My earliest memories of milkshakes involve the McDonaldโs drive-thru. My dad would order one chocolate milkshake and one strawberry milkshake, and weโd 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, Iโd 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 youโll love this recipe
You can have your cake (milkshake) and eat (drink) it too. This milkshake tastes like an indulgent chocolate milkshake but itโs secretly so good for you! The main ingredients are sweet potatoes, bananas, raw cacao powder, and plant milk, so youโre 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 Iโve 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 400ยฐF/200ยฐC 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 donโt 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 youโve 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 youโre 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 isnโt 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, itโs totally fine to use unsweetened cocoa powderโthe 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, itโs healthy enough for breakfast, and thatโs how Iโve 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!
Big Vegan Flavor
Techniques and 150 recipes to master vegan cooking.
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 400ยบF/200ยบC. 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 milkshake is spectacular. And even after leaving it in the fridge, it is still a nice creamy texture long after the banana frozen-ness has worn off! I weighed the banana and sweet potato to be exact and they are the perfect ratio. I didn’t need sweetener and even added a little extra cocoa powder the second time we made it. I’m so impressed that this is healthy!
Weโre so happy that the milkshake turned out well for you, Michele. Thank you for taking the time to leave a comment and for trying out the recipe!
Hello! I was wondering do we use 2 sweet potatoes of approximately 400g (800g total weight) or is that the final weight already?
Hi Linda, 400g is the total weight for the two sweet potatoes! We hope you enjoy the recipe!
This is such a fun texture and really delicious. The second time I made it, I added some vanilla, protein powder and instant coffee and had it before my morning workout.
That sounds like a heavenly combo, Christine! So happy you enjoyed the milkshake :)
Five stars each from me, my husband, and both 9-year-old fussy eaters, so 20 stars!
Awesome to hear, Gabrielle. Thanks for your comment and for taking the time to review!
This was really good. I didn’t need maple syrup it was sweet enough. I could barely taste cinnamon and ginger but I think it gave it a different depth of flavour. It made more than we needed. It was for 3 and we are 2. I think it really is 3 generous servings. I have a smoothie everyday and this makes a nice change.
Thanks for the review, Janine! It’s lovely to hear you enjoyed the milkshake.
Are you recommending 14 oz per sweet potato or 14 oz total for both?
Okay made this 14 oz total and think that was the right amount
14oz in total! Enjoy the milkshake, Adele!
Yumm -am planning to add some cashews or almonds n make a paste n add water n then add all
Your recommended ingredients as I donโt buy any milk at home .
Canโt wait to try .
How long can you save it in the refrigerator ( not sure if I missed reading about it)
Thanks
Enjoy the milkshake, Geetha! You can store leftovers in the fridge for up to 2 days.
I love that you give the weights of almost all the ingredients. I have a bag of banana pieces in the freezer. How much should I weigh out for three large bananas?
According to Google a large banana weighs 136 grams x 3 = 408 grams.
Hi Maryann, this recipe isn’t as necessary to get 100% down to the gram measurements, but according to google a large banana clocks in at around 136 g. Hope that helped!
I am very impressed! This is so delicious and so easy to make. It reminded me of chocolate pudding. I dont like sweet sweet things so I did half of a banana and used Avocado the substitute the other half. Truly delicious! This will be a staple in my life. Thank you Nisha.
Lovely, Khulee! Thanks for giving the recipe a shot. So great to hear you’re such a fan of the milkshake!
One of my go-to recipes! When it sits in the fridge it turns into a delicious and pretty healthy pudding. Another successful recipe from Nisha!
Thanks for the lovely feedback, Emma!
SOOO good! Just what I wanted in an afternoon snack. Made plenty. My husband loved it – and we have “leftovers” for breakfast/snacks tomorrow. If I can stop myself from seconds! Thanks again Nisha!
Awesome, Laurie. Thanks for your comment and for taking the time to review!
Hi can you add canned pumpkin purรฉe that you use for pumpkin pie instead of sweet potato ?
Hi Mala, yes that should work! It does have a bit of a more runny consistency, so if you can freeze it ahead of time that would be ideal! Otherwise there’s a possibility you may need to add some ice cubes to achieve the thickness you’re looking for. Enjoy!
LOL @ leftovers! Yum. And, truth – I don’t care for bananas, so I had fewer bananas and more sweet potato…. YUM! (ps, garam masala works wonders here, too, ask my husband).
Hi Heidi, weโre thrilled to hear you enjoyed this recipe! Next time, would you mind leaving a rating alongside your review? Star ratings are big help to readers who are thinking of making the recipe. Thanks!
Is there any way to make this without banana? I really hate banana lol but the rest sounds so good
maybe you try vegan vanilla or chocolate icecream ๐คท๐ผโโ๏ธ
I’m also wondering this. We’re mildly allergic to bananas
From Nisha: “The banana contributes to the creamy milkshake-like consistency so I’d be hesitant to cut it out (it doesn’t taste like a banana milkshake for what it’s worth). You could try frozen cauliflower for a somewhat similar texture, but you’d need to add more maple syrup or sugar to account for the lack of sweetness. Or if you don’t mind some indulgence, vegan vanilla ice cream for a more classic milkshake.”
Fellow banana hater here :) You can use yellow zucchini as a banana sub. It is just as creamy, but cot as cloyingly sweet.
Natasha, that is interesting. Do you cook and freeze the zucchini first?
Hi Nisha!! You are literally saving lives by making healthy food super yummy! Thank you! I am Jamaican and we season our Tylenol (not literally, but you catch my driftโฆ), so having really tasty vegan food is a must if weโre gonna go for it (especially my picky, ever-changing kids). So thank you. On a separate note, I have an idea to share with you about cooking the sweet potatoes faster: they can be sliced on even cut into chunks and steamed on the stove for a faster approach without the microwave, if people want thatโฆ have a fabulous, delicious day!!
Kim
PS: my son is allergic to nuts & coconut (I know); any substitution ideas you can share for recipes that call for those would be really appreciatedโIโm still a baby in the vegan worldโฆ
Hi Kim, we’re thrilled you’ve been enjoying the recipes and thank you for the tip!
And in regard to the substitution comment, we try to provide alternatives in the FAQ section when we can but feel free to ask us if you have any questions on specific recipes! Thanks for the lovely comment!
I am always looking for ways to get my very picky four year old to eat healthy plant based foods. This shake successfully got my daughter to consume sweet potato! I left out the cinnamon and ginger (I have to pick my battles with the little one) and it was still loaded with flavour. Equally enjoyed by the adults!
We are thrilled to hear that! Thanks for sharing, Theresa!
STOP IT! My picky 5 year old slurped down two glasses. You would never know it has sweet potatoes. I refrigerated taters first and added a few frozen cubes of coconut milk as well. So delish! If ever you make a kid friendly cookbookโฆ add this one in!
Thanks for the lovely review, Sarah! We’re so happy your kiddo loved the milkshake!
This was great! I slurped it down as a post workout treat and shared with my kids who also loved it. I added one date for sweetness instead of the maple syrup. Also added about a teaspoon of vanilla and some pumpkin seed powder for protein. It would be delicious with a big tablespoon or two of peanut butter too! Thanks for the great recipe!
Thanks for sharing, Heather!
ok, this is sooooo delicious! I never thought of adding sweet potato as the base for a dessert (or breakfast, as I treated myself this morning). I’ll definitely be making this often, its incredibly creamy and satisfying! Thank you Nisha for all your inspiration, you make eating plant-based so fun and easy.
Thanks for the lovely feedback, Mary Jo! So great to hear you have been loving the recipes!
Very delicious!!! I made this recipe from the 7 Day Vegan Challenge. It has all of my favorites…sweet potatoes, chocolate, cinnamon…just perfect! Next time I may try adding some espresso powder or instant coffee. Cant wait to make this again!!
Great, so glad you loved the milkshake Addie!