Chocolate Banana Oatmeal Breakfast Smoothie
A thick, creamy smoothie that tastes like a chocolate milkshake but eats like a bowl of oatmeal. Soaked rolled oats, frozen banana and cocoa make a filling breakfast you can drink in five minutes.
- Prep
- 7 min
- Cook
- —
- Wait
- 10 min
- Total
- 17 min
- Makes
- 2 smoothies (about 14 oz / 420 ml each)
Steps
Before you start
- Freeze the bananas ahead: peel, slice into ½-inch (1.25 cm) coins and freeze on a plate or tray for at least 4 hours (or up to 3 months in a bag).
- Measure the oats and milk first. The 10-minute soak is what makes the smoothie silky instead of gritty.
- Use unsweetened cocoa powder, not hot chocolate mix, which is already sweetened and will throw off the balance.
- Any blender works, but a standard (non-high-speed) blender needs the full 10-minute oat soak.
Soak the oats
- Add the rolled oats and 1 cup (240 ml) of the milk to the blender jar.
- Stir briefly with a spoon so all the oats are submerged.
- Let sit 10 minutes.
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Ready when: Oats look plump and swollen and have lost their dry look
Tip: Skipping the soak leaves a gritty, sandy texture.
Add the flavorings
- Add the cocoa powder, maple syrup, vanilla, salt and the peanut butter, if using, to the jar with the soaked oats.
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Tip: Add the liquids and powders before the frozen fruit so the cocoa doesn't cake on top.
Add banana and milk
- Pour in the remaining ½ cup (120 ml) milk, then add the frozen banana coins and the ice cubes, if using.
- Ice makes it thicker and colder, so skip it if your bananas are rock solid.
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Tip: If the blades struggle, let the bananas sit 2 minutes to soften slightly.
Blend until smooth
- Secure the lid.
- Start on low speed for 15 seconds, then raise to high and blend 45 to 60 seconds.
- Stop and scrape down the sides once if needed.
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Ready when: Uniform chocolate color with no visible oat flecks or banana chunks, and thick enough to coat a spoon
Tip: If it is too thick to blend, add milk 2 tablespoons (30 ml) at a time.
Taste and adjust
- Taste.
- Add 1 more teaspoon maple syrup if you want it sweeter, or a splash of milk to thin it.
- Blend 10 seconds more to combine.
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Ready when: Tastes distinctly chocolatey and lightly sweet, with a pourable but thick texture
Pour and serve
- Divide between two tall glasses and serve right away with a wide straw or spoon.
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Tip: The smoothie thickens as it sits as the oats keep absorbing liquid; stir in a splash of milk if needed.
Good to know
Tips
- Freeze ripe, spotty bananas: they are sweeter, so you can use less maple syrup.
- For more protein, add 1 scoop (about 30 g) of chocolate or unflavored protein powder and an extra ¼ cup (60 ml) milk.
- Add the cocoa to the liquid, not on top of the frozen fruit, to avoid clumps stuck to the blender wall.
- A tiny pinch of salt makes the chocolate taste richer; don't skip it.
Make ahead
"Soak the oats in the milk in a covered jar in the fridge overnight (up to 24 hours), then blend with the remaining ingredients in the morning. You can also bag the frozen banana, cocoa and oats together as freezer packs."
Storage & reheating
"Best fresh. Refrigerate in a sealed jar up to 24 hours; it will thicken, so shake and thin with a splash of milk. Freeze in jars or ice cube trays up to 2 months; thaw in the fridge overnight or re-blend the cubes with a little milk. Not suited to room-temperature storage beyond 30 minutes."
Substitutions
- whole milk or unsweetened soy milk → Unsweetened oat, almond or soy milk. Makes it dairy-free; soy gives the most protein and creaminess.
- pure maple syrup → Honey or 2 pitted Medjool dates. Dates must be soaked with the oats and will add a caramel flavor; honey is not vegan.
- creamy peanut butter → Almond butter or sunflower seed butter. Use sunflower seed butter for nut-free.
- old-fashioned rolled oats → Quick-cooking oats. Reduce soak time to 5 minutes. Not instant flavored packets.
