I've taken the classic well-loved flavors of chocolate and peanut butter and created a healthy, nutrient-rich blend. With just four simple ingredients, this chocolate peanut butter banana smoothie recipe is the perfect wholesome breakfast or a quick snack. It'll give you a natural energy boost as well as make a great workout recovery drink.
I love blending this creamy chocolate smoothie pre-workout because it gives me a long-lasting energy boost. Try replacing your afternoon coffee with a more naturally caffeinated option like this smoothie.
Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Smoothie Recipe
It’s super easy to make a "good" chocolate smoothie, but making it "good for you" takes a few simple tweaks. I use raw cacao to boost the antioxidants in the smoothie. Oat milk creates a thick smoothie as well as removes all dairy, which can cause eczema and digestive issues. The banana acts as a natural sweetener so you don't need any refined sugars.
- Place banana, cacao, peanut butter and oat milk in a blender.
- Blend together until smooth and creamy. (Add extra oat milk if the smoothie is too thick.)
- Pour into a glass and enjoy.
If I'm blending this smoothie for breakfast, then I add in a serving of Protein Smoothie Boost to turn it into a complete meal. Look at the ingredients on the peanut butter to ensure it is just peanuts (no need for extra oils or sweeteners). Feel free to swap out the peanut butter for the nut or seed butter of your choice.
Chocolate Smoothie FAQs
Peanuts are a fungus, not a nut. If you aren't allergic to them, they can help with managing blood sugar and keeping your heart healthy.
Easy! Oat or cashew milk is a great and creamy liquid base. Adding cauliflower, banana or avocado will instantly cream up a smoothie. Protein powder can also boost creaminess. Nut or seed butter will also thicken a smoothie.
Smoothies are delicious using whole food, plant-based ingredients. There is no need for added sweeteners or overly processed ingredients. Plant milk or water, fruit, leafy greens and vegetables mixed together correctly make great smoothies!
Health Benefits of Peanut Butter
Sometimes peanuts get a bad rap. Yes, 1% of the United States population has a peanut or tree nut allergy. Yes peanuts are actually a fungus and not a nut. Yet peanuts also have a whole host of nutrition!
Peanuts contain 7 grams of protein per 2 tablespoon serving, along with good amounts of magnesium, phosphorus, zinc, niacin and vitamin B6. Add in a scoop or 2 to your next smoothie and enjoy the boost! It contributes both protein and healthy fat in the chocolate peanut butter smoothie below.
Peanuts are about as heart healthy as olive oil (so cool!) and can help the body build muscle. They also help regulate blood sugar (bonus!) and may reduce the risk of breast disease.
What Kind of Chocolate Powder is Best?
This recipe calls for cacao powder, which you can find in natural food stores and in most grocery stores nowadays. I like to buy it at Trader Joe's or Thrive Market to save money. Raw cacao is a powder made from cold-pressing unroasted beans (or nibs) which removes the cacao butter.
Additionally, some grocery stores stock cacao powder in the baking aisle or health food section. If you can’t find cacao powder, substitute an equal amount of cocoa powder (Hershey's has an option) in the smoothie.
Whether you’re looking for a quick and delicious breakfast or a satisfying snack, this chocolate smoothie is the perfect healthy drink. Just make sure whichever cocoa or cacao powder you use doesn't have any sweetener in it. You'll add it to smoothies with natural fruit sweeteners, so no need for anything extra!
Chocolate Smoothie Recipes
If you've got a craving then I bet I've got a chocolate smoothie for you. These are all deliciously healthy and actually taste good. Pick one and get blending!
- Chocolate protein shake
- Banana chocolate smoothie
- Cacao smoothie bowl
- Weight loss smoothie
- Superfood chocolate smoothie
- Strawberry chocolate smoothie
- Warm hazelnut chocolate smoothie
- Chocolate covered cherry smoothie
- Vegan Shamrock shake
- Mocha coffee smoothie
- Coconut Joy smoothie bowl
- Red Velvet smoothie
Don't forget to let me know how you like this chocolate peanut butter banana smoothie below. It's filling, yummy and gives a natural energy boost.
Chocolate Peanut Butter Smoothie
Rate this Recipe Print RecipeIngredients
- 2 bananas (frozen)
- 1 tablespoon peanut butter
- 2 tablespoon cacao powder
- 1 cup oat milk (or another plant milk)
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional)
- 1 serving Protein Smoothie Boost (optional)
Instructions
- Place all ingredients in a blender.
- Blend until creamy.
- Garnish with a sprinkle of cinnamon, if desired.
Video
Notes
- Peanut Butter allergy? No problem! Swap in almond butter or sunflower butter instead.
- Oat milk gives this smoothie extra creaminess, yet you can swap it with cashew, almond, coconut, or another plant milk.
- Use unsweetened cacao or cocoa powder; either works fine!
- Using Protein Smoothie Boost will give you 10 extra grams of protein, turning this smoothie into a complete meal.
- Bananas give this smoothie creaminess + sweetness, yet you can swap it out with avocado + maple syrup, avocado + date or cauliflower + maple syrup.
Allyssah
I'm looking to lower the carbs on this smoothie (getting it closer to your other ones between 50-60g) - what can I substitute that banana out for to lower the natural sugars?
Simple Green Smoothies
Hi Allyssah - great question! Our go-to substitute for banana to lower sugars is avocado! You'll get a great serving of healthy fats, plus minimal sugars AND your smoothie will still be SUPER creamy! For most smoothies use this substitution ratio: 1/2 avocado = 1 banana or 1/4 avocado = 1/2 banana (Basically, half the serving quantity of banana when substituting avocado). 🙂
Fred
This was terrific! I recently bought an entry level vitamix and am new to the smoothie game. I'm trying to break my starchy carbs habit (bagels, bread, etc)to lose some weight and improve my energy. I used unsweetened almond milk and added 1/4 cup oats and 2 tablespoons of ground flaxseed. Delicious!
Jordan
These are my favorite flavors, so comforting! I usually still end up adding spinach to all my smoothies for the extra nutrients since it's so mild. As a side note, peanuts are actually legumes (edible seeds that grow in pods, like beans, lentils and peas), not a fungus. 😀
Simple Green Smoothies
I agree, spinach does blend in really well to almost any smoothie. Great job always adding in leafy greens!
Mireille
It was good. I added a big handful of spinach, used cashew milk instead of oat and almond butter instead of peanut butter. I could drink this everyday
Carmen Shrimplin
I think this is my favorite smoothie so far!!