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After a long run, I don’t have time (or energy) to spend 30 minutes whipping up some macro-balanced meal. I need something quick and nourishing (and that actually tastes good). That’s exactly where this Chocolate Banana Smoothie comes to the rescue. In just 5 minutes, I can blend bananas, cacao and almond butter together to have a muscle-loving smoothie.
Table of contents
Jen’s Recipe Highlights
This chocolate banana smoothie is simple, satisfying, and made to support an active lifestyle. It blends clean, plant-based ingredients that help fuel movement and support recovery—without feeling heavy or complicated.
- Bananas provide fast carbs plus potassium for muscles and heart health.
- Cacao adds rich chocolate flavor and powerful antioxidants.
- Almond milk and vanilla make it creamy, low-calorie, and rich in vitamin E.
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Ingredients You’ll Need
This chocolate banana smoothie recipe comes together with just a few simple, wholesome ingredients. Here’s what to grab and how to choose the best:
- Almond Milk: Choose unsweetened almond milk for a neutral, nutty base that keeps the sugar down. My favorite almond milk brands are all unsweetened and unflavored.
- Frozen Bananas: Use fully ripe bananas (spotty is perfect!) for max sweetness. If you don’t have time to freeze bananas, you can blend a fresh bananas and add a few ice cubes to chill it down.
- Cacao Powder: Adds a bold, slightly bitter chocolate note, great contrast to the banana’s sweetness.
- Frozen cauliflower: Add fiber and thickness without altering the flavor of the smoothie.
- Vanilla Extract: A dash of pure vanilla deepens the flavor with warm, sweet notes.
- Almond Butter: My favorite brand is Barney Butter, but you can also make homemade nut butter.
Cacao Powder vs Cocoa Powder
Cacao powder and cocoa powder both add chocolatey flavor to smoothies, but they differ in how they’re processed and what they offer.
- Cacao powder is less processed and made from raw beans, so it retains more antioxidants and nutrients—making it a great option for a health boost. It’s slightly bitter so it has more of a bite and needs enough sweetness to balance it out.
- Cocoa powder is roasted, giving it a smoother, sweeter taste but with fewer nutrients. It’s often used in hot chocolate and other kid-friendly drinks.
- Takeaway: Both work in smoothies to create a chocolate taste—choose cacao for nutrition, cocoa for classic flavor.
How to Make Chocolate Banana Smoothie
There’s so many ways to make a chocolate banana smoothie, but I’m gonna show you my health-focused version. It’s been my favorite for awhile now (tastes like a milkshake), so I have a feeling I’m gonna get you hooked on it too.
- Blend the cauliflower, banana and almond milk together until smooth.
- Add cacao powder, vanilla extract, and almond butter, then blend again until smooth and creamy.
- Pour into a glass and enjoy immediately!
Recipe Variations
Whether you’re missing an ingredient or just want to switch things up, you can easily customize this chocolate banana smoothie without sacrificing flavor or creaminess:
- Swap almond milk: No almond milk on hand? No problem! You can easily substitute with oat milk or cashew milk for a creamy, dairy-free base.
- Swap almond butter: Any nut butter will do the trick here. Choose one with a clean ingredient list just nuts (and maybe a pinch of salt), and skip the versions loaded with extra oils or preservatives.
- Swap cacao powder: If you can’t find cacao powder, 100% cocoa powder is a great alternative. Want to make it even more decadent? Add a drizzle of maple syrup to transform your smoothie into an indulgent, yet wholesome treat.
- Add protein powder: You can also boost the protein in your smoothie by using my Homemade Protein Powder. One serving adds 10 grams of protein! I created this protein powder because I wasn’t happy with the ‘clean’ options on the market.
More Chocolate Smoothies
This smoothie really does taste like a chocolate banana milkshake! My dad would be proud. Here’s some more smoothies that use cacao powder:
If you make this chocolate banana smoothie recipe, I’d love to hear how it turned out in the comment box below. If you are getting the milkshake vibes, let me know! Plus, 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 Banana Smoothie
Ingredients
- 1 banana frozen
- ¼ cup frozen cauliflower florets optional
- 1 cup almond milk unsweetened
- 2 tablespoon cacao powder
- ½ tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon almond butter
Instructions
- Blend banana, cauliflower and almond milk in blender until smooth.
- Add cacao, almond butter and vanilla and blend again.
- Pour into a cup and enjoy.
Helpful Tools
Notes
- Add in homemade protein powder for a protein boost.
- Swap the almond milk with the dairy-free milk of your choice.
- Frozen cauliflower adds fiber to this smoothie without altering the flavor. Yet if you don’t have it (or are too intimated) just leave it out.
- Original recipe had spinach in it. I swapped it for cauliflower because it’s even better this way. Yet feel free to use 1/2 cup spinach.
Nutrition
Did you make this recipe?
Leave a review for a chance to win signed copies of my cookbooks!Common Questions
Absolutely! Adding chocolate, whether in the form of cacao powder, cocoa powder, or melted chocolate, enhances the flavor of a banana smoothie with a rich, indulgent twist. This classic combo offers both natural sweetness and deep flavor, making it a favorite for smoothies, desserts, and more.
Yes, you can enjoy a smoothie with cocoa daily by balancing ingredients to suit your preferences, using natural sweeteners, milk or dairy alternatives, and unsweetened cacao for a flavorful and satisfying drink. Just be mindful of portion sizes and added sugars to keep it a nutritious part of your routine.
Yes, a chocolate banana smoothie can absolutely be healthy, especially when made with wholesome ingredients like unsweetened cocoa or cacao powder, ripe bananas, and plant-based milk. Bananas provide natural sweetness, fiber, and potassium, while cocoa adds antioxidants and a rich chocolate flavor. To boost the nutrition even more, add ingredients like spinach, chia seeds, or nut butter for healthy fats and protein. Just be mindful of added sugars or sweetened chocolate products to keep it a nourishing option.
Can the spinach be replaced with frozen kale?
Hi! Yes! You could definitely sub spinach for kale.
Jen. could we use almonds, instead of almond butter. What would be the difference?
Hi Rose! You could try almonds in the place of almond butter. The consistency would be different but the taste would probably be pretty similar. Let me know how it goes!
I made this today with my ninja smoothie blender. It turned out delicious! I added 1 scoop of salted caramel isopure protein powder. I will definitely make this again!