This Peanut Butter Cup Protein Shake is rich, chocolatey, and perfectly indulgent, with just enough crunch to keep things interesting. With just 6 ingredients, it’s the kind of smoothie that feels like dessert but actually keeps you full.
"This was the perfect treat to come home to after a vigorous workout, thank you!" - Julianne
A Quick Look At The Recipe
- ⏲️Ready In: 25 Minutes
- 👪Serves: 2
- 🍽 Calories and Protein: 445 kcals and 35 grams of protein
- 📋Main Ingredients: peanut butter, frozen banana, collagen powder, raw cacao powder and almond milk.
- 📖 Dietary Notes: Dairy-free, gluten-free, high-protein.
- ⭐ Why You'll Love It: It tastes like a peanut butter cup milkshake but fuels you like a protein-packed snack.
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Trying to amp up your protein intake but can't stand gagging down protein powder and water (ugh, ew). Increasing your intake doesn't have to be boring. With the right tweaks, I believe that you can enjoy all your favorite flavors and still fuel your goals, as proven with this funky monkey smoothie.
This peanut butter cup smoothie is made from easy ingredients (like this cranberry protein smoothie) and rich chocolate flavor. Topped with crunchy peanut butter balls and it's an easy way to both increase your protein (learn more about the benefits of a high protein diet) and curb a craving.
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💭Why You'll Love This Recipe
Allergy-friendly: This chocolate peanut butter protein shake is dairy-free, gluten-free, and soy-free. If you skip the peanut butter balls, it's also totally paleo.
Best flavor: All the classic flavors of chocolate and peanut butter wrapped into a deliciously creamy smoothie.
High protein: With 22 grams of protein, it's a smoothie that helps you gain energy.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Cacao powder: Used for a rich chocolate flavor but also a boost in nutrients like magnesium and antioxidants. Know that cacao powder is different from cocoa powder, and you'll reap more benefits with cacao.
- Peanut butter: I use homemade peanut butter whenever possible but any fresh, natural peanut butter will work.
- Collagen powder: Learn more about what collagen powder is, but know it's one of the cleanest sources of protein.
- Peanut butter balls: To make these, you'll also need honey and rice puffs.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Easy Variations
Toppings: Any smoothie toppings work for this recipe. However, the best ones to pair with it are chocolate peanut butter protein cups, split in half, or the no-bake, peanut butter balls listed in the recipe card.
Vanilla nut: Skip the cacao powder and keep the peanut butter bomb smoothie vanilla-based by adding vanilla extract and a tiny splash of almond extract.
How To Make The Peanut Butter Cup Protein Shake
Step 1: In a high-powered blender, combine all ingredients and process until smooth.
Step 2: Pour the peanut butter shake into a mason jar.
Step 3: Mix together the ingredients for the peanut butter balls and roll them.
Step 4: Top the protein shake with the peanut butter balls and enjoy!
Expert Tips
Though the peanut butter balls aren't necessary, they're truly what makes this protein shake taste like dessert.
This shake uses collagen powder and not protein powder. Though protein powder can be used, it will alter the taste and texture depending on which one you use. I personally prefer to use beef isolate protein powder to maximize the health perks.
Frozen bananas are what's used to thicken up smoothies. If using fresh, you'll need to add some extra ice cubes, and the texture will be a bit chunkier versus thick.
The protein shake tastes best when freshly made. If you store it in a glass jar in the fridge, it will stay fresh for 24 hours, but it will lose its delicious texture. Give it a shake before serving. The peanut butter puff balls store for 4-6 days in the fridge in an airtight container.
Peanut Butter Cup Protein Shake FAQs
Frozen bananas will always make a creamier protein shake. This is how you obtain the "ice cream-like" consistency everyone loves. However, in a pinch, the fresh banana will work.
Yes, you can use peanut butter powder in place of actual peanut butter in this protein shake. You can also use a peanut butter protein powder.
Yes! With the ingredients for the protein balls, you'll have extra if you only make two small smoothies. Double the smoothie batch to make 4 mini servings or two super large.
Of course! Almond butter, cashew butter, and even almond hazelnut butter all taste delicious.
More Dairy-Free Smoothie Recipes
If you tried this Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup Smoothie Recipe or any other recipe on my blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it goes!
Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup Protein Shake
Video
Equipment
Ingredients
For The Peanut Butter Balls
- 1 tablespoon Natural Peanut Butter
- 0.75 tbs honey
- ¼ cup rice puffs
For The Smoothie
- 1 banana frozen
- 6-8 ice cubes
- 2 tbs raw cacao powder
- 2 tbs peanut butter
- 1 cup almond milk
- 3 tbs pure maple syrup
- ¼ cup collagen powder
Instructions
- Heat the honey and peanut butter in a small pot or the microwave until just melted. Heating too much will cause the peanut butter to burn.
- Pour the puffs into the mixture. Mix the puffs into the peanut butter until everything is coated. You'll have one big, sticky, ball.
- Use your hands to portion and roll the mixture into small balls. Place the balls on a baking sheet or parchment paper in the freezer to set for twenty minutes.
- While the balls are freezing, place all the ingredients for the shake into a blender. Blend on high until fully combined.
- Pour the smoothie into mason jars and top with the peanut butter balls.
Notes
- Even though this is a peanut butter protein smoothie, if you need to make it nut-free you can always sub in Sun Butter in its place.
- Likewise, you can use homemade hemp milk instead of almond milk. Add a splash more milk if needed.
- In place of natural peanut butter, peanut butter powder will work for the base of the smoothie. However, it won't work for the balls.
- This recipe makes two very small smoothies or one regular serving. There are two mini peanut butter crunch balls in each smoothie.
- In palce of collagen powder, you can use beef protein powder.
- Grab the ingredients for the smoothie from my pantry staples.
Disclaimer:
Nutrition values are estimates only, using online calculators. Please verify using your own data"
Nutrition
Melissa says
This is one of my go-to smoothie recipes. PB & Chocolate is my favorite flavor combo.