This gingerbread smoothie recipe is a perfect holiday treat that’s still healthy enough for breakfast! Enjoy the flavors of Christmas with this sugar-free smoothie, plus options for a big protein boost.
What’s your favorite part of the holiday season? Mine is the food! Especially the sweets like gingerbread!
I would love to indulge my sweet tooth in Candy Cane Cookies and Pumpkin Cookies all day, every day. However, I would also like my pants to keep fitting by spring!
Fortunately, I’ve devised a healthy gingerbread smoothie that allows me to enjoy the gingerbread flavor AND fuel my body!
WHY MAKE A GINGERBREAD SMOOTHIE
I’m a huge fan of smoothies. I love that there’s a flavor for whatever mood you’re in (Green Maca Smoothies, Cheesecake Blueberry Smoothies, and Pumpkin Smoothies are a few favorites).
I especially love that these gingerbread smoothies are:
- Easy to prep ahead. I typically keep smoothie packets prepped in the freezer for busy mornings. For these gingerbread smoothies, I can have the greens, banana, and beans ready to go.
- A great source of nutrients. Adding greens to smoothies is a GREAT way to help adults and kids get the nutrients they need from leafy greens and fruit.
- Delicious! If your kids aren’t quite sure about a green smoothie, tell them it’s a gingerbread shake! They won’t even notice it’s free from refined sugar. A milkshake for breakfast sounds like a treat to me.
- Customizable. If you want a high-protein gingerbread smoothie, keep reading for ideas to boost the protein in this yummy holiday shake.
GINGER SMOOTHIE RECIPE INGREDIENTS
To make a smoothie that tastes like gingerbread, you need to use warm spices found in your typical gingerbread cookies. Pair that with a Basic Green Smoothie and you’ve got a Christmas smoothie that everyone will love!
- Liquid Base. You can use any type of milk for your base. I’ve tested with whole milk, almond milk, coconut milk, and milk kefir. Choose kefir if you’re going for high protein!
- Greens. Spinach is my favorite hearty green. But you can also use kale, collard greens, turnip greens, or mustard greens.
- Frozen Banana. This is your creamy factor. The riper the banana, the sweeter your smoothie! I like to freeze my bananas to make my smoothies super thick and creamy!
- White Beans. Don’t scrunch your nose up just yet. Adding cooked white beans increases your protein! They don’t throw off the flavor as you might think. If this really freaks you out, substitute ½ cup of plain Greek yogurt instead.
- Blackstrap Molasses. Have you ever tasted molasses plain? It’s really not that good by itself, YET it adds tons of flavor to make the gingerbread flavor stand out. You can also use unsulphured molasses for a slightly sweeter and less bitter flavor.
- Vanilla Extract. Same as molasses, not so good by itself, but it’s a holiday baking staple. (Here’s how you can make your own and never run out!)
- Spices. This is where the gingerbread flavor really comes out. You need ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. You COULD use fresh ginger, but powdered ginger works just fine.
Note: If you NEED to make this ginger smoothie recipe a little sweeter, you can add a splash of maple syrup. Maple pairs well with the flavors and is a less refined sweetener than sugar.
HOW TO MAKE A GINGERBREAD SMOOTHIE
Making a smoothie is pretty simple. Toss the ingredients in a high powered blender and blend until smooth. But here are a few tips to make the best gingerbread smoothie:
Step 1. Follow the ingredients in order. The order of your ingredients can play into how well your smoothie blends. Always start with liquids, then greens, then the creamy factor, and finally other ingredients.
Step. 2. Use a high-powered blender. I got my Blendtec as a birthday present years ago (read the story and my review here). And it’s still going strong!
If you don’t have a high-powered blender, that’s okay! Use what you have. Or use this method to make a smoothie without a blender.
Step 3. Scrape the sides and blend again. Every now and then, a couple of bits of spinach or a bean gets stuck on the top of my blender jar (even in my Blendtec!). If this happens, I scrape the sides with a spatula and give it a quick pulse to get it all mixed in.
This gingerbread smoothie is yummy as is, but if you want to make it extra fancy, you can top it with Homemade Whipped Cream and a sprinkle of cinnamon. And if you add a Gingersnap Cookie or two on the side, I fully support that.
HOW TO BOOST THE PROTEIN IN VEGAN SMOOTHIES
Contrary to popular belief, you CAN get enough protein through food sources. You don’t have to add protein powders to smoothies to make them high in protein, although that is definitely a convenient option.
Kefir, Greek yogurt, and collagen are great choices for boosting protein in smoothies.
For vegan smoothies, beans are my favorite protein booster. You can’t even taste them!
You can find more ideas for adding protein to smoothies here. You can even add in superfoods like egg yolks, chia seeds, and even liver!
A few years ago, I dove in headfirst to find the best foods that boost protein in smoothies. What I found is compiled in my eBook, High Protein No Powder. I share why you should avoid commercially processed powders, what you can use instead, and over 25 specific recipes to make your own high protein smoothies!
GINGERBREAD SHAKE FAQS
How do you make a gingerbread smoothie bowl?
Blend up your gingerbread smoothie, but instead of pouring it into a glass, put it in a bowl. Top with Cinnamon Granola, walnuts, pecans, or pumpkin seeds. Perfect for a snack or dessert!
Do you taste the banana in the ginger smoothie recipe?
Not really. The molasses and spices in the vegan smoothie give it the warm, cozy flavor of gingerbread, and the banana mostly makes it creamy, especially if you freeze it first.
MORE HEALTHY SMOOTHIE RECIPES
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Gingerbread Smoothie
This gingerbread smoothie recipe is a perfect holiday treat that’s still healthy enough for breakfast! Enjoy the flavors of Christmas with this sugar-free smoothie, plus options for a big protein boost.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Yield: 1 smoothie 1x
- Category: Beverage
- Method: Blend
- Cuisine: American
Instructions
- Combine ingredients in the order listed in a blender and blend. Blend a second time if needed for a creamy consistency.
Notes
Note: If you NEED to make this smoothie a little sweeter, you can add maple syrup. Maple pairs well with the flavors and is a less refined sweetener than sugar.
No white beans? No problem! Just sub out a ½ cup of plain Greek yogurt.
