FREE Plant-Based Protein Course with 40+ Recipes
Enter your email address to get the recipes and course! You'll need to visit your inbox and confirm your subscription to get it.
Chocolate Chai Milkshake! A dairy-free milkshake that’s packed with spices and tastes just like a milkshake! No sugar added, gluten-free and vegan.
What distinguishes a smoothie from a milkshake? For me, if it’s frosty, super thick, and tastes like there must be at least a cup of ice cream in it, then it’s a milkshake. Everything else is a smoothie.
So, this is my Chocolate Chai Milkshake with no milk, no ice cream, but all shake. Trust me, one sip of this velvety chocolate shake and it’ll have you asking- where’s the ice cream? Ever since I discovered banana ice cream, I haven’t looked back. If you haven’t made banana ice cream before then you are in for a treat! Thankfully, you do can this without a special ice cream maker, and the entire process takes less than 5 minutes.
Of course, I still love traditional ice cream and gelato, but those have become more “treat foods” with banana ice cream standing in for everyday dessert (hey, this girl loves her some dessert).
Experimenting with different flavors of banana ice cream has become my way of celebrating what I crave most- chocolate, vanilla, peanut butter, and now this chai shake. I know that for many of you, February has turned into Siberia, but in California where the average temp hovers around 70 degrees, milkshakes are a totally acceptable winter dessert. And, although frosty and cold, the chai spices warm this chocolate shake up enough that no matter your forecast, you’re sure to love it.
This month’s Recipe Redux challenge was favorite chocolate pairings. While I tend to pair chocolate with either peanut butter or raspberry, I have been on a huge chai kick lately. I’ve been working to slowly kick my 2-3 cups of coffee/day habit (I know, I know), and while I’ll never be coffee-free, I have been trying to turn my warm afternoon beverage into tea instead of coffee.
Sure, tea still contains caffeine, but less than coffee. Plus it’s sweet enough that I don’t crave a piece of chocolate like I tend to do with my afternoon cuppa’ joe. Chai is hands down my favorite tea flavor, and it pairs perfectly with chocolate.
As a chai connoisseur, I know that chai ingredients can vary greatly depending on who’s making it. Just like curry, there isn’t one right way to spice chai tea correctly. For this shake, I knew I wanted to add in lots of warm spices like cloves, cardamom and nutmeg to pair with the sweet dates and slightly bitter chocolate powder.
If you prefer your shake more chocolate to chai, reduce the spices by one-quarter to one-half. One last note, dates have quickly climbed to the top of my love list! Which, I realize I say about most foods on this blog; but, that doesn’t mean it isn’t true. I used dates exclusively as a sweetener but if you want your shake sweeter, feel free to add in a little honey or maple syrup.
Don’t forget to check out the other chocolate pairing recipes from fellow Recipe Redux-ers below!
If you try this recipe, let me know! Leave a comment, rate it, and tag your Instagram photos with #delishknowledge . I absolutely love seeing your creations. Happy cooking!
PrintEnter your email and get it sent to your inbox! Plus, you'll get new recipes from us each week.
Chocolate Chai Milkshake! A dairy-free milkshake that’s packed with spices and taste just like a milkshake! No sugar added, gluten-free and vegan | www.delishknowledge.com
Tag @delishknowledge on Instagram and hashtag it #delishknowledge
The Ultimate Plant-Based Protein Cookbook + Course
(Includes 40+ recipes!)
FREE 7-DAY COURSE + COOKBOOK
(6 comments) leave a comment
The name mentions chia seeds but I don’t see any in the ingredients list. Am I missing something?
Hi Jazzmin, it’s Chai flavored, not with Chia seeds. I hope you like it!
I have also been on a chai kick lately! Loving all of these ingredients you used. Those frosty’s I used to eat as a kid might have some competition 😉 Can’t wait to try this!!
This sounds amazing – love the idea of using dates in a milk shake!
Me too Carrie! They add a rich, caramel taste and a lot more nutrition than regular sugar!
YUM! This looks like such a perfect dessert. My problem is that I would just drink it way too fast!