Holiday smoothies and holiday milkshakes have become an everyday thing for me. I absolutely love them. As we are now fully in the midst of the holiday season with Thanksgiving in less than a week, I have been wanting to infuse even my smoothies and shakes with a little seasonal cheer. So, I’ve hunted down the best traditional holiday themed recipes in smoothie and shake form. I now present to you this list of Christmas smoothie and Christmas milkshake ideas that perfect for the holiday season from Thanksgiving on into the new year!
With holiday smoothie and shake recipes both healthy and not-so-healthy, these drinks will bring a little cheer to your taste buds this season. They run the range from great as meals to an ice cream substitute on movie night!
But first, not until recently did I think to ask how the dictionary defined the difference between these two beverage terms. What did I discover?
What is the difference between a smoothie and a milkshake?
Well, smoothies are typically less thick in consistency and are made with yogurt, milk, or juice, and then of course the rest is blended fruits and vegetables. Thickeners like oatmeal, frozen bananas, chia seeds, flax, or protein powder can be added while still maintaining its overall healthy nature. (Although, this technically makes your beverage a shake. Keep reading.)
Holiday shakes are traditionally pretty thick, and mean a milk or ice cream base. We assign milkshakes as dessert items, because they normally contain sweeter ingredients like chocolate and cookies along with the ice cream. However, since the protein shake fad, the term “shake” doesn’t necessarily mean dessert and has to do more with the consistency of your creation. There are plenty of shake recipes out there that are just as healthy as a smoothie, but as it’s still a new phenomenon, people haven’t caught on to defining their milkshakes and such as “dessert” shakes. Maybe one day.
Now, all of these wonderful, wonderful food inventions are so extremely versatile. It’s easy to make any kind of dessert shake much healthier with just a few simple substitutes without sacrificing flavor, and to pump up a healthy smoothie with the nutrients to last you hours. Not only are you in control of how healthy your concoction is, but the variety of mixtures and flavors is out of this world!
Holiday Shakes And Smoothies You Will Love:
Gingerbread Smoothie:
Starting with gingerbread – Just think of the smell of gingerbread cookies wafting from an oven. Is it your oven? Your mom’s? Your grandma’s? Have you ever made gingerbread cookies? Personally, I haven’t, but the smell of gingerbread always makes me happy and relaxed. Tasty Yummies blog has this great gingerbread smoothie recipe. While the recipe calls for flax seed for extra nutrients, it can be easily excluded without lessening the flavor.
Egg Nog Milkshake:
Eggnog in some families is absolutely quintessential of the Christmas season. It is in mine, as my grandfather has blessed the younger generations by having perfected a recipe over his winters of trial and testing until finally, he found one to pass down. Thank you, Grandpa. If you’re looking to get a little eggnog flavor for a meal, say, for breakfast, then this eggnog protein Christmas milkshake is just the thing for you! Head over to Dashing Dish for the recipe.
Pumpkin-Nog Shake:
The time of pumpkin has yet to pass! And wow, there’s nothing like a good seasonal flavor combo drink. This recipe blends the flavors of pumpkin and eggnog, obviously the perfect drink for post-Thanksgiving and pre-Christmas, that hectic holiday time we all try not to stress about. And this recipe is a little bit less healthy, so if your night of de-stressing asks for something scrumptious, here’s to Pumpkin-Nog! Head over to iheartnaptime for the recipe.
Cranberry-Orange Smoothie:
With the seasonal lack of sun, give your body a little vitamin D boost with this healthy combination! Flavors to get your taste buds excited for, and then reminiscing about, Thanksgiving. Get the recipe at Caramel Potatoes.
Peppermint Eggnog:
Another super indulgent recipe, this one combines two of my absolute favorite flavors. It just oozes with winter happiness. And we all need a little extra happiness in the winter, am I right? Get the recipe at MomOnTimeout.
Apple Pie Protein Smoothie:
The delicious flavor of apple pie is never really out of season, is it? So bring the taste of it to your blender this winter using this super delicious and healthy recipe. Get the recipe at Running With Spoons.
Dark Chocolate Peppermint Protein Shake:
While it may look like an indulging treat, this tantalizing treat is actually quite healthy! So sweeten your morning routine with this chocolate-y delight. Get the recipe at Fit Foodie Finds.
Peppermint Bark Milkshake:
This is my personal favorite Christmas milkshake. Have you made your family’s helping of peppermint bark yet? Because if you have, or if you’re planning on it, you have to check out this dessert shake using peppermint bark because, hallelujah, does it look good. Head over to Two Peas And Their Pod.
What’s your favorite holiday flavor? Have you tried the Christmas milkshake version of it yet? Which one of these do you think will be your favorite holiday smoothie or shake?
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