This vegan pumpkin spice smoothie tastes like a slice of pumpkin pie in a glass, but it's built on oats, banana and pumpkin puree, so it keeps you full all morning long. Soak the oats overnight, blend in the morning, and breakfast is ready in about two minutes.
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As soon as the stores fill up with pumpkin-flavored everything, this is the breakfast I start craving. Like my Mexican Chocolate Breakfast Shake and Banana Chai Smoothie, it has three main parts: oats, banana and milk. The oats make it thick and filling, and letting them soak overnight turns the finished shake silky instead of gritty. It's thick, creamy and cold, which is why a lot of people call it a vegan pumpkin milkshake, and honestly, that's exactly what it tastes like.
Key Ingredients & Substitutions
- Pumpkin puree. Use plain canned pumpkin, not pumpkin pie filling, which is already sweetened and spiced. You can also make your own pumpkin puree and freeze it in ¼-cup portions, which are the perfect size for this recipe.
- Old-fashioned oats. Rolled oats soften nicely overnight and blend up smooth. Quick oats work too. Skip steel-cut oats, which stay chewy. Use certified gluten-free oats if you need the shake to be gluten-free.
- Banana. Half a small frozen banana is the sweet spot. It adds creaminess and natural sweetness without taking over.
- Almond milk. Plain or vanilla both work, and so does any other milk you like: oat, soy, cashew or regular dairy milk if you're not keeping it vegan. Here's how to make almond milk at home.
- Pumpkin pie spice. This is where the "pumpkin" flavor really comes from. A jar of organic pumpkin pie spice is handy all fall. No jar? Use ½ teaspoon cinnamon plus a pinch each of ginger, nutmeg and allspice or cloves.
- Maple syrup. Optional. Taste the shake first; a ripe banana may be sweet enough. Agave, date syrup or a couple of pitted dates also work.
Helpful Tips
Soak the oats overnight if you can. Whisking the pumpkin, spice, sweetener and milk together and letting the oats sit in it overnight softens them completely, so the shake blends up smooth and creamy. In a hurry? Skip the soak and blend everything for an extra 30 seconds, or grind the dry oats in the blender first. The texture will be a little thicker and more rustic, but still delicious.
Keep the banana to a half. The first time I tested this recipe, I used a whole banana, and the shake was way banana-y. (That's a word, right?) With no banana at all, it wasn't creamy enough. Half a small banana is the perfect balance: you get the body without the banana flavor stealing the show.
Freeze your banana ahead of time. A frozen banana is what makes this thick and frosty, the same trick behind banana nice cream. Peel ripe bananas, break them in half and freeze them in a bag so they're ready to go.
Use a strong blender. Soaked oats and frozen banana need some power to turn silky. A sturdy blender like this Ninja Professional Plus blender gets it smooth in under a minute. Start on low, then go to high, and add a splash of milk if the blades get stuck.
Adjust the thickness at the end. For a spoonable, milkshake-thick texture, add a few ice cubes. For something you can sip through a straw, add more milk a tablespoon or two at a time until it's just right.
Variations
- Protein pumpkin smoothie. Blend in a scoop of vanilla vegan protein powder plus an extra splash of milk. It turns this into a great post-workout breakfast. Two tablespoons of hemp hearts or a tablespoon of almond butter also add protein.
- Extra-thick frozen banana version. Use a whole frozen banana and a few ice cubes for a frostier, sweeter shake. Cut back on the maple syrup, since the extra banana adds plenty of sweetness.
- Pumpkin spice coffee smoothie. Swap ¼ cup of the milk for cold brew or chilled espresso. It's like a pumpkin spice latte and breakfast in one glass.
- Vegan pumpkin milkshake. For dessert, skip the oats and blend the pumpkin, spice and banana with a big scoop of vanilla non-dairy ice cream. Top with coconut whipped cream and a sprinkle of cinnamon.
- Pumpkin pie smoothie. Add ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract and a crushed graham cracker (or a spoonful of granola) on top for real pumpkin pie vibes.
Serving Ideas
This smoothie is filling enough to be breakfast all on its own, especially with the protein variation. Pour it into a tall glass, add a pinch of cinnamon on top and grab a straw. It also travels well in a lidded jar if you're drinking it on the go.
For a bigger fall brunch, serve it next to a batch of Healthy Pumpkin Muffins, a square of Pumpkin Pie Breakfast Bars or a stack of gluten-free vegan pumpkin pancakes. It's also a nice afternoon snack for kids, who usually just think they're getting a milkshake.
Storing & Freezing
The overnight oat mixture keeps in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 3 days, so you can mix a few batches at once and blend one each morning. Once blended, the smoothie is best right away, but it will keep in a lidded jar in the fridge for up to 24 hours. It will thicken as it sits, so give it a good shake or stir in a splash of milk before drinking.
To freeze, pour the blended smoothie into ice cube trays or a freezer-safe jar and freeze for up to 3 months. Re-blend the frozen cubes with a little milk for an instant pumpkin shake, or thaw a jar overnight in the fridge and shake well before serving. You can also freeze pre-portioned bags of oats, pumpkin puree, spice and banana, then add milk and blend straight from frozen.
More Pumpkin Recipes
If you love this vegan pumpkin smoothie, here are a few more pumpkin recipes you might enjoy:
📖 Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- ¼ cup pumpkin puree
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup, or sweetener of choice, optional
- ¾ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- ¾ cup Almond Milk, plain or vanilla; any milk works
- ½ cup old fashioned oats, use certified gluten-free if needed
- ½ small banana, frozen
- sprinkle ground cinnamon, optional
Instructions
- In a jar or resealable container, whisk together the pumpkin puree, maple syrup, pumpkin pie spice and almond milk. Stir in the oats, seal and refrigerate overnight (or at least 4 hours).
- In the morning, add the oat mixture and the frozen banana to a blender. Blend on low, then on high for 30 to 60 seconds, until completely smooth. Add more milk, a tablespoon at a time, for a thinner shake, or a few ice cubes for a thicker one.
- Pour into a glass, sprinkle with ground cinnamon and serve right away.
Amanda @ Amanda's Apron says
This sounds awesome!
Sherri says
Love the way this sounds and plan on making it. Do you know the calorie and nutrient counts and number?
Kiersten says
The calorie count depends on the exact ingredients you use. Here's a recipe calculator that will figure out the nutritional info: http://caloriecount.about.com/cc/recipe_analysis.php
Jessica Marie says
Yay Autumn! <3 I cannot wait to try this! Do you think it would be OK to use "Quick Oats"? That's all I got 🙁
Kiersten says
Yes! Quick oats are fine--I have used them myself. 🙂
Dixya @ Food, Pleasure and Health says
anytime there is pumpkin spice is involved, it reminds me of Fall, holidays. However, in Dallas it does not feel like Fall but I think this shake might help a little.
Kiersten says
Yeah, it's been in the 80s a lot here too. But then we'll have a brisk day or a gray afternoon and I remember that it really is fall. 🙂
Paula says
Hi Kiersten, thank you for your recipe. I already made it several time and it is my absolute new favorite. My husband like it too, he said it tast bit like peanut butter.
Kiersten says
Thanks for letting me know--I'm so glad you enjoyed it! 🙂
All Natural Katie says
Just made this for lunch. Delicious and very filling! I (accidentally) used 1 banana instead of 1/2 of banana. I also added 2 tbsp of hemp protein powder for extra protein boost (it did color it green a little, but no taste change). I added all ingredients straight into the blender.
My nutritional calculation (based on the ingredients that I used, include 1 banana and 2 tbsp of hem protein powder): 480 calories, 18.75g protein
Kiersten says
I'm glad you liked it--thanks for sharing! 🙂
Erin @ Texanerin Baking says
This sounds so good! I can't have fruit (or any type of sugar at all this week... I hope I survive) but if I could, I would so be making this right now. And such pretty pictures! 🙂
Kiersten says
I'm doing an elimination diet right now, so I feel your pain. I'm trying to go a month without gluten, dairy, or sugar. It's Day 1 and I want to cryyyyyy.
Elizabeth Eross says
I have to say this shake made my morning! I was in a total breakfast runt for the past few weeks and it totally got me out it! Thank you thank you thank you!!!! I follow your blog and just love your posts. Please don't stop! 🙂
Kiersten says
Yay, I'm glad you enjoyed it! 🙂
katie says
I just made this and it's delicious! I added a spoonful of nutella instead of another sweetener, and I added some buttermilk.
Kiersten Frase says
I'm glad you enjoyed the recipe!
shakira sayyid says
me to yesterday
Marfigs says
Yum! This is going to be my breakfast tomorrow - was running out of ideas and I am a pumpkin junkie all year round!
Kiersten Frase says
Pumpkin definitely shouldn't be limited to fall only. 🙂
Sharon Pearl says
Hi I'm in Australia and we don't have 'Pumpkin Spice' ........ can you please tell me what it is or how I can mix my own spices to make it. Thanks 🙂
Sharon Pearl says
btw ...... thank you for your vegan recipes page, my daughter follows a vegan diet and I am constantly looking for different and interesting meals to make when she visits and to substitute different ingredients. 🙂
Kiersten Frase says
Sorry for the delay in responding - I was moving last week and fell behind on work! Pumpkin pie spice is a blend of several spices you probably have on hand. Here's a recipe for it: http://www.kitchentreaty.com/homemade-pumpkin-pie-spice-mix/
Brittany says
Any suggestions on what to use in place of the banana? (I'm allergic 🙁 )
Angela Guajardo says
Great recipe! Where did you get the glass from? I am looking for a set of these. Thanks
Kiersten says
I don't remember - it was either Pottery Barn or Anthropologie. It was a long time ago!
celeb networth says
Sounds like a perfect breakfast idea! Thank you for the nice recipe.
Pra Gwendolyn says
So delicious! It’s very Filling with the oatmeal, I pulverize the oatmeal before adding it. Yummy!