Chocolate, peanut butter, and bananas combine in this creamy and nutrient-packed chocolate banana smoothie! This recipe is ready in just 5 minutes using 5 staple ingredients.
If you're like me and are hesitant about bananas in smoothies, or even if you love bananas, this chocolate banana smoothie is a great option.
I'm not usually a fan of the flavor of bananas, but combine them with chocolate and peanut butter and I can barely even tell that this is a banana smoothie! This smoothie is in regular rotation alongside my peach yogurt smoothie and healthy pumpkin smoothie.
This smoothie is nutrient-packed, but it also tastes a bit like dessert thanks to cocoa powder and the natural sweetness of bananas.
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Why this recipe works
- Frozen bananas: My secret to a smooth and creamy banana smoothie is using frozen sliced bananas instead of ice cubes.
- Almost like dessert: If you're looking for a smoothie that tastes like dessert, this is it! This smoothie is gently sweet and creamy, kind of like a milkshake, but it's also nutrient-packed and satisfying.
- Versatile: This smoothie is vegan as-is, but it's easy to adapt into a high-protein smoothie by adding Greek yogurt. Or try making it mocha-flavored by adding cold brew or chilled coffee!
Ingredients
- Milk of choice: I usually go for soy milk to make this a vegan/dairy-free smoothie, but any milk works well here. You can choose unsweetened and unflavored to limit added sugars.
- Cocoa powder: This is the same unsweetened cocoa powder that you use for baking chocolate crinkle cookies.
- Banana: The riper, the better! I slice and freeze the banana for a colder, creamier smoothie. If you skip this step I recommend adding 1-2 ice cubes.
- Flaxseed: Ground flax adds fiber and healthy fats. You can omit this or replace it with equal amounts of hemp hearts or chia seeds for similar benefits.
- Peanut butter: I use creamy natural peanut butter for a super-smooth texture.
- Coffee: This is 100% optional but I love replacing half of the milk with coffee to give this banana smoothie a mocha twist. I usually make extra coffee in the morning or the day before then chill it in the fridge for the next day.
Tips and variations
- Sweetener: If the banana isn't very ripe, the smoothie may not be sweet enough. You can add liquid sweetener like maple syrup or agave syrup 1-2 teaspoons at a time to reach desired sweetness.
- Protein: To increase the protein in this recipe, add a scoop of your favorite protein powder or a tablespoon of hemp hearts. You can also double the peanut butter or add ½ cup Greek yogurt.
- Different nut butter: Try almond or cashew butter for a twist on this recipe. Sunflower seed butter is a great allergy-friendly option.
- Toppings: I love adding chopped walnuts or pecans and granola. Coconut flakes, hemp hearts, and raspberries or strawberries are also delicious options with this smoothie.
- Extra fruit/veggies: A handful of spinach blends into the chocolate banana smoothie well and is barely noticeable. Add a fruity twist with 1 cup of frozen raspberries or strawberries.
- Learn more about how to make satisfying smoothies in my guide to filling smoothies.
Step-by-step instructions
Frozen banana slices can be bought at the grocery store, but it's much cheaper to just freeze them on your own.
Simply slice a banana into coins that are about ¼-inch thick. Transfer them to a cookie sheet or cutting board that will fit in your freezer. The banana slices should be frozen solid within 2 hours.
To freeze bananas in bulk: Freeze them on the cutting board or cookie sheet, then transfer it to a freezer bag. This helps to keep the banana pieces from sticking to each other.
To make the chocolate banana smoothie, simply combine all ingredients in a blender. This recipe works in any kind of blender. Blend until smooth.
Add additional milk, if needed, to reach the desired consistency.
Recipe FAQ
Definitely! You can even quadruple the chocolate banana smoothie if your blender is big enough.
Yes, this will make the smoothie extra creamy. You may need to add extra milk to thin it to a pourable consistency.
For best quality, I recommend making this smoothie no more than 24 hours in advance because it will thin as it sits in the fridge. You can also freeze all ingredients together, except for the peanut butter and milk, for easy meal prep.
Yes, but adding melted chocolate may warm up your smoothie a little bit. You will only need about ½ ounce of baking chocolate or regular chocolate.
No, but the smoothie will not be as cold or creamy. The frozen bananas act as ice cubes, cooling down the other ingredients and adding an ice cream-like texture. If using unfrozen bananas, I recommend adding a few ice cubes to the blender.
Looking for similar recipes?
You might also like this lemon blueberry, triple berry, or strawberry peach smoothie.
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📖 Recipe
Chocolate Banana Smoothie
Ingredients
- 1 large banana
- 1 cup milk of choice see note #2 to make it a mocha smoothie
- 2 tablespoon peanut butter
- 1 tablespoon cocoa powder
- 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed
Instructions
- Slice a large banana into coins. Transfer to a parchment or wax paper lined baking sheet or cutting board. Freeze for at least an hour, but ideally 2 hours.
- Combine the frozen banana, milk, peanut butter, cocoa powder and ground flaxseed in a blender. Blend until smooth and creamy.
- Add extra milk as needed to thin. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
- Banana: I like to use frozen banana because it makes the smoothie creamier and colder. To freeze bananas in bulk, freeze them on the cutting board or cookie sheet, then transfer it to a freezer bag. This helps to keep the banana pieces from sticking to each other.
- Mocha option: I love to do ½ cup milk and ½ cup coffee to make a mocha smoothie. Make sure the coffee is chilled before adding to the blender.
- Sweetener: If your banana isn't very ripe the smoothie may not be sweet enough. You can add liquid sweetener like maple syrup or agave syrup 1-2 teaspoons at a time.
Lynn
We really enjoyed this Chocolate Smoothie with the kick of coffee. The flavour was so delicious with the peanut butter, Cacao, banana, flax meal and I used unsweetened soy milk on hand. Would be interested in knowing what plant based milk you used Cassidy.
Now onto dinner...making your “dump & bake pasta...Penne Bake” tonight. Thank you for your recipes to try.
Cassidy Reeser
I usually go for Silk unsweetened soy milk but lately we have been drinking a lot of Califia Farms oat milk. It is so creamy! Glad you liked this one.
Kathryn Mader
Really delicious chocolate smoothie with a great thickness. I love chocolate smoothies and this one is so simple. Love easy recipes with few ingredients. Thank you!
Cassidy Reeser
Thanks for the review, I’m so glad that you liked it! 🙂