This Gingerbread Smoothie is perfect for Christmas mornings and so easy to make! The warming flavors of gingerbread make this a great smoothie for winter and it tastes like a dessert! Add protein to make it more filling or serve it as a snack for two people. It comes together in just a few minutes and it's so delicious!
Jump to:
Why You'll Love This Smoothie
The ultimate festive smoothie - If you're looking for a true Christmas smoothie, this is it! Nothing says Christmas like gingerbread and this smoothie is packed with those amazing warming spices we all know and love! I used my Homemade Christmas Spice Mix that's a little different than old school gingerbread spice but it shines in this smoothie and I highly recommend trying it!
Creamy and sweet - The smoothie is extra creamy and just the right amount of sweet. It's sweetened with raw honey instead of molasses but you can use either. My secret ingredient is a little bit of cacao powder which is what I always add to gingerbread cookies as well. It makes it a little chocolatey and tastes almost like a dessert!
Easy and simple - You only need a few simple ingredients and a few minutes to make this smoothie! It takes no effort at all, has minimal cleanup, and it's essentially failproof!
Versatile - Smoothies are easy to double and triple when needed and this one is no different! You can add more frozen bananas to make it thicker, Greek yogurt to make it creamier, or more protein to make it more filling. It's so easy to change things up to your liking and always delicious!
Ingredients
- Frozen bananas - This is what makes up most of the smoothie so I don't recommend skipping the bananas. You'll need frozen ones to make the smoothie extra creamy and to cool it down.
- Milk - I like using almond milk or cashew milk here but whole milk, oat milk, rice milk, boxed coconut milk, or any other milk you'd normally use in smoothies will work as well.
- Sweetener - The recipe calls for molasses or honey, or both. I added it because it's a staple in any classic American gingerbread cookie. That being said, we don't add it to our Czech Gingerbread Cookies so I most often just sweeten anything gingerbread flavored with honey! If you don't like molasses (like me), you can totally leave it out and use honey or maple syrup instead.
- Cacao powder - My childhood gingerbread cookies had cocoa powder in them so I had to add it to this smoothie as well. It goes really well with all the warming spices and makes the smoothie taste like a dessert!
- Gingerbread spice - You can either use my Christmas Spice Blend (my family has been adding it to gingerbread cookies for generations!) or you can use the classic Gingerbread Spice Mix.
- Protein powder - This one is optional but I like adding a little bit of extra protein powder to make the smoothie more filling. My favorite is unsweetened protein powder by Sprout Living but vanilla protein is also a great option.
- Vanilla extract - A little touch of vanilla rounds out all the flavors and brings out the sweetness. Vanilla paste, vanilla powder, or the seeds of a vanilla bean also work great. Keep in mind vanilla powder and seeds have a much stronger flavor so you'll need less of them.
Variations and Substitutions
- Yogurt - Add some Greek yogurt or a good thick vegan yogurt to make the smoothie even creamier and add a little tang and some extra protein!
- Coffee - If you need the extra caffeine in the morning, this is a great smoothie to add a shot of espresso to! It goes really well with the cocoa and all the warming spices.
- Dark brown sugar - If you don't have molasses and want to sweeten the smoothie with something other than just honey, add dark brown sugar.
Would you like to save this recipe?
We'll email this post to you, so you can come back to it later!
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Add milk, frozen bananas, protein powder, cacao powder, gingerbread spice, honey or molasses, vanilla extract, and a pinch of sea salt to a high-speed blender.
- Blend on high until smooth.
- Add more milk if it’s too thick or sweetener if desired.
- Serve the smoothie as it is or top it with whipped cream and a dusting of cacao or gingerbread spice.
Serving Suggestions
You can serve the smoothie either in a tall glass for one as breakfast or in two shorter glasses for two people as a snack.
Dessert smoothie - To turn it into more of a dessert than just a simple smoothie, top it with whipped cream and a dusting of cacao powder or gingerbread spice. If you're feeling extra fancy, add a little Chocolate Syrup drizzle on top as well!
Smoothie bowl - If you want to serve this as a smoothie bowl, add less milk initially and add more after blending the smoothie if needed. If you want to add toppings like granola, yogurt, nut butter berries, or any other fruit, you'll need the smoothie to be thicker so it can hold the toppings. You can also add an extra frozen banana to turn the smoothie into a gingerbread soft-serve ice cream!
Storing
This smoothie is best enjoyed right away but if you need to store it, keep it in an airtight jar in the fridge for up to 24 hours. Pick the best-fitting jar because the less air there is in the jar, the longer the smoothie will stay fresh and won't oxidize.
FAQs
Yes! Most recipes say you have to add molasses but I never use it in my gingerbread cookies so I hardly ever use it in anything else. Most of the flavor comes from honey and gingerbread spice so if you don't have molasses, sweeten the smoothie with honey. You can also use dark brown sugar instead if you really want some of that molasses flavor.
Yes, I recommend grating peeled ginger into your blender to help it blend properly. Start small and add more if needed, fresh ginger is strong!
Similar Smoothie Recipes
If you're craving more smoothies that taste more like a dessert than a smoothie (but they're still good for you) try any of the four below! They're perfect for fall and winter when you want something creamy and decadent with warming spices. To see all the latest ones, head over to Smoothies.
📖 Recipe
Gingerbread Smoothie
- Prep Time: 5 mins
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Yield: 1-2 1x
- Category: Smoothie
- Method: Blender
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegan
Description
This Gingerbread Smoothie is perfect for Christmas mornings and so easy to make! The warming flavors of gingerbread make this a great smoothie for winter and it tastes like a dessert!
Ingredients
- 1 cup milk (or more based on desired consistency, I used almond milk)
- ½ cup Greek yogurt (optional)
- 2-3 frozen bananas
- 1 scoop protein powder (optional)
- 1 tbsp cacao powder
- ½ tsp gingerbread spice (or Christmas spice)
- 1 tbsp honey or molasses (or both)
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- Small pinch of sea salt
Instructions
- Add milk, Greek yogurt (optional), frozen bananas, protein powder, cacao powder, gingerbread spice, honey or molasses, vanilla extract, and a pinch of sea salt to a high-speed blender.
- Blend on high until smooth. Add more milk if it’s too thick or sweetener if desired.
- Serve it as is or top it with whipped cream and a dusting of cacao or gingerbread spice.
Equipment
Notes
The nutritional info is counted with almond milk and without any protein powder because each branch will have a different amount of protein and other nutrients. Keep in mind the nutritional info is always only an estimate.
Storing: The smoothie is best enjoyed right away. If you need to, store it in an airtight jar in the fridge for up to 24 hours.
Would you like to save this recipe?
We'll email this post to you, so you can come back to it later!
Veronika Sykorova says
If you're craving something lighter and more refreshing during the holidays, you'll love this smoothie! You can add protein and make it into a meal or serve it as a snack.