything else….but tried it again to see..YEP! Nightmares and weird dreams! No MCT oil after 2pm for me!! Anyone else have this experience ?
Hi Vicki. I’ve never had that personally happen, but I know everyone is sensitive to different things. Most of the time when I read about side effects of MCT oil it is people having stomach issues. That’s interesting though. I’m glad you found out the source of your nightmares and know not to drink it before bed. 🙂
Can I use coffee mate sugar free creamer?
Hi Rosa. Yeah, I think you should be able to. It looks like it has no sugar and only 2 grams of carbs a serving. I just wouldn’t overdo it since it has a couple of carbs, but the same could be said for putting regular cream in your coffee. 🙂