St. Nick’s Naughty & Nice Mint Chocolate Smoothie

Every time I’m pregnant, I CRAVE smoothies. Okay, and french fries… oh and just about anything SPICY. Hot sauce in a smoothie next? Only kidding!

This smoothie was just another one of my cravings that hit after making these incredible mint chocolate cookies, which reminded me of a cross between a mint oreo and a peppermint patty. I thought, why not make a delicious nourishing chocolate mint smoothie that’s healthy enough to enjoy for breakfast?

Let’s do this thang!

What makes this mint chocolate smoothie magical?

Let me tell you all about this creamy, thick, healthy chocolate peppermint smoothie recipe. It’s pretty much a winter party — St. Nick said so himself.

• It’s naturally sweetened (without banana). I personally love bananas in my smoothies, but I know that some people aren’t big fans. This smoothie is sweetened with dates! If you’re a fan of date sweetened smoothies, check out my tahini date smoothie and my chocolate zucchini smoothie!
• It’s vegan. There’s no dairy in this recipe, keeping it vegan.
• It’s perfect for customizing. You’ll see my notes about all of the amazing add-ins you can try. You really can’t go wrong!
• The flavor is out-of-this-world. If you love thin mints or shamrock shakes, you’re going to absolutely love this mint chocolate smoothie.
• You can add booze (if you want!) This chocolate mint smoothie actually makes an amazing, healthier adult beverage! See below for delicious options.

Ingredients you’ll need

The base of these mint chocolate smoothie recipe is super simple and even has a sneaky veggie. Here’s what you’ll need to make it, plus some delicious mix-ins depending on what you’re feeling:

• Medjool dates: the whole smoothie is sweetened with a few dates. That’s it! Be sure to use pitted dates or remove the pit before adding the dates to your smoothie.
• Cauliflower: that’s right, we’re adding frozen cauliflower right into the smoothie. You won’t taste it at all and it keeps the smoothie super thick without watering it down like ice can.
• Cacao powder: the chocolate part of this mint chocolate smoothie comes from delicious, rich cacao powder. Did you know that 1 serving of cacao powder has a good amount of iron and manganese? I prefer cacao over cocoa for its nutritional benefits.
• Tahini: we’re adding healthy fat and creaminess from tahini. Feel free to also use their chocolate tahini – yum!
• Extracts: you’ll want to add a bit of vanilla extract and a tiny bit of peppermint extract to give the smoothie that minty flavor.
• Sea salt: trust me on this, a pinch of sea salt really brings all of the flavors together.
• Optional mix-ins: I love adding protein powder, flaxseed meal, spinach and/or rolled oats to boost the nutrients in the smoothie. Up to you! You can also add espresso powder for a minty mocha flavor or make this a peppermint mocha smoothie — see my notes in the recipe!
• Naughty & nice: you’re probably wondering where the “naughty” is coming from…feel free to make this a yummy, boozy shake by adding 1 shot of Bailey’s cream, Peppermint Schnapp’s or Kahlua!

Easy ingredient swaps

Not only is this mint chocolate smoothie perfect for adding your fav mix-ins, it’s also easy to swap in ingredients that you have on hand.

• Instead of cacao powder, feel free to use unsweetened cocoa powder.
• If you don’t have tahini, you can also use almond or cashew butter (or chocolate almond butter!)
• Yes, you can use ice instead of frozen cauliflower, but blend it carefully as ice can be hard to completely blend up and the smoothie likely won’t be as smooth.

How to make it a peppermint mocha smoothie

Turn this mint chocolate smoothie recipe into a peppermint mocha smoothie: Instead of 1 cup almond milk, add ½ cup cold coffee + ½ cup almond milk or coconut milk. Or, you can simply add a package of instant coffee granules or 1 teaspoon of espresso powder.

How to soften dates for smoothies

Be sure you soften those dates before blending them. You’ll simply soak your pitted dates in 1 cup of warm water for at least 5 minutes. This will help them soften up and make sure that you can easily blend them.

Pro smoothie-making tips

1. Using frozen cauliflower as it helps keep the smoothie cold and thick. Sometimes ice doesn’t blend as well (or can make your smoothie watery), so it’s best not to skip unless absolutely necessary.
2. Don’t be afraid to add more liquid if your smoothie is too thick or won’t fully blend. High powered blenders tend to blend frozen ingredients much better, so if you have a regular or personal size blender, you may need to add more milk.
3. Start the blender on low speed, then gradually increase the speed to high to help blend all ingredients. End with the blender on low speed.

Meal prep this mint chocolate smoothie

Yes, you can make this easy mint chocolate smoothie ahead of time to enjoy later! I have three amazing methods for prepping and storing smoothies right in your freezer. You’ll learn the ice cube tray method, the mason jar method and the freezer pack method. Get all of my tips and tricks here!

More smoothie recipes you’ll love

Snickerdoodle Tahini Date Smoothie

Get Your Greens in Smoothie (the best green smoothie!)

Pumpkin Pie Smoothie

Good Morning Coffee Lover’s Smoothie

Cinnamon Sweet Potato Pie Smoothie

Peanut Butter & Jelly Smoothie

I hope you St. Nick’s Naughty & Nice Chocolate Peppermint Smoothie! If you make it be sure to leave a comment and a rating so I know how you liked it. Enjoy, xo!

Recipe by: Monique Volz // Ambitious Kitchen | Photography by: Eat Love Eats