Stay warm this winter with this creamy hot chocolate breakfast smoothie! Made with wholesome ingredients and loaded with fiber and plant based protein, this vegan smoothie makes a healthy and comforting breakfast or snack.
I came across an article the other day that made my chocolate-loving heart feel all warm and fuzzy inside.
It basically said that eating chocolate for breakfast is awesome isn’t a horrible idea, stating that it can actually help prevent junk food binges later in the day since you’re satisfying your sweet tooth straightaway instead of spending the whole day thinking about it and letting the cravings build up to the point where you want to eat all the sweets in sight.
Makes sense, right?
I know this isn’t necessarily the case for everyone, but I personally have to start my day on a sweet note or I’ll be in the kitchen looking for dessert about 15 minutes after finishing breakfast. And it doesn’t matter how much fibre, protein, or healthy fat I eat — the sweet tooth will still demand satisfaction.
Needless to say, I’m a big fan of sneaking chocolate into breakfast… and definitely no stranger to it. Whether it’s in the form of chocolate oats, chocolate smoothies, or chocolate muffins, a little bit of cocoa in the morning can go a long way towards keeping the cravings at bay. Especially when it’s done right.
And this, my friendly faces, is morning chocolate done very right.
It’s no secret that I’m a complete sucker for thick chocolate smoothies, and that I’ll happily enjoy them all year long… even if it means having to sip them while bundled up by the fireplace in the dead of winter.
But because I know not everyone is as crazy as I am, I came up with a comforting chocolate smoothie that’s perfect for the cooler weather that we’re heading into. I call it — the hot chocolate breakfast smoothie. And yes, it does indeed involve both a blender and a stove… but I promise you that the extra step is so very worth it. Not only does it mean you get to enjoy a warm and cozy smoothie, but the heat helps thicken up the oats and make the finished product super creamy…
I’ve been enjoying this for breakfast every day for almost a week now because I wanted to test out different ingredient ratios and preparation methods to see which one worked the best, and the recipe below is definitely my favourite out of the bunch. It doesn’t involve any extended soaking for the oats (unnecessary), or pouring hot liquids into blenders (potentially dangerous), and yields one of the creamiest and chocolatiest smoothies I’ve ever had the pleasure of drinking.
It legit tastes like a cup of creamy hot chocolate, but it’s made with wholesome ingredients that you’d normally enjoy for breakfast, like oats (I promise you can’t taste/feel them), nut butter, maple syrup, and almond milk… with some cocoa powder tossed in for good measure. You know… to keep those mid-day cravings at bay 😉
I’d love to know if you make this recipe! Leave a comment and rating down below to let me know what you think, and subscribe to our mailing list to receive new recipes in your inbox!
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Hot Chocolate Breakfast Smoothie
- Total Time: 10 mins
- Yield: 1 serving 1x
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cup (300 ml) unsweetened vanilla almond milk
- 1 Tbsp (16 g) nut butter OR dairy-free chocolate chips*
- 1 Tbsp (15 ml) maple syrup**
- 1/2 cup (40 g) rolled oats
- 2 Tbsp (10 g) unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- The night before, add all ingredients (except chocolate chips, if using) to the bowl of your blender and give it a stir to ensure that everything is well combined. Cover and place in fridge for at least 3 hours, preferably overnight. This step isn’t absolutely necessary, but allowing the oats to soak for a few hours will make them easier to blend and give you a smoother, creamier smoothie.***
- When ready to eat, blend on high until oats are fully broken down and a smooth and creamy consistency is reached.
- Transfer the smoothie to a small saucepan set over medium heat (adding chocolate chips, if using) and bring to a simmer or boil, depending on how hot you want it. If the smoothie is too thick, add an extra splash of almond milk until desired consistency is reached.
- When your smoothie reaches your preferred temperature, transfer it to a heat-safe glass, garnish with toppings of choice, and enjoy!
Notes
* I used almond butter because it has a sweet and mild taste, but feel free to use whichever nut/seed butter you prefer. Or replace it with a spoonful of chocolate chips to amp up the chocolate goodness. ** You can sub this with whichever liquid sweetener you have on hand. *** if you have no time to let your oats soak, you can simply skip to step 2 and 3, but then transfer your warm smoothie back to your blender and blend until it becomes creamy.
- Prep Time: 5 mins
- Cook Time: 5 mins
Looking for more healthy chocolate-for-breakfast recipes? Try one of these!
Brownie Batter Breakfast Bake
Chocolate Overnight Oatmeal Smoothie
Double Chocolate Greek Yogurt Muffins
Chocolate Chunky Monkey Breakfast Bake
Chocolate Banana Oatmeal Smoothie Bowl
Can i use water instead of milk as i have diary allergy.
Best ever breakfast ever! And my teenage sons thought it was awesome – can’t go wrong with chocolate to start the day!
Can i use something besides almond milk? I’m not a big fan of it but I’m also slightly lactose intolerant.
I can’t wait to try this amazing smoothie loaded with the goodness of cocoa. Perfect for any time of the day, especially in fall and winter months. I have some unsweetened chocolate almond milk and I think that’s gonna work for this recipe.
That would definitely be an awesome addition, Dev! The more chocolate, the better 😀
Oh no! I swear you’re trying to torture me as this looks fantastic and just what you need after a hard days work.
It’s cool that you have awesome reciepes, but maybe not be so greedy with the cash from your blog. You have SO MANY ADS on your page that I can’t even scroll it. I won’t be visiting your page again, this is incredibly annoying! Cut down on the ads and maybe people will actually be able to scroll your posts! I’m sure they’re awesome, but not worth the hassle. Sorry!
Hi this hot chocolate sounds good, I wonder if I can make it into a cold smoothie? Have you tried it / would it taste the same? I also really like that it could be vegan if you skip the milk chocolate chips.
You could definitely do it as a cold smoothie, Mayra! I actually have a similar one up on the blog if you wanted to check it out — http://www.runningwithspoons.com/2015/08/05/chocolate-overnight-oatmeal-smoothie/
Could this be made with regular milk? If so would I need to adjust the recipe any? Thanks!
It will definitely work with regular milk, Amy! No adjustments necessary.
What is the nutritional info for this recipe?
Sorry Nancy! I don’t calculate the nutritional info for my recipes, but you can use an online calculator like this one to figure it out — http://www.myfitnesspal.com/recipe/calculator
I made it this morning, and it was delicious. However, mine was more like hot chocolate breakfast pudding than a smoothie. To make a smoothie it needed more liquid. However, on a cold Midwestern morning, hot chocolate breakfast pudding was yummy and comforting. Thanks for the great recipe.