This Healthy Hot Chocolate Milkshake recipe is the ultimate frozen vegan dessert to enjoy this holiday season! It’s created with a functional mushroom hot cacao mix, rich cacao powder, sweet vanilla plant protein, pitted medjool dates, frozen banana, and your favorite non-dairy milk. Garnish with homemade coconut whipped cream for a protein-rich festive treat!

Healthy Hot Chocolate Milkshake recipe in a melted dark chocolate glass, topped with homemade coconut whipped cream, with a straw in it, sitting on a cutting board, with a Christmas tree in the background.

A classic mug of hot cacao is great & all but this Healthy Hot Chocolate Milkshake recipe is truly something special.

The consistency is thick + creamy (like a classic milkshake) & the taste is super decadent (without the belly ache). Oh & a major bonus is that it is created with good-for-you ingredients & packed with over 25 grams of plant protein.

Don’t believe me?! I guess you’ll have to make this healthy vegan protein dessert recipe for yourself this holiday season!

Why You’ll Love This Healthy Vegan MilkShake Recipe

Perfect Protein Shake: Whether you’re making it post workout, breakfast, or even a healthy dessert, this healthy vegan milkshake is full of protein & healthy fats to keep you satisfied, as it’s packed with over 25 grams of plant protein.
Rich, Creamy, & Dairy Free: While there is no dairy in this frozen beverage, it still embodies the decadent flavor that we all love.
Dessert Worthy: The flavor & texture in this Healthy Hot Chocolate Milkshake recipe is that found in a classic dairy-filled shake, but in a protein-packed and vegan form.

Hot Cacao Health Benefits & Nutrition

It wouldn’t be a Healthy Hot Chocolate Milkshake recipe 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 vegan milkshake, 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.

Healthy Vegan Frozen Hot Chocolate Milkshake recipe in a melted dark chocolate glass, topped with homemade coconut whipped cream, with a straw in it, sitting on a cutting board, with a Christmas tree in the background.

Ingredients

Organic Unsweetened Non-Dairy Milk: Any non-dairy milk works in this recipe, just be sure to use trusted brands – I like MALK Organics, Three Trees, or Native Forest.
Four Sigmatic’s Organic Cacao Mix: I love adding Four Sigmatic’s Organic Cacao Mix packet to this recipe 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 milkshake.
Organic Cacao Powder: It’s the perfect addition to make this vegan milkshake chocolatey! To be clear, cacao powder is different from regular dutch cocoa powder. Check out this Cacao Powder 101 post to learn more!
Organic Vanilla Plant Protein: Adding a scoop of protein powder helps to keep you full and satisfied longer. I love Truvani’s Organic Vanilla Plant Based Protein Powder for this recipe. It’s made with no preservatives, no artificial colors, & no artificial sweeteners. Oh & it’s super delicious! Nevertheless, if you have yet to try Truvani’s Organic Vanilla Plant Based Protein Powder you’re missing out, but you can add your favorite vanilla plant protein.
Organic Chia Seeds: Organic chia seeds add some omega-3 fatty acids, magnesium, selenium, phosphorus, calcium, etc. + it helps thicken this vegan chocolate milkshake.
Sea Salt: A healthy pinch of sea salt is rich in a ton of minerals and beautifully enhances the flavor.
Organic Medjool Dates: I recommend buying pitted dates, that way you don’t have to remove the pits yourself. Oh, & my favorite brand of dates are Joolie’s!
Organic Frozen Banana: It’s best to use a frozen banana to create that super thick & creamy texture.
Organic Servings: Completely optional, but if you’re wanting an extra special holiday vegan dessert, swirl some melted dark chocolate around the glass and dollop on some homemade coconut whipped cream.

How To Make

Blend the Liquids & Powders. To a high-speed blender, add the non-dairy milk, hot cacao mix, cacao powder, plant protein, seeds, and sea salt. Blend these ingredients until smooth.
Blend the Medjool Dates. Next, add in the pitted medjool dates and blend until smooth. If needed, you can pause the blender, remove the lid, and 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 shakes.
Blend the Frozen Ingredients. Add the frozen banana. Blend until smooth and creamy.
Chocolate Swirl. In a glass, swirl some melted dark chocolate around the sides.
Serve. Pour into the glass & garnish with a dollop of coconut whipped cream. Enjoy!

Optional Healthy Vegan Milkshake Add-Ins

Feel free to truly make this shake your own! Here are a few suggestions to amp-up this Healthy Hot Chocolate Milkshake recipe:

Organic Hemp Seeds: Add in a tablespoon of organic hemp seeds for a boost of healthy fats, protein, omegas & minerals.
Organic Ground Flax Seeds: Incorporate a tablespoon of organic ground flax seeds for a boost of fiber & minerals.
Organic Coconut Yogurt: Add some creaminess to this shake with a scoop of coconut yogurt. You may have to reduce the liquid to ¾ cup in this shake when adding yogurt.
Organic Cacao Nibs: Wanting a little crunch to your vegan milkshake? Add anywhere between 1 teaspoon to 1 tablespoon of organic cacao nibs. Simply add organic cacao nibs at the last minute to your shake, then blend once more.
Organic Greens: You can get your greens in too in this healthy milkshake. 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 Shake

Interested in how to make the absolute perfect Healthy Hot Chocolate Milkshake recipe? As someone who makes shakes daily, here are my TOP tips:

Soak Medjool Date: If your dates aren’t soft, you will need to soak your pitted dates in very warm water for 5 minutes. This will help them soften up, so that they can blend nicely.
Adjust Liquid Amount: If you find that your shake 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.
How To Make: Add your liquid first & blend your powders first, then the medjool date, before adding your frozen ingredients. This is my personal favorite way of preparing my shakes. By blending the liquid & powders first, it ensures that your powders blend completely.
Shake Blending Tip: Start your blender on low to medium speed. If you blend the shake to 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.
Chill Your Glass: There’s nothing better than a frozen hot chocolate milkshake. Put your serving glass in the fridge or freezer while you’re making your shake to ensure a chilled shake with every sip.

Healthy Milkshake FAQ’s

Do I have to use a frozen banana?

The frozen banana in this recipe gives the hot chocolate milkshake a thick & creamy texture. If using a fresh banana, be to add a handful of ice cubes to achieve a cold, thick shake. 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 zucchini, frozen cauliflower, or frozen avocado chunks. If you elect to make this a banana-free milkshake, I recommend keeping the medjool dates to maintain its sweetness.

Is it healthy to have a vegan milkshake?

Duh! I wouldn’t post something that was unhealthy. Having a shake full of protein, healthy fats, & superfoods for a post workout breakfast or dessert is great because you’ll be getting essential vitamins, nutrients, & protein. However, some shakes 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 Healthy Hot Chocolate Milkshake recipe, I love using Truvani’s Organic Vanilla Plant Based Protein Powder. It’s made with no preservatives, no artificial colors, & no artificial sweeteners. If you don’t have Truvani’s Protein on hand, you can use your favorite vanilla protein powder. However, 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?

To increase the protein content of this frozen hot chocolate recipe, you can add a tablespoon or two of organic hemp hearts, without changing the taste too much.

Can I make this milkshake recipe in advance?

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

Healthy Vegan Holiday Dessert recipe in a melted dark chocolate glass, topped with homemade coconut whipped cream, with a straw in it, sitting on a cutting board, with a Christmas tree in the background.

More Healthy Vegan Hot Chocolate Recipes You’ll Love

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.