Coffee Drink
Bulletproof Coffee: Recipe, Calories and the Evidence
Bulletproof coffee combines brewed coffee with butter or ghee and MCT oil for a rich, coating texture. This smaller home version uses measured butter and oil, mixed in an open jug with a handheld frother.
Drink Snapshot
- Caffeine
- About 95 mg reference240 g (8.5 oz) prepared brewed coffeeButter and oil do not add caffeine.
- Calories
- Estimated 115 kcalFull recipe; USDA butter and named Bulletproof C8 oilIngredient estimate for the smaller home serving, including 9.7 g saturated fat.
Serving, sugar and sources
- Serving
- 240 g (8.5 oz) brewed coffee + 10 g (2 US tsp) butter + 5 ml (1 US tsp) MCT oil
- Made with
- Prepared brewed coffee, unsalted butter and MCT oil
- Sugar
- Estimated 0 g. 0.006 g from the generic butter reference, rounded; no sweetener. Total carbohydrate is also under 1 g.
- Preparation
- About 5 minutes once coffee is brewed
USDA coffee and butter references, plus the named C8 oil label, support these serving estimates. See the full calculation or label comparison.
Key Takeaways
- 1Choose butter coffee for its warm, coating texture; it will not taste like a sweetened milk latte.
- 2Choose unsalted butter when you want its creamy flavor without a salty finish.
- 3Mix in an open jug with a frother rated for warm liquids; stop the frother before lifting it.
On This Page10 Sections
What the Brand’s Recipe Establishes
Bulletproof is a branded preparation; butter coffee is the broader description. The current Bulletproof recipe card uses a cup of coffee, a tablespoon of its C8 MCT oil and a tablespoon of grass-fed ghee. It lists 250 kcal. Our recipe below uses smaller, explicitly measured additions and unsalted butter.
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| Version | What goes into the coffee | How to read it |
|---|---|---|
| Current branded recipe | Coffee + 1 tbsp C8 oil + 1 tbsp ghee | The brand’s own recipe and stated 250 kcal |
| This home adaptation | 240 g (8.5 oz) coffee + 10 g (2 US tsp) butter + 5 ml (1 US tsp) MCT oil | About 115 kcal with the defined ingredient references |
| Generic keto coffee | Plain coffee or coffee with selected additions | A broad diet-related label, not a fixed recipe |
The brand is the source for its recipe, not independent proof of its health or performance claims. A latte gets its creamy character from milk; butter coffee has a different composition even when it looks similar.
Bulletproof’s own account traces the recipe to entrepreneur Dave Asprey, who says he was inspired by drinking yak-butter tea in Tibet. That is the background to this branded coffee-and-fat preparation; butter tea itself is a separate drink tradition.
What Does Bulletproof Coffee Taste Like?
The home recipe tastes of coffee with a clear buttery richness and an unsweetened finish. Mixing disperses the fats through the warm coffee, giving a fuller, coating mouthfeel and a little surface foam. The roast still comes through: cocoa and toasted notes sit comfortably with butter.
The texture is most appealing while the fats are dispersed. As the drink stands, an oily layer can appear; briefly remixing addresses that more directly than adding more butter. It feels different from the soft milk texture of a latte, even when the color looks similar.
I prefer a small serving of butter coffee, because its coating richness becomes tiring to me in a large mug.
Bulletproof Coffee Home Recipe
Brew the coffee first, using a drip-coffee method or your usual filter preparation. The five-minute method starts with prepared coffee.
Recipe
Bulletproof-Style Coffee With Butter and MCT Oil
- Makes:
- 1 serving
- Time:
- About 5 minutes; coffee already brewed
Ingredients
- 240 g (8.5 oz) prepared brewed coffee
- 10 g (2 US tsp) unsalted butter
- 5 ml (1 US tsp) MCT oil
Equipment
- Scale
- Measuring teaspoon
- Spoon
- Handheld frother rated for warm liquids
- Open heatproof jug, at least 600 ml (20.3 US fl oz)
- 300 ml (10.1 US fl oz) mug
Method
- Prepare. Put 240 g (8.5 oz) prepared brewed coffee in an open heatproof jug of at least 600 ml (20.3 US fl oz) capacity. Let vigorous steaming subside.
- Melt. Add 10 g (2 US tsp) unsalted butter and 5 ml (1 US tsp) MCT oil. Stir until the butter melts.
- Mix. Use a handheld frother rated for warm liquids. Keep its head submerged, work in short bursts, and stop before lifting it out.
- Serve. Pour into a 300 ml (10.1 US fl oz)-capacity mug and drink warm. Stir again if oil separates.
Estimated nutrition: 115 kcal and 0 g total sugar, plus 9.7 g saturated fat. Per coffee, using the stated butter and MCT oil.
Recipe notes
Use an open jug and a frother rated for warm liquids. Contains dairy butter.
Butter, Ghee and Oil for Bulletproof Coffee
Unsalted butter keeps salt from becoming another variable. Use the ghee label if substituting it for butter. Both come from dairy, and a ghee label should not be treated as an automatic guarantee of milk-allergy suitability.
The named C8 MCT product is a caprylic-acid triglyceride oil. Coconut oil makes a different variation, potentially with a coconut flavor. See the coconut-oil recipe and calculation.
Without a blender: the method above uses a frother suitable for warm liquids. An ordinary spoon melts the butter but may leave more oil floating at the surface. Do not shake hot coffee in a sealed container; use the instructions for your actual equipment.
Bulletproof Coffee Calories, Caffeine and Fasting
The full recipe has an estimated 115 kcal, under 1 g carbohydrate and 9.7 g saturated fat. Sugar rounds to 0 g.
Caffeine comes from the coffee: about 95 mg is the reference for this serving. Beans and brewing can change it. Decaf coffee lowers the coffee contribution, although decaf is not necessarily caffeine-free.
Serving calculation and sources
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| Ingredient | Defined reference | Estimated calories in this recipe |
|---|---|---|
| 240 g prepared coffee | USDA 171890: 1 kcal per 100 g | 2.4 |
| 10 g unsalted butter | USDA 173430: 717 kcal per 100 g | 71.7 |
| 5 ml named C8 MCT oil | Bulletproof label: 130 kcal per 15 ml | 43.3 |
| Full serving | 117.4 kcal before rounding | 115 |
The USDA coffee and butter records are generic ingredients. The Brain Octane C8 label is a specific product reference: one-third of its 15 ml serving contributes one-third of the listed calories and saturated fat. Butter contributes about 5.05 g saturated fat and the oil about 4.67 g. Use your bottle’s figures if different.
The USDA brewed-coffee reference has 40 mg caffeine per 100 g; 240 g gives 96 mg, rounded here to 95 mg.
Does it break a fast? Butter and oil supply energy, so this recipe does not meet a zero-calorie fast. For medical fasting, follow the care team’s instructions rather than using a coffee recipe as permission to drink it.
Health Claims: What the Evidence Can Tell Us
Butter and oil add energy and saturated fat; this coffee is a rich drink, not a balanced breakfast. Evidence does not establish this recipe as a weight-loss or cognitive-performance treatment. One 2024 randomized study assigned 60 adults to coffee regimens, with 41 completing 12 weeks. It found no statistically significant between-group difference in the reported lipid outcomes. Its small, short-term result does not establish long-term cardiovascular safety, and it does not prove this home recipe improves concentration or causes weight loss.
The American Heart Association advises limiting saturated fat and replacing it with unsaturated sources to support heart health.
Bulletproof Coffee Troubleshooting
| Problem | What to change |
|---|---|
| Oil pools on top | Mix again while warm; some separation on standing is normal |
| Greasy mouthfeel | Use less added fat next time |
| Coffee flavor disappears | Reduce the additions or use a coffee you prefer on its own |
| Frother splashes | Use more jug headroom, submerge the head and stop before lifting |
| Froth disappears quickly | Serve promptly; this is not steamed-milk microfoam |
Common Questions
Can I make it without butter?
Yes. Leave out the 10 g (2 US tsp) butter and mix the coffee with the 5 ml (1 US tsp) MCT oil. The drink will be less rich, and its calories will be lower than the full recipe's estimate.
Is it dairy-free or vegan?
This recipe contains dairy butter. The absence of poured milk does not make it dairy-free.
Can I drink it iced?
I recommend serving this butter-based version warm: the butter firms as it chills. For a cold creamy coffee, choose an iced latte instead.
Editor's Take
Sources and Further Reading
6 references
External links open in a new tab
Recipe and ingredients
- The branded coffee recipeBulletproof · Current brand recipe and mixing options; our smaller portions are an independent home adaptation.(opens in a new tab)
- Brain Octane C8 MCT Oil, 16 ozBulletproof · Supplement Facts image: 130 kcal and 14 g saturated fat per 15 ml. Used for ingredient arithmetic.(opens in a new tab)
Nutrition references
Health evidence
- Butter and MCT randomized studyHoang and colleagues, Cureus · 2024 primary study: 60 randomized, 41 completed, 12 weeks; lipid outcomes do not establish long-term benefit.(opens in a new tab)
- Saturated fatsAmerican Heart Association · Guidance on saturated fat, LDL cholesterol and replacing saturated fat with unsaturated sources.(opens in a new tab)