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.
sweetsugarbelle says
Oh, wow, this sounds AMAZING!
sarah@thesweetlife says
wow! this is a great way to hay good morning to fall. I am gonna have to make this next week. or right now...
Stephanie @ henry happened says
I was channeling you today because I made pumpkin spice lip gloss! And I also made Mexican hot chocolate. I think the gods are trying to tell me that I need more breakfast shakes in my life 🙂
Kiersten says
Ha! Well, now you have me intrigued--I hope you're posting the tutorials for those soon!
Christina @ Sweet Pea's Kitchen says
Oh man...you had me at pumpkin!! Anything with pumpkin has to be great! I can't wait to give the shake a try! 🙂
Rachel @ Almonds and Avocados says
This sounds DELICIOUS!! I live in Dallas (where it's unfortunately still 100 degrees), and I'm convinced that if I eat fall-flavored foods then the weather will have to cooperate 🙂 So glad you decided to share this recipe early--I'll be making it ASAP!
Kiersten says
Ha! I'm in North Carolina and I feel the same way--although thankfully we are not in the 100s anymore here. 🙂
Heidi @ Food Doodles says
Yummy! I made a similar smoothie or shake last year and it was sooooo good! Cannot wait to try this out soon! Bring on the pumpkin 😀
Venera from Veggykitchen.com says
I definitely want to make this shake. I have a question - how do you make pumpkin puree? Do you have to boil it first?
Kiersten says
Here in the US, you can buy pumpkin puree--it comes canned. But it's easy to make it yourself too:
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/pumpkin-puree-recipe/index.html
Louise@thesparechangekitchen says
Oh YUM! Perfect, I am so having this in the morning. I have a quarter of a pumpkin and definitely cannot justify another pumpkin pie this week!!!
Kiersten says
Oh, you can always justify another pumpkin pie. 😉
Crystal says
It's getting that time for pumpkin everything, isn't it? One of the many reasons why I LOVE fall!
April Decheine says
My husband would love this, pumpkin is one of his favorites.
Jenn @therebelchick says
I need to try making this, I love Pumpkin spiced things in the fall!
JulieD says
Ahhh, I'm not completely ready for fall yet...this shake looks great, Kiersten!
Katie says
that looks and sounds so good! Do you know if you could substitute anything besides banana? I have some new dietary restrictions and bananas are part of it (which sucks, because I love, love, love bananas!)
Kiersten says
You can try adding extra pumpkin (and if you freeze it first, it should help give the shake a creamier texture) or Greek yogurt (maybe vanilla?). I hate yogurt, so I can't tell you how that would work out, but I did make this with 1/3 cup of pumpkin and no banana and while it wasn't as shake-y, it still tasted good!
Kathy says
Um... Yummy! I will have to try this!!!!
Natalie says
I just bought my first can of pumpkin today .. I can't wait to start using it in breakfast shakes!
Kiersten says
I bought some cans, but I think I'm going to try to make my own pumpkin puree this year too! I figure if I can make enough of it to freeze for the year, it will be worth the hassle.
Kenyatta Rodriguez says
The shake looks amazing. Your pictures are fabulous!
Courtney Rae Jones says
YUM! 🙂 I think this will be my breakfast for the next two months. Until I'm sick of pumpkin...if being sick of pumpkin is even possible. *hehe*
Kiersten says
I don't think I could ever get sick of pumpkin either! 🙂
Sharon | Chinese Soup Pot says
This recipe looks so delicious and healthy. I am bookmarking this to try one day! Do you put in *cooked* oatmeal in the shake? Or can you use raw? Thanks!
Kiersten says
Nope, you put the oatmeal in uncooked. When you let it sit overnight, it softens. 🙂
Sharon | Chinese Soup Pot says
Thanks Kiersten! Raw oatmeal makes this shake even easier to make! =)
Alyssa says
Thank you!! This is delicious!! You breakfast shake recipes are a staple for me now, thank you! Yummy!
Kiersten says
I'm so glad to hear you like it! 😀
Genevieve says
I will definitely have to make this once I open my first can of pumpkin this year....it sounds filling, which is good because I'm usually hungry again an hour after I have a smoothie. Sometimes I find that adding canned pumpkin to drinks doesn't end up tasting good, but I think the banana would help balance it out in this recipe!
Kiersten says
Yes, me too! That is why I rarely make typical fruit smoothies--or if I do, it's for a snack. I can't do them for breakfast because I don't like yogurt and without yogurt, they just aren't filling. But adding oatmeal really makes a difference!
Melanie says
Inspired by your recipe & my disappointing lack of pumpkin purée (I unknowingly depleted last year's bounty of puréed pumpkin from my freezer), I substituted the pumpkin & spices and created an "apple pie" smoothie. It is pretty delicious, but I'm looking forward to trying the real recipe next week... To do: buy as many organic pie pumpkins as I can carry 🙂 I love everything pumpkin!!
Kiersten says
Okay, I need details! 😀 Did you use cooked apples or raw? I'm going to have to try this! I'm still on my pumpkin kick, but I have apples on my grocery list for tomorrow!
Lisa Marie @ MidwestVeg says
I totally hear you on the pumpkin thing. I couldn't help myself either. Since the beginning of September I've already made a pumpkin syrup for my own lattes, cupcakes, quick bread, and overnight pumpkin pie oats. You better believe this is next on the list of all things pumpkin. Seriously, it looks GOOD!
Kiersten says
It is SO good! 😀 I'm making a pumpkin pie this weekend and I've been brainstorming other pumpkin recipes. Even though it's 86 here today, I'm trying to convince myself that it's fall...
melanie says
I was already preparing the pumpkin smoothie when I realized that I was out of pumpkin puree, so I used what I had on hand - storebought organic applesauce (one of my daughter's lunch options for school). I just substituted the applesauce in place of the pumpkin and used cinnamon instead of pumpkin pie spices, then added a few drops of vanilla extract. The rest of the recipe was the same. I did add water at the end, as it was a little thick for my tastes 🙂
Kiersten says
I'm going to have to remember this the next time I have applesauce on hand!
Shirley says
I like your suggestion about the oats soaking overnight! I used to blend oats into smoothies, but they felt so gritty in my throat. And the overnight soak is easier than cooking the oats and then letting them cool. It definitely feels like fall. I told myself it was summer for weeks yet, but the temp drops into the 50s at night, I now have to wear socks at home because my feet freeze, and I wake up every morning with hot tea. Yep, it's fall.
Kiersten says
It was in the 80s for most of last week, but then yesterday? I think it barely reached 70. Oh, it was wonderful! And I wore a cardigan!
Rachel says
This is so, SO good. I've made it like 4 times already.
Kiersten says
I love hearing that--thank you! 😀 I have been making it constantly too!
Millie says
I found this recipe via pinterest. I made it this morning with pureed butternut squash and skim milk (because those are what I had around). It was AWESOME! The only issue was that my 17-month-old wanted ALL of it!
Millie says
I should also note that I'm in my 3rd trimester of pregnancy, and this kept me full until lunch! A real feat!
Kiersten says
I'm so glad you (and your 17-month-old) liked it--yay! 😀 I kind of use butternut squash & pumpkin interchangeably too. They are so similar and once you add the spices, I think it's hard to tell the difference!