Chocolate Banana Smoothie

Updated 1/8/2022

This easy, healthy chocolate banana smoothie is thick, creamy and tastes like a total treat (without any of the added refined sugar or ice cream)!

With multiple sources of protein and healthy fats, it's makes the perfect breakfast or snack anytime.

about this chocolate banana smoothie recipe

By now you probably know what a huge sweet tooth I have, which is why easy healthy smoothie recipes are my go-to for a quick and satisfying breakfast.

They have a naturally sweet flavor and it's hard to beat the simplicity of throwing everything into a blender & letting it do all the hard work for you.

This smoothie is the one I reach for when I'm craving something sweet, but need something nourishing to start my day.

It's naturally gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan, vegetarian, refined sugar-free, and paleo-friendly.

It tastes like a ”treat yourself self” chocolate banana milkshake but is actually a good-for-you smoothie and healthy protein shake in disguise. 

Like sipping on a satisfying chocolate milkshake (minus the refined sugar, mystery ingredient syrups, or added scoops of ice cream).

Super thick, rich, creamy, and most important of all…downright CHOCOLATELY.

ingredients for a healthy banana chocolate smoothie

The peanut butter, banana, vanilla and honey (optional) all help add natural sweetness to this recipe.

You can swap in any other nut butter you like in place of the peanut butter (almond butter is a great paleo-friendly swap and cashew butter would also be delicious).

Nut butters have plenty of good, healthy fats in them that help give you that sensation of being fuller longer (which feels like a huge win in my book).

If you have a high-powered blender you could sub-in whole nuts & seeds in place of the nut butter too.

This smoothie has multiple sources of protein from the peanut butter and chocolate protein powder.

For a paleo option, be sure to use a paleo-friendly protein powder.

And for a vegan option, be sure to use a vegan protein powder.

And finally, the little splash of coffee (I just get mine from whatever is leftover in the pot that day) and pinch of salt is optional but is an easy way to deepen the taste of the chocolate if you've got them on hand!

using avocado in smoothies

If you haven't tried adding avocado to your smoothies yet, this is the perfect recipe to give it a whirl!

While many of us may be used to avocado in savory dips, bowls, and salads, it's natural creaminess makes it a great dairy-free stand-in for banana or yogurt in sweet dishes.

I'm not a very adventurous eater but I'm a believer when it comes to avocado-anything.

I've even used it to make vegan chocolate avocado pudding before and it tastes SO decadent!

That being said, if you don't have or don't like avocado you could substitute in an extra ½ banana in its place.

tips for making a thick and creamy smoothie

I like my smoothies cold but I don't like them watery, so I try to avoid adding ice whenever possible.

If you feel the same way or feel like your smoothies at home don't taste as fresh, vibrant or flavor-packed as the ones you get at your favorite smoothie or juice bar - this tip could be a gamechanger for you too!

Ice is great in a pinch, like when you're using all fresh ingredients and want a colder, thicker texture.

But to me, adding too much ice can make my smoothie feel more like a slushie (and can water down & dilute the flavor).

So instead of adding ice cubes, I use as many frozen ingredients as I can so I get that familiar smoothie texture we know & love.

how to meal prep smoothies in advance

Ingredients in this recipe that freeze well include both the banana and avocado, I slice the banana and cut the avocado into chunks before freezing for easier blending.

You can either keep big batches of smoothie ingredients pre-prepped in your freezer to easily mix & match for multiple different recipes (great option if you're someone who loves variety).

Or if you want to meal prep your smoothies in advance, you can make your own smoothie freezer packs by measuring out your ingredients into individual freezer bags or freezer-friendly jars.

For this recipe that would look like freezing everything (except the liquid ingredients) so you could grab a pack, dump it into your blender, add almond milk and blend.

This post walks you through how to make your own meal prep berry smoothie packs and has all my best tips!

more healthy smoothie recipes

Berry Green Smoothie (DIY Make Ahead Freezer Packs)

Protein Orange Creamsicle Smoothie

Purple Sweet Potato Smoothie

Blueberry Avocado Spinach Smoothie

Chocolate Banana Smoothie

This easy, healthy Chocolate Banana Smoothie recipe uses almond milk, cocoa, banana, avocado, peanut butter & more for a protein-packed shake! Naturally gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan, vegetarian and paleo-friendly.

5 from 2 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Smoothie

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 5 minutes

Servings: 1 smoothie

Calories:

Author: Lauren Kenson | Free Your Fork

Ingredients

• ¾ c almond milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 tbs strong brewed coffee
• ½ avocado
• 1 tbs peanut butter can sub PB2, almond butter, or hazelnut butter
• 1-2 tbs honey*
• 2 - 3 tbs cocoa powder**
• ½ very ripe banana frozen
• 1 scoop chocolate protein powder***
• pinch of salt

Instructions

• LAYER INGREDIENTS IN BLENDER: Add ingredients in the order listed above.
• BLEND: Blend all until smooth

Notes

*Can swap for maple syrup or coconut nectar (to keep it vegan or paleo-friendly) or 10-15 drops of liquid stevia (if you're watching your sugar intake)

**Adjust amount depending on if you like things more like milk chocolate or on the side of dark chocolate

***I use whey protein powder, but to make the recipe vegan-friendly you can use a plant-based protein powder (such as rice, pea, or hemp blends)

For an even colder milkshake, freeze some almond milk in an ice cube tray and add in until desired texture is reached. You can also mash the half an avocado with a fork and freeze it in a little Ziploc bag.

Nutrition

Serving: 1smoothie