8 Healthy Smoothies That Taste Like Dessert

Ever wish you could have dessert for breakfast? While they may drink like milkshakes, these good-for-you dessert smoothies are packed with vitamins, protein, and other energy-boosting goodness to start your day off right.

Whether you are looking for a quick, nourishing breakfast, an easy snack, or a way to sneak some nutrition into your kid's diet, dessert smoothies are a win for the whole family. From pumpkin pie to chocolate pudding, there's a smoothie dessert flavor to match every sweet tooth.

How to Keep Dessert Smoothies Healthy

The line between smoothies and milkshakes can be blurry, but there are some simple ways to make sure your dessert smoothie doesn't venture into straight-up dessert territory:

• To satisfy your chocolate cravings, add unsweetened cocoa powder instead of sugary chocolate syrup.
• For a rich, creamy texture that's packed with nutrients, throw in some avocado, banana, or yogurt (instead of ice cream—that's just a milkshake).
• To cut sugar, whip up your smoothie with naturally sweet fruit, dates, or a little maple syrup or agave if you really need a sweetness boost.

Our Favorite Dessert Smoothie Recipes

Here are eight of our absolute favorite recipes for smoothies that taste like dessert:

1. Pumpkin Pie Smoothie

Although this smoothie might taste like pumpkin pie thanks to the pumpkin puree (an excellent source of vitamin A) and warm spices, it's as healthy as it gets with banana and yogurt to make it extra creamy.

"I love making this smoothie. Sometimes I add chia seeds for a bit of texture," says recipe author AddedSugarFreeME. "Add a splash of milk if the texture is too thick for your liking."

2. Carrot Cake Smoothie

With carrot, mango, peach, soy milk, and a sprinkle of bold spices, this flavorful vegan dessert smoothie tastes great and packs a nutritional punch.

"This is one of those "outside-the-box" smoothies, and I like the fact that it's not loaded with additional sweeteners; the fruit takes care of that," raves lutzflcat.

3. Superfood Chocolate Pudding Smoothie

If you're looking for more vegan dessert smoothies, don't miss this decadently creamy chocolate smoothie made with the help of avocado and banana.

"I swear this tastes just like chocolate pudding!" says recipe author errghlack.

4. Paleo Apple Pie Smoothie

This filling, paleo-friendly smoothie gets nutrition from apple, pineapple, cashew butter, and flaxseed meal.

"This smoothie is great when the calendar says it's autumn, but the outside temperature denies it. You can have your cool fall in a glass! I used apple pie spice instead of cinnamon," says Buckwheat Queen.

5. Strawberry Shortcake Smoothie

With the addition of crushed shortbread cookies IN the smoothie, this drink undoubtedly teeters on the edge of dessert. However, the yogurt, strawberries, and optional protein powder give this smoothie a nutritious edge over a typical sweet treat.

"A yummy breakfast treat," says trinityman. "You can substitute vanilla wafers for shortbread cookies if you wish."

6. Chocolate Banana Smoothie

This top-reviewed recipe gets high marks for being quick and tasty. With only a handful of healthy ingredients, you up the nutrition with the addition of almond butter or unsweetened almond milk.

"I use 1 cup of unsweetened almond milk, 1 banana, 2 tablespoons of cocoa powder, and a dash of stevia to taste. It turns out great this way and is healthy at the same time since there is no sugar besides the natural sugar in the banana," suggests stick a fork in me, I'm done.

7. Pineapple Creamsicle Smoothie

For a bit of sunshine in a glass, try this smoothie dessert take on a nostalgic ice cream flavor. It's one of those dessert smoothies that the whole family will enjoy.

"This was absolutely delicious! Definitely my new smoothie go-to recipe," raves MrsDeHav. "This is also great with some fresh kale and ground flax for an added nutritional boost."

8. Strawberry Banana Nutella Smoothie

Is there anything that chocolate-hazelnut spread doesn't improve? It certainly makes this strawberry banana dessert smoothie even more delicious.

"This is a quick and easy breakfast that even kids will love," says Maggie T. "With Greek yogurt, it's got a decent amount of protein to keep you full until lunch. Most blenders work best with solid ingredients closest to the blade and liquids added last."