Chocolate Hazelnut Smoothie
This creamy, icy, thick smoothie tastes like a chocolate hazelnut milkshake. It’s wonderful for breakfast, but I actually make it for dessert on a weekly basis—it’s that good!!
If you don’t like hazelnuts, feel free to swap out the hazelnuts for almonds, cashews, or macadamia nuts in this smoothie.
A Note on Bananas
Bananas get their own section here because the secret to thick, ice cream-like smoothies is to use frozen, properly ripened bananas—anything else will not cut it for this recipe!
Frozen bananas completely transform the texture and taste of this smoothie. It’s not that regular, unfrozen bananas will taste bad—but if you want your smoothie to taste like ice cream, frozen really is the only way to go.
Ripeness is also a super important factor here. I’ve made literally hundreds of chocolate smoothies in my lifetime (I worked at a juice and smoothie bar—I promise I’m not exaggerating! :P ), and using properly ripened bananas can make or break a chocolate banana smoothie. Before you freeze them, your bananas should be completely yellow with no green tips (otherwise it’s not ripe enough and will make your smoothie taste bitter and green), or yellow with a few brown spots. If you cross into over-ripened territory (bananas covered in brown spots and/or mushy), your smoothie can start to taste musty or “off”.
Chocolate Hazelnut Smoothie
Makes 1 smoothie
Ingredients:
8 oz oat milk
2-3 bananas, frozen
1 tbsp cacao or cocoa powder
2 tbsp hazelnut butter (or 3 tbsp hazelnuts, soaked overnight)
1 tsp vanilla extract
To make:
Combine all ingredients in a blender.
Blend on high to combine (this will take around 30 seconds, depending on your blender). Then turn the blender speed down to low and continue blending for another 30 seconds - 1 minute. This will make the smoothie even fluffier and creamier.
Pour into a glass and enjoy!