Banana Cacao Smoothie
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Last updated on Jul 01, 2025
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This banana cacao smoothie is thick, creamy, and packed with chocolate flavor from raw cacao and almond butter. It tastes like dessert in a glass, but is made with nourishing ingredients and no added sugar.
I’ve always loved a good chocolate smoothie, but once I started learning more about cacao, I realized it’s so much more than a sweet treat. It’s loaded with antioxidants, magnesium, and mood-boosting compounds that actually support your body while satisfying your chocolate cravings. This banana cacao smoothie is my go-to when I want something that feels indulgent but is secretly full of feel-good benefits. It’s creamy, chocolatey, energizing, and has just the right amount of crunch from the cacao nibs.
Why You Gotta Try This One
Sometimes I go through smoothie ruts, but this one snapped me right out of it. It’s different enough to feel exciting—thanks to the cacao nibs—but still has that cozy banana-chocolate vibe I always love. I’ve been reaching for it on busy mornings when I need something quick but satisfying. It hits the spot every time.
Ingredients Needed
- raw cacao powder – this superfood that adds a rich chocolate flavor and is also packed with powerful nutrients. I really like Navitas organic cacao powder.
- cacao nibs – cacao nibs are small pieces of crushed cacao beans that have a bitter, chocolatey flavor. They give this smoothie a crunchy texture and add more chocolate flavor. I like the Navitas unsweetened cacao nibs.
- milk – I recommend using unsweetened almond milk but whatever milk you have on-hand will work.
- banana – I highly recommend using a frozen banana for texture! If you’re not a fan of bananas and want to use something else instead, I have some tips for you below.
- blueberries – for antioxidants and added flavor. You can use frozen or fresh. Frozen blueberries will help make the smoothie thicker and creamier.
- almond butter – look for natural almond butter that doesn’t have any added ingredients. The ingredient list should just read almonds and salt! Feel free to sub this with another nut or seed butter like peanut butter, sunflower seed butter or tahini.
Variations
I love the recipe I have created and shared below, but if you want to switch it up here are some ideas:
- Add flavor enhancers: Want more sweet flavor? Add a pinch of cinnamon or vanilla extract!
- Add protein: Want to add some protein to this smoothie? Add a scoop of your favorite protein powder or some Greek yogurt.
- Almond butter: Feel free to use your favorite nut or seed butter in place of the almond butter. If you don’t have nut butter on hand you could also add whole seeds or nuts like almonds or chia seeds.
How to Make The Best Banana Cacao Smoothie
This cacao smoothie couldn’t be easier to whip up. Just toss everything into a blender and you’ll be sipping in no time. Here’s how:
Step 1: Add all your ingredients to a high-speed blender and blend until smooth and creamy.
Step 2: Pour into a glass, top with extra cacao nibs if you’d like, and enjoy!
Pro Tip!
The banana does add sweetness to this recipe, so if you’re not replacing it with another frozen fruit you might want to add a touch of sweetness in the form of medjool dates, maple syrup, honey, or stevia.
If you enjoyed this recipe, please consider leaving a ⭐ star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below.
Cacao Smoothie
Ingredients
- ¾ cup unsweetened almond milk, or oat milk
- 1 frozen banana
- ¾ cup frozen blueberries
- 1 Tablespoon almond butter, or other nut butter
- 1 Tablespoon cacao powder
- 1 Tablespoon cacao nibs
- 3 cubes of ice
Instructions
- Place all ingredients into a high-powdered blender and blend until smooth.
- Taste and adjust ice or liquid amounts if needed. Pour into a glass and top with additional cacao nibs, if desired and enjoy!
Notes
- No banana? You can still make this smoothie without banana. Ice is the best swap for texture, but you can also use frozen cauliflower rice, zucchini, milk ice cubes, or even avocado. Just note that you’ll likely need to add extra sweetener like a date or a splash of maple syrup to balance the flavor.
- Storage: This smoothie is best enjoyed right away, but if you need to save it, store in an airtight glass container in the fridge and drink within 24 hours. Give it a good shake or re-blend before serving.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Equipment
Cocoa vs Cacao
Although both cocoa and cacao come from the same Theobroma cacao tree, the big difference is the processing. Cacao is often used to describe the pods, beans or nibs made from the cacao bean. Once the beans are roasted the name changes to cocoa.
When it comes to cocoa powder and cacao powder, both are made the same way but cacao powder is made from raw cacao beans that are processed at a low temperature and milled into a powder where as cocoa powder is made from roasted cacao beans that are processed at a high temperature and milled into a powder. Cocoa powder is often alkalized during processing (also known as Dutch-processed) to reduce bitterness and acidity.
Long story short, cacao = raw and cocoa = roasted. And during the roasting process cacao beans lose some of their nutrition, which simply means that cacao products (including cacao powder and nibs) contain higher levels of minerals and antioxidants.
It’s also important to note that cacao power also has a stronger flavor and will likely taste more bitter than cocoa powder.
More Recipes with Cacao
- No-Bake Almond Cookies
- Protein Brownies
- Healthy Hot Chocolate
- Brownie Energy Balls
- Chocolate Avocado Truffles
More Healthy Smoothies
- Butterfinger Smoothie
- Blueberry Smoothie
- Chocolate Strawberry Smoothie
- Mango Smoothie
- How To Make Protein Shakes (6 Flavors)
Be sure to check out all of the smoothie recipes on EBF!
LOVE this recipe!!! Very decadent and nice thick texture. My kids love it too!
Ah yay! I am SO glad you and the kids are loving this recipe and it turns out delicious for you, Katherine. Thank you for coming back and sharing your review & star rating, it means so much to me!
this is WONDERFUL! I drank it straight from the blender rather than a cup. I couldn’t wait 😀
Thank you so much!
Ah yay! I’m so glad you’re loving this smoothie and it turned out great for you, Cynthia. Thanks so much for your review + star rating, it means a lot to me!
Looking delicious
If I want to add protein (thinking of making this more of a meal smoothie for breakfast), how much Greek yogurt would you recommend adding? I am going to use plant-based Kite Hill Greek-style yogurt.
Hi Liza! I’d start with 1/4 cup, give it a taste and add more if desired. 1/4 cup will add about 4 grams of protein!