Cinnamon Date Smoothie

By Sohla El-Waylly

Published January 16, 2025

  • Linda Xiao for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Monica Pierini.
Media 1 of 2
Total Time
10 minutes
Prep Time
5 minutes
Cook Time
5 minutes
Rating
5(914)
Comments
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When the craving for a cinnamon bun strikes but you don’t want to go through all the proofing, forming and baking, this smoothie almost hits all those notes in a snap: buttermilk steps in for the tang of cream cheese icing, dates offer their caramelly sweetness, and nutty flax brings that freshly baked aura. Don’t skimp on the salt, which helps all the flavors pop.

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Ingredients

Yield:1 serving 

  • 1 cup low-fat buttermilk

  • 1 ripe small banana, frozen and cut into pieces

  • 2 medium medjool dates, pits removed

  • ½ cup ice cubes

  • 1 tablespoon flax seed or meal

  • ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon, plus more to garnish

  • ¼ teaspoon vanilla paste or extract

  • Salt, to taste

  • 1 tablespoon plain Greek yogurt (optional)

Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (1 servings)

73 grams carbs; 12 milligrams cholesterol; 387 calories; 1 gram monosaturated fat; 3 grams polyunsaturated fat; 3 grams saturated fat; 8 grams fat; 9 grams fiber; 1231 milligrams sodium; 13 grams protein; 57 grams sugar

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Pour buttermilk into a blender. Add banana, dates, ice, flax seed, cinnamon, vanilla and a pinch of salt. Blend on high until thick and smooth. Taste and add more salt if needed.

  2. Step 2

    Using the back of a spoon, swirl the yogurt, if using, on the inside of a glass, then pour in the smoothie. Garnish with more cinnamon and serve right away.

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Ratings

5 out of 5
914 user ratings
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Comments

MaddyChaddy

I make a variation of this every day (ordered something like 45 pounds of organic pea protein too to save in money, if not space!) (1) oat milk (any milk is fine obvi) (2) 2 dates (3) 1 ripe frozen banana (4) 1-2 scoops of pea protein (we have a ton right now, see alone, so I’m drunk with power here) (5) cocao powder (6) splash of vanilla (7) salt! (Adds SO much!) and (8) mesquite bean powder (makes it taste more like a malt!) …. BLEND! Then add some (9) ice and blend some more! (This lets the ice not melt the first time around). Mesquite, and good dates, are more common in Phoenix, where we lived for a year. I recommend mesquite and especially good dates as much as I do NOT recommend Phoenix.

sara b

Made this as written except I used regular milk instead of buttermilk because that’s what I had lying around and honestly, it was the best smoothie I’d had in a long time! Totally delicious.

Justine

Used regular milk and added a shot of espresso. Tasty! Didn't include flax seeds.

Ilovecardigans

Recommend adding a few tbsp of rolled oats and a scoop of almond butter for nice texture and flavor. Absolutely delish!

SLF

This is an amazing shake / smoothie. Recommend date paste from a Middle Eastern grocery, that’s even one step easier.

Kristen

SO delish! Used 3 dates instead of 2 and soaked in hot water (150 F) for a smoother blend. Subbed in plain/vanilla kefir for buttermilk.

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