This Banana Peanut Butter Chocolate Smoothie is a healthy, decadent treat. You just need 5 ingredients to make a thick, creamy, protein-packed frozen drink. And there’s so many ways to customize it!
Plus it’s naturally refined sugar-free and gluten-free and can easily be made dairy-free, vegan and Paleo.
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Why this recipe works
I love all kinds of smoothies. But something about the combination of banana, peanut butter and chocolate just takes a smoothie recipe to the next level. It goes from healthy treat to decadent healthy treat. It’s like a milkshake instead of protein-packed drink full of fiber and healthy fats.
The banana, peanut butter and protein powder help create such a thick texture that I don’t think it needs any kind of milk. Instead, I use water. This keeps the recipe a) easier to make and b) more affordable. But trust me, this is not a watery smoothie!
And because bananas are naturally sweet, there’s no need to add any kind of sweetener at all.
This is a great portable breakfast but it also works as an afternoon pick-me-up to tide you over from lunch to dinner. And for an extra boost of energy, I love adding espresso powder.
If you want to make the recipe dairy-free or vegan, be sure to use an appropriate protein powder.
If you want to make this recipe Paleo, be sure to use almond butter, sunbutter or tahini instead of the peanut butter and use a Paleo-friendly protein powder.
What you need
Ingredients for 1 smoothie:
- ½ cup water
- 1 large frozen banana – Be sure to peel the banana, break it into chunks and freeze for at least 24 hours before making this recipe. I keep a bunch of bananas like this in a freezer-safe baggie in the freezer.
- 2 tablespoons peanut butter – This adds thickness, creaminess, fiber, protein and healthy fats.
- 2 teaspoons unsweetened cocoa powder – This adds the chocolate flavor without having to melt a chocolate bar or chocolate chips.
- 1 scoop of protein powder – I would stick with unflavored, vanilla or chocolate flavors for this recipe.
Equipment:
- a blender
- measuring spoons
How to make a Banana Peanut Butter Chocolate Smoothie
Step 1: Add the water, frozen banana chunks (pull them apart if they’re frozen together), peanut butter, cocoa powder and protein powder to the blender in that order. Blend until completely combined.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Feel free to use any kind of milk you like in place of the water.
You can use any kind of nut or seed butter (like almond, cashew or sunflower seed butter or tahini) in place of the peanut butter.
You can use cacao powder in place of the cocoa powder. But because cacao powder can be a bit more bitter, cut it down to 1-1.5 teaspoons to start with and taste the smoothie before adding more.
You can add 1 teaspoon espresso powder. When I do this, I cut the cocoa powder down to 1 teaspoon so the smoothie doesn’t get too bitter.
If you want to make the recipe dairy-free or vegan, be sure to use an appropriate protein powder.
If you want to make this recipe Paleo, be sure to use almond butter, sunbutter or tahini instead of the peanut butter and use a Paleo-friendly protein powder.
Yep! You can add a handful of ice cubes to make the smoothie cold and frosty. For sweetener, you can use honey, maple syrup or a few pitted, chopped dates.
You can! Because it doesn’t use ice (which can melt in the fridge, making the smoothie thinner and more watery), this smoothie stays thick and rich in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Yep! Transfer it to a freezer-safe container or baggie and freeze up to 3 months. Let is soften to a pourable consistency in the fridge for 24 hours before serving.
Other recipes you might like:
- Chocolate Tahini Smoothie
- Banana Berry Protein Smoothie
- Mango Kale Smoothie
- Strawberry Banana Smoothie
- Pumpkin Pie Smoothie
Banana Peanut Butter Chocolate Smoothie
Ingredients
- ½ cup water
- 1 frozen banana, peeled and broke into chunks (see notes)
- 2 tablespoons peanut butter
- 2 teaspoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 scoop protein powder
Instructions
- Add the water, frozen banana chunks (pull them apart if they're frozen together), peanut butter, cocoa powder and protein powder to a blender in that order. Blend until completely combined.
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