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I make this chocolate peanut butter banana smoothie when I want something that tastes like a treat but comes together in about five minutes. It’s thick and frosty, like a chocolate peanut butter milkshake, with real banana sweetness and little flecks of chocolate in every sip.
This one started with my son. He came home from a sleepover talking about a chunky monkey smoothie he had at a friend’s house and asked if we could make it at home. Once I started testing it, I wanted it to taste like a treat but use ingredients I felt good about pouring for him. It turned into one of our go-to quick breakfasts and after-school snacks, especially when we have ripe bananas that need to be used up.
Most versions of this smoothie come out too thin and end up tasting more like chocolate milk with a little banana than an actual thick smoothie. The fix is the banana-to-liquid ratio and using frozen bananas, and that is what this recipe is built around. I also blend in chocolate chips instead of cocoa powder, so you get real melted chocolate flavor instead of a dusty chocolate taste.
If you like a banana smoothie that drinks like dessert, my Banana Bread Smoothie is another favorite, and my Cookie Dough Milkshake uses frozen banana for that same thick, frosty texture.
Family Favorite
What I Changed After Making This One Too Many Times
I went back in and dialed the banana-to-liquid ratio so it comes out thick and frosty every time instead of thin like chocolate milk. I also switched to blending real chocolate chips into the smoothie instead of cocoa powder, which gives it actual melted chocolate flavor and little chocolate flecks throughout.
What You’ll Need
- Frozen bananas: Use very ripe bananas and freeze them ahead. The riper they are, the sweeter the smoothie, so you don’t need to add any extra sweetener. Fresh bananas make it thin and a little icy, so frozen is the way to go for that thick, milkshake feel.
- Almond milk: This is the liquid that gets everything blending, and it controls how thick the smoothie turns out. I start with less than I think I need and add more only if I want it thinner.
- Peanut butter powder or peanut butter: I usually reach for peanut butter powder because it blends in smoothly and lets the banana and chocolate come through without making the smoothie heavy. When I want it thicker and more filling for my son, I use regular creamy peanut butter instead, which gives it an almost milkshake texture. Both work, powder is my everyday pick.
- Chocolate chips: I blend chocolate chips right into the smoothie instead of using cocoa powder. They melt into the banana and peanut butter for real chocolate flavor and leave little flecks of chocolate throughout. Keep the amount where the recipe has it so the chocolate doesn’t take over the banana and peanut butter.
How to Make a Chunky Monkey Smoothie
Step 1: Freeze the bananas Peel and slice very ripe bananas and freeze them until solid, at least a few hours or overnight. This is what gives you the thick, frosty texture without watering it down with ice.
Step 2: Add everything to the blender Put the almond milk, frozen bananas, peanut butter powder, and chocolate chips in the blender. Adding the milk first helps everything blend smoothly.
Step 3: Blend until smooth Blend until thick and creamy with no banana chunks left. If your blender is struggling or it’s thicker than you like, add a splash more almond milk and blend again.
Step 4: Pour and drink it fresh Pour into a glass and drink it right away while it’s cold and frosty. This smoothie is best the second it’s blended.
Easy Ways to Change It Up
- Make it thicker and more filling: Swap the peanut butter powder for regular creamy peanut butter. It gives the smoothie a richer, thicker, more milkshake-like texture and keeps you full longer.
- Add a little boost: A spoon of oats or a scoop of your favorite protein powder both blend in well as a starting point. Add a little extra almond milk if it gets too thick.
- Want deeper chocolate? You can add a small pinch of cocoa powder along with the chocolate chips, but go easy. I tested it with more cocoa and it started covering up the banana and peanut butter that make it taste like Chunky Monkey in the first place.
More Smoothie Recipes You May Enjoy
Chunky Monkey Smoothie
Ingredients
- 1 ¼ cups Almond Milk
- 2 Ripe Frozen Bananas
- 2 Tbsp Organic Peanut Butter Powder – or real peanut butter
- 1 Tbsp Chocolate Chips
Instructions
- Place all ingredients in a blender – blend until smooth!1 1/4 cups Almond Milk, 2 Ripe Frozen Bananas, 2 Tbsp Organic Peanut Butter Powder – or real peanut butter, 1 Tbsp Chocolate Chips
- Seriously …. that is all you need to do!
- Enjoy!
I made this smoothie before and couldn’t find the recipe. So, I found one that was similar and it Was not the same. SO, I went and hunted for your recipe and low behold I Found it. It was delicious and refreshing!!! 10/10
Aww this seriously made me smile so big!! The fact that you went hunting for it says everything – I love that!! There really is no substitute, right?! 😄
Super Easy 🤩
So glad you enjoyed it!
It was delicious. I used dairy free chocolate chips and chocolate almond milk. It came out delicious. I added a little bit of ice to get it more thick but all in all delicious!
This was delicious was looking for something other then my protein powder and this was great definitely more then one serving but still great!
Really good!!
Will make this again!
This was great Jennifer! But I didn’t have chocolate chips so I used 1 tablespoon of cocoa powder and it was delicious. At least what I got of it was since my 2 year old took it from me and drank it all.
YAY!! I am totally going to try that next time!!
Looking for hi calories foods for my son
looking for large calories food for my son