Is it cold where you live? Fall and winter bring chilly temperatures that make it hard to crave a nice, frosty green smoothie when you’d rather be sipping something warm and cozy. Brr! Instead of skipping that smoothie altogether, try this warm Chai Smoothie.

It brings you all the best in fresh produce and energy-boosting ingredients but also keeps you toasty warm. My chai tea smoothie might just be your go-to drink for fall!

chai smoothie

I love how cooler weather can naturally help me switch up my smoothie routine. Step aside summer ingredients, Fall has a whole new set of fresh produce that can take your smoothies from standard to fabulous!

Table of Contents
  1. How to Make a Warm Smoothie
  2. Tips for a Delicious Chai Smoothie
  3. Chai Tea Smoothie FAQs
  4. Warm Drinks for Cold Weather
  5. Warm Chai Smoothie Recipe

How to Make a Warm Smoothie

Warm smoothies are very similar to cold ones, with just a few tweaks. Here’s how I like to blend them:

chai tea smoothie
  1. Blend spinach, tea and coconut milk until smooth.
  2. Add the remaining ingredients. If you’re using a high-speed blender then start blending on low and work up to high speed. Blend for 3-5 minutes or until very hot. If you’re using a regular blender then blend until smooth and heat up the blended smoothie on the stove or transfer to mugs and heat in the microwave until warm.

Masala chai (spiced tea) is a thousand-year-old drink originating in India. It can be made with a wide range of spices as well as different kinds of tea depending on the region of the world. You can definitely make this chai-inspired green smoothie with the tea of your choice (caffeinated or not).

Tips for a Delicious Chai Smoothie

delicious warm beverage

Hot tea can be used while blending if your blender container is heat-proof. Be sure to vent the lid so the liquid doesn’t leak or splatter if you choose to blend hot liquid. If your blender has a soup setting, this is the perfect smoothie for that setting!

The full-fat canned coconut milk makes this chai tea smoothie super creamy. Use light canned coconut milk or a carton of coconut milk for less fat. Swap the Medjool date for a bit of maple syrup if desired.

Feel free to drink this smoothie at room temp instead of heating it. I’ve had rawkstars tell me they often drink room temp smoothies during the winter, and that’s great! This smoothie is equally delicious chilled, so if you aren’t ready for a hot smoothie then make it cold!

chai smoothie

Chai Tea Smoothie FAQs

How many calories are in a chai tea smoothie?

My chai smoothie has 396 calories (with full fat coconut milk). If you want to easily lower the calorie count, just swap the full fat coconut milk for light canned coconut milk or even carton coconut milk.

How long does a smoothie stay fresh in the fridge?

I recommend drinking smoothies within two days of blending. They start to lose nutrients after about 15 minutes, yet are still great the next day! Just make sure you give that refrigerated smoothie a good shake before your first sip.

Does chai tea boost your metabolism?

Tea is naturally caffeinated (unless it’s herbal tea) and can give your metabolism a boost. Some teas boost metabolism more than others.

warm green smoothie

Warm Drinks for Cold Weather

Put down that cold brew coffee and get ready to jump into seasonal flavors and produce with the below smoothies and drink recipes. I love switching up my drink routine with a fresh set of fruits and veggies, and these recipes usher in cooler weather in just the right way.

If you just can’t stand the thought of blending a cold smoothie this time of year then don’t! Instead, try one of these incredibly yummy warm smoothies and embrace the season:

What’s your go-to hot beverage to warm you up during the cooler weather? Drop a comment below and let me know what I should be drinking this winter!

chai smoothie
4.91 from 11 votes

Warm Chai Smoothie

A warm comforting meal replacement smoothie that is full of healthy fruit and spinach, plus just the right amount of spice inside the warm chia tea smoothie.
Prep: 5 minutes
Total: 5 minutes
Author: Jen Hansard
Course: Smoothie
Cuisine: Plant-Based
Serves: 1

Ingredients  

  • ½ cup spinach
  • ½ cup brewed tea herbal green, white or black
  • ½ cup coconut milk
  • ½ pear cored and peeled
  • ½ apple cored and peeled
  • 1 medjool date
  • ½ tsp ground cinnamon
  • ¼ inch ginger root
  • â…› tsp ground cardamom
  • 1 serving homemade protein powder optional

Instructions 

  • Blend spinach, tea and coconut milk until smooth.
  • Next, add the remaining ingredients. If using a high speed blender, start blending again on low speed working up to high speed. Allow to blend for 3-5 minutes, or until very hot. If using a regular blender, blend until smooth and heat gently on the stove or transfer to mugs and heat in microwave.

Notes

Note: Hot tea can be used, but use caution when blending. Be sure to vent the lid so the liquid doesn’t leak and splatter. Blend on low speed, working up to high speed until smooth.

Nutrition

Calories: 396kcal, Carbohydrates: 49g, Protein: 4g, Fat: 25g, Saturated Fat: 21g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 1g, Sodium: 32mg, Potassium: 758mg, Fiber: 8g, Sugar: 34g, Vitamin A: 1517IU, Vitamin C: 14mg, Calcium: 75mg, Iron: 5mg
Tried this recipe? Show me!Mention @SimpleGreenSmoothies or tag #SimpleGreenSmoothies!

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Rating




Comments

  1. 5 stars
    I came across this recipe while doing the salad challenge. It was amazing and I printed out this recipe to make many more times! The pear and chai spices mixed so well and serving warm is bonus for comfort!

  2. Mine came out gross – but I didn’t use the Protein Boost that was recommended I used another one. Mine was vanilla, Protein Boost is unflavored. So maybe that was it 🙂

  3. 4 stars
    Delicious recipe. Never tried a warm smoothie before. It came out a bit thin for my aesthetic, so I’ll probably cut the liquid in half next time. Thank you!

    1. Cutting the liquid in 1/2 is a great idea here Jana. You can also try adding a bit of avocado or cauliflower to thicken it as well. Happy blending!

  4. 5 stars
    This was a lot more tasty than expected. I used green jasmine tea. Used 2 small apples as I didn’t have any pears and left out the dates as I didn’t have those either. I used double the spinach just for the health benefits because I don’t think the spinach really adds or takes away from any of the other flavors. I tend to cut down on smoothies during cold weather, but now will be using this a lot.