Whey Protein Beyond the Shaker: Creamer, Ice Cream and Other Uses

Whey protein powder isn't limited to a shaker cup. Stirred into cold or iced coffee it works like a creamer; blended with a liquid and frozen it turns into a protein-based "ice cream"; and mixed into oats or cream of rice it adds protein to a hot cereal without changing the recipe much. How well it dissolves and how smooth the result is depends more on temperature and technique than on the recipe itself.

As a coffee creamer

Whey protein isolate and concentrate are dairy proteins, so stirring a scoop into coffee behaves a bit like adding milk — with the caveat that hot, acidic coffee is more likely to make a dairy protein clump or curdle than cold coffee is. Iced coffee, cold brew, or coffee cooled for a few minutes before the powder goes in tends to blend smoothly; a blender or frother breaks up clumps a spoon leaves behind. See whey protein and coffee for more on that specific combination.

As a base for protein "ice cream"

Blending protein powder with a liquid (milk, a milk alternative, or water) and freezing it — by hand, in a blender, or in a countertop machine built for the purpose — is a common way people turn a shake into a dessert-like texture. Because whey protein isolate carries less fat and lactose than concentrate, a blend leaning toward isolate tends to freeze smoother and less icy than one leaning toward concentrate, though our own label doesn't disclose the isolate-to-concentrate ratio in the blend, so we can't tell you exactly where ours lands on that spectrum.

Stirred into oats or hot cereal

Adding a scoop to cooked oats or cream of rice after cooking, rather than during, avoids prolonged direct heat on the powder and keeps the texture from getting gummy. Stirring it into a fully cooked, slightly cooled bowl works the same way cooling coffee before adding it does.

Our whey protein

Electric Tiger Whey Protein (Chocolate) is a blend of whey protein isolate and whey protein concentrate, directed to mix with 8-12 oz of cold water per 2-scoop serving — the same basic ratio works whether the liquid is water, milk, or a milk alternative for these other uses. It provides 22 g of protein and 130 calories per serving, 15 servings per tub, as low as $39.75 on subscription ($2.65 a serving). It contains milk and is not vegan or lactose-free.

Questions people ask

Can you make ice cream with whey protein powder?

Yes — blending it with a liquid and freezing it, by hand or in a countertop machine, is a common approach. Texture depends on the liquid used and how the blend freezes; there's no single correct recipe.

Does whey protein work as a coffee creamer?

It can, most smoothly in cold or iced coffee. Hot coffee's heat and acidity make a dairy protein like whey more likely to clump, which is a texture issue rather than a safety one.

Related reading: how to choose a good whey protein and whey protein powder: a plain guide.