Healthy Chocolate Milkshake

 

 
During my early middle school years, my mom occasionally drove my younger brother and me to a college about 30 minutes away to watch weekend basketball games. With our ages, we qualified for the cheap kid’s ticket prices, and we sat in the upper bleachers so we could see the whole court.  

Since I played basketball in elementary school, we attended the women’s games more than the men’s. (Their team also fared much better that year!) The arena filled with energy as the ladies sprinted up and down the court, led by lots of college kids shouting and even a senior citizen band playing pep songs in the grandstand.
 

 
Every once in a while, I invited my best friend along. Although she never played, as a cheerleader, she still understood the game. Shortly before the starting whistle blew, we would run downstairs to the snack stand to buy extra cheesy nachos, our favorite stadium food, to fuel us for the next few hours of cheering.

Back then, my brother was fairly selective about the foods he ate (some might call that “picky”), so Mom always stopped at In-N-Out on our way out of town. He’d order a plain hamburger, ketchup only; my best friend and I would ask for a basket of fries; and if Mom was feeling generous, she would buy a chocolate milkshake to split around the car. As a chocoholic even at that age, I usually tried to sneak an extra sip or two!
 

 
When I tasted this Healthy Chocolate Milkshake, those memories began flooding back… It tasted the same! Just like In-N-Out’s, this is thick, creamy and extra chocolaty. But with just 5 ingredients (including ice!) and lots of protein, it’s actually healthy enough for breakfast!

It’s true! Previously, I wasn’t a big smoothie-for-breakfast type of person. Even during the summer, my fingers and toes turn white and lose their circulation while I sip if I’m indoors, leaving me crawling under thick fuzzy blankets and pulling on warm woolen socks. But this one… This one just may have converted me!
 

 

INGREDIENTS TO MAKE A HEALTHY CHOCOLATE MILKSHAKE

Let’s quickly talk about what you’ll need to make this healthy chocolate milkshake. It’s super easy and uses ingredients you probably store in your pantry and fridge already. No protein powder necessary, so there’s a decent chance you have almost everything that you need!

Greek yogurt. Instead of ice cream, like the traditional ones we ordered from In-N-Out, this healthy chocolate milkshake begins with Greek yogurt. With 20g+ of protein per cup, it provides a big protein boost — and it also makes this smoothie thick and creamy, just like a milkshake!

Protein-packed milkshakes… That almost sounds too good to be true! 😉

Tip: Use Greek yogurt that only contains milk and live and/or active cultures. (It’s fine if the container lists the exact cultures by name in the ingredients!) These tend to be the thickest and creamiest, which yields the best texture. I love FAGE plain nonfat Greek yogurt! I avoid ones that include other ingredients, such as sugar or cornstarch. They’re often looser in consistency, so your milkshake would turn out thinner and more liquidy.

Milk. Almost any kind will work, so feel free to reach for whatever is in your fridge! I love unsweetened cashew milk because it’s thick and creamy, which yields a fantastic milkshake consistency, but I often use unsweetened vanilla almond milk too.

Unsweetened cocoa powder. I use regular unsweetened cocoa powder because it yields the best and most prominent chocolate taste. Skip Dutched and special dark cocoa powders! They taste more muted and bland in this recipe. Regular unsweetened cocoa powder creates the perfect rich chocolate milkshake flavor!

Sweetener. I’ve tried a few different types. My favorites are liquid stevia and Truvia. Both are plant-based, sugar-free, no-calorie sweeteners (aka they’re clean eating friendly with nothing artificial or refined!). Feel free to use whatever you prefer instead! Adjust the amount to suit your tastes too: less for a darker, richer smoothie or more for a sweeter, dessert-like milkshake.

Hint: Many stevia brands and products have different sweetness levels, so they’re not necessarily 1-for-1 substitutes for each other. If you chose to substitute one in place of the liquid stevia that I use, you may need to change the amount. (But if you use the same one that I do, you can also use it to make all of these recipes of mine!)

Ice. The final ingredient! Ice creates the thick, frozen, milkshake-like consistency.
 

 

HOW TO MAKE A HEALTHY CHOCOLATE MILKSHAKE

Like I promised earlier, this healthy chocolate milkshake is incredibly easy to make. Simply add everything to a blender and pulse until smooth! But I do have three tips for you…

Use a good blender. For the best smooth and creamy consistency, use a high quality blender with really sharp blades. I love my Ninja! It’s really affordable compared to some high-end brands, and it’s very durable too. I’ve owned it for 10+ years, along with some compatible individual smoothie cups, and all of them still work like a charm!

Consider xanthan gum. If you’re a slow smoothie drinker (like I am!), adding a teensy bit of xanthan gum works wonders. It helps prevent the milkshake from separating, so it’ll stay perfectly thick and creamy longer!

Take a test sip. Before pouring your milkshake into a glass, take a quick taste to make sure it’s sweet enough for your liking. If not, add a bit more of your preferred sweetener, pulse again, and take another sample. If it’s too sweet, then sprinkle and blend in a bit more cocoa powder instead. Easy as pie — or maybe it should be easy as milkshakes, in this case??
 

 

FAQS ABOUT HEALTHY CHOCOLATE MILKSHAKES

Is this healthy chocolate milkshake high protein, low calorie, low fat, clean eating, or sugar-free?
Yes — to everything! As written, this recipe is naturally high protein, low fat, gluten-free, clean eating, and low calorie (compared to more traditional milkshakes!). It also has no added sugar.

Can I use flavored Greek yogurt?
Sure! I realize some people don’t care for plain nonfat Greek yogurt, so you can easily substitute something like vanilla Greek yogurt instead. (Or even chocolate Greek yogurt!)

If your Greek yogurt has a thinner consistency, then try adding a touch less milk — or a bit more ice — to ensure your chocolate milkshake still turns out deliciously thick and creamy.

What about a different milk?
Sure thing! Just about any type will work.

Can I substitute another sweetener?
You bet! You’ll need the sweetness equivalent of 1-2 tablespoons of granulated sugar (or more, if you prefer really sweet shakes!). If you decide to use a liquid sweetener (like pure maple syrup or honey), then decrease the milk by the same amount that you add to ensure your milkshake has the same beautifully thick consistency.

Can I double the recipe?
Absolutely! That’s so sweet of you to share with a friend. Or… You can keep your double-sized chocolate milkshake all to yourself — I won’t judge!
 

 
Milkshakes for breakfast? That’s definitely something I can get behind! 😉 And when you make your own, remember to snap a picture and share it on Instagram using #amyshealthybaking and tagging @amyshealthybaking IN the photo itself! (That guarantees I’ll see your picture! 🙂 ) I’d love to see your healthy chocolate milkshake!

View Nutrition Information + Weight Watchers Points
 
 
You may also like Amy’s other recipes…
♡  Healthier Oreo Milkshake (high protein!)
♡  Blueberry Banana Protein Smoothie
♡  Berry Protein Smoothie (Jamba Juice copycat!)
♡  Cran-Raspberry Lemonade Protein Smoothie
♡  Triple Green Protein Smoothie
♡  Healthy Pumpkin Pie Smoothie
♡  Healthy Apple Pie Smoothie
♡  …and the rest of Amy’s healthy drink recipes and healthy chocolate recipes!