This chocolate avocado smoothie is amazingly healthy, quick and simple, and outrageously creamy. And you won’t even taste the avocado, it’s all chocolate and banana! Naturally gluten-free with paleo and vegan options.
I love avocado smoothies, and this smoothie is at the top of my list. Avocados make any smoothie super rich, thick and creamy. Chocolate and avocado together make an indulgent treat.
But no worries because this luscious smoothie is actually good for you!
Ingredients:
- Avocado
- Cocoa powder
- Banana
- Greek yogurt or coconut yogurt for paleo and vegan options
- Milk or non-dairy milk
- Vanilla
- Maple syrup or honey (for non-vegan)
By the way, if you need this smoothie to be gluten-free, check out Is Cocoa Powder Gluten-free? for more info on brands that are tested as and labeled gluten-free! You can also read specifically about Hershey’s here → Is Hershey’s Gluten-free?
How to make:
It’s super easy!
- Just blend the ingredients until it’s creamy.
- Add a little milk if you want it thinner. Add sweetener, if desired.
- Serve!
Tips:
- As you blend, scrape down the sides of the blender to make sure all the ingredients are blended well.
- Like your smoothies extra cold? Use frozen bananas. It takes a little prep, but it’s worth it on those hot mornings. You can also freeze cubed avocado, so if you have some that are ripe that you’re not using, just cut them into cubes and freeze them.
- To make a smoothie bowl, top it with sliced fresh fruit and granola!
- You can store this smoothie overnight in the fridge for a quick breakfast on the run. But don’t forget about it because it will only last for a day.
- If you want to make a couple of batches, you can put the smoothie into freezer-safe glass jars with airtight lids and store them in the freezer for up to 3 months. Just put one in the fridge to thaw overnight to thaw, stir and enjoy.
What milk alternatives can I use?
You can use any non-dairy milk you’d like. My favorites are cashew milk and then almond milk.
Soy milk and oat milk also work (for non-paleo). There might be slight differences in taste, so feel free to experiment and let me know which one you liked best.
How to freeze bananas and avocados:
For this smoothie, I just put the banana and ripe avocado in the fridge overnight. It makes this smoothie cold and refreshing, but if you like smoothies extra cold and don’t want to add ice (which would make it icy and watered down), then you can freeze the banana and avocado ahead of time.
How to freeze bananas:
Bananas are a staple for many, but no matter how much you eat them, there’s always a couple that start to turn bad. But that’s no problem because it means the banana will be extra sweet for this smoothie.
To freeze bananas, just peel and slice into little bites. Place the sliced banana pieces on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Don’t overcrowd them or they’ll stick together in a clump.
Put them in the freezer for about two hours. Once the bananas are frozen, transfer them into a resealable plastic bag and use them when needed. They can be stored in the freezer for up to 6 months.
How to freeze avocados:
Avocados, too, tend to go from ripe to overripe within a day or two. When there’s a sale on avocados, I buy what I can to have them for smoothies later.
To freeze avocados, just peel and dice into cubes. On a lined baking sheet, place the cubes on the sheet without overcrowding. Once they are frozen, transfer to a resealable plastic bag and store in the freezer for 4 to 6 months.
If you’re looking for more information on avocados like how to choose them, cut them and store them, then check out my Ultimate Guide to Avocados. It has everything you need to know about avocados including all the healthy benefits.
Are you sure this smoothie isn’t actually pudding?
No, not exactly. It verges on being a pudding because of its chocolaty creaminess and thickness. If you want to make a pudding instead just leave out the milk. That’s what I did for this Healthy Mint Chocolate Pudding and the result is amazing!
If a non-avocado pudding is more your thing, try this super-rich Vegan Chocolate Pudding. It’s easy and sweetened with either coconut sugar or maple, and it’s also paleo.
Other smoothie recipes:
It’s hot out there, and one way to beat the heat is to start your day with a cool and refreshing treat.
- This Vietnamese Avocado Smoothie is simple, sweet and creamy. You can make it the traditional way with sweetened condensed milk or for a healthier version that’s both paleo and vegan, you can use maple syrup and coconut milk.
- This Blueberry Avocado Smoothie is an extra tasty and simply gorgeous treat. Easy to make paleo and vegan.
- This Cherry Ginger Lime Smoothie is bright and full of cherry flavor with spicy ginger and zesty lime juice.
- This citrusy Banana Orange Smoothie is healthy and smooth. With paleo, vegan and whole30 options.
- This Raspberry Banana Avocado Smoothie is perfectly fruity and creamy.
- If you like coconut, you’re going to love this Raspberry Coconut Smoothie. It’s rich and naturally sweetened. With a dairy-free and vegan option.
- If you want a tropical smoothie, this Strawberry Mango Banana Smoothie is easy breezy and full of amazing flavor.
Which one is your favorite?
If you try this chocolate avocado smoothie or any recipes you find here, I want to hear about it! Just tag your photos 📸#texanerin on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter so I can easily find them. You can also find all my recipes on Pinterest, just hit the follow button. Enjoy!
Photos and text updated 7/2021. The recipe is still the same. Here’s an old photo for reference.
Chocolate Avocado Smoothie (paleo, vegan, dairy-free options)
- Prep Time:
- Cook Time:
- Ready in:
- Yield: 2 small smoothies
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup (60 grams) plain Greek yogurt or coconut yogurt for paleo/vegan (see below for more info)
- 1/4-1/2 cup (60-120ml) cashew milk or whatever milk you'd like
- 3 tablespoons cocoa powder (I like Dutch-process or Hershey's Special Dark)
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- pinch of salt
- 1/2 avocado (85 grams)
- 1 medium cold banana (about 120 grams without the peel)
- 2-3 tablespoons maple syrup, honey (for non-vegan) or another liquid sweetener, optional1
Directions
- Put everything, everything for the sweetener, and starting with 1/4 cup of milk, into the blender (or food processor) in the order listed.
- Blend until it's very creamy. Add more milk, if needed, until it's the desired thickness. Taste and add sweetener, if desired. I use 3 tablespoons of maple syrup.
- Serve immediately or keep covered in the refrigerator for up to one day.
Notes
- You could also add more banana instead of sweetener, but that will decrease the chocolate taste and make it more banana-y.
- Coconut yogurt will yield a thick smoothie like you see in the photos but you could also use coconut milk for a thinner version. If using yogurt, make sure that it's compliant with your diet (so - no added junk for paleo).
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195 comments on “Chocolate Avocado Smoothie” — Add one!
1 comment is awaiting moderation!
I love avocados in savory recipes, but I haven’t tried them in a smoothie yet. Think I’d make this as a pudding. Yum!
I hope you’ll enjoy the pudding! Let me know how it comes out. :)
Hi, I was wondering how long this would keep in the fridge if it wasn’t drunk straight away? Do you think it would freeze?! Ooo or what if it were made with a frozen banana, it would turn out like a soft serve!
Frozen banana would be great. :) I have a chocolate avocado banana popsicle recipe which I guess is really similar to this now that I think about it. https://www.texanerin.com/2013/07/chocolate-popsicles-with-a-secret-ingredient.html So I think it would freeze, but then you’ll have yourself something popsicle like. And I wouldn’t refrigerate any longer than 48 hours. The avocado could get funky!
Hi! Would this keep in the fridge if I didn’t use it straight away?
I’ve seen so many recipes with avocado circling the web these days, but many of them ruin the healthy nutrients by using too many unhealthy ingredients as well. Can’t wait to give your recipe a try :) it looks great and nutrious, just like it should be :)
Thanks, Anoushé! And agreed. What’s the point of using avocados if you pour in a cup of sugar with them? ;) I hope you’ll enjoy the smoothie! Let me know how it comes out. :)
Was inspired by your recipe to try avocado in a “sweet” recipe and I wasn’t disappointed. Thank you for the recipe!
I’m so happy that you enjoyed the smoothie! :) And avocados in sweet recipes are really great. Just add enough cocoa powder and sweetener and you can’t go wrong. ;) Thanks a bunch for your feedback and rating!
This looks so good, I’m excited to try it. I’ve been hearing pretty often on the internet that avocado works well with chocolate and sweet things. & thank you for using metric units, it’s time for America to get with it.
No problem, Kiki! I usually include metric but just realized I completely forgot on my latest post. So thanks for mentioning that! :) I hope you’ll enjoy the smoothie. Let me know how it comes out!
Omg! I just had no idea this would actually taste good! Thank you!!!
Hahaha. I love that you tried it despite not thinking it’d taste good! Yay. Thanks for the feedback! :)
I think this is the best Chocolate Avocado smoothie I have ever made!!! Thank you so much for posting this awesome recipe. I had featured u in the post of Seven Cool Smoothies That Will Perk Up Your Spirits on AllFreshRecipes, I will pay close attention to ur more recipes!
What a compliment! Thank you so much. :) And thanks for featuring me! I’ll go check it out. :)
I have been making “carrot cake” smoothies with avocado, but my kids are finally on to me that it is healthy! So, I will give this one a try. I’m sure we will all devour it-just like we did the avocado brownies I made for St Pats day!. I wanted to make a green treat without using food dye. Creamy, fudgy, unbelievabe!
So sorry for the slow reply! And carrot cake smoothies… I’ll have to try that! Thanks for the idea. :) And love the idea of green avocado brownies! I’ve had a real problem with St. Patrick’s Day recipes on here because I don’t want to post anything dyed. Thanks again!
Yum Yum Yum! What if you add peanut butter?
I haven’t tried that but I imagine it’d be good. :)
Some supermarkets sell pre-ripened avocados which have been treated with synthetic ethylene to hasten ripening. In some cases avocados can be left on the tree for several months, which is an advantage to commercial growers who seek the greatest return for their crop; but if the fruit remains unpicked for too long it falls to the ground..”..`
Keep it up
Thanks for the info! I didn’t know that. When I get a house, I want to plant an avocado tree. Months? That’s awesome. :)
This sounds UNBELIEVABLY good. I’m going to try it as popsicles!
Oooh, I like your idea! Let me know how that comes out. :)
Love the new look of the blog!
Thanks, Regan! And thanks for stopping by. :)
This looks so delicious! Avocados were made for puddings! I love using them in place of the typical starches and flours usually used for thickening. :-)
Yeah they were! But I haven’t used them in place of starches. Interesting idea! :)
Oh, how I love avocados. I have put them in muffins and ice cream and now I am definitely going to try them in a chocolate smoothie. I love how much this looks like pudding!!!
Ice cream?! That sounds really interesting. I’ll have to try that!
Try this: meat from 5 ripe avocados + 5 Tbsp honey + 5 Tbsp heavy cream + 4 Tbsp lemon or lime juice. Blend. Freeze. It's amazing. It's even good before you freeze it :-)
Yum! Sounds amazing. :) Thanks for the tip!
Love this smoothie, Erin. I seem to use the same ingredients in mine–can't wait to try this. :)
I hope you’ll enjoy it! :)
Okay need to try it!! I want one right now!! I can't wait to fool my fam ;)
Hehe. I hope you fooled them nicely with this one! :)
I tried avocado in my green smoothie and it made it really creamy but almost too creamy for that smoothie or I should say salad in a blender. I'm intrigued by this recipe and I will have to give this a go the next time I have ripe avocados.
Hahaha. Salad in a blender. Sounds fun! :)
I LOVE advocados and I LOVE chocolate! This sounds like the most perfect combo! I'll definitely being trying this one!
I hope you’ve gotten a change to try it! I’m a little slow with the replying, as you see. ;)
I love avocados for all its healthy benefits! For some reason, my kids don't want to have any of it…maybe coz it's green! LOL! This is a good way to incorporate avocados covertly into my kids' chocolate…they won't even know it's there! Hahaha!
Well of course. It's green! I didn't want anything to do with them until I found out they blend in well with other stuff. And I like your style. Let's trick the kids, husbands… everyone! :D
i think the blender is the perfect place to put things that are just about to go bad…mix them in :-) i always toss in that avocado that is just a day of having to be thrown out…and love how rebelious you are with your banana allergy ;-)
Hahaha. Yes, a real rebel, I am. :) I'm going to go check out your blog and see if you have any smoothies!
Oh, definitely will be trying this soon! I love avocado and chocolate!
I hope you'll enjoy it! :)
WOW – you would never know this had avocado in it! It looks thick and delicious! Nicely done.
Thanks, Lisa! It is super thick. Perhaps almost too much. ;)
I love adding avocado to smoothies! And I can't get over how thick and dreamy this one looks.
Why, thank you. :) It's kind of over the top thick but oh well. I survived!
Your smoothie looks delicious-who would ever guess you've added avocado-which I love!
I have to think more out of the box when I whip up my next smoothie ;-)
That's the spirit! Boring old smoothies, out. Fun smoothies… in! :)
I cannot imagine a chocolate milkshake being tastier than this! But I'm a bit biased when it comes to avocado's (borderline shrine-building obsession). I've yet to merge this obsession with chocolate (and banana)! This is truly a smoothie of the Gods. :D
Hahaha. Awesome comment. Thank you. :D
I need to have more smoothies in my life. Chocolate and avocado is not a flavor combo I'd normally combine. But I'm so intrigued and this looks so good, Erin!:)
But you really can't taste it! So you should totally give it a try. And yes! More smoothies for everyone. :D
I am soooo into this. I love how thick it looks! Yum!
Thanks, Katrina!
I love avocados and try and eat some, even if it's just a slice, each day. I love this smoothie. I'm pretty sure I can trick my picky eater into drinking this without "mommy, I already told you I don't like avocado" speech LOL
Haha. Well, I'm a super picky eater and even I would eat this. I hope you give it a try! I'm pretty sure your little one will have no idea. ;)
LOOK how thick this smoothie is, Erin!! It's safe to say that avocados are one of my favorite foods. And I have yet to try them in smoothies! But now I am convinced. Totally doing it.
I hope you'll like the whole avocado in smoothies thing. They make them so creamy! :)
It actually really surprises me that you like avocado with all the veggies you don't like ;) But Im glad you do. This smoothie looks really amazing! :)
Hehe. Hey, you know… avocados are actually fruit. BUT I wish they were veggies. Just so I could say that I love at least one type of vegetables!
Now this looks delish. I have only used avocados in smoothies once but I should try it more often. When you come we have to make a list of things to bake, and cook :-) because they are several recipes in your blog I must try!!
You really should! And oh… we don't have much time to cook and bake. I wish we had longer. :(
I LOVE the creamy texture avocado gives smoothies, and I'm with you on eliminating ice in smoothies. This looks incredible, love that deep chocolate colour!
Thanks! And yeah. Ice doesn't belong in smoothies. Where does it belong? I don't know. Perhaps snow cones? :D
Love how chocolatey this is!! Gorgeous pictures too! I am not a huge fan of bananas, but I see other fun ideas with this. I have a fridge full of avocados, so I might need to give it a try!
Oh, I'd love to read about what you come up with! I hope to see some avocado posts over on DD&D.; :D And thank you for the picture comment!
I'm pretty obsessed with avocados lately and have been buying WAY too many. Sounds like a tasty way to use my surplus!
Woohoo, avocado mania! Same over here. I actually made some other stuff with avocados. They're good stuff. :D
I love how chocolatey this is! I've never had avocado… I think I need an intervention lol
Haha. I hadn't had avocado until last year. You should really try them! Super healthy and all that… :)
OH I saw a recipe for chocolate mousse with avocado the other day, and now this makes me want to try this combination even more!
Yay! That makes me so happy to hear, Erin. :)
This looks so wonderful and rich and thick and creamy. The perfect chocolate smoothie!
Thanks, Kathryn! :)
I am allergic on apples but I keep eating them. I like a mix of banana and avocado and I love the glass from a picture :)
Hehehe. What happens when you eat apples? You and I should get together and eat apples and bananas. For scientific reasons! :D
It starts to be very itchy inside my mouth and I feel like scratching all the time, but it's difficult. We should do it, just for fun. Should we take boys with us, just in case someone will have to call an ambulance? ;)
So many creamy, healthy thickeners in one smoothie! How much can you taste the banana and avocado over the chocolate?
Hmm. Good question. You taste mostly banana and chocolate and not the avocado. If you want it more chocolatey, just add more cocoa powder, but then it'll be quite dark so you might need some added sweetener like honey, sugar, etc. Oh, or liquid Stevia! That's always nice in smoothies.
This smoothie is the perfect way to have some chocolate for breakfast! :)
Yeah it is! Totally guilt free and dessert-like. :)
Did you know avocados freeze wonderfully? I quarter mine and freeze on a tray, then bag them for my smoothies!
Me too! And they're just as good as when fresh! Although I do halves. Your quarter idea is much better. Thanks for the tip! :)
I am soo excited to know I can freeze avocados! I often end up throwing some out because I don’t use them before they get too ripe! Great tip. Thanks!!
You’re welcome! So happy that you won’t have to throw away any avocados ever again. :)
So far I can only eat avocado in guacamole but your awesome smoothies make me think I could possibly add them to the list of foods where avocado is ok for me.
Regina! You have to try! Honestly, little picky me, green hater me… I can do this and so can you. Be brave! :D
Oh my goodness – YES. Chocolate and avocado are the new match made in heaven. This looks wonderful!
Hehe. Thanks, Ali! :)
Do you know the nutrition stats?
I don't, sorry. You could try using Caloriecount or Spark People. Both have recipe analyzers. :)
I'm so glad you addressed the avocado thing because I won't lie – every time I see avocado in sweets I think, there's no way that tastes good :) But you've convinced me it might just be worth a try, your smoothie looks awesome!
Tracey. I have to tell you, I'm super picky. And I HATE green stuff. I would never post something that tastes green. :D I hope you give it a try!
I have yet to try adding an avocado to my smoothies. It took me a while to jump on the spinach in smoothie train, so I'm not surprised I'm a little hesitant about adding avocado. Something about green and sweets that makes me think twice. But I love adding spinach (can't taste it and its great for you) so I just need to suck it up and try this recipe!! Sounds delicious. :)
Oh no. No no no. No spinach in smoothies over here! I just can't. I've tried and it's not for me. But avocados?! Yes! Honestly, if I, the pickiest and most immature eater in the world can do it, you can too. ;)
I've made the avocado chocolate pudding and loved it. Turning it into a smoothie is a fabulous idea! :)
I remember leaving a comment on that post! :D It's kind of weird that I remember that, isn't it? But that just means it must have been an amazing post!
I've been actually doing a lot of experimenting with avocados lately as I've been working for the California Avocado Commission and you're right, they totally work for sweet treats. I've made cakes, cupcakes, pancakes and cookies and they're wonderful. Love, love, love your shake, what a delicious looking guilt-free treat!
Oh boy. I hope you share those recipes soon! I've also been experimenting with avocados in baked goods. Love them. :)