Chocolate Tahini Oat Milk Smoothie

Dessert for breakfast? Yes, please! This Chocolate Tahini Oat Milk Smoothie is the solid breakfast smoothie for satisfying all your chocolate cravings. Made with bananas, homemade chocolate tahini butter, and oat milk for a sweet, nutty, and -chocolatey breakfast treat that is ready in minutes.

Who says you can't have a milkshake for breakfast? Yep, that's what it tastes like. A rich, nutty, and creamy cocoa dream that is made with only 3 ingredients!

We recently shared our recipe for our homemade chocolate tahini which is what inspired us to create this breakfast smoothie. Since our chocolate tahini keeps for a month in the fridge, we use it for all sorts of things, and this smoothie is our new obsession.

Why use oat milk?

Oat milk is a plant-based, lactose-free, and vegan-friendly alternative to cow's milk. It's made from oats that have been soaked in water, blended, and then strained . We love to use oat milk in oatmeal and smoothies because it adds a little extra nuttiness without compromising on taste or creaminess.

You can use any milk you like in this smoothie. We love it so much that we now keep cow's milk and oat milk in the fridge at all times (we don't follow any particular diet).

Here is what you need to make this chocolate tahini smoothie.

• Chocolate tahini we use our homemade chocolate tahini but you can also purchase your favorite online.
• Oat milk Currently obsessing over this one for its extra creaminess. You can use any milk you want.
• Bananas Ripe and frozen.
• Ice If not using frozen bananas.

You will need a blender to make this tahini smoothie.

Step-by-step instructions

This chocolate tahini smoothie is ready in minutes. Prep ahead by freezing ripe banana slices so you can pull them from the freezer and throw them in the blender. If you don't have frozen bananas, you can add ice.

Combine the banana slices, oat milk, and chocolate tahini in a blender.

Blend on high until smooth, adding a little more milk as needed to get the consistency you like.

Pour into a glass and drink immediately. See recipe card for full instructions.

Expert tips

• To freeze banana slices, start with ripe bananas. Those brown spots on your bananas are good! Remove the peel and cut into slices or even chunks. Place the bananas on a parchment-lined sheet pan, separated. Place the sheet pan in the freezer. Remove when the bananas are completely frozen, about 2-3 hours. Remove from the pan and store them in a freezer-safe plastic bag. They will keep in the freezer for about 3 months.
• We like to freeze a bunch at a time and portion the slices out so we can grab and go and make smoothies on the fly.

Substitutions

Smoothies are versatile. Below are some suggestions to get your creative juices flowing.

1. Chocolate tahini Nutella (a chocolate hazelnut spread) is the solid swap for the chocolate tahini. You can also swap in chocolate almond butter or chocolate peanut butter for a similar chocolatey flavor. Not feeling chocolate? use plain peanut butter (or almond) for a peanut butter and banana smoothie.
2. Oat milk Feel free to use any milk you like. We prefer oat milk for its nutty smoothness, but any milk, non-dairy or cow's milk, will work.
3. Yogurt You can add yogurt, either Greek or plain, in place of the milk, or try a combo of the two.
4. Make it vegan If using the chocolate tahini recipe, use maple or date syrup in place of the honey to make it a vegan smoothie.

Keeping leftovers

Smoothies are best served right after blending. However, you can prep them the night before and keep them in a lidded cup in the refrigerator for the next morning. To prep the bananas, see the expert tips above.

Kitchen questions

What is tahini?

Tahini (tahin/tahine/tahina) is a paste made from ground sesame seeds. It is a common ingredient in Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cuisines. To make tahini, sesame seeds are toasted and then ground into a smooth, creamy consistency (similar to how peanut butter is made).

How do we get our smoothie creamy?

The secret to a good smoothie is frozen fruit. Although ice is commonly used, it tends to water down the smoothie, leaving it "icy" rather than creamy. If you make smoothies often, you will want to prep your fruit ahead of time by freezing it.

Solid pairings

Need something special to complement your smoothie? Try these.

Ingredients

Makes 1 smoothie (about 12 ounces)

• 1 cup (about 1½ medium bananas) ripe bananas, sliced and frozen
• 2 tbsp chocolate tahini (homemade or store-bought)
• ½-¾ cup (4-6 ounces) oat milk (can substitute any milk, dairy, or non-dairy)
• ice optional, if not using frozen bananas (see notes)

Equipment

• blender

Method

1. Add all ingredients to a high-powered blender. Blend on high until smooth, adding more milk if needed to reach your desired consistency.

Kitchen notes

* If not using frozen bananas, start by adding 1 cup of ice. Add more ice and milk as needed to reach the desired consistency.

To freeze banana slices:

To freeze banana slices, start with ripe bananas. Those brown spots on your bananas are ok. Remove the peel and cut into slices or even chunks. Place the bananas on a parchment-lined sheet pan, separated. Place the sheet pan in the freezer. Remove when the bananas are completely frozen, about 2-3 hours. Remove from the pan, and store them in a freezer-safe plastic bag. They will keep in the freezer for about 3 months