Peanut Butter Chocolate Smoothie

If your sweet tooth is getting the better of you, grab your blender and make this Peanut Butter Chocolate Smoothie. It’s thick and creamy, sweet, dairy free, and so delicious! 

It’s just as perfect for breakfast or snack as it is for dessert!

Peanut Butter ~ Peanuts boast protein, healthy fats, fiber, potassium, magnesium, vitamin E, calcium, zinc, folate, vitamin B6, and more. [source]

Peanut butter gets a bad wrap sometimes, and I do think it’s important to choose one that contains only peanuts and, maybe, salt. And if you can afford it, organic is also the way to go as peanuts are one of the most heavily sprayed crops.

You will need to stir your natural, organic peanut butter as they oils will naturally separate to the top. I find it easiest to pour the whole container into a big mixing bowl, stir it will with a spatula, and pour it back into the container. Keep it in the fridge after mixing and it shouldn’t separate again.

Bananas ~ Bananas and peanut butter are a match made in heaven. Go for ripe or over-ripe spotty brown bananas – they’ll be naturally very sweet.

Milk ~ Any non-dairy milk will work, but try to use an unflavored, unsweetened variety. We prefer oat, almond, or soy milk.

Cocoa powder ~ Use an unsweetened cocoa powder. The recipe calls for 1 ½ tablespoons. You can add a bit more if you prefer, but a little goes a long way, so start small and only add more after tasting.

Cacao powder may be used as well.

Maple syrup ~ Pure maple syrup is an optional ingredient. If you use ripe spotty bananas, this smoothie should be sweet enough on its own. If you like yours even sweeter, add pure maple syrup (not pancake syrup) to your taste.

Extras ~ Often times we will add an apple to this creamy sip. I like to use a tart apple, like a granny smith, to cut through the sweetness of the other ingredients.

A dash of cinnamon is also a delicious addition with these flavors.

To garnish: chopped dark chocolate or dairy free chocolate chips and crushed peanuts make a tasty sprinkle for the top.

Place all the ingredients in a high speed blender and blend until smooth.

I suggest starting with just ½ cup of milk, blend, and add more, if needed, to reach your desired consistency.

Storage

Fridge: Store any leftovers in an air-tight container (I like using mason jars) in the fridge for up to 2 days. Give it a good shake when ready to drink.

Freezer: You can also freeze this smoothie. Pour the smoothie mixture into ice cube trays and freeze until solid. Transfer to a freezer safe plastic bag. When ready to use, pop the frozen cubes into a high speed blender and blend until smooth, adding additional liquid, if necessary.

Pro tips for success

~ Use ripe or over ripe bananas for optimal sweetness.

~ Use frozen bananas if you like a frosty-type smoothie. You can skip the ice in this case.

~ Opt for natural, organic creamy peanut butter. The only ingredients should be peanuts and salt. If you can find one without salt, that’s great, too.

~ Choose unsweetened cocoa powder and unsweetened non-dairy milk.

~ Start with just ½ cup of milk and add more only if needed to thin it out.

~ This recipe is vegan and gluten free.

~ To make this recipe nut free, use sunflower seed butter or tahini instead of peanut butter and skip the garnish of crushed peanuts.

~ To make this recipe soy free, use oat or almond milk, not soy milk.

FAQs

More vegan peanut butter recipes

• Vegan Peanut Butter Frosting
• Peanut Butter Pancakes
• Peanut Butter Banana Bread
• Oatmeal Peanut Butter Balls
• Sweet Potato Peanut Butter Curry
• Easy Peanut Sauce