This chocolate peanut butter banana smoothie is thick and delicious, and it tastes like a healthy chocolate milkshake without all the sugar!
Is there anything better than a milkshake?!
Tons of sugar and fat...what's not to love?
The hard part with 'healthifying' sweet treats like ice cream, cakes, and cookies, is making something that satisfies just as well as the original, but WITHOUT all of the crap.
It's tough! You really can't go cold turkey with sugar, there has to be a weaning process, just like a baby.
If the abolition of sugar is the goal, and it's a ten-step process, I'd say this chocolate ice cream smoothie is around step six (with ten being sugar-free).
Ingredients and substitutions
- Milk - I often use whole milk for the kids and Homemade Coconut or Walnut Milk for me.
- Banana - Frozen bananas are needed for this recipe. You don't want to freeze an entire banana with the peel on (like I used to do!). Basically, break ripe bananas up into chunks and put them in a freezer-safe bag.
- Cocoa powder - Carob powder also works, if you're sensitive to caffeine.
- Avocado - This makes the shake thick and rich!
- Peanut butter - If you don't enjoy peanut butter, you can use any nut or seed butter you like. I like using the salted variety, as the salt adds to the flavor. If you use an unsalted butter, add in a dash of sea salt to bring out the flavor.
- Vanilla extract
- Date - My kids HATE chunks in their smoothies, so I use this trick to soften the date before blending.
- Cinnamon - Optional; adds a delicious flavor and helps with blood sugar.
- Ice - A few ice cubes makes this shake cold and frothy!
Recipe steps
As with any smoothie or shake, you just add everything to a blender and puree until smooth!
The best tip I can offer is to blend everything BUT the ice first. Add in the ice last, after all the other ingredients are silky smooth.
Smoothie variations
Some fun ways to increase the protein include:
- Add a scoop of your favorite protein powder
- Blend in another tablespoon of peanut butter
- Include 1-2 tablespoons of hemp hearts, chia seeds, or pumpkin seeds
Options to lower the sugar content:
- Omit the date and add in a few drops of stevia
- Use unsweetened almond milk, which has ZERO grams of sugar (unlike cow's milk)
Recipe notes
The avocado adds creates a thick consistency. You can omit it, but the smoothie will be thinner.
Other chocolate smoothie recipes
Chocolate Almond Butter Berry Smoothie
Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Smoothie
Ingredients
- ¾ cup milk of your choice
- 1 large frozen banana
- 1 Tablespoon cocoa
- ½ Tablespoon avocado
- 1 Tablespoon salted peanut butter
- ½ teaspoon vanilla
- 1 softened date
- dash cinnamon optional
- 2-3 ice cubes
Instructions
- Blend everything except the ice until smooth and well combined.
- Add the ice and blend until well combined (no big chunks).
Notes
Nutrition
If you have a chance to try this recipe, please leave a star rating and a comment below letting me know how you liked it!
Mary Frances @ The Sweet Tooth Life
Uh yes, butterfinger is definitely a flavor! I'm more of a brownie cheesecake OR strawberry (depends on the mood;) myself, but butterfinger sounds pretty good. This looks really good, too, and the title us do creative and a lot more accurate and appealing than the names of variations I've seen.
Lauren
Thank you Mary Frances! Haha, it took me a while to figure out what I was going to call it, but I knew I didn't want it to be 'Chocolate Banana Smoothie'....especially with the fact that it really does taste like melted chocolate ice cream!
Vicky
Hi! I love the name of this wonderful concoction! It looks delicious!
Lauren
Thanks Vicky! Would you believe it took me about an hour to decide on it? 🙂
Heather
I hadn't thought of a smoothie as an icecream substitute. Great idea.
Davida @The Healthy Maven
Yum! This looks amazing. I know what i'll be having for dessert tonight! Hope you had an easy move
Lauren
Thanks Davida! I hope you enjoy it! 🙂
Heather @Gluten-Free Cat
Happy unpacking! Blender meals are such a blessing in the midst of busy times. And to think that you created such an inspired meal in the midst of the chaos...wow! This looks like the perfect pre-workout meal for tomorrow. I teach a spin class Saturday mornings to an INTENSE crowd, so this smoothie is going to fuel me well!
Monica
This definitely looks like my kind of fantasy dessert! So delicious. I'll have to try this out! (:
Gabby @ the veggie nook
Haha you caught me, I would totally be tempted to add spinach to this 😉
GiGi Eats Celebrities
A WONDERFUL replacement to the CRAP I talk about on my blog this week! 😀
Cindy (Vegetarian Mamma)
Oh, this does look like a fantasy! YUM Thanks for linking up at our Gluten Free Fridays party! I have tweeted and pinned your entry to our Gluten Free Fridays board on Pinterest! 🙂
Hope that your week is fantastic!
Cindy from vegetarianmamma.com
Shaun Hoobler
Hi Lauren - this good great. I think the addition of bean milk is very interesting. Also, as a new reader of your blog I though I'd just leave a quick comment here to say I've been reading a few posts and enjoying them very much. Thanks! Shaun
Lauren
Thanks Shaun! I'm so glad you're enjoying it! 😀
aine mcgarry
Hello Lauren,
I have just discovered your webpage and this awesome recipe.....I made it today.....it is absolutley devine....
But i couldnt get it to make a creamier, thicker mixture....any tips? I am using full fat milk.
🙂
Lauren
Hi Aine,
I'm happy you enjoyed the ice cream! If you tolerate dairy, you could try using half and half or cream? Also, full fat coconut milk would be a dairy-free option. 🙂
Nat
Tastes Delicious! Thank You!