Coconut Hot Chocolate Protein Smoothie

This Coconut Hot Chocolate Protein Smoothie is a rich, creamy, & healthy recipe to enjoy this holiday season. It’s a frozen blend created with sweet medjool dates, a functional mushroom hot cacao mix, plant protein, and lots of coconut essence. You’ll love this festive drink post workout this time of the year!  

Christmas time is here, as is holiday smoothie time. While I love a classic frozen hot cacao protein drink, it was time to take it up a notch & that’s where coconut comes in.

Not just in one form, but 5 forms of coconut, if we’re counting the homemade coconut whipped cream topping, which is an absolute for any hot cacao recipe.

The addition of coconut bring an extra level of creaminess & it amps up the nutrition level even more. Organic coconut is not only delicious, but it also provides your body with incredible benefits. From the inside out. Literally! Hair, skin, nails, and your body. Organic coconut has it all.

So if you’re a hot cacao and coconut fan, this is definitely the frozen protein smoothie recipe for you!

Why You’ll Love This Healthy Hot Chocolate Smoothie

• Perfect Protein Smoothie: Whether you’re making it for breakfast, in the evening, or somewhere in between, this Coconut Hot Chocolate Protein Smoothie will have you fully satisfied, as it is packed with 25 grams of plant protein.
• Rich, Creamy, & Dairy Free: While there is no dairy in this seasonal beverage, it still embodies the decadent flavor that we all love.
• Customizable: Enjoy it warm or cold, this frozen hot cacao protein drink will be a win.

Hot Cacao Health Benefits & Nutrition 

It wouldn’t be a frozen hot chocolate without a hot cacao mix. If you have yet to sip on Four Sigmatic’s Organic Cacao Mix, you’re in for a real Christmas treat. It’s not like the typical, store-bought hot chocolate packets, as this one is basically hot cacao made healthy. Crafted with good-for-you ingredients, while being paired with reishi, creates a calming blend to support stress & overall well-being. Through incorporating this specific hot cacao packet in this smoothie, some of the incredible benefits include: 

• Relief of Mild Stress & Promote Relaxation: Thanks to the adaptogen of reishi, Four Sgimatic’s Hot Cacao, helps you adapt to those everyday stressors.
• Mental Clarity: The adaptogenic blend helps keep your mind calm, to feel more centered throughout your day.
• Sustainable Sourced to Achieve All the Benefits: You don’t need to worry about anything funky in your mushrooms with Four Sigmatic. It’s certified organic, as well as tested for mycotoxins, molds, and pesticides.
• Tastes Good: Just because it’s loaded with mushrooms, doesn’t mean the taste has to be compromised. It’s super delicious.

Ingredients

• Organic Full-Fat Unsweetened Coconut Milk: It transpires a super creamy texture & delicious flavor. I highly recommend chilling it overnight so that your smoothie is cold! My favorite brand is Native Forest.
• Organic Coconut Water: In addition to the coconut milk, we’ll be adding coconut water to get things blended. Not only is coconut water super delicious, but is also full of electrolytes – which is great post workout. My favorite brand is Harmless Harvest. It’s just one ingredient, organic coconut water. Oh & it’s pink! So cute.
• Four Sigmatic’s Organic Cacao Mix: I love adding Four Sigmatic’s Organic Cacao Mix packet to this smoothie because it’s creamy, uncaffeinated, and spicy-sweet. Oh & my favorite part is that this organic cacao mix is made with good-for-you ingredients and it’s paired with reishi, which creates a calming blend to support stress & overall well-being. It’s the perfect addition for this hot chocolate smoothie
• Organic Cacao Plant Protein: Adding a scoop of protein powder helps to keep you full and satisfied longer. I used Four Sigmatic’s Creamy Cacao Plant Protein for this recipe. It’s ​​made with real unrefined cacao with no grains, gums or fillers. Oh & it’s super delicious. Nevertheless, if you have yet to try Four Sigmatic’s Creamy Cacao Plant Protein, add your favorite chocolate plant protein.
• Organic Chia Seeds: Organic chia seeds add omega-3 fatty acids, magnesium, selenium, phosphorus, calcium, etc.
• Organic Unsweetened Coconut: Another essential ingredient to this hot chocolate protein smoothie is coconut. Shredded coconut or coconut flakes, both work!
• Organic Raw Coconut Butter: To add some healthy fats that keep you full, energized, & focused. It’s naturally a little sweet, but has no added oils, no added sugars, and no added salt! Just pure coconut — YUM!
• Sea Salt: A healthy pinch of sea salt is rich in a ton of minerals and beautifully enhances the flavor.
• Medjool Dates: I recommend buying pitted dates, that way you don’t have to remove the pits yourself. Oh, & my favorite brand of dates is Joolie’s!
• Ice Cubes: A handful of ice cubes is essential to turn this hot chocolate frozen.
• Homemade Organic Coconut Whipped Cream: An absolute must for any hot chocolate recipe!

How To Make

• Blend the Liquids & Powders. To a high-speed blender, add the coconut milk, coconut water, hot cacao mix, plant protein, seeds, unsweetened coconut, coconut butter, and sea salt. Blend these ingredients until smooth.
• Blend the Medjool Dates. Add the soft medjool dates to the blender and blend until smooth.
• Blend the Frozen Ingredients. Add the ice cubes. Blend until smooth and creamy.
• Serve. Pour into a chilled glass with a dollop of homemade coconut whipped cream, and enjoy!

Smoothie Add-Ins

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

• Organic Ground Flax Seeds: Add a tablespoon of organic ground flax seeds to increase the fiber & minerals to this smoothie.
• Organic Hemp Seeds: To increase the amount of healthy fats, protein, omegas & minerals to this hot chocolate smoothie, add a tablespoon of organic hemp seeds.
• Organic Coconut Butter: If you don’t have coconut butter, swap for organic extra-virgin coconut oil!
• Organic Coconut Yogurt: Add some creaminess to this smoothie with a scoop of coconut yogurt. You may have to reduce the liquid to ½ cup in this smoothie when adding yogurt.
• Organic Cold Brew: Need a boost? Use half organic full-fat unsweetened coconut milk & half cold brew.
• Organic Greens: You can get your greens in too in this hot chocolate smoothie too. They blend easily & you can’t taste them. Plus, greens are packed with so many minerals, vitamins, and antioxidants. Spinach, kale, swiss chard, mustard greens, collard greens, or mixed greens all work. 

Tips for Making the Perfect Smoothie 

Interested in how to make the absolute perfect Coconut Hot Chocolate Protein Smoothie recipe? As someone who makes smoothies daily, here are my TOP tips:

1. Adjust Liquid Amount: If you find that your smoothie is too thick to blend, not to worry! Just add a bit more liquid, blend, open the cover, scrape down the sides if needed, and blend again. And when possible, always use a larger high-speed blender instead, as it will blend the ingredients much better.
2. How To Make: Add your liquid first & blend your powders first, then the medjool dates, 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.
3. 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 and then gradually increase the speed.
4. Chill Your Glass: There’s nothing better than a cold smoothie, in this case, a frozen hot cacao milkshake. Put your serving glass in the fridge or freezer while you’re making your smoothie to ensure a chilled smoothie with every sip.

Smoothie FAQ’s

Is it healthy to have a smoothie?

Duh! 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 in the morning. 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?

For this particular frozen protein smoothie recipe, I love using Four Sigmatic’s Cacao Plant Protein. It’s ​​made with real organic ingredients with no grains, gums, or fillers. If you don’t have Four Sigmatics Cacao Plant Protein on hand, you can use your favorite chocolate protein powder. When selecting a plant protein, it’s crucial to look at the protein content and most importantly, the ingredients. 

How can I add protein without using protein powder?

If you don’t have cacao protein powder on hand, no worries! You can substitute with 1 tbsp of cacao powder. To increase the protein content, you can add a tablespoon of organic ground flax seeds and/or organic hemp hearts, without changing the taste too much.

What if I don’t have Four Sigmatic’s Hot Cacao?

Not a problem! Simply add 1 tbsp of organic cacao powder and ¼ tsp organic ceylon cinnamon.

Can I make this protein smoothie recipe in advance?

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

More Hot Chocolate Protein Smoothie Recipes You’ll Love

• Frozen Hot Chocolate Smoothie
• Peppermint Hot Chocolate Smoothie
• Peanut Butter Hot Chocolate Smoothie
• Pumpkin Spice Hot Chocolate Protein Smoothie

Sharing Is Caring!

If you make this recipe, please leave a review & rating below! I love hearing from you and it helps others learn more about the recipe too. Lastly, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Be sure to follow along on Pinterest, Instagram, & TikTok for even more deliciousness & wellness tips!

Xoxo.

Christin.

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