Name: Vanilla Cinnamon Protein Shake
Prep time: 2 min
Cook time: 3 min
Total time: 5 min
Yield: 2
Cuisine: smoothie, protein shake
Ingredients: 2 ripe bananas; 1 cup frozen cauliflower florets; 3 dates, pitted; 2 tbsp almond butter; 2 tbsp vanilla protein powder (optional); 1 tablespoon flax seeds; 1 tbsp chia seeds; 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon; 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; 1 1/2 cups unsweetened almond milk

This vanilla cinnamon protein shake is the perfect after-workout drink. Made with bananas, flax seeds, and ground cinnamon, this protein smoothie is naturally sweetened with dates and almond butter.

359 CAL 49g CARBS 16g FAT 12g PROTEIN

How to Make Healthy Smoothies (+ 20 Nutritious Recipes!)

This breakfast protein shake is super creamy with a delicious vanilla flavor. It has a taste that you can enjoy any time of the year!

The sweet dates and creamy bananas taste amazing with the cinnamon and vanilla extract. You don't need to use protein powder because all the protein is from natural ingredients. Flax seeds, chia seeds, and almond butter are all super high in plant-based protein.

Plus, this shake has a secret ingredient that you will never guess - cauliflower!

You can't even taste the cauliflower - but your body will definitely benefit from it. Cauliflower is really high in fiber, antioxidants, and B-vitamins.

Keep reading and learn how to make this tasty and healthy shake. It's perfect as a snack or an entire breakfast.

Ingredients for a vanilla cinnamon protein shake including bananas, cauliflower, almond butter, cinnamon, and seeds.

Key Ingredients for Cinnamon Protein Shake

Every single ingredient in this smoothie adds to its nutrition and taste. Here are the ingredients I used.

Bananas: Make sure the bananas are very ripe. If they aren't, they won't puree as smoothly.
Cauliflower Florets: I recommend using frozen cauliflower. Not only does this save you time, but it makes the smoothie the best texture too.
Dates: Use pitted dates so that they blend well with the rest of the ingredients.
Cinnamon: You only need a little bit of cinnamon, but you could use allspice as a substitute. If you do, use less since it has a stronger flavor.
Vanilla Extract: This is what gives it the vanilla flavor. If you use vanilla almond milk, use less vanilla extract.
Flax Seeds: You can substitute flax and chia seeds for each other - so use what you have on hand.
Chia Seeds: These seeds give the breakfast shake a boost of protein and fiber.
Almond Butter: Try to use unsweetened almond butter. You can substitute with any other kind of unsweetened nut or seed butter if necessary.
Almond Milk: For this smoothie, I used unsweetened almond milk. Oat milk or coconut milk are easy replacements.

Recipe Tips And Ideas

Follow these tips to make sure that this shake turns out sweet and creamy every single time!

Make sure the bananas are very ripe before you try to add them to the blender. If your bananas are not ripe enough, place them in a brown paper bag until they ripen.
If you don't have (or don't want to use) dates, you can sweeten this shake with honey, maple syrup, or another sweetener of choice.
To make the shake thicker, just use more almond butter and bananas.
To make the shake thinner, add more unsweetened almond milk.

What To Serve With A Healthy Protein Shake

This shake is super refreshing and the perfect post-workout recovery drink. You can also enjoy it for breakfast or as a healthy dessert. This is a very filling shake, so you might not want to eat a whole lot with it.

If you are eating it for breakfast, eat something light and full of protein. This broccoli and cheese frittata is savory and pairs really well with the sweet shake. If you want something that is more portable and you can take with you, make these healthy peanut butter oatmeal bars. They are also fantastic sources of protein!

Another sweet and portable snack that tastes amazing with this shake is baked blueberry oatmeal bars. Just like the smoothie, it's made with bananas too.

Protein shake with bananas, cinnamon, almond butter, and dates in a glass on a wooden cutting board.

Frequently Asked About Cinnamon Protein Shakes

Here are some questions I frequently get asked about by some readers…

What is the difference between shakes and smoothies?

Milkshakes are usually sweeter and thicker than smoothies. Smoothies are usually made mostly with fruit and then adding a little bit of milk to make it creamier. Milkshakes, which are usually dairy-based, tend to be filled with some sort of ice cream and filled with mix-ins.

I made this a shake by using almond milk, almond butter, and sweetening it with dates.

Is this cinnamon shake recipe low-carb?

No, this shake is not low-carb. The dates are really high in natural sugars. There is a way to make it lower in carbs. Replace the dates with sugar-free sweetener and use a little less banana.

Is this recipe Whole30 compliant?

Yes, this recipe is Whole30 compliant. Since it is dairy-free, it fits within a Whole30 diet.

What toppings can I add to this shake?

This shake is already really full of ingredients, but there are still lots of things you can add to it. Sprinkle it with some unsweetened coconut flakes. You can also add a few chocolate chips.

If you want to go a little extra, add a little swirl of sugar-free caramel syrup on top.

Vanilla protein shake with cinnamon and almond butter in two glasses with cinnamon sticks and dates.

Vanilla Cinnamon Protein Shake