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Table of contents
Why You’ll Love This Smoothie
When your sweet tooth hits, you’re gonna want to blend this cinnamon date smoothie. It’s delicious without the guilt, thanks to the natural sweetness from the medjool dates, protein from plant-based milk and complex carbs from the rolled oats. If you’re not a date fan, no worries— this date smoothie recipe will take care of that at first sip.
Health Benefits of Dates in Smoothies
- Dates offer natural sugars paired with good-for-you dietary fiber, ensuring a steady release of energy to power you through your day. This combination provides lasting energy without the crashes often associated with other sweeteners.
- Rich in potassium, dates contain 50% more potassium by weight than bananas, which helps with muscle recovery and enhances workout performance.
- As an excellent natural smoothie sweetener, dates support sustained energy and contribute to overall health.
Ingredients You’ll Need
It’s amazing the delicious and nutritious treats you can create in a blender. If you’re trying to eat better and lose weight, a smoothie is a great way to combat craving while helping you stay full and satisfied. All you need are a few pantry staples to create this Cinnamon Date Smoothie:
- Medjool dates: Medjool dates are a natural sweetener, bringing a sweet, caramel flavor… and nutrients to the smoothie. I also love them in my Chocolate Covered Dates recipe— def check that out.
Fun fact: dates pack in 16 essential vitamins, minerals and disease-fighting antioxidants. - Rolled oats: Adds the fiber and whole grains to the date smoothie recipe, which keeps you full. You can soak the oats ahead of time to remove the gritty texture while still making it a fiber-rich smoothie.
- Ground cinnamon and vanilla extract: These spices give it the flavor of a cinnamon roll without any harmful artificial ingredients.
- Non-dairy milk: I like to use oat milk or almond milk in this recipe. Read the labels to make sure they don’t contain added sugars. Some brands will even be higher in protein, which is a great option.
- Protein powder: This is optional, but a great way to add more protein in your diet and help you stay full longer. I like to use my homemade protein powder.
How to Make Cinnamon Date Smoothie
- Blend rolled oats until powdery. I do this in my Vitamix blender. You can also pre-soak the oats in the non dairy milk to soften them up and blend them with the liquid first, creating a fiber-rich smoothie.
- Add dates, non dairy milk, vanilla extract, and cinnamon to the blender, and blend again. Make sure your dates have already been pitted, or pit them yourself before adding to the blender.
- Pour into a glass containing 1 cup ice. Since we’re not using any frozen fruit in this cinnamon date smoothie, it requires ice to chill it down a bit. On a cold day, you can also serve this warm.
Date Smoothie Storage Tip
You can store any leftover cinnamon date smoothie in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 24 hours. Before drinking, make sure to shake it well, as the ingredients may naturally separate. For the best texture, consider blending it again for a few seconds to bring back the creamy consistency.
Cinnamon Date Smoothie Tips
- Soak your dates if they are dry by placing them in warm water for 10-15 minutes to soften, which will result in a smoother texture.
- Remove your date pits before blending (I learned this hard way).
- Adjust sweetness by starting with fewer dates and adding more as needed to achieve your desired level.
- Customize your milk by experimenting with different non-dairy options like almond, oat, or coconut milk to find the best flavor for your smoothie.
- Add a boost with a scoop of your favorite plant-based protein powder or a tablespoon of chia seeds for extra nutrition.
- Serve immediately to experience the optimal texture and flavor. If storing in fridge, shake well before drinking as ingredients may settle.
Common Questions
To make a date shake recipe, blend pitted dates with non-dairy milk, ice, and a touch of vanilla extract. You can also add blended oats with dates for extra fiber and cinnamon for a warm, spicy flavor. The result is a creamy, naturally sweet shake recipe that’s perfect as a nutritious dessert or post-workout snack.
Yes, dates are an excellent addition to smoothies. They provide natural sweetness, are packed with dietary fiber, and help sustain energy levels throughout the day. Medjool dates in smoothies also add a caramel-like flavor when blended, making them a healthier alternative to processed sweeteners.
Absolutely! Dates are not only good in smoothies but are also a nutritious sweetener. They offer a combination of natural sugars and dietary fiber, which helps provide lasting energy without the crash. Additionally, dates are rich in potassium, which aids in muscle recovery, making them ideal for pre- or post-workout smoothies.
To blend dates in a smoothie, first ensure that they are pitted. For a smoother consistency, you can soak the dates in warm water for a few minutes before blending. Then add them to your blender along with your chosen liquid base (like non-dairy milk) and other ingredients. Blend until smooth, and enjoy a naturally sweet, nutrient-packed smoothie.
8 More Date Recipes To Try
Starting to crave more sweet things, like this cinnamon date smoothie? Look no further than these smoothies and snacks that use dates as a natural sweetener:
Cinnamon Date Smoothie
Ingredients
- ½ cup rolled oats
- 3 medjool dates pitted
- 1 ½ cups dairy-free milk ex: cashew, almond, or oat
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 serving homemade protein powder optional
- 1 cup ice optional
Instructions
- Blend oats until powdery.
- Add dates, non dairy milk, vanilla extract, and cinnamon to blender, and blend again.
- Pour into a glass containing 1 cup ice, for an extra cold beverage.
Equipment
Video
Notes
- Ice can be added to blender at blending stage, yet blades tend to dull over time when blending ice, so we like to add it to our drinking glass.
- If you prefer no ice in this smoothie, yet still want it to be cold, then place in freezer for 30 minutes before serving.
- Use the dairy-free milk of your choice.
- Swap homemade protein powder for unflavored collagen.
This was a lovely treat! Nearing my due date and trying to incorporate dates. I used Orgain’s horchata protein—which was perfect. Will add some spinach next time!
Hi Sarah! This is a GREAT way to incorporate dates without eating them plain. Best of luck with your baby!
Loved it! The proportions are on point. I will definitely make this again.
It was delicious! I threw in a handful of spinach to get my greens in.
You can never go wrong with adding some spinach, Julie!
Awwww! I love that modification. Get yo’ greens on!!!
Can I use dairy milk in this recipe?
Hi Nadia! If that’s your milk of choice, then go for it!
Hi Nadia! You can definitely use dairy milk as your milk of choice.
This tasted like breakfast in a tumbler. It makes quite a bit. I out leftovers in mason jars and it was delicious to shake up and drink leftovers the next day. I’ve been stuck on green smoothies so it was good to try a non-green smoothie for a change,
“Breakfast in a tumbler” is sooo accurate, Kelly! Glad you gave this one a try!
I was told by my OBGYN to start eating dates now that I’m close to my due date. I was totally clueless what to do with them. This smoothie is so yummy it feels like I’m having a treat! Thanks for the great recipe.
Hi Marie! This is a great way to add dates to your diet without eating them plain. Thinking of you as you near your due date!
This smoothie was delicious! It’s so creamy and so sweet you would think it has sugar instead of being naturally sweetened by dates. Loved it! One of my favorite on the go breakfasts now
Hi Chaya! This one is a great breakfast smoothie for sure! If you are looking for more ideas be sure to check out our smoothie bowl recipes as well!
Yum! I added frozen cauliflower instead of ice to give it that frozen coldness. Doesn’t change the flavour in the slightest! Thanks for a yummy recipe!
Ohhhh love that idea Megan! Also adds some awesome nutrients as well!
Delicious! I’m 36 weeks pregnant and finding ways to eat more dates as instructed by my doctor to prepare for labor…this is by far the easiest and most tasty way to do that!
The smoothie is insanely high in carbs and sugars however, so to balance that out I used 1 scoop of Isopure zero carb cookies and cream protein powder, left out the oats and subbed 1 cup frozen cherries ( helped make it cold too) and used 1/2 unsweetened almond milk and 1/2 water, adding 4 medjool dates, lots of ice, cinnamon and vanilla extract to the blender and serving it over a glass of ice. Delicious and gives 28g protein to help with the overload of carbs.
Hi Ella! So glad you tried this and are getting those dates in. When I was pregnant, I tried dates but couldn’t get them down on their own. Wish I would have had this recipe! Love that you put your own twist on it as well!
Make sure you have taken pit out of dates. Some brands are not pitted. First time I blended them could not figure out why smoothie was “grainey”. My package of dates still had pits in them.
Definitely a great tip, Nada!
Can I make the cinnamon date smoothie with water as the base not milk?
Yes Deanne, that would work but it might not be as creamy. Sometimes I’ll add in 1/2 banana to add more creamy texture so you could give that a go as well.
So I saw a Cinnamon Cherry shake on your blog. I tapped the link which brought me to this Cinnamon Date one. Can you provide the link to the Cinnamon Cherry one please? Thank you.
Hi Kim – Thank you for bringing this to our attention. It keeps redirecting me, too. I have sent this over to our developers so that this error can be corrected.
But I am happy to provide the recipe for you:
Cherry Cinnamon Smoothie
1 cup spinach
1 cup almond milk
1 cup cherries, frozen
1 banana, fresh or frozen
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 TB almond butter
Directions:
1. Blend spinach and almond milk
2. Add remaining ingredients to blender, then blend until smooth.
3. Enjoy! 🙂