Coconut Smoothie

Jump to Recipe Jump to Video Print Recipe

This coconut smoothie is healthy, easy, and oh SO good! All you need are a few simple ingredients to create a decadent and creamy texture.

Coconut smoothie in glass mug, with blue striped straw and topped with chocolate shavings and almonds.

This coconut smoothie is so easy to make and absolutely bursts with coconut flavor. It’s light and creamy, and totally decadent. Yet it’s sweetened with banana, so no added sugar! When your sweet tooth comes calling, this is your guilt-free treat!

I top my smoothie with dark chocolate chips and chopped raw almonds. It tastes like an almond joy candy bar! You can get creative and add your favorite toppings to customize this coconut smoothie to your taste.

Jump to:

💗 Why You’ll Love This Recipe
🥥 Coconut Milk Smoothie Ingredients
📋 Instructions
❓ Recipe FAQS
📖 More Coconut Smoothie Ideas
👩‍🍳 Serving Suggestions
💭 Expert Tips
😋 More Cold Vegan Desserts!
Recipe

💗 Why You’ll Love This Recipe

An easy and quick treat or healthy snack
Cool, creamy, and delicious
Naturally sweetened with banana
Add your favorite flavorings and toppings

🥥 Coconut Milk Smoothie Ingredients

Frozen banana slices, almonds, chocolate chips, coconut milk, coconut shreds.

Coconut Milk: You can’t have a coconut milkshake without coconut milk! I used an unsweetened coconut beverage, not the coconut milk in the can. However, you can use either. The coconut milk in the can is higher in fat and calories, but also a bit creamier. So, it’s up to you.

Frozen Banana: Adding a frozen banana gives this milkshake an icy cool and creamy texture, while also adding natural sweetness. There’s no need to add additional sweetener in the form of table sugar, maple syrup, or ice cream. Even though the banana is added, this doesn’t taste like a banana shake!

Unsweetened Desiccated Coconut: To give this coconut shake an extra boost of coconut flavor, I add unsweetened desiccated coconut flakes. They add a subtle texture and really give this shake more coconut flavor.

Dark Chocolate and Almonds (optional): This is totally optional, but I just love the flavors of an almond joy candy bar, so I top my shake with a teaspoon of chopped dark chocolate, and chopped raw almonds. I prefer 80% dark chocolate. It has less sugar, but still all that awesome chocolate flavor.

Strawberries, Cocoa Powder, Vanilla Extract (optional): If making one of the variations you’ll need strawberries for a strawberry coconut milkshake, cocoa powder for a chocolate coconut milkshake, and vanilla extract for a vanilla milkshake.

📋 Instructions

When making a smoothie the only thing you really need to think about is the order in which you put your ingredients into your blender.

Step 1: Start by adding coconut milk. Then add the coconut flakes. Last, add the frozen banana.

Banana, coconut milk, and coconut in blender.

Step 2: Blend until smooth and creamy. If adding ice, add it at this time, and blend for a few seconds until combined. Don’t over-blend which can cause a watery texture.

Step 3: Pour into a glass of your choice, and top with chopped dark chocolate and chopped almonds.

Coconut smoothie overhead topped with chocolate and almonds.

❓ Recipe FAQS

How do you thicken this coconut smoothie?

This milkshake is thickened with frozen bananas. Frozen banana adds sweetness and natural creaminess to the shake. If you want a thicker texture, you can add a few ice cubes, vanilla ice cream, or yogurt (dairy-free or regular).

Why use coconut milk?

Coconut milk is ultra creamy and makes a delicious substitute when making dairy-free ice cream. Using coconut milk in a coconut milkshake adds a luscious creamy texture! There are many different types of coconut milk to choose from.

What type of coconut milk should I use?

You can opt for full-fat coconut milk in the can. This often separates in the can, so you’ll need to whisk it together or warm and whisk to combine, then allow it to cool before adding it to your blender.

Another option is to go with light coconut milk in a can. This has fewer calories and fat. It doesn’t have a tendency to separate in the can as much as the full-fat one. However, I do recommend whisking it in a bowl or shaking really well in the can before opening it and adding it to your blender.

The final option is a coconut beverage. This version you’ll find this in the shelf-stable milk section of your grocery store, or with refrigerated dairy-free milk. This milk has the fewest calories and fat and is meant to be used as a beverage rather than in cooking like the previous two. Make sure to buy unsweetened coconut milk, and avoid vanilla flavoring.

📖 More Coconut Smoothie Ideas

This recipe is easily adaptable to make a variety of milkshake flavors.

Strawberry: Turn this recipe into a strawberry smoothie by adding a ½ cup of frozen strawberries.

Chocolate: Make this into a chocolate smoothie by adding 2 tablespoons of cocoa powder.

Vanilla: This recipe can easily become a vanilla coconut smoothie by adding 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract!

Tropical: Add ¼ a cup of frozen mango, and ¼ cup of frozen pineapple chunks for a tropical flavor.

👩‍🍳 Serving Suggestions

Make sure to serve your milkshakes right away. This is not the type of dessert you want to make in advance, and store it in the refrigerator until you’re ready to enjoy it!

The frozen banana and ice will melt creating more of a drink than a creamy shake.

Coconut Strawberry Smoothie-Serve with a fresh strawberry wedge on top.

Coconut Chocolate Smoothie-Serve topped with a sprinkle of dark chocolate shavings.

Coconut Vanilla Smoothie-Serve topped with coconut whipped cream and a fresh cherry!

I hope you enjoy these variations!! They’re perfect for a light dessert without added refined sugar on a hot summer day!

💭 Expert Tips

Make it creamier by adding a cup of ice.
Use coconut milk, not coconut water.
If you don’t have coconut milk, you can use almond milk with the coconut flakes, but it won’t have a rich coconut flavor.
Add a scoop of vegan protein powder.
Use a high-speed blender such as a Vitamix to ensure that all the ingredients are evenly blended.
If you have extra coconut milk left over, consider making coconut pudding, or freezing the coconut milk to use later!
As written this recipe is a healthy plant-based dessert. However, you can add ½ a cup of regular ice cream, or Greek yogurt to thicken the shake. If you want to keep the recipe plant-based, and low in sugar, use ½ a cup of ice cubes to thicken the shake.

Top of almond joy coconut smoothie in glass mug topped with chocolate and almonds.

😋 More Cold Vegan Desserts!

If you made this recipe, please comment below and leave a ⭐️ rating. You can also follow me on Instagram , Pinterest, and Facebook for more family-friendly vegan recipes!

Coconut Smoothie Recipe