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Enjoy all of the rich flavors of gingerbread in the form of a nutritious protein smoothie. This Gingerbread Smoothie contains cinnamon, spices, pumpkin, as well as blended oats to create a protein-packed drink that’s perfect for the holidays.
When it comes to the holiday season, many people don’t think to enjoy a smoothie. However, smoothies are an easy way to be sure your mornings, or afternoons, are full of protein, probiotics, and other nutrients. This gingerbread smoothie recipe combines spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger with pumpkin puree, oats, and Greek yogurt to make a smoothie that tastes like the holidays, but is still good for you!
If you like healthy gingerbread-inspired recipes, you will love these gingerbread pancakes and gingerbread coffee creamer!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Makes for an Excellent Meal Replacement: This healthy gingerbread smoothie is packed with 26 grams of protein and has enough calories to replace your breakfast or lunch. That’s perfect for healthy meals on the go.
- Quick and Easy: Protein smoothies are incredibly easy to make. You only have to put everything in the blender and blend! That’s great for when you need healthy food in a hurry.
- Classic Gingerbread Flavor: This gingerbread protein shake has cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and ginger that help replicate the delicious spicy flavor of gingerbread.
Table of Contents
Ingredients
- Pumpkin Puree: Be sure to use pumpkin puree and not pumpkin pie filling. This adds moisture, pumpkin flavor, and fiber to the smoothie.
- Gluten-Free Rolled Oats: The oats in this recipe help you feel full and stay full. You can also use regular rolled oats if you don’t need the recipe to be gluten-free.
- Almond Milk: Use any plant-based milk or dairy milk that you prefer to add moisture to the recipe.
- Greek Yogurt: Nonfat Greek yogurt is a great source of protein, which also contributes to helping you feel full and fueling your day.
- Spices: Ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves are all the classic spices in gingerbread, so you absolutely need them all in your smoothie.
- Collagen: Add a boost of protein to your smoothie with a scoop of your favorite collagen.
See the recipe card below for exact ingredient amounts, nutritional information, and detailed instructions.
Variations & Dietary Modifications
- Swap Out the Yogurt: Instead of yogurt try using cottage cheese for the protein. You may want to add a little sweetener since cottage cheese is tangier than Greek yogurt.
- Add an Apple: Get a little more fiber and some natural sweetness by adding chunks of peeled apple to your smoothie. This walnut apple pie smoothie is another great smoothie for the holidays.
- Try With Molasses: Gingerbread baked goods typically have molasses because they add a deep, caramel-like flavor. A splash of molasses will intensify the flavor of the smoothie, but also change the nutritional information.
- Get More Fiber: If you need to increase the amount of fiber in the smoothie, you can add chia seeds or flax seeds.
How to Make a Gingerbread Smoothie
This healthy gingerbread smoothie is a quick and easy way to add more nutrients, like fiber, iron, or protein, to your diet. It blends up in a matter of minutes, tastes delicious, and makes you feel festive.
Step 1: Blend the Ingredients. Add all of the ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth.
Step 2: Store Overnight. Pour the smoothie into a glass. This one is the perfect smoothie glass with a lid! Secure the lid and place it in the refrigerator overnight. Enjoy the next morning for breakfast.
Expert Tips
- Choosing the Right Collagen: It’s up to you which collagen you choose, but the two main forms are collage peptides and marine collagen. Collagen peptides are made from cow skin, joints, etc., and marine collagen is made from fish. The marine collagen generally absorbs better and has more omega-3, which is great for reducing inflammation; however, it does come with a fishy flavor.
- Let It Rest Overnight: This gingerbread protein shake is meant to sit in the refrigerator overnight so the flavors have time to meld together. You can drink it right away, but it will taste way more flavorful if it has time to rest.
- Adjust the Consistency: The trick to making the perfect smoothie is to adjust the consistency as you blend. You can add more milk if it’s too thick and add more oats if it’s too thin.
Serving Suggestions
This pumpkin and gingerbread smoothie is packed with enough protein and macronutrients to be considered a healthy meal replacement. However, if you’re looking for a little something more, this smoothie pairs well with a variety of bite-sized snacks and treats. It goes well with chocolate, savory bites, and other holiday flavors.
- On your way out the door in the morning, grab your gingerbread shake and a few gingerbread energy bites to fuel your day.
- These egg white bites make a great savory breakfast that helps balance the dessert-like flavor of this smoothie.
- Satisfy your sweet tooth after the gym and enjoy a healthier version of chocolate thumbprint cookies to go with your body-repairing smoothie.
Recipe FAQs
Yes! This gingerbread shake is actually meant to be made a day in advance so the flavors have time to come together.
If you’d rather use freshly grated ginger you can! The flavor won’t be as strong as dried ground ginger, and it will taste a little spicy, but it works just fine.
Absolutely! Pour the smoothie into an ice cube tray and thaw a few cubes at a time when you’re ready to enjoy it. Just be sure to thaw it for 24 hours in the refrigerator.
More Healthy Gingerbread Recipes
If you tried this Gingerbread Smoothie recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how you go in the 📝 comments below.
Gingerbread Smoothie
Ingredients
- ½ cup Pumpkin Puree, not pumpkin filling
- ¼ cup Gluten Free Rolled Oats, or regular rolled oats
- 1 cup Unsweetened Almond Milk, or milk of choice
- ½ cup Nonfat Greek Yogurt
- 1 teaspoon Cinnamon
- 1 ½ teaspoon Ginger
- ¼ teaspoon Nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon Cloves
- 1 scoop Collagen, or protein powder
- Liquid stevia , to taste
Instructions
- Place all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.
- Place in a covered glass in the refrigerator overnight or drink the day of.
Notes
- This smoothie is meant to be enjoyed as a meal replacement. It’s great for breakfast or lunch on the go!
- Let the smoothie sit in the refrigerator with a lid on it overnight to give the gingerbread flavors time to meld together.
- Adjust the consistency as the smoothie blends. You can add more almond milk if it’s too thick or add a little bit more oats if it’s too thin.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This looks fantastic! But I’m wondering if I should leave out the oats? I struggle with menopausal weight gain, and it seems like carbs in the form of grain completely stall my weight loss (or even cause me to gain considerably). Would you recommend something else in place of the oats? Obviously, I need to watch the calories too.
I don’t know anything about your background so it’s hard for me to say. In general, oats are wonderful food for menopause. The dietary fiber shuttles excess hormones out of the body as well as excess fat. The issue is when they are not properly balanced. Refined carbs, hidden sugars and lack of omega-3’s are generally the bigger problem with weight and hormones. You also have to consider you need to eat fewer calories as you age because metabolism slows down. I would never recommend omitting the oats. If anything, you should add flax or hemp seeds to get the omega-3 boost to work together with the fiber in the oats to balance your hormones.
Thank you so much for all that info. All very helpful tips! I know that I need to supplement with the omega-3s. I’ve fallen off the wagon there…need to start back up!
This is a great seasonal, yet still healthy, treat! I’ll have to work this into my smoothie rotation! Yum!
Thank you! I hope you like it.
Keeping this post up so I remember to make the smoothie for an afternoon snack today!
Ooh, the pumpkin gingerbread smoothie looks gorgeous! When all else fails, eggs or an omelette is usually my go-to!
I agree eggs are always a great idea
that pumpkin gingerbread smoothie looks insanely delicious! great post!
Thanks!
Yummy thanks for sharing. Glad you posted this over on the Polka Dots on Parade Link up today. xoxo
Ashley
http://www.arrayofstyle.com
Thanks for stopping by!