When your sweet tooth hits, blend this cinnamon date smoothie. It’s a delicious dessert without the guilt, thanks to the natural sweetness from medjool dates, protein from plant-based milk and complex carbs from the rolled oats.
Smoothies can be a great way to enjoy something sweet, while still reaping health benefits. I use my blender to make a variety of dessert smoothies like Banana Nice Cream, Red Velvet Smoothie and Mint Chocolate Smoothie. It’s amazing the delicious and nutritious treat you can create in a blender… just like this Cinnamon Date Smoothie.
Table of Contents
Cinnamon Date Smoothie Ingredients
- Medjool dates: I’m using Natural Delights pitted Medjool Dates, which are grown in the beautiful, sun-drenched Bard Valley, grown with the help of the Lower Colorado River. Dates are a natural sweetener, bringing sweetness and nutrients to the smoothie. 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, which keeps you full. You can soak the oats ahead of time to remove the gritty texture of oats.
- Ground cinnamon and vanilla extract: These spices make it taste like a cinnamon roll without any artificial flavors.
- 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.
If you don’t like bananas in smoothies, try swapping one banana for 3 dates. You’ll still get the natural sweetness, but instead of a banana flavor, it’ll taste more like caramel. If you like both, do a little of each for an out-of-this-world treat.
Benefits of Blending Dates in Smoothies
Dates are a whole fruit whose delicious natural sugars are paired with good-for-you dietary fiber. This combination is metabolized by your body slowly, resulting in lasting, natural energy to help carry you through your day – in a healthy, yummy way. This date smoothie provides sustained energy, instead of the sugar high, then crash.
Dates aren’t just a healthier, natural smoothie sweetener, they harness the power of potassium! Dates can help my muscles recover faster, and provide nutrition needed to maximize the workout. Fun fact: dates have 50% more potassium by weight than bananas, making them an excellent pre and post workout snack.
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.
- Add dates, non dairy milk, vanilla extract, and cinnamon to 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 smoothie, it requires ice to chill it down a bit. On a cold day, you can also serve this warm.
Storage Tip
You can store leftover cinnamon date smoothie in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 24 hours. Make sure to shake it before drinking.
More Date Recipes to Enjoy
Starting to crave other desserts like this cinnamon smoothie? Look no further than these smoothies and snacks that use dates as a natural sweetener:
- Warm Chai Smoothie
- Chocolate Protein Shake
- Vegan Shamrock Shake
- Easy Flaxseed Smoothie
- Coffee Smoothie
- Carmel Apple Dip
- Chocolate Smoothie Cubes
Cinnamon Date Smoothie
Equipment
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.
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.
I always forget I can use oats in the smoothie. We love granola on top of them. Thanks for the reminder. Kids love dates but have never had them in smoothies great idea.
This sounds delicious. I love dates!
YUMMMMM – we have been enjoying just plain dates and this combination sounds so delicious! Thank you for sharing as you continue to learn and create new combinations! Lifelong learning is so important!
This looks delicious! A few months ago, I discovered Medjool dates in a shop in a neighbouring village here in Crete, Greece. So happy I no longer have to drive 30+ minutes to get them in a larger city, especially with the current lockdown. I love dates but use them sparingly. If I’m really craving something sweet, I sometimes take a single date and savour it slowly. Yum!
Oh my goodness – same! Love eating one date to satisfy that sweet tooth. So glad you’ve discovered them!
Love the cinnamon and dates! What an easy healthy treat!
Totally agree! Yummy!!
All the ingredients are so simple and have them all on hand every day. I am going to try this smoothie today for breakfast. I also like the tip of skipping the ice and popping it into the freezer.
So glad it will be an easy grab-and-blend smoothie for you Chandana! Be sure to come back and let us know what you think… 🙂
I just love dates and adding them to anything makes it special for me. Cinnamon is also one of those special ingredients for me. I was told my cholesterol is a bit high so that’s my go to.
Great work. Keep it up.
Awesome way to use foods to heal Stephanie!
This sounds delicious and I’m going to try is warm to go along with my seasonal eating! And so nice to learn about a Natural Delights!!
Not just saying this… Seriously the best dates I’ve ever tried (and this isn’t Jen typing – lol). You will love them! And great idea to try it warm – def check back in the comments and let us know how it was. 🙂
This smoothie looks like a great mid morning snack! Great idea
Yum! Good idea Lisa.
I’ve been craving something to replace my bedtime Cinnamon Toast Crunch bowl so I’m hoping this will do the trick! Looks delicious and filling with the oats. Love all the nutrients dates provide!
This is so perfect for that Holly! We’re so excited you’re gonna make that healthy swap for yourself. Rawk on!
I love dates! I did not know how to incorporate them into a smoothie. This recipe looks delicious!
Dates are a great way to sweeten any smoothie naturally. We know you’re gonna love this Carol!
This looks delicious! Thanks for the recipe! I am going to buy some dates.
Carolyn, it’s seriously so yummy. We know you’ll enjoy!
I am thinking of trying this with the homemade elderberry syrup too
Hi Jo! Great idea! Let us know what you think of it after you do… 🙂
Very easy and tasty smoothie. What would you recommend as replacement to oats?
Great question Natalie! The oats are acting like a flour here to thicken the smoothie (and provide some good fiber!), so you can swap them out for quinoa flakes or almond flour instead if needed.
Wow this looks great. I love dates especially as I have family in the Middle East and grew up on them. I currently don’t have dates at home but wondering if I could use date syrup substituting dates.
Thank you for the recipe
Also can I use quick/old fashioned oats instead of rolled oats? 🙂
Yes, any type of oats will work, since we are grinding them into a flour-type consistency here.