Banana Date Smoothie

Fuel up and cool down with a refreshing, icy Banana Date Smoothie. This 9 ingredient treat is made in less than 5 minutes, quenches thirst, and satisfies sweet treat cravings!

The best healthy smoothie recipe

If there's one thing to know about smoothies, it's that they're always the answer. Want a fueling, protein-filled breakfast? Have a smoothie. Want a refreshing post-workout drink? Have a smoothie. Want a delicious, healthy snack or dessert? Have a smoothie.

This banana date smoothie is no different! Made with protein powder, almond butter, cinnamon, and almond milk (and of course the banana and dates), this sweet treat uses healthy ingredients and taste great too!

Ingredients in this banana date smoothie

This 9-item recipe is made with simple and commonly used ingredients. From the ice cubes to the cinnamon, most ingredients are probably already in your kitchen!

• Ice cubes: First up for this recipe is 6 ice cubes. The ice will help the smoothie have the perfect icy-but-not-frozen texture.
• Banana: Next up is a banana. Using a frozen banana keeps things icy, and it also creates the delicious banana flavor!
• Dates: Throw in 2 pitted medjool dates. These sweeten up the recipe.
• Protein powder: Next, kick this smoothie into high gear by adding 1 scoop of vanilla protein powered (about ¼ cup). If you don't have vanilla, unflavored or chocolate will work too.
• Almond butter: Add even more flavor by including 1 tablespoon of almond butter. If you don't have almond, you can also use peanut, cashew, or even sunflower seed butter.
• Cinnamon: Next up, add ¼ teaspoon of cinnamon.
• Salt: Salt is a must, but you don't need much. Add a pinch.
• Almond milk: 1 cup of almond milk creates a nice smoothie texture.
• Optional but recommended: Finally, adding ¼ teaspoon acacia fiber, chia seeds, or xanthan gum is recommended for thickening.

Tip: You can also mix in some chocolate chips for extra flavor!

Tools needed to make this fruit smoothie

This date shake recipe keeps things simple! All you need is a high speed blender, a spatula, and a few measuring cups (¼ tsp, 1 tbsp, and 1 cup).

How to make this banana date smoothie

Ready to get started? This 3-step banana date shake recipe creates 1 serving. If you'd like to make more, feel free to double or triple the ingredients! Most blenders will hold enough ingredients to make 3 servings.

You can expect this recipe to take less than 5 minutes of prep time.

First, add all of the ingredients to a high powered blender in the order listed in the recipe card.

Then, blend until completely smooth, scraping down the sides of the blender as needed.

Once blended, pour the smoothie into a large glass and sprinkle with additional cinnamon.

Are dates good for you in smoothies?

Yes! Dates are a wonderful source of antioxidants, fiber, and other vitamins and minerals. They make a great addition to this banana smoothie.

Is it OK to blend dates?

It is! If you notice that they're taking a while to blend, just give them a few more tries. Dates have a thick texture that can make blending take an extra minute.

Can you eat blended date pits?

This is not recommended. Before adding your dates to the blender, be sure to remove the pits.

Missing an ingredient or two? Here are some swaps that you can make.

Frozen banana
Out of bananas? Go for frozen berries! Like bananas, the flavor of berries works well with dates and will create a delicious smoothie.

Vanilla protein powder
Vanilla protein powder can be substituted with unflavored or chocolate varieties.

Almond butter
Any nut butter will work just fine in this recipe whether peanut butter, cashew butter, or another type.

Almond milk
Last but not least, any milk including dairy milk, oat milk, and coconut milk, can be used in this smoothie.

If you liked this recipe, you'll want to try these!

Smoothies are always a good idea! Here are some more delicious flavors to try.

• Berry Muffin Smoothie
• Key Lime Smoothie
• Healthy Pumpkin Pie Smoothie
• Green Protein Smoothie

All recipes by Erin Morrissey and Photos by Sierra Inn