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Are you ready to blend my chocolate peanut butter smoothie using four simple ingredients to create a wholesome breakfast, quick snack, or pre-workout boost? This creamy flavor-packed smoothie recipe delivers long-lasting energy—and it might just replace your afternoon coffee!
Why I Love this Recipe
Don’t let the decadent flavor fool you—this chocolate peanut butter smoothie isn’t just a treat, it’ll nourish your body and fuel your day. Let’s take a closer look at the awesome health benefits…
Peanut Butter
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. But hear me out: peanuts also have a whole host of nutrition!
Peanuts contain 7 grams of protein in two tablespoons, along with good amounts of magnesium, phosphorus, zinc, niacin and vitamin B6. Add in a scoop or two to your next smoothie and enjoy the boost! It contributes both protein and healthy fat in the chocolate peanut butter smoothie below. The natural oil in a peanut is about as heart healthy as olive oil. Peanut butter can also help regulate blood sugar and may reduce the risk of breast disease.
Raw Cacao Powder
Raw cacao powder is one of those ingredients that feels like a treat but may actually be doing your body a favor. It’s made by cold-pressing un-roasted cacao beans, which helps it keep more of its natural nutrients compared to cocoa powder. Thanks to its antioxidants (hello, flavonoids!), it may support heart health, help ease inflammation, and even give your brain a little boost.
It’s also a great source of magnesium, which might help with muscle function, relaxation, and energy production—perfect for a busy day. Plus, cacao contains theobromine, which could give you a gentle pick-me-up and even brighten your mood a bit.
Adding raw cacao to your smoothie is such a simple way to elevate the flavor and sneak in some extra goodness. It’s like having dessert for breakfast, but better for you!
Ingredients You’ll Need
It’s super easy to make a “tasty” chocolate smoothie, but making it “good for you” takes a few simple tweaks that I’m excited to share with you today:
- Bananas (frozen): A frozen banana adds a cold creamy texture to your smoothie. Ripe bananas have natural sweetness, so you don’t need any refined sugars.
- Peanut butter: Delivers rich, nutty flavor and a boost of protein. Look for natural peanut butter with no added sugar or hydrogenated oils. You can swap with any other nut butter you like such as cashew or almond butter.
- Raw cacao powder: Provides a deep chocolate taste with antioxidant benefits. Look for raw cacao powder in the baking aisle or health food section of most grocery stores. I like picking mine up at Trader Joe’s or Thrive Market to save money.
- Oat milk: A creamy, dairy-free base that ties all the flavors together. Choose unsweetened oat milk to avoid unnecessary added sugars, and check the label for simple, wholesome ingredients. Or, make your own oat milk if you want the cleanest version out there.
- Ground cinnamon (optional): Adds a warm, subtly spicy flavor that enhances the chocolate and peanut butter combination. Plus, it offers anti-inflammatory properties and a touch of sweetness without adding extra sugar.
What’s the healthiest peanut butter?
Look at the ingredient label and make sure it’s just peanuts (no need for extra oils or sweeteners). You can always make your own homemade nut butter in a high-speed blender as well. I don’t recommend using peanut powder, like PB1, since it contains additional sweeteners.
How to Make a Chocolate Peanut Butter Smoothie
- Place your frozen ripe banana, cacao powder, peanut butter, and oat milk in a blender.
- Combine until smooth and creamy.
- Scrape down the sides of the blender if the peanut butter sticks and add extra oat milk if the smoothie is too thick.
- Pour into a glass and enjoy and garnish with cinnamon if desired.
Recipe Variation
If I’m blending this healthy chocolate peanut butter smoothie for breakfast, I like to add additional protein by throwing in a serving of homemade protein powder, or a plant-based protein powder of your choice.
Storing Tips
You can store this chocolate smoothie in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months. If freezing, pour into ice cube trays and transfer to a freezer safe bag once frozen. When ready to enjoy, thaw in fridge overnight and re-blend to get the best consistency.
Common Questions
Peanut butter can be a nutritious addition to your smoothie! While peanuts are technically a legume and not a nut, they’re packed with protein, healthy fats, and essential nutrients like magnesium, zinc, and vitamin B6. If you’re not allergic, peanut butter may help with managing blood sugar, supporting heart health, and keeping you feeling full longer. Just opt for natural peanut butter with no added sugars or oils for the healthiest option!
Chocolate and peanut butter make a smoothie feel like a treat, but they can also be surprisingly healthy! Raw cacao powder adds antioxidants, and natural peanut butter brings protein and healthy fats. Together, they create a delicious, nutrient-packed blend you can feel good about!
Absolutely! Adding raw cacao powder to your smoothie infuses it with rich chocolate flavor and a boost of antioxidants. Typically, 1-2 tablespoons per serving works well. Since ‘cacao’ is less sweet than ‘cocoa’, consider balancing it with natural sweeteners like ripe bananas or dates. Experimenting with cacao can transform your smoothie into a delicious, nutrient-packed treat!
More 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!
If you make this chocolate peanut butter smoothie, I’d love to hear how it turned out in the comment box below. Your feedback helps me and all the readers in this community. And if you’re interested in more plant-based recipes (and exclusive content), sign up for my weekly recipe newsletter.
Chocolate Peanut Butter Smoothie
Ingredients
- 2 bananas frozen
- 1 Tbsp peanut butter
- 2 Tbsp cacao powder
- 1 cup oat milk or another plant milk
- ⅛ tsp ground cinnamon optional
- 1 serving homemade protein powder optional
Instructions
- Place all ingredients in a blender.
- Blend until creamy.
- Garnish with a sprinkle of cinnamon, if desired.
Equipment
Video
Notes
- Peanut Butter allergy? No problem! Swap in almond butter or sunflower butter instead.
- Oat milk gives this peanut butter and chocolate shake 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 homemade protein powder 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.
My fav of the bunch!
I enjoyed this smoothie I used cacao nibs instead of powder and it was delicious!
I must confess I did not use peanutbutter but instead NUTZO pumpkin spice 7 nut and seed butter, which is only made w nuts and seeds, but NO peanuts.
I love anything chocolate, , so this was a hit
Delicious smoothie. Used coconut milk and crunchy peanut butter.
i made this as written except my bananas were room temp (it’s winter) and i added 1/2c raw cauliflower. (i also added 1/4t cinnamon because i read some of the postings first today. i think doing so *might* have helped a bit yesterday! ) anyway, i thought it needed something more, but i didn’t want to lose the chocolate peanut butter profile, so i added additional peanut butter, 1/4c peanuts, and vanilla. i’ve made this type of smoothie (something with a chocolate banana base) frequently over the years, so i will make it more along the lines of my usual variations in the future. but i like to try something new… plus i’ll be adding cauliflower to my usuals now!
Candy bar in a smoothie!
This is perhaps my favorite smoothie of the challenge thus far. I used Raw crunchy almond butter and added protein powder and extra hemp seeds to make it for a meal replacement. Also I only used 1 banana (reduce the sugar) and 1 tbsp cacao powder. I did add a little frozen cauliflower for extra creaminess.
Another winner winner!
What’s not to love about anything chocolate! The combination of chocolate, banana and peanut butter was very satisfying. I’ll put this one up there with one of my favorites – Chocolate Cherry smoothie.
Surprisingly I didn’t taste the banana. a little too chocolaty. I added an apple because I need a full 24 oz smoothie on the morning.
Chocolate deliciousness!
Oh, my goodness! This is the best ever! I will not have to ever buy a chocolate protein drink again, because this will be my go to! It will also satisfy my sweet tooth for chocolate!
Healthy desert for breakfast. Got to love that.
It’s very yummy, but a bit too much cinnamon for me. I’ll leave that out next time.
Love all things chocolate peanut butter. I used a heaping TBS of PB powder.
Not my favorite. Too much cocoa powder not enough peanut butter flavor. Next time I’ll do 2 tbsp peanut butter and 1 tsp coca powder instead.
Liked it. I think I prefer the fruit/greens variety better, but I’d eat this again.
Can’t. Do. Banana. So I subbed ice cubes for the frozen texture and a sprinkle of alternative sweetener.
Also went with 1 TB PB2 powder for the peanut butter, dropped the cacao to 1TB as I don’t like a strong chocolate, and added a splash of vanilla extract and a scoop of vanilla pea protein powder for more of a meal. Thanks!
Good… the banana wasn’t too strong…yum