Butter coffee is a delicious way to support a higher-fat, lower-carb diet. It keeps you satisfied and won’t break your intermittent fast. This easy Butter Coffee Recipe is the perfect low-carb beverage for long-lasting energy.

ingredients for butter coffee on a tabletop.

Coffee for Intermittent Fasting

Butter coffee is a high-fat, low-carb drink that is essentially hot coffee blended with butter or another healthy fat such as coconut oil. Butter coffee generally has between 150-300 calories per serving, depending on how much fat you add.

The benefit of butter coffee is that it has no carbs or sugar. If you are practicing intermittent fasting or a ketogenic diet, then butter coffee is a way to help extend your fast without raising your blood sugar enough to break your fast.

It should be noted, however, that there are no long-term studies on the risks or benefits of drinking butter coffee. But, studies do seem to agree that moderate consumption of coffee imparts numerous health benefits.

Coffee can also help with weight loss! See my whole article about the best coffee for weight loss.

Butter coffee promises to provide sustained energy and increased mental clarity due to the caffeine and medium chain triglycerides from the butter.

Butter Coffee Recipe Steps

Step One: Start With Cold Press or Brewed Coffee

To make this recipe for butter coffee, start with two cups of cold brew organic coffee or regular brewed black coffee (see my list of the healthiest organic coffee brands).

If you start with cold brew coffee, you’ll need to heat the coffee before you blend it with the butter.

Step Two: Combine the Coffee & Butter in a High-Speed Blender

Next, combine your hot coffee with 1-2 tablespoons of grass-fed butter in a high-speed blender like a Blendtec or a Vitamix.

You can use a regular blender or a battery-powered whisker, but you’ll get the optimal froth in your butter coffee by using a high-speed blender.

woman making butter coffee in a kitchen using a blender.

Step Three: Add MCT Oil or Coconut Oil

Before you blend your butter coffee, you can also add ingredients including MCT oil (you can use coconut oil if you prefer) for medium-chain triglycerides and some unflavored collagen protein powder.

Quite honestly, I think the MCT oil is optional with your cup of coffee if you’re going to eat breakfast, but MCT oil in coffee may help increase blood ketone levels if you’re fasting. Caffeine in coffee plus MCT oil also increases ketone bodies.

The collagen peptides are also optional, and may break your fast due to the protein content (learn more about collagen protein). But, adding protein to your keto butter coffee is a great option for women or anyone who needs more protein early in the day (see my Protein Coffee recipe).

Other nutritious optional add-ins ingredients you can include your butter coffee include an egg yolk, cacao nibs, or ground cinnamon. Try to avoid artificial sweeteners or added sugars (see my list of the best natural sugar substitutes).

Step Four: Blend and Enjoy!

The final step for this butter coffee recipe is to blend it all together for about 10-15 seconds, or until everything is combined and a froth has formed. Serve hot and enjoy!

Note: always be cautious when blending hot liquids. It’s a good idea to not overfill the blender and to put a towel over the top in case any of the liquid leaks out while blending. 

This recipe gets made fast! If you use cold-press coffee you’ve prepared the night before, you literally only need 5 minutes from start to finish (more like 2 minutes).

but first cofee neon sign.

Potential Benefits of Butter Coffee

1. Nutrition

First off, using grass-fed butter provides a good source of conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), butyrate, vitamin A, and vitamin K. Butter also has healthy fatty acids including butyric acid.

Friends with dairy sensitivities can always use ghee, by the way. People on a vegan diet can use coconut butter or coconut oil.

My butter coffee recipe has approximately:

  • 150 calories
  • 11 grams of fat
  • 0 grams of carbohydrates
  • and 11 grams of protein (from the collagen)

Since butter coffee is full of healthy fats with no sugar, it can help with a sugar detox diet.

2. It makes you feel good

Another reason to try starting your day with butter coffee is because it can make you feel good mentally and physically.

If regular coffee is too strong for you, you can also use decaf coffee or black tea. If you are on a low-histamine diet, you can even use herbal tea to make your butter drink.

3. It assists with intermittent fasting

Lastly, butter coffee can displace or delay breakfast, allowing for intermittent fasting or aiding with nutritional ketosis.

But, before you try intermittent fasting, you should definitely check with your doctor first, especially if you are a pre-menopausal woman (learn more about the potential risks of fasting for women).

You might also want to check out this article on how to reduce estrogen dominance if you are having hormonal imbalances.

ingredients for butter coffee on a marble kitchen countertop.

Recipe Tips & Substitutions

  • Use ghee instead of butter if you have a dairy sensitivity.
  • Always be cautious when blending hot liquids. It’s a good idea to not overfill the blender and to put a towel over the top in case any of the liquid leaks out while blending.

Recipe FAQs

Can I use a regular blender to make butter coffee?

Yes, absolutely! You will get the most amount of foam with a high-speed blender, but you can use a whisk, milk frother, or regular blender to make this keto coffee recipe.

What can I use if I’m dairy-free or vegan?

If you can’t tolerate dairy or don’t consume dairy for ethical reasons, you can use coconut milk or a sugar-free vegan coffee creamer instead of butter. Don’t use any heavy cream, but you can use almond milk instead.

Can I make an iced version of butter coffee?

Yes, but you’ll need to cool it down and serve it with ice. See my Iced Coffee Recipe.

Who invented butter coffee?

The recipe for butter coffee, or bulletproof coffee, is attributed to Dave Asprey who had yak butter tea on a trip and was inspired. For the Dave Asprey bulletproof coffee recipe, you should include both butter and brain octane oil (his branded version of MCT oil) and no sugar.

Dave is the creator of the bulletproof diet which aim to assist with weight loss and brain function while boosting cognitive function with a diet with high fat content and low in net carbs. He also places an emphasis on high-quality ingredients.

Should I use salted butter or unsalted butter when making butter coffee?

You can use either, but salted butter will have the best flavor.

More Energizing Beverages You Might Like

Don’t Miss These Coffee Posts

5 Healthiest Organic Coffee Brands

Favorite Chemical-Free Decaf Coffee Brands

10 Strongest Coffee Drinks at Starbucks

Coffee for Weight Loss (Can Coffee Help with Weight Loss)?

I hope you make this recipe! If you do, please leave a comment and a starred review below.

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Bulletproof coffee, blended with organic butter and MCT coconut oil, paleo, keto, ketogenic drink breakfast.

How to Make Butter Coffee

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Print Recipe

Butter coffee is a delicious way to support a higher-fat, lower-carb diet. It keeps you satisfied and won’t break your intermittent fast. This easy recipe is the perfect low-carb beverage.

  • Total Time: 6 minutes
  • Yield: 1 1x

Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 2 cups brewed hot coffee from organic beans
  • 1 tablespoon grass-fed butter or ghee
  • 1 teaspoon MCT oil or Brain Octane oil (optional, depends on whether or not you’re fasting)
  • 1 scoop collagen protein

Instructions

  1. Combine coffee, butter, MCT oil, and collagen protein in the base of a high-speed blender. Place the lid on tightly.*
  2. Blend for 10-15 seconds and serve hot.

Notes

  1. Use ghee if you have a dairy sensitivity.
  2. *Always be cautious when blending hot liquids. It’s a good idea to not overfill the blender and to put a towel over the top in case any of the liquid leaks out while blending.

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 cup
  • Calories: 148
  • Sugar: 0
  • Sodium: 41
  • Fat: 11.5
  • Carbohydrates: 0
  • Fiber: 0
  • Protein: 11.2

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About the Author: Carrie Forrest has a master’s degree in public health with a specialty in nutrition and is a certified holistic nutritionist. She is a top wellness and food blogger with over 5 million annual visitors to her site. Carrie has an incredible story of recovery from chronic illness and is passionate about helping other women transform their health. Send her a message through her contact form.

Note: this post is for informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. Please consult your healthcare provider for recommendations related to your individual situation.