Chocolate Peanut Butter Oat Milk Smoothie

Name: Chocolate Peanut Butter Oat Milk Smoothie
Prep time: 5 min
Total time: 5 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 cup frozen fresh spinach leaves; 1/2 frozen banana; 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder; 1 tablespoon peanut butter; 1/2-1 cup Lifeway Foods oat milk

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This oat milk smoothie recipe is literally the easiest breakfast ever which makes it perfect for a busy weekday! It requires just 5 ingredients and takes about 5 minutes to throw together. This chocolate smoothie is ideal if you need something you can take on the go or just don't love breakfast foods (like me)!

Mason jar filled with a chocolate oat milk smoothie next to a bottle of oat milk.

This post was sponsored by Lifeway Foods. As always, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

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You Will Love This

This vegan peanut butter chocolate smoothie recipe is my absolute favorite weekday breakfast or afternoon snack! I keep everything on hand - making sure that my freezer is always stocked with frozen bananas and spinach - so it's super easy to throw together when I don't have much time to make breakfast. I also don't love a ton of breakfast foods so this is really nutritious option that I know is going to fill me up and fuel me through the day!
If you loved this easy smoothie recipe, be sure to check some other breakfast favorites like my Tater Tot Egg Bake, my 5 Minute Vegan Rawnola, or my Giant Homemade Pop Tart.

Ingredients and Substitutions

Spinach - For the best flavor and texture, you'll want to grab a bag or box of fresh spinach leaves from the grocery store and freeze them yourself. Frozen spinach leaves are super easy for your blender to puree and I love the way that they blend seamlessly into the smoothie. Don't use frozen boxes of spinach for this smoothie - like the ones you might use for spinach and artichoke dip - just grab a bag of fresh spinach and toss it in the freezer. It will stay good for up to 2 months (well past the expiration date on the package since its frozen).
Frozen Bananas - I always order a couple extra bananas in our grocery order so that I can slice a few up and freeze them in an airtight container. The frozen bananas will stay good in the freezer for up to 2 months. You can also buy frozen bananas in the freezer section at your grocery store, but it's much cheaper to just freeze your own. Ice cubes won't give you the same creamy texture or delicious flavor, so stick with the frozen banana. The smoothie won't taste overpoweringly like banana - I promise!
Unsweetened Cocoa Powder - Unsweetened cocoa powder might seem like an unusual ingredient for a smoothie, but it adds a delicious chocolate flavor without being too sweet and I absolutely love it! If you're not a huge fan of unsweetened cocoa powder, try Dutch processed cocoa powder instead - it's less acidic! If you want to add a bit more sweetness, try adding honey, agave nectar or maple syrup.
Peanut Butter - I prefer to use smooth and creamy peanut butter for this recipe as the chunky peanut butter will give you a chunkier texture. Either will work, it's just a matter of personal preference on the texture. If you're using unsalted natural peanut butter, be sure to add a pinch of Kosher salt to the smoothie. You could also use almond butter or your favorite nut butter in place of the peanut butter.
Lifeway Oat Milk - This is the secret ingredient! Any oat milk will work for this recipe, but my favorite is the Lifeway Foods brand! Their oat milk "helps to promote a balanced and diverse microbiome to support a healthy immune system". Anything that helps your gut is a win in my book so I love adding Lifeway oat milk to my smoothies! It's also gluten free and vegan. Chocolate oat milk, almond milk, soy milk, or cashew milk will work in its place as well.

White marble counter top with bowls of ingredients to make an oat milk smoothie

Instructions

Add ingredients to your blender in the order they are listed.

Overhead shot of smoothie ingredients in a blender

Blend until smoothie and creamy.

Overhead shot of a blender filled with a homemade smoothie

Serve and enjoy!

Close up shot of a chocolate smoothie garnished with peanut butter and cocoa powder

Tips

A high speed blender or high quality blender is helpful in getting all the ingredients well combined. This Ninja blender is my absolute favorite! I love that it has the individual smoothie blender containers so that I can just dirty one small container if I prefer, instead of the entire blender pitcher.
Add as much or as little oat milk as you want! More oat milk is going make your smoothie thinner. Less oat milk is going to make is thicker. Just make sure you add enough oat milk so that all the ingredients can blend easily.
Feel free to switch up the ingredients and customize this smoothie to suit your taste. I don't *love* bananas but they are necessary to get that thick, creamy texture, so I only use half a banana. If you're a banana lover and want a thicker smoothie, add more banana! If you want to up the protein, add another scoop of peanut butter. Use this recipe as a blueprint and make it your own!

Variations

Feel free to switch up the flavors and add your favorites to this smoothie. Some of my go-to's are:

protein powder
raspberries
pineapple
blueberries
frozen strawberries
vanilla extract
Greek yogurt
cinnamon
frozen kale

Overhead shot of a chocolate peanut butter smoothie next to a bottle of oat milk

FAQ

Is oat milk healthy for smoothies?

I prefer not to categorize foods as healthy or unhealthy, however oat milk is a great option for smoothies as it gives them a great texture and has a pretty mild flavor. It's also made with real, whole ingredients.

Are smoothies better with milk?

Yes! Smoothies made with milk - dairy free or regular - are always better than smoothies made with water. Oat milk (or dairy milk) helps give your smoothie an extra creamy texture and more flavor. Orange juice is also a great option if you're making a smoothie with mainly fruit.

Make-Ahead and Storage

Make-Ahead: This oat milk smoothie is best made fresh. I find that the texture and flavor is not quite as good if made in advance. The great part about this recipe is that it takes just minutes to throw together!
Storage: Store leftovers in the fridge for a couple days if needed. The smoothie may separate a bit as it sits, so be sure to give it a good shake before enjoying.

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