Last Updated on June 22, 2025 by Christin Gillespie

This Chocolate Walnut Smoothie is a healthy protein recipe that tastes like a milkshake. It’s created with clean ingredients, so you can enjoy this rich & creamy blend for a post-workout breakfast!

Chocolate Walnut Smoothie in a glass with a straw in it sitting on a white marble counter with walnuts in the background.

Have you ever added walnuts to your protein smoothie before? They’re so good & pair perfectly with any smoothie—especially chocolate smoothies!

Loaded with wholesome ingredients & mouthwatering creaminess, this protein smoothie has it all! It’s nutty, chocolatey, & super delectable. In fact, I would consider it to taste more like a chocolate walnut milkshake than a healthy protein smoothie, but you can be the judge!

Needless to say, I am pretty confident that this Chocolate Walnut Smoothie recipe will be your new favorite protein drink!

Why You’ll Love This Chocolate Walnut Smoothie Recipe

Nutrient Packed: Thanks to the addition of walnuts, this chocolate protein smoothie recipe has an abundant amount of benefits for optimal health.
Perfect Protein Smoothie: Whether you’re making it post-workout or for breakfast, this Chocolate Walnut Smoothie recipe will have you fully satisfied, as it is packed with over 25 grams of plant protein.
Fully Customizable: Make this blend your own—I have listed some nutritious add-ins further down in the post!

Walnuts Health Benefits

Walnuts are not only the star of this chocolate smoothie, but they’re also an exceptionally nutritious nut. In fact, the nut itself looks like the human brain! Due to the high levels of omega-3s, research has proven that consuming walnuts regularly improves brain function. To say the least, this superfood of a nut is jam-packed with benefits. Here are just a few of the health benefits of consuming organic raw walnuts:

Promoted Brain Health & Memory
Improved Skin Elasticity & Appearance
Decreased Inflammation
Boost in Energy & Mood
Disease Prevention

Healthy Chocolate Walnut Smoothie in a glass with a straw in it sitting on a white marble counter with walnuts in the background.

Ingredients

Organic Unsweetened Non-Dairy Milk: Any non-dairy milk works in this recipe; just be sure to use homemade or trusted brands—I like MALK Organics, Three Trees, or Native Forest.
Organic Raw Walnuts: It wouldn’t be a Chocolate Walnut Smoothie recipe without them! Unsalted, please! Walnuts blend right in with the other ingredients for flavor & added creaminess.
Organic Cacao Plant Protein: Adding a scoop of protein powder helps to keep you full & satisfied longer. When selecting a protein powder brand, it’s crucial to look at the protein content and, most importantly, the ingredients. Check out this Cleanest Plant-Based & Vegan Protein Powders post to learn what to look for, the best brands, & recommended daily protein intake.
Organic Ground Flax Seeds: Organic ground flax seeds add a great little boost of fiber & minerals.
Organic Chia Seeds: Organic chia seeds add some omega-3 fatty acids, magnesium, selenium, phosphorus, calcium, & so much more!
Honey: Completely optional; either Manuka honey or local raw unfiltered honey adds some natural sweetness.
Sea Salt: A healthy pinch of sea salt is rich in a ton of minerals & beautifully enhances the flavor.
Organic Frozen Banana: It’s best to use a frozen banana to create that super thick & creamy texture.

How to Make

Blend the Liquids & Powders. First, add the non-dairy milk, walnuts, cacao plant protein, seeds, optional honey, & sea salt to a high-speed blender. Blend these ingredients until smooth.
Blend the Frozen Ingredients. Next, add in the frozen banana. Blend until smooth & creamy. If needed, you can pause the blender, remove the lid, & scrape down the sides so that everything is fully incorporated. You may need to add a little more liquid depending on how thick/thin you like your smoothies.
Serve. Pour into a chilled glass & enjoy!

Chocolate Walnut Smoothie in a Vitamix on a white marble counter.

Optional Smoothie Add-Ins

Feel free to truly make this blend your own! Here are a few suggestions to amp up this Chocolate Walnut Smoothie recipe:

Organic Hemp Seeds: Incorporate a tablespoon of organic hemp seeds for a boost of healthy fats, protein, omegas, & minerals.
Organic Coconut Yogurt: Enhance the creaminess with a scoop of organic plain coconut yogurt.
Organic Greens: Greens are packed with so many minerals, vitamins, & antioxidants. I recommend baby spinach if you’re new to green smoothies, but kale, Swiss chard, mustard greens, collard greens, or mixed greens all work.

Tips for Making the Perfect Smoothie

Interested in how to make the best Chocolate Walnut Smoothie recipe? As someone who makes smoothies daily, here are my TOP tips:

Use Frozen Fruit: Adding a frozen banana to this smoothie is the only way to go! The ice from the frozen fruits adds thickness to the smoothie.
Adjust Liquid Amount: If you find that your smoothie is too thick to blend, don’t worry! Just add a bit more liquid, blend, open the cover, scrape down the sides if needed, & blend again. When possible, always use a larger high-speed blender instead, as it will blend the ingredients much better.
How to Make: Add your liquid first & blend your powders first, before adding your frozen ingredients. This is my personal favorite way of preparing my smoothies. By blending the liquid & powders first, it ensures that your powders blend completely.
Smoothie Blending Tip: Start your blender on low to medium speed. If you blend the smoothie too quickly from the beginning, it’s really hard for the blender to properly blend the frozen ingredients, so start lower & then gradually increase the speed.
Chill Your Glass: There’s nothing better than a cold smoothie or, in this case, a chocolate walnut milkshake! Put your serving glass in the fridge or freezer while you’re making your blend to ensure a chilled smoothie at every sip.

Smoothie FAQs

Do I have to use a frozen banana?

The frozen banana provides a thick & creamy consistency, one found in a chocolate milkshake. If using a fresh banana, be sure to add a handful of ice cubes to achieve a cold smoothie. However, if you’re looking to remove the banana altogether because you’re allergic or simply don’t like them, you can replace it with ½ cup of frozen organic zucchini, ½ cup of frozen organic cauliflower, ½ cup of frozen organic coconut meat, or ½ cup of frozen organic avocado chunks. If you elect to make this a banana-free smoothie, I recommend keeping the honey to maintain its sweetness.

Is it healthy to have a smoothie?

I wouldn’t post something that was unhealthy. Having a smoothie full of protein, healthy fats, & superfoods for a post-workout breakfast is great because you’ll be getting essential vitamins, nutrients, & protein first thing. However, some smoothies on the market or on the web can be loaded with tons of fruit, added sugar, & nonsense, making them a less healthy option.

What is the best protein powder to use?

I used an organic cacao plant protein powder for this Chocolate Walnut Smoothie recipe. When selecting a protein powder brand, it’s crucial to look at the protein content and, most importantly, the ingredients. Check out this Cleanest Plant-Based & Vegan Protein Powders post to learn what to look for, the best brands, & recommended daily protein intake.

How can I add protein without using protein powder?

If you don’t have cacao protein powder on hand, no worries! To increase the richness, you can add 4 teaspoons of organic cacao powder. To increase the protein content, you can add a tablespoon of organic hemp hearts without changing the taste too much.

Can I make this protein smoothie recipe in advance?

Yes! Feel free to make this Chocolate Walnut Smoothie recipe as is or double it for later. Check out this “How to Prepare Smoothies in Advance” post to achieve the best results.

Chocolate Walnut Smoothie Recipe in a glass with a straw in it sitting on a white marble counter with walnuts in the background.

More Chocolate Protein Smoothie Recipes You’ll Love

If you make this Chocolate Walnut Smoothie recipe, please leave a review & rating below. I love hearing from you, & it helps others learn more about the blog as well. Be sure to follow along on Pinterest, Instagram, & TikTok for even more healthy content!

Xoxo.

CMG.