Chocolate Coconut Smoothie Bowl Recipe

If you've only ever enjoyed a smoothie in beverage form, allow us to introduce you to a smoothie bowl. While a good smoothie is perfectly fine drunk through a straw, it's even better when served in a bowl with crunchy toppings. It's like a smoothie and a bowl of cereal all in one, and gives you an opportunity to add some more nutrition and even turn a smoothie into a full-fledged meal.

In this recipe shared by developer Michelle McGlinn, rich chocolate is paired with sweet coconut for a particularly decadent smoothie. Even better, this smoothie bowl is vegan, made with all plant-based ingredients; so while it may look and taste like a dessert, there's more nutrition behind it than what meets the eye. This smoothie bowl features bananas, coconut cream, and cocoa, and is topped with coconut yogurt and superfood cacao nibs. This sweet and crunchy bowl is easy to put together, customizable, and fun to eat, and might have just become our new favorite breakfast.

To make the base of the smoothie, you'll need frozen bananas, coconut cream, vanilla extract, and cocoa powder. For a richer taste, opt for Dutch-process dark cocoa. If you only have regular cocoa powder on hand, simply use that instead. To adjust sweetness, use honey, maple syrup, or sugar. The toppings are totally customizable, but we recommend a variety of sweet and crunchy toppings like shaved toasted coconut, coconut yogurt (or any yogurt will do), pistachios, and cacao nibs.

Add bananas, coconut cream, cocoa powder, and vanilla extract to a blender.

Blend until smooth, about 1 minute.

Divide into bowls.

Top with a swirl of coconut yogurt.

Sprinkle with toasted coconut, cacao nibs, and pistachios.

Serve immediately.

If you've ever tried to store frozen drinks for more than an hour, you probably noticed that they don't hold up very well. The same can be said for smoothie bowls, and as such, they should be made fresh for the best results. However, you'd be surprised by how thick and creamy this smoothie stays, and it can be stored in the refrigerator for 3-4 days before losing its creamy quality.

If you hate the idea of powering up the blender early in the morning, we recommend freezing the smoothie base in airtight containers for an easy grab and go option. When frozen, the smoothie will harden, but will thaw to a spoonable consistency within minutes of being at room temperature. Once softened, assemble the toppings fresh. Don't save the toppings with the smoothie base; most will sink into the smoothie and become soggy, and if frozen, will ruin the texture of the smoothie. Instead, simply add the toppings when ready to serve.

We recommend the combination of yogurt, pistachio, cacao, and coconut for a crunchy variety of texture and complimentary flavor (and as a bonus, these toppings are very pretty). The topping options are endless, though. You could lean into the banana flavor and top with fresh banana. You could swap fruit and add blueberries or raspberries instead. You can add granola for extra crunch, or swap the pistachio for almonds or peanuts. Cacao nibs are a superfood known for their surplus of antioxidants, but can be swapped for similarly great superfoods like chia seeds or flax seeds, or swapped for chocolate chips or chocolate chunks.

If you like the subtle sweetness of this smoothie and want to enjoy it as a dessert — sort of like a healthy milkshake — you can skip the superfood toppings and use whipped cream or a dollop of ice cream instead. If you really love chocolate, you can also swirl in chocolate syrup or melted chocolate for an extra touch of indulgence.