Candy Cane Smoothie

Ho, Ho, Ho! Did you hear that Santa Claus has a new favorite snack this year? It’s our sweet and pleasantly peppermint candy cane smoothie! Put aside those crusty Christmas cookies and give the guy in the big red suit what he really wants at the end of a long, busy night!

When you’ve been a little naughty with the tempting, tasty treats, your belly might be begging for something nice and nourishing. That’s where we come in. This seasonal smoothie is full of fiber-rich fruit, but also a delightful dose of healthy sweetness and a more-than-mild minty flavor. Really refreshing and calmingly cooling after a bout of innocent indulgence.

It’s totally time to celebrate with the best holiday smoothie you’ve ever had. Even Santa’s elves are envious! Put on your Christmas stocking cap, slip into curly-toed slippers, and let’s get this jingle-bell beverage blendin’!

Why This Christmas Smoothie Recipe Is So Awesome

• So delicious and creamy
• Incredibly easy and quick to blend up
• Perfectly peppermint-y
• A healthy holiday snack (or perfect for a Christmas morning breakfast beverage!)
• Dairy-free, soy-free, and gluten-free

Star Ingredients

Our candy cane smoothie not only has a cheerful color and fantastic flavor, but also many health benefits to boot! How can you go wrong with such a delightful and dazzling drink?

• Banana – Fair amount of fiber and antioxidants (such as vitamin C), also high in potassium and folate.
• Dragonfruit – Fat-free, high in fiber and antioxidants (including vitamin C), and helps to boost iron levels.
• Peppermint – Calms the stomach muscles, improves the flow of bile, helps with nausea, headaches, and has a cooling effect on the body.

Tips for Serving Up Your Peppermint Smoothie

The way you serve up a smoothie is almost as important as the recipe itself. Sure, you can just pour the fruit-filled smoothie into a plain glass and chug it down, but isn’t it way more fun to add a few, flourishing final touches? We think so! Here are three of our most merry recommendations:

• Don’t Pass on a Pretty Glass – This is the time to climb into those cupboards and find the fanciest glass you own. Bonus points if it’s holiday themed. Wet the top edge with orange juice (or water) and dip into crushed candy cane crumbs. Add a red-and-white striped paper straw and a matching full-sized candy cane. So fun and festive!
• Party-Pleasing Smoothie Shots – Using small shot glasses (red or white would be super), pour out single servings of candy cane smoothie and present one to each guest along with a tasty appetizer. Our favorites include vegan burger tater tots, jalapeño poppers, or savory roasted chickpeas.The combination of sweet and cold balanced with savory and hot is incredibly delicious.
• Holly Jolly Blended Bowl – For a thicker consistency, use a little less plant milk and scoop into a bright, festive bowl. Top with holiday nuts (like candied walnuts, macadamia nuts, or pistachios), finely shredded coconut (like snow!), and mini vegan chocolate chips. Consider arranging the tasty toppings into a sassy shape, such as a star, a smiling face, a peace sign, or a “V” for vegan.

Frequently Asked Questions About This Candy Cane Smoothie

Is there any way to make this recipe without bananas?

Possibly. In order to keep the pink peppermint color of the smoothie, we had to use ripe, frozen bananas so that there was a sweetness, creaminess, and also a neutral color to bring it all together. Truly, you can’t really taste the banana flavor at all once you add the peppermint extract. But, if you are sensitive to bananas (or just don’t have any in the house), I would try using frozen sweet strawberries instead. I will add a definite berry flavor to the smoothie, but you won’t need to add any dragonfruit for color.

Help! I can’t find dragonfruit! How can I create the pale pink color?

Don’t worry! If you can’t find frozen or fresh dragonfruit, feel free to use a drop or two of a vegan-friendly red dye or other red fruit (such as strawberry or raspberry). Just keep in mind that any other fruit will add a definite berry flavor to your smoothie. It’s totally up to you. Another option is to use beet powder. Start with ¼ teaspoon and see how you like the color. Add more if you like a brighter pink color.

Is it necessary to add the sweetener? Can I just make it without?

No problem! You can easily omit the sweetener, but keep in mind that the bananas might not be quite sweet enough to balance out the peppermint flavor. The riper the banana, the sweeter it will be, so you can opt for super-ripe (spotty, almost brown) bananas to boost the sweetness without adding sweetner. You can also use unsweetened plant milk if added sugars are not part of your daily diet. Try using vanilla stevia drops instead or substitute 1-2 soaked dates for a healthier option.

Can I use peppermint oil instead of peppermint extract?

Great question! Because peppermint essential oil is a very concentrated version of the peppermint plant, you would need only ¼ of the amount of oil compared to the extract. Because we are only using ¼ teaspoon of extract in this recipe, I would try adding only one single drop of peppermint essential oil. Also, be very careful that you are using 100% pure, food-grade peppermint essential oil that is not diluted with any base oils (like almond, jojoba, etc).

Where can I find healthy candy canes?

Because candy canes are just a mixture of sugar, corn syrup, peppermint flavoring, and red food coloring, there’s not much about them that is healthy. The smoothie tastes amazing without the candy cane additions, but they are fun if you want to include them. Candy canes are generally vegan-friendly (if they don’t use crushed beetles for the red dye), but here are brands that are safe to use: Spangler, Jolly Rancher, Brach’s, Jelly-Belly, and Sweet-Tart.

Equipment You’ll Need

As for most smoothie recipes, the essential piece of equipment is a high speed blender. You can totally make this using a regular blender, but it just won’t be as super smooth when it’s finished. Aside from a cozy mason jar or large glass and your ingredients, you’re good to go!

• High-Speed Blender
• Measuring Cups
• Measuring Spoons
• Sealable Plastic Bag
• Rolling Pin or Heavy Pan (for crushing candy canes)

If you try this holly jolly vegan banana smoothie recipe, let us know what you think by leaving a comment and rating below! Be sure to follow along on Pinterest, Instagram and Facebook for even more vegan recipe inspiration.

How To Store Leftover Raw Vegan Smoothie

Although smoothies taste the best (and have the best texture) right out of the blender, you can always save any remaining antioxidant smoothie to enjoy later on in the day. You can even make a smoothie the night before, keep it in an insulated bottle in the fridge, and just give it a quick blend in the morning. When you do this, keep in mind that the smoothie will be a bit thinner in texture, but it will still taste delicious.

Another fun tip for saving a smoothie for another time is to freeze it in an ice cube tray (or a couple of trays). If you pour the mixture directly into the trays and freeze it overnight (or for a few hours), all you need to do it throw the cubes into the blender and blend away! It helps to leave the cubes out at room temperature for about 5-10 minutes before blending. Adding a splash of plant milk or water will assist the process, too.

Happy Holidays and a Bright New Year, Friends!

More Scrumptious Vegan Smoothie Recipes to Try:

• Gingerbread Smoothie
• Pineapple Banana Smoothie
• Strawberries N’ Cream Smoothie
• Spooky Halloween Smoothie
• Tropical Mango Banana Smoothie
• Dragonfruit Smoothie Bowl
• Heart Beet Smoothie

Candy Cane Smoothie

Author: Gina House | World of Vegan

5 from 8 votes

Prepare for a very happy holiday season with this sweet, peppermint-y candy cane smoothie! Everything you love about candy canes is condensed into this super fun, fruit-filled cooler. A perfect pre-holiday party snack or delightful after-dinner dessert!

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 4 minutes minutes

Cook Time 1 minute minute

Total Time 5 minutes minutes

Servings 1 -2 ( about 18 ounces)

Ingredients

• 2 frozen bananas
• 1½ cups sweetened vanilla almond or oat milk, (or plant-based milk of choice)
• 1-2 tablespoons agave nectar or sweetener of choice
• ¼ teaspoon peppermint extract
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• Scant ½ tablespoon frozen dragonfruit, (or ¼ teaspoon of freeze-dried dragonfruit)
• 1-2 vegan-friendly peppermint candy canes, optional

Instructions

• Add one of the candy canes to the plastic bag and seal well. Use a rolling pin or heavy pan to crush the candy cane into very small pieces. Put to the side for later.
• Add the frozen bananas, dragonfruit, plant-based milk, dragonfruit, and extracts into the blender. Blend for one minute or until smooth.
• Pour the finished smoothie into one large or two small glasses or mason jars. Sprinkle the tops with the crushed candy canes, add a pretty holiday straw, and enjoy immediately!

Notes

• Dragonfruit Substitute – The dragonfruit works well because it gives a lovely pink color and sweetness, but not a particular flavor. Feel free to use a drop or two of a vegan-friendly red dye or other red fruit (such as strawberry or raspberry). Keep in mind that any other fruit will give a definite berry flavor to your smoothie, which might not be ideal. It’s totally up to you. Another option is to use beet powder. Start with ¼ teaspoon and see how you like the color. Add more if you like a brighter pink color.
• Smoothie Bowl Suggestion – Use only 1 cup of plant-milk for the recipe and pour into a bowl. Top with the crushed candy cane pieces, sliced banana, unsweetened coconut, chopped nuts, and any other holiday-inspired toppings that you wish.
• Dairy-free, soy-free, and gluten-free

Nutrition

Calories: 480kcal | Carbohydrates: 106g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 0.3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.1g | Sodium: 178mg | Potassium: 1028mg | Fiber: 9g | Sugar: 72g | Vitamin A: 889IU | Vitamin C: 24mg | Calcium: 530mg | Iron: 3mg

Course Beverage

Cuisine American

Keyword dairy-free holiday drink, vegan holiday smoothie, vegan smoothie

This Candy Cane Smoothie recipe and article was written by Gina House. Vegan food photography by JJ Steele. Edited by Amanda Meth and Michelle Cehn. Please note that this article may contain affiliate links which supports our work at World of Vegan.