Banana & Vanilla Chai Latte Smoothie with Dates

Name: Banana & Vanilla Chai Latte Smoothie with Dates
Prep time: 5 min
Total time: 5 min
Ingredients: 2 frozen bananas; ½ cup rolled oats; 2 tbsp almond butter; 1 ¾ cup vegan plain milk (or more if needed, unsweetened); 2-3 medjool dates; 1 tsp vanilla extract; 1 tsp ground cinnamon; ¾ tsp ground cardamom; ¼ tsp ground ginger; ⅛ tsp ground nutmeg; ⅛ tsp ground cloves

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This Chai smoothie is a dreamy rich combo of spiced flavor with sweet bananas. It features all the spices you love from a Chai latte, but also with a hint of vanilla and is naturally sweetened with dates. It makes for a wholesome breakfast or snack or even light dessert!

Angle view on a vegan chai smoothie topped with sliced bananas and sprinkled with more chai spices. There are more fruits and spices in a small bowl in the background.

Who loves to start their day with a filling healthy smoothie? I do too!

I have a breakfast smoothie regularly, but I realize I often make them on cruise control and end up with a simple green or frozen berry version. These are so simple and done without much effort, but also often can lack that 'oomph' to make them exciting or unique.

So here comes this fun and tasty chai superfood smoothie! Yes, superfood: it is filled with fruits, rolled oats, almond butter, and naturally sweetened with dates. BUT, also jam-packed with a punch of wholesome chai spices flavor and SO. EXTRA. CREAMY. It tastes like dessert!

When I serve it with coconut whipped cream, it actually resemble the Starbucks chai creme frappuccino. A healthful, no weird ingredients (and much cheaper too) homemade spiced frappuccino. The frozen bananas makes the consistency dreamy and you won't believe it is all made dairy-free and without refined sugar (and naturally gluten-free too!).

So next time you crave warming spices, give this recipe a try 🙂

Close up on the top portion of a glass of chai smoothie that's garnished with sliced bananas and more spices.

Ingredients you'll need

Bananas: they help reach a super creamy smoothie, almost like adding ice cream. Naturally sweetens the smoothie.
Rolled oats: to get a thicker consistency and to also make it more filling.
Almond butter: naturally higher in healthy fats, it helps whip the drink and bring all the flavors together.
Medjool dates: to make the smoothie sweeter using wholesome ingredients.
Non-dairy milk: almond, hemp or soy milk all work well.
Vanilla extract: a few drops bring deeper flavors and help the spices really shine.
Spices: cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, nutmeg and cloves.

Showing are the ingredients needed to make this recipe.

How to make it

Freeze

You will need frozen bananas to make this smoothie. So, try to plan ahead and freeze the banana a day before you want to make it.

Blend

To a blender, add all the ingredients and blend until smooth (liquid at the bottom). Depending of if you have a high speed blender or not, you might need a few breaks to stir in the blender and be sure all the pieces were crushed.

Watch how to make it

How to freeze the bananas

Having a few bananas always frozen and ready to go at any time will allow you to make deliciously thick and creamy smoothies without much planning.

First, wait for the bananas to be fully ripened with a few black speckles. They are sweeter and softer and will give you the best results.

Then, peel the bananas before transferring them to a freezer safe container (or large plastic bag). I usually keep them whole, but you could also slice them first. They tend to stick to each other while freezing, so consider freezing them first on a plate that was covered with parchment paper before transferring to the container for longer storage. They can be kept in the freezer for up to 3 months.

On top on using for smoothies, you can also make banana ice cream or thaw them to use in baking.

Overhead view on a mason glass filled with a homemade vegan vanilla chai latte smoothie topped with sliced bananas. There is a sliced banana on the side as well.

Tips

Adding rolled oats not only makes the texture thicker and more satisfying, but also adds nutrition and makes it more filling. But, rolled oats can also make your smoothie grittier, especially if you don't have a high-speed blender. To ensure the smoothie is extra smooth, consider soaking the oats in the milk for 15-20 minutes before adding to your blender.
Frozen bananas can be stubborn when blending, so use a spatula to check if there are some pieces of fruits left behind before pouring into your glass.
Blending your frozen bananas smoothie for too long can result in a warmer drink. If this happens, simply add a few ice cubes and blend again to chill your shake.
When making a frozen banana fruit smoothie, add the liquid first. This will help the blending.
Slice the frozen bananas before adding to the blender for easier blending.
If you don't have a high-speed blender. I recommend to first soak the dates in boiling water for 10 minutes, then drain.

Showing is a tall glass of a vanilla chai latte smoothie. There is a sliced banana on the side as well as more chai spices in the background.

Variation

Boost it with more protein: add hemps seeds, vanilla protein powder (then, skip the vanilla extract) or nuts.
For a nut-free option: Swap the almond butter for pumpkin seed butter and make sure to use a nut-free non dairy milk (like oat milk).
Make it green: add a handful of fresh spinach or kale, you won't notice it!
Change up the spices: if you don't have all the spices listed, don't worry! Use the ones you have and taste along the way to adjust flavors. Also, try adding a dash of ground black pepper or cayenne pepper to add a little kick to your drink.

Also, you can prepare a batch of Chai spices mixed ahead and store for multiple usages. Simple make the spice mix x4-5 and store in your pantry. Then, you can use about 1 ½-2 teaspoons when making a your chai smoothie. Also, use some when making oatmeals, lattes or in baking.

Storage

Leftover smoothies simply don't store well and is best when enjoyed right away. Consider making half the recipe if you want a smaller drink.

If you did end up with extra, then pour in a ice cube tray and freeze. Then, transfer the frozen cubes to a storing container. Add some frozen cubes to smoothies or oatmeals!

Overhead view on a mason glass filled with a homemade vegan vanilla chai latte smoothie topped with sliced bananas.

FAQ's

Can I include chai tea in my smoothie?

Yes! I usually avoid tea since I serve it to my kids, but if you have some bags of chai tea, then add some. Simply tear the bag and empty the herbs right into the blender. Once blended, taste to see if you want to add more spices.

Can I make it with regular bananas?

You can, but the result won't be as creamy and rich. If you do use unfrozen bananas, then add a handful of ice cubes to chill your drink.

Can I make chai ice cream?

You can turn this smoothie into a spiced banana ice cream! To make it, them omit the milk and swap the dates for a splash of maple syrup, then blend. Best result if using a Vitamix that allows you to use the tamper. Can also use a food processor to make banana ice cream.

Other spiced recipes you might like

I hope you will love this chai latte smoothie as much as we do! If you try it, please leave a comment below and rate the recipe to let us know how it was.

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