This healthy chocolate protein shake recipe is packed with over 55 grams of protein and tastes like a chocolate milkshake!
What makes this the best protein shake?
More protein. My recipe contains more than twice the amount of protein found in many chocolate protein shake recipes and store bought protein drinks.
Superior chocolate flavor. If you love thick, diner style ice cream milkshakes, this is your kind of creamy protein shake.
Great post workout option. Each nutrition filled serving provides potassium, fiber, magnesium, hydration, and over 50% of the RDA for both calcium and iron.
High or low calorie. Customize the recipe to fit your personal weight loss or gain goals. For a weight gain shake, use real sugar and include the optional two tablespoons of peanut butter.
Easy to make. Whip up your own homemade version in under thirty seconds for breakfast or snack, and save the high cost you’d pay at an expensive smoothie shop.
Also try this Protein Cookie Dough
Key ingredients
Milk – Use your favorite milk of choice, and look for a high protein milk, like skim or soymilk instead of almond milk, to give you more protein.
Protein powder – Many chocolate protein powder options are available on the market, including whey, casein, and pea based powders. Try different brands to find your personal preference.
Sweetener – Pretty much anything goes, including pure maple syrup, honey, regular sugar, or stevia for a sugar free and keto protein shake.
The amount will depend on whether your milk, yogurt, and protein powder are sweetened or unsweetened.
Yogurt – Regular or Greek yogurt both work in this protein smoothie. I recommend vanilla yogurt for optimum flavor, although plain is fine as well.
For a dairy free and vegan protein shake, choose a plant based yogurt or substitute one ripe banana.
Use leftover yogurt in an Orange Smoothie
Chocolate protein shake recipe video
Step by step instructions
- Begin with cold milk and yogurt or a frozen banana.
- Add all ingredients to either a large or single serving blender, and blend until thick and completely smooth.
- Serve immediately in milkshake glasses or mason jars.
- Decorate with cacao nibs or chocolate syrup and shaved chocolate if desired.
- Leftovers? Store them in a tightly covered cup or container in the refrigerator for up to three days. Or freeze in popsicle molds for homemade instant chocolate protein pops on a hot summer day.
I just tried this recipe and it is so delicious! And very filling! It’s great for breakfast on the go.
-Kerry
Chocolate protein shake flavors
- Mocha: Add a half teaspoon of instant coffee or espresso powder for an energizing caffeine boost.
- Peanut butter cup: Blend in one or two tablespoons of peanut butter, almond butter, or powdered peanut butter. Bonus, this increases the protein content too.
- Chocolate covered cherry: Use a cherry flavored yogurt, or replace the yogurt with six ounces of pitted frozen cherries.
- Mint chocolate chip: Add a fourth teaspoon of pure peppermint extract or more to taste. Garnish with mini chocolate chips and fresh mint leaves.
- Strawberry: Go with strawberry yogurt and add a few drops of pure vanilla extract. Or change up the flavor by trying raspberry, blueberry, or banana yogurt.
The recipe was adapted from my Chocolate Smoothie and Protein Hot Chocolate.
Chocolate Protein Shake
Ingredients
- 1 cup milk of choice (240g)
- 1 scoop chocolate protein powder (30g)
- 6 oz vanilla yogurt or 1 banana (170g)
- sweetener of choice
- 2 tbsp peanut butter or almond butter (optional) (30g)
InstructionsÂ
- To make the chocolate protein shake, start with cold ingredients. Blend everything in a blender until thick and smooth. Serve and enjoy. If you have leftovers, refrigerate them in a lidded container for up to three days.View Nutrition Facts
Video
Notes
Healthy Chocolate Protein Recipes
I love the sprinkles around the glass. I know what you mean about using protein powders and the unpleasant flavor. I will have to try this one then.
Delicious! What a fantastic recipe.
I do have a favourite protein powder and it just happens to be sun warrior. It’s rice based and raw, which I like. I’ve never tried the chocolate or vanilla. I just use the ‘natural’ that way it works with any type of recipe and it doesn’t have any extra sweeteners, which I find I don’t tend to need anyway.
Wow. As soon as I saw this recipe, I knew I had to schedule a task today that would be worthy of such a masterpiece, soooo, I did my first round of running intervals, ever! It was way easier to do them knowing I’d get to come home and have something totally amazing and dang, it does not disappoint. Drinking it right now, about to go into a coma from all the yumminess.
I haven’t been using protein powder lately, only because I get it from other sources. My smoothies are usually post-cardio so I pack them with fruit but some PB usually sneaks in anyway. If I do want to add protein, I’ll use some egg whites. I have used MRM All Natural Whey, but I’m increasingly sensitive to dairy lately, so I quit that. Really looking forward to trying some of the plant-based brands other readers are recommending.
Also, hello, adding tofu to a smoothie/shake is BRILLIANT. Genius milkshake!
Hi Katie, I read you blog and I keep noticing how much tofu you use. I don’t want to invade or be a downer on you recipes but tofu really is bad for the human health, no matter what new media says. Please consider it and read about the dangers of soy. Traditionally no culture ate soy plain like you do, they cultured it.
Tofu has been around for centuries. It’s made by coagulating soy milk.
I’m not sure what the distinction is between coagulated and cultured.
Anyway, here is an article on the safety of soybeans:
http://www.vegsource.com/articles2/davis_soy_safe.htm
My thoughts: https://lett-trim.today/2009/06/09/processed-foods-and-soybeans-and-tofu-oh-my/%3C/a%3E%3C/p%3E
nom nom! love the extra sprinkles around the edges- such a cute touch 😉
This looks so good! I’m sad you started adding watermarks to your photos though–I mean, I understand why (they are fantastic photos, and obviously you deserve credit for all your creations) but I feel like it really detracts from the quality of the picture. I know the NYTimes does this thing with all their slideshows that somehow make it impossible to copy a photo, I don’t know if you could do that? Just giving suggestions so I’m not emptily complaining.
Trust me, I absolutely HATE that I have to do it, and I put it off for so long… but you’d be amazed at how many people steal content from other blogs and pass it off as their own. Even with the watermarks, it doesn’t stop people from stealing recipes and pretending they came up with the concept, but at least it’s a start. But seriously, NOT something I wanted to do… I agree I don’t like the look, and it’s also a pain because you have to keep moving the watermark if you want to crop the photo. It’s sad that some people ruin it for everyone.
I regularly made similar shakes for myself ten years ago.
I didn’t use salt or those exact quantities of the other ingredients, but otherwise it was the same.
Hello CCK, I like to make a simple protein shake with a frozen banana, some soy milk, and True Nutrition protein powder. True Nutrition has an entire section dedicated to vegan powders and supplements. I use the powder thats a blend of pea, hemp, and soy protein – chocolate flavored. There are usually a few chunks of some of those proteins left at the bottom, but it isn’t chalky, and overall has a great taste 🙂
I actually really enjoy the Plant Fusion chocolate flavored protein powder. I usually mix it with a little almond milk, throw in some oats, stevia, cocoa powder, maybe some chocolate chips, and it’s like a little chocolate pudding :).
I bought a plant based protien powder ages ago when I was trying some sort of high protien diet plan (terrible idea) lol. I can’t remeber what the brand was but for some reason I have it in my head it was made from some kind of pea. Even though it was ment to taste like vanilla it always smelled and tasted kind of like paper mashey mix (yes I know what that tastes like hahaha I was a kid, everything was potentially food), so in short I hated it and haven’t bothered with protien powder since, I figure if your eating right you don’t really need it. Kind of like vitamins.
P.s. made you naughty girl fidge this morning on a whim and I am so glad I left most of it at home or it would be all gone. amazing!