Banana Chocolate Smoothie (The Best Almond Milk Smoothie)

This Banana Chocolate Smoothie with Almond Milk doubles as a filling breakfast and sweet afternoon pick me up. It’s so easy to make and incredibly creamy!

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Creating This Chocolate Banana Almond Milk Smoothie Recipe

I have been dragging all week. I was fighting a cold at the beginning of the week, didn’t sleep well for a couple of days, and had more things on my to-do list than I typically like.

When I have days like that, I totally rely on nutrient-rich afternoon snacks. When I’m craving something a little dessert-like after lunch, but a better-for-me-choice than a cookie, I like to make this Chocolate Banana Almond Milk Smoothie.

It has a natural sweetness from the almond butter and the bananas, but the creamy base features Silk Unsweetened Vanilla Almond Milk. Almond milk has been my preferred “milk” for several years now.

What I Love About this Banana Chocolate Smoothie

I love it on a bowl of granola and it makes a great addition to smoothie recipes, like this chocolate smoothie recipe, which is quickly becoming a household favorite.

I don’t need added sugar in my drink of choice. I love that Silk Unsweetened Vanilla Almond Milk has 0 grams of sugar per serving.

Switching from Vanilla Almond Milk to Silk Unsweetened Vanilla Almond Milk is a simple swap that makes it easy to be more mindful about making dietary choices when I’m recharging with a post-lunch snack.

I’m all about making little changes that overall are better for me without feeling like I’m skimping on flavor.

Click and save this recipe for Chocolate Banana Almond Milk Smoothie to Pinterest!

Ingredients in This Banana Almond Milk Smoothie?

You’ll need 6 simple ingredients to make this healthy and satisfying almond butter smoothie recipe I bet you have most of them already. I usually have most of these laying around in our pantry or refrigerator.

The ingredients you’ll need for this chocolate smoothie recipe are:

• Frozen Banana
• Almond Butter
• Unsweetened Almond Milk
• Chia Seeds
• Cocoa Powder or Raw Cacao Powder
• Ice Cubes

What Can I Substitute for Almond Milk in this Chocolate and Banana Smoothie?

Oat Milk, Cashew Milk, Soy Milk, or Dairy Milk would all work well in place of almond milk in this recipe for banana chocolate smoothies.

Can I Use a Different Nut Butter in this?

Although I love making this as a banana almond butter smoothie, the almond milk is mild enough in flavor that it wouldn’t compete too much with another type of nut butter.

So, feel free to use whatever your favorite nut butter is when you make this Chocolate and Banana Almond Milk Smoothie. Peanut butter, cashew butter, or sunflower seed butter would both work well in place of almond butter.

Can I Add Extra Sweetness to this Banana Chocolate Smoothie Recipe?

For extra sweetness, try a natural sweetener option like medjool dates.

Optional Mix-Ins for this Banana Chocolate Smoothie

Looking to add extra flavor or extra nutrition to your chocolate banana smoothie? Here are a few ideas that you can add to the blender with the rest of the ingredients:

• protein powder – a scoop of chocolate or vanilla protein powder would both work in this banana chocolate smoothie. Great for a post workout snack!
• greek yogurt – a scoop of vanilla or banana greek yogurt would taste great.
• vanilla extract – a teaspoon of vanilla extract would add a little extra flavor to this banana and chocolate smoothie.
• flax seeds and/or hemp seeds – seeds are a great way to add extra nutrients to delicious breakfast smoothies.

For the complete ingredient list and detailed instructions, scroll to the bottom of this post for the FREE printable recipe card.

Click and save this recipe for Chocolate Banana Almond Milk Smoothie to Pinterest!

How to Make an Almond Milk Smoothie

This Chocolate Banana Almond Milk Smoothie is super simple to make — so easy that any of our kids could make it themselves! Just toss the frozen banana, ice, Silk Unsweetened Vanilla Almond Milk, chia seeds, almond butter, and unsweetened cocoa powder in the blender. Then press puree and blend until it is smooth.

In less than 5 minutes, you have a tasty afternoon snack that you can feel good about eating.

Garnish Ideas for this Banana Chocolate Smoothie

Want to garnish your smoothie glass for a pretty presentation? I like to top it with a few slices of banana and a couple of mini dark chocolate chips for a fun garnish. Here are a few other favorite toppings to add to this chocolate banana smoothie:

• banana slices
• cacao nibs
• sliced almonds
• chia seeds
• granola

The above is simply a quick summary of this recipe. Check out the full recipe in the free printable recipe card at the bottom of this post for all the detailed instructions.

How Many Does this Banana Chocolate Smoothie Serve?

This banana almond butter smoothie recipe serves four people. If you have leftovers, pour them into jars and freeze them. When you’re ready to eat the frozen pre-made smoothie, set it on the counter to thaw for a few minutes until it’s drinkable.

Can I Make this Banana Chocolate Smoothie Sweeter?

Got a sweet tooth? For extra sweetness, try a natural sweetener option like medjool dates. Just add 1-2 (discard the pit) to the blender with the rest of the ingredients.

Click and save this recipe for Chocolate Banana Almond Milk Smoothie to Pinterest!

Tips for Making Almond Milk Smoothies

For a thinner smoothie, add more almond milk to the mixture. And for a thicker texture, add less almond milk (you could also try adding more ice or frozen banana).

If you want to keep this banana almond milk smoothie recipe refined sugar-free, double check that you’re using unsweetened cocoa powder. Sometimes sugar gets snuck into cocoa powder, so read the ingredients list to be safe.

What to Serve With these Banana Chocolate Smoothies

Here are a few recipes ideas that would go well served with this almond milk smoothie recipe:

• Scrambled Eggs – this recipe shows you how to make the best, fluffy scrambled eggs
• Bacon – did you know you can bake bacon in the oven.
• Muffins – triple chocolate banana muffins, strawberry oat muffins, dark chocolate muffins, or whole wheat blueberry muffins would be great choices!

Click and save this recipe for Chocolate Banana Almond Milk Smoothie to Pinterest!

Try this Healthy Banana Chocolate Smoothie Recipe!

Next time you’re looking for a healthy smoothie for a quick breakfast, give this delicious chocolate banana smoothie recipe a try! Did you love the rich chocolate flavor and creamy texture? Leave a comment below and give it a review for others to see what you thought of this smoothie.

On Instagram? Share your photo and tag me with @goodlifeeats and #goodlifeeatsrecipes. I’d love to see your photo of this Banana Chocolate Smoothie!

More Easy Smoothie Recipes:

If you’re craving a tropical fruit smoothie, look no further than this Kale Pineapple Smoothie. I’ve also shared more detailed instructions on how to prep make ahead smoothies in this post!

Another way to sneak in your greens in with this Berry Mango Kale Smoothie. It tastes so fruity that you’d never guess there’s kale in it!

I love how tropical this Pineapple Coconut Kale Smoothie tastes. It reminds me of a healthy piña colada!

This Cranberry Cherry Mango Smoothie is made with cranberry juice, frozen fruit, and yogurt. So simple, but so good!

For something a little cozier, make a Pumpkin Oatmeal Smoothie. It’s lightly spiced and so refreshing on cool fall mornings.

What are your favorite better-for-you afternoon snacks?

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This recipe is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Silk. The opinions and text are all mine.