This Carrot Cake Smoothie tastes just like your favorite dessert! Made with fresh carrots, Greek yogurt, banana, orange juice, almond butter, and spices, it’s full of vitamins, fiber, and nutrients for a breakfast or snack to keep you full! Dairy-free option, too.
Personal note – If you love carrot cake, you’re going to love this smoothie! Inspired by my gluten-free carrot cake and carrot cake muffins, this smoothie brings all the cozy flavors of the classic dessert into a creamy, nourishing drink. And that extra touch of orange zest? It just brightens everything up.
I actually made this because I’m on a soft diet right now, and while I needed something easy to eat, I didn’t want to be stuck in a smoothie rut. This was the perfect fix! It’s naturally sweet, lightly spiced, and has a great balance of protein, fiber, and healthy fats. Plus, it’s dairy-free friendly!
Ingredients and Substitutes
Below is an overview of the ingredients and instructions for this carrot cake smoothie recipe. Please be sure to scroll down to the recipe card below for the complete details and nutrition information!
- Non-Dairy Milk – Any milk you have on hand such as almond milk, cashew milk, liquid coconut milk, oat milk or hemp milk will work.
- Carrots – I use shredded carrots to save time, but you can also use a whole carrot, and shred it yourself. Just make sure to peel it first.
- Banana – Enhances the natural sweetness. Fresh or frozen bananas will work, but frozen bananas will create a thicker, creamier consistency.
Ingredient Swap: Two pitted dates will work to sweeten the smoothie in place of bananas.
- Greek Yogurt or Coconut Cream– Greek yogurt adds a boost of protein and contributes to the creamy consistency. If you need to keep this smoothie dairy-free, use canned coconut cream (the solidified portion), coconut yogurt or your favorite vegan yogurt instead.
- Orange Juice – Freshly squeezed is best! Or, substitute a peeled mandarin or clementine.
Ingredient Swap: For a tangier flavor, use ¼ cup of pineapple juice or ⅓ cup diced pineapple chunks instead of orange juice.
- Spices – Ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, and ground ginger create the classic carrot cake flavor you know and love.
- Maple Syrup – Enhances the sweetness. Honey will also work.
- Almond Butter – Boosts the omega fats in the smoothie, making it easier for our bodies to absorb the fat-soluble vitamins in the fruit and veggies. Plus, it creates a smoother drink. If preferred, use a different seed or nut butter like cashew butter or sunflower seed butter.
Note: I don’t recommend using peanut butter. Its strong flavor will overpower the rest of the ingredients in the smoothie.
How to Make this Carrot Cake Smoothie
Make sure to gather all your ingredients before you begin.
- To start, add 1 cup of milk to a high-powered blender. Start with 1 cup then you can add more later to reach your desired consistency).
- Add the remaining ingredients and any optional boosters (see notes below).
- Pulse until smooth and creamy.
- Pour the mixture into a glass, add toppings like toasted shredded coconut, orange zest, or honey roasted nuts, if desired, and enjoy!
Optional Mix-Ins and Nutritional Boosters
One of the best things about smoothies is that you can mix and match different ingredients to suit your flavor preferences and dietary needs.
For example, some great mix-ins for this carrot cake smoothie include:
- Hemp seeds, flaxseed, or chia seeds – They blend right in and pack in protein and omega-3s.
- Plant-based protein or protein powder of choice – Use a vanilla protein powder for a sweeter flavor.
- Raw cashews – They add creaminess and protein at the same time.
- Spinach – You won’t taste it, but it sneaks in some extra fiber and nutrients.
Smoothie Meal Prep Tips
Once prepared, smoothies are best served immediately. However, there are a few things you can do to prep ahead of time.
- Pre-chop or shred and slightly steam the carrots and freeze. Steaming is optional, but this will help them blend up easily and chill your smoothie.
- Make smoothie packs by mixing the maple syrup and spices with the Greek yogurt or coconut cream. Then, portion the mixture into ice cube trays. The almond butter can also be placed in a section of the ice tray and frozen as well if desired. Then, portion out the dry ingredients (carrots and bananas) into freezer bags along with the frozen yogurt cubes. They will keep for 3 months in the freezer. When you’re ready, just dump them into the blender with milk and juice and blend!
- Batch blend and store in the fridge for up to 24 hours. Give it a shake before drinking!
More of Our Favorite
Gluten-Free Smoothie Recipes
Carrot Cake Smoothie Recipe
- Total Time: 0 hours
- Yield: 1-2 1x
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
Enjoy the classic flavors of carrot cake in a nutritious, whole food-based smoothie! This five-minute recipe is naturally sweetened, dairy-free-friendly, and perfect for a quick treat.
Ingredients
- 1 to 1 ¼ cups non-dairy milk
- 1 cup shredded carrots (or 1 carrot, peeled and diced)
- ⅓ cup Greek yogurt or canned coconut cream (thickened portion)
- 1 small banana (fresh or frozen)
- ¼ cup fresh orange juice or 1 small mandarin (clementine), peeled (See notes for substitutes)
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- Pinch of ground nutmeg and ground ginger (or to taste)
- 1 to 1 ½ tablespoons almond butter
- 2–3 tablespoons maple syrup (or to taste)
Optional Boosters:
- 1 scoop vanilla protein powder
- 2 teaspoons flaxseed or chia seed
Optional Toppings:
- Toasted coconut
- Orange zest
- Honey roasted pecans
Instructions
- Add 1 cup of non-dairy milk to your blender to start (you can add more later if needed for consistency).
- Add the shredded carrots, Greek yogurt or coconut cream, banana, orange juice, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, nut butter, and maple syrup.
- Blend on high until smooth and creamy. If the smoothie is too thick, add additional non-dairy milk a little at a time until you reach your desired consistency.
- If using optional boosters, add them during blending.
- Pour into a glass and top with toasted coconut, orange zest, or honey roasted nuts if desired.
- Enjoy immediately.
Makes 16-20 ounces (about 2 small servings or 1 large serving), depending on the amount of liquid used and any optional add-ins like protein powder.
Notes
Substitutes – If preferred, 2 pitted dates may be substituted for banana. For a tangier flavor substitute ¼ c pineapple juice or ⅓ c diced pineapple in place of orange. Cashew butter or sunflower seed butter may be substituted for the almond butter. I don’t recommend using peanut butter as that would overpower the flavor of the smoothie.
Meal Prep Tip – To save time, you can make a smoothie pack in advance: Mix maple syrup and spices with yogurt or coconut cream, then portion the mixture into ice cube trays. If using almond butter, add a small amount to some of the cubes before freezing. Steam chopped carrots, then freeze them along with diced banana and the frozen yogurt cubes in a ziplock bag (keeps for 3 months). When ready to blend, add the frozen ingredients, non-dairy milk, and juice.
- Prep Time: 5
- Cook Time: n/a
- Category: drink
- Method: blend
- Cuisine: american
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 10-12 ounces
- Calories: 211
- Sugar: 22.4 g
- Sodium: 129.2 mg
- Fat: 6.8 g
- Saturated Fat: 0.8 g
- Carbohydrates: 33.6 g
- Fiber: 3.8 g
- Protein: 6.8 g
- Cholesterol: 3.3 mg
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