Save to Pinterest This flavorful blend combines ripe banana, natural peanut butter, rich cocoa, and milk into a creamy, smooth drink. Quickly prepared in a blender, it offers a satisfying balance of sweetness and nuttiness. Optional honey or vanilla can enhance the taste, while ice cubes or frozen banana add refreshing texture. Great for vegetarians and gluten-free diets, it fuels your morning or afternoon with wholesome ingredients and easy preparation.
I threw this together one morning when I overslept and needed something fast that didn't taste like compromise. The blender was still dirty from the night before, but I rinsed it quickly and tossed in a banana that was getting too spotty to ignore. What came out tasted like dessert but somehow made me feel like I'd done something responsible.
My nephew refused breakfast for weeks until I made this and called it chocolate milk. He drank the whole thing before realizing it had fruit in it. Now he asks for the thick chocolate milk every weekend, and I pretend it's a huge favor to make it.
Ingredients
- Ripe banana: The riper, the better, those brown spots mean natural sweetness and a creamier blend.
- Milk: I switch between oat and regular depending on what's around, both work beautifully.
- Peanut butter: Natural peanut butter adds a little texture, but the regular kind makes it sweeter if you skip the honey.
- Cocoa powder: Unsweetened is key, the banana and honey balance it without turning it into hot chocolate mix.
- Honey or maple syrup: I usually skip this if the banana is really ripe, but it's there if you need it.
- Vanilla extract: A small splash makes everything smell like a bakery.
- Ice cubes: Optional, but they make it thick enough to eat with a spoon if you're into that.
Instructions
- Load the blender:
- Drop the banana in first, then pour the milk over it so nothing sticks to the bottom. Add the peanut butter, cocoa, sweetener, vanilla, and ice on top.
- Blend until smooth:
- Start on low, then ramp it up to high for about 30 seconds. You'll hear it go from chunky to quiet when it's ready.
- Taste and tweak:
- Dip a spoon in and see if it needs more sweetness or cocoa. This is your smoothie, make it yours.
- Pour and enjoy:
- Divide between two glasses and drink it right away before it warms up or separates.
Save to Pinterest I made this for a friend who swore she hated peanut butter, and she finished her glass before I finished mine. She didn't ask what was in it until after, which I think says everything.
Make It Your Own
If you want more protein, a scoop of chocolate or vanilla powder disappears right in. I've also added a handful of spinach when I felt virtuous, and you genuinely cannot taste it under all that chocolate and peanut butter.
Texture Tricks
Swap the ice for frozen banana and it turns into soft serve you can barely pour. If it's too thick, thin it with milk a tablespoon at a time. If it's too thin, toss in a few more ice cubes and blend again.
Finishing Touches
Sometimes I drizzle peanut butter on top and swirl it with a knife, or dust it with extra cocoa if I'm feeling fancy. It's not necessary, but it makes it feel a little less like I'm drinking breakfast out of a to-go cup.
- Top with banana slices if you want it to look like you tried.
- A sprinkle of cocoa nibs adds crunch and makes you look like you know what you're doing.
- If you're taking it on the road, blend it thicker so it doesn't slosh everywhere.
Save to Pinterest This is the kind of recipe that doesn't feel like a recipe until someone asks you how you made it. Then you realize you've been making it three times a week without thinking twice.
