My earliest memories of milkshakes involve the McDonald’s drive-thru. My dad would order one chocolate milkshake and one strawberry milkshake, and we’d pass the cups around the car to share them both, until all of the thick, sweet goop had been sucked through the straw. My father grew up without much in India, so trust me when I say that he finished every last drop of the milkshake.
If no one was paying attention, I’d furtively dip a French fry or two into one of the milkshakes, savoring the bizarrely delicious sweet-salty combo as it instantly dissolved in my mouth. Now, as an adult, I know that the fast food industry gods had literally chemically engineered these foods to be addictive, but at eight years old, I was just living that ignorance-is-bliss chocolate milkshake life.
Fast forward many years later when I came to the belated realization that dairy is really bad for your body, animals, and the planet. Did this mean the era of milkshakes (and French fries) was over??
Not in the least! Because it is so easy to make dairy-free milkshakes! You can make them decadent by using vegan ice cream, or you can keep them on the healthy side for more of a vegan breakfast idea, like in this Vegan Chocolate Sweet Potato Milkshake!
Why you’ll love this recipe
You can have your cake (milkshake) and eat (drink) it too. This milkshake tastes like an indulgent chocolate milkshake but it’s secretly so good for you! The main ingredients are sweet potatoes, bananas, raw cacao powder, and plant milk, so you’re getting lots of fiber, Vitamin, and antioxidants!
Minimal ingredients. This recipe requires just six main ingredients!
Too easy to make. Just dump everything in a blender and blend away until you have a creamy, frosty milkshake!
Ingredient Rundown
Sweet Potatoes. Sweet potatoes sound like an unusual ingredient for a milkshake, but I promise they work beautifully here, yielding that creamy texture that defines a milkshake (while also adding a healthy dose of nutrients).
I used the classic orange-flesh sweet potato, but I’ve also used Japanese sweet potatoes before, so use whatever variety you have!
To get the most sweetness out of your sweet potatoes, I recommend baking them. First, scrub them, then use a knife to slash several holes through the skin – this helps with even baking. Bake the potatoes (whole, unpeeled) on a baking tray at 400°F/200°C for 40-60 minutes (depending on their size). Once cool, remove the skins and scoop out the flesh.
That said, if you are in a rush and don’t have pre-cooked sweet potatoes in your fridge, you can microwave the sweet potatoes. Wrap them in a damp paper towel and microwave on high for 4-6 minutes (depending on their size).
Looking for another fun sweet potato recipe? Try my Vegan Sweet Potato Casserole!
Bananas. Another plant-based star that brings a creamy, thick texture to this milkshake. If you’ve ever made nice cream, you know that bananas are the perfect ingredient in a healthy milkshake. The key is to use really ripe bananas. Once your bananas are speckled with brown spots all over, peel them, slice into rounds, and place them in the freezer.
When bananas are really ripe, they make for extra creamy milkshakes. While overripe bananas are not great for snacking (to be honest, they make me vomit), they are incredibly sweet and when in frozen form, they are not only edible but in fact delicious.
The sweetness of the ripe bananas means you may not even need to add any sweetener, though there is an option to add maple syrup to taste because, after all, this is dessert.
Creamy plant-based milk. I recommend something creamier than your standard store-bought almond milk because this is a milkshake and you’re looking for that luscious texture. I have made this milkshake with oat milk and macadamia nut milk, and both are great, but you could also use cashew milk, soy milk, carton coconut milk, or canned lite coconut milk.
Cacao powder. For the chocolatey factor, I use raw cacao powder. I like using raw cacao powder here since the cacao powder isn’t getting cooked, which means it retains all of its nutrients . Unlike cocoa powder, raw cacao powder is unprocessed and a good source of polyphenols, antioxidants, calcium, iron, magnesium, and zinc. That said, it’s totally fine to use unsweetened cocoa powder—the taste will be the same.
Cinnamon and ginger. Cinnamon pairs beautifully with chocolate, and ginger gives the milkshake a subtle background zing.
How to serve this milkshake
This milkshake is quite versatile and can be served in a number of ways. First, it’s healthy enough for breakfast, and that’s how I’ve been enjoying it recently.
But, you could also boost it with a scoop of protein powder as a post-workout shake. Since most protein powders contain sugar or sweetener, omit the optional maple syrup.
And obviously, you can serve this milkshake for dessert! To make it a truly decadent milkshake for dessert, dollop with some homemade vegan whipped cream or store-bought nondairy whipped topping (I use So Delicious Coco Whip), vegan chocolate chips or shredded dark chocolate, or swirl in some melted dark chocolate.
And if you’re a serious chocolate fiend looking for serious chocolate treats, my rich and luxurious Vegan Hot Chocolate and Vegan Chocolate Mousse are not to be missed!
If you give this Vegan Chocolate Sweet Potato Milkshake recipe a try, be sure to tag me on Instagram with your recreations and please comment with your feedback below!
Vegan Chocolate Sweet Potato Milkshake
Ingredients
- 2 medium-sized sweet potatoes (about 14 ounces or 400g)
- 3 cups (720 mL) creamy plant-based milk (something like oat milk, coconut milk, cashew milk, soy milk or macadamia nut milk; use a nut-free or soy-free milk as needed)
- 3 large, ripe frozen bananas
- 1/4 cup (20-24g) raw cacao powder or unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup (optional, sweeten to taste)
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- Optional garnishes: melted dark chocolate, vegan chocolate chips, coconut whipped cream or nondairy whipped topping
Instructions
- To bake the sweet potatoes in the oven, preheat the oven to 400ºF/200ºC. Use a knife to slash several holes through the skin. Place on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet and bake for 40-60 minutes (depending on size), until completely fork-tender. Allow the potatoes to cool slightly until you can handle them, and then slide the skins off.
- In a high-powered blender, add the plant-based milk, sweet potato flesh, frozen bananas, cacao powder, maple syrup (if using), cinnamon, and ginger. Blend until the bananas and sweet potatoes are completely pureed and you have a thick, smooth, and creamy texture. Taste, and add maple syrup to sweeten, as needed.
- Pour the milkshake into glasses and top as desired. Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 2 days.
This was SO delicious and creamy! I made this today using Japanese sweet potatoes, and my non-vegan husband told me this definitely needs to be in the rotation to make again. It’s so tasty that no one will miss all of that unhealthy dairy and sugar. Thanks for sharing this wonderful recipe!
My stepdaughter (almost 18) is the pickiest eater I know. She HATES sweet potatoes. But she loves sweets. And milkshakes. If I can hide the ingredients from her, she may even try it. Wish me luck.
This is so good. My three year old loves and so does my husband. When I told him why I was roasting sweet potatoes he was unimpressed by the idea of milkshakes. He has now asked for more while still drinking it.
What can I use in place of bananas my daughter is allergic to bananas
What can I replace the bananas with my daughter is allergic to bananas
Frozen zucchini will provide some of the creaminess normally obtained from bananas, but you may have to add extra sweetener.
Use frozen or chilled applesauce! Half a cup for each banana.
Soooo good! Will definitely by making again and we shared the recipe with all of our friends! Toddler approved! Note, we didn’t use any maple syrup. Usually bananas make smoothies sweet enough for us.
I’m usually not a big fan of smoothies, but this one peaked my interest. I was feeling tired and sluggish this morning, and wanted some instant energy. I had baked some extra sweet potatoes a few days ago for another recipe of yours, and kept a few on the side. While the kids were not looking, (I have to be secretive about new recipes), I whipped this up. The results: Child number one, who is the fussiest eater of them all and makes fruit smoothies daily, (he’s 17) liked it. That’s a huge deal, he never likes anything. However, he felt the chocolate to liquid ratio was not perfect. Child number 2, (age 15), gave me a thumbs down. In all fairness, he’s not into smoothies. Child number 3, (12 years), tasted it, but she hates bananas, so that ruined it for her. Hubby gave me a big thumbs up. As for me, I would make this again, and my energy levels are boosted. I’m ready now to swim my 40 laps.
This is yum, even though I didn’t use bananas (as I am allergic)!!
This is easy, creamy and yummy!! It’s on my rotation now. Thanks for sharing this fabulous recipe.
This was yummy! I think I’ll try freezing sweet potato next time to give it that temp of a “ shake” thanks for the recipe! I will be making this again !!
This looks delectable. Do you know if it would heat up well? Like a hot chocolate milkshake, similar to European drinking chocolate?
Looking forward to trying this recipe out!
Wow, it’s delicious! Thanks for this recipe, can’t wait to try some others :)
Yum! This milkshake is amazing! I added half an avocado to mine too :). Thanks for another great recipe!
Wow. I was hesitant about the sweet potato here because I’m not a huge sweet potato fan but trusted that it would turn out ok. SO much more than just OK! I just got the last drops from my cup and that was probably my 4th one this week! I baked several sweet potatoes to have them on hand. I didn’t have the ginger, but did everything else as instructed. Even my 4 year old daughter loved it.
Haha, thank you Ava! The hesitance behind the sweet potato is warranted, but I’m glad you gave it a shot and loved it. I’ve been hearing it’s a hit with kids, so I’m glad your little one loved it too!
I did not believe my eyes when I saw this recipe at first, but this recipe is <3 <3 <3 My husband hates chocolate, and he loved it. Neither of us could believe that it tasted so good with ZERO sugar or maple syrup.
Haha thank you for sharing! So happy that both you and your husband loved this healthy chocolate milkshake!
This is CRAZY good! And super versatile- I had to make some substitutions but it was still incredible. Thank you!
I’m so glad to hear that, thank you for sharing :).
I just made this for breakfast, and my kids wanted me to leave a comment about how delicious it was! They said it didn’t taste healthy and that they could eat it all day. lol Ihave two very picky eaters, and they couldn’t stop raving about it. Thank you for the amazing recipe!
Just made this and it was delicious. Even my meat and dairy loving husband enjoyed it. Used unsweetened almond milk because that is what I had and added a little ice. Love the spice from the ginger and cinnamon. Will be making this again soon. Thanks for a great recipe Nisha!
I made this today and it was absolutely delicious. My son and I are new vegans and we found this to be better than a regular milkshake. I just added sweet potatos to my grocery list because my son said he plans to have this at least once a week.
This may be a silly question, but I should use the entire sweet potato (including the skins) correct? Confused when you say I should slide the skins off and also add the flesh.
Hi Julie, no silly questions :) Actually, it’s just the inner flesh, not the skin. The skin would be too rough to put in a smoothie. Once the sweet potato is cooked, the flesh of the potato will easily slip out of the potato skin, and you can discard the potato skin. Hope that helps!