Chocolate Almond-Milk Smoothie
A dairy-free take on a chocolate milkshake. Cocoa, almond milk, banana and almond butter blend into a thick, cold glass with no dairy and no added sugar.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
This smoothie gives you the flavor of a chocolate shake without any dairy. Unsweetened almond milk stands in for milk, and a frozen banana does the job that ice cream usually would, giving the drink a thick, cold body. Cocoa powder brings the chocolate, while almond butter rounds out the taste and adds a soft richness. The result tastes like a treat but starts from plain, simple foods you likely keep on hand.
What sets this apart from a plain chocolate drink is the staying power. Ground flaxseed and chia seeds add fiber and a little healthy fat, so the glass feels like an actual breakfast rather than a quick sip that leaves you hungry an hour later. Almond butter adds protein and fat too. Together these make a drink that holds you through a busy morning, which is part of what you want when breakfast has to happen fast.
The only sweetness here comes from the banana. A ripe frozen banana turns naturally sweet and mellow, which softens the slight bitterness of the cocoa and carries the flavor of the whole glass. If you like a deeper chocolate flavor, that same banana lets you add more cocoa without the drink turning sharp. It is a simple balance that works on its own, and it is the reason this is worth freezing the spotty bananas nobody wants to eat whole.
Ingredients
- 2 cups unsweetened almond milk
- 1 frozen banana
- 2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 tbsp almond butter
- 2 tbsp ground flaxseed
- 1 tbsp chia seeds
Instructions
- Freeze the banana ahead: Peel a ripe banana, break it into a few chunks, and freeze it in a bag for at least four hours or overnight. A frozen banana is what gives this drink its thick, cold, shake-like body, so it is worth doing the night before.
- Add the liquid first: Pour the two cups of almond milk into the blender first. Starting with the liquid at the bottom helps the blades catch everything and keeps the seeds and cocoa from packing against the base.
- Add the rest: Add the frozen banana chunks, cocoa powder, almond butter, ground flaxseed, and chia seeds on top of the milk. Putting the frozen fruit near the blades helps it break down smoothly.
- Blend until smooth: Blend on high for thirty to sixty seconds, until the drink looks even and no flecks of cocoa or seed remain. Stop and scrape down the sides once if anything sticks.
- Adjust the thickness: For a thick, spoonable shake, blend as is or add a few more banana chunks. For a thinner, drinkable smoothie, pour in a splash more almond milk and pulse again until it moves the way you like.
- Pour and serve: Divide between two tall glasses and drink it soon. The chia and flax keep thickening as it sits, so it is best within a few minutes of blending.
Variations
- Mint chocolate: Add a few fresh mint leaves or a drop of peppermint extract for a mint-chocolate version.
- Mocha: Blend in a shot of cooled espresso or a teaspoon of instant coffee for a mocha morning.
- Peanut butter cup: Swap the almond butter for peanut butter to get that classic chocolate-and-peanut flavor. Peanuts are a legume, so this takes it off paleo and Whole30.
- Berry: Toss in a handful of frozen raspberries or cherries for a fruity, chocolate-covered note.
- Green: Add a big handful of spinach; the cocoa keeps the color dark and you will not taste the greens.
Storage & Leftovers
This drink is best right after blending, while it is coldest and thinnest. If you need to hold it, pour it into a jar with a tight lid and keep it in the fridge for up to one day. Give it a hard shake or a quick re-blend before drinking.
Expect it to thicken in the fridge, since the chia and flax keep drawing in liquid. That is normal and easy to fix. Stir in a splash of almond milk to loosen it back to the texture you want, then taste and blend again if it needs it.
You can also freeze it. Pour any extra into ice cube trays or a freezer-safe jar, leaving room at the top for it to expand. Frozen cubes blend straight back into a fresh, thick shake later, so nothing goes to waste on a busy week.
Notes & Tips
- Use a ripe banana: Use a banana with plenty of brown spots, since a riper one is sweeter and blends smoother.
- Freeze extras: Peel and freeze bananas whenever they get too ripe so you always have some ready to go.
- Choose ground flax: Buy flaxseed already ground, or grind it yourself, because whole seeds pass through without giving you their fiber and fats.
- Soften stiff almond butter: If your almond butter is stiff, warm the jar briefly so it blends in evenly.
- Break up the cocoa: Break up any lumps in the cocoa first so you do not get bitter pockets in the finished drink.
- Chill the glasses: Pop the glasses in the freezer while you blend to keep the shake cold longer.
Nutrition & Mindful Eating
- Banana, cocoa and almond butter carry this glass. The frozen banana makes it thick and sweet, the cocoa gives it the dark chocolate flavor, and the almond butter adds the fat that makes it taste like something much richer than a drink.
- A frozen banana is what turns this from chocolate milk into a shake. It blends into a thick cold cream and brings potassium and its own sweetness, so the flavor comes from fruit that was already in the blender.
- Cocoa powder gives the glass a deep, faintly bitter chocolate flavor that keeps the whole thing tasting grown up, and the flavanols that come with real cocoa arrive with that bitterness.
- Almond butter smooths out the edges and gives the drink a soft, coating body, and the plant protein and unsaturated fat it brings are a large part of why this one holds you.
- Ground flaxseed and chia thicken the blend as it stands and give it a faint speckled texture, and both carry fiber and plant omega-3 fats, which is why the glass keeps its shake-like thickness right to the last sip.
- As you eat, take the first sip slowly enough to catch how bitter the cocoa actually is under the banana, and let the glass last longer than a drink usually does so you can feel it settle.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use a different milk?
Yes. Any unsweetened milk you like works here, such as soy, oat, or coconut. Soy will add the most protein, while oat will make it a touch sweeter. Dairy milk works too if you are not keeping it dairy-free.
Mine came out too thick or too thin. How do I fix it?
Both are easy. For a thinner drink, add almond milk a splash at a time and blend again. For a thicker shake, add more frozen banana chunks or a few ice cubes and blend until it firms up.
Can I make it the night before?
You can. Blend it, pour it into a sealed jar, and keep it in the fridge for up to a day. It will thicken overnight, so stir in a little almond milk and shake well before drinking.
Where does the carbohydrate come from?
Mostly the banana, offset by the fiber in the flax and chia. Use half a banana if you want it lighter.