Vegan Date Shake

Refreshing, creamy and naturally sweet, this vegan date shake is your ultimate summer treat. Blend three simple ingredients and enjoy a cool healthy milkshake in under 10 minutes.

Jump to:

• What Is a Date Shake?
• Ingredients You’ll Need
• How to Freeze Bananas
• Extra Tips and Tricks
• How Sweet Is This Drink?
• Vegan Date Shake Recipe

What Is a Date Shake?

It’s simply a milkshake primarily flavoured with dates, usually made with vanilla ice cream. Invented in 1928, today date shake is one of the iconic symbols of Palm Springs.

This healthy vegan date shake is made with frozen bananas instead of ice cream, plant-based milk and, of course, dates.

Ingredients You’ll Need

• Medjool dates – For the creamiest shake, it’s best to use soft Medjool dates, which are fresh fruit, not dried. If your dates are dry or hard, soak them in water for 15 minutes and then drain them before using in the recipe.
• Banana – Use frozen bananas for a cool, thick milkshake. You can buy frozen pieces, or freeze them yourself (more details below).
• Plant-based milk – I like to use unsweetened almond milk because of its neutral flavour, but any kind of milk will work. Use your favourite plant milk, such as soy, oat, rice, coconut or hemp.

How to Freeze Bananas

Freezing banana is pretty straightforward, but the trick is making sure the slices don’t stick together. Here’s the best way to freeze bananas so they stay smoothie-ready.

• Step 1: Peel and slice the banana into desired size. If you have a high-speed blender, you can leave pretty big chunks and they will still blend with ease. A regular blender might struggle with larger pieces, so in that case, cut the bananas into thinner slices.
• Step 2: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and place the slices on the sheet in a single layer. This will prevent them from sticking together as they freeze. It’s enough to let them freeze just a bit, leaving them in the freezer for half an hour to an hour.
• Step 3: Remove the banana slices from the sheet and transfer them to a freezer-friendly lidded container. You can keep them in the freezer for three to four months, and use them in smaller portions whenever needed.

Extra Tips and Tricks

While the basic idea of a date shake is simple, here’s how to make sure your date shake turns out perfect:

• Don’t ignore the frozen banana. To make this drink more like a milkshake, the banana needs to be frozen solid, and the shake served right away.
• Use Medjool dates. Although the shake will also work with other types of dates, such as Deglet Noor, the sweet and plump Medjool dates really take it to the next level.
• Add any extra flavours you like, such as a dash of cinnamon or vanilla, but don’t go overboard with the mix-ins. You still want to be able to first taste the dates.

How Sweet Is This Drink?

This shake is a blend of Medjool dates, bananas and almond milk, so it’s super sweet and just perfect if you’re trying to satisfy your sugar cravings. But while it is sweet, it’s a healthier alternative to the traditional date shake, which is typically made with dates and vanilla ice cream.

If you’re looking for a more classic fruit smoothie, I recommend trying out this pineapple detox smoothie, strawberry banana peach smoothie or my frozen banana smoothie.