Why It Works
- Soaking the dates in hot water softens their skins and flesh, ensuring they blend smoothly into the drink without leaving chewy bits behind.
- Using frozen bananas adds body and creaminess and keeps the smoothie cold without watering it down like ice would.
- Adding a touch of salt sharpens the flavors of the smoothie.
Coffee and dates are a natural pair: The bitterness of the brew tames the fruit’s toffee-like sweetness. It’s a combination I come back to daily, eating two dates alongside a cup of black coffee in the morning. This smoothie builds on that same pairing, turning it into a drink that’s lightly sweet but balanced, and nourishing enough to stand in for breakfast.
In spirit, this smoothie is not so far from the famous Palm Springs milkshake you’ll find along California’s desert highways—a blend of dates, milk, and ice cream that is rich, cooling, refreshing, and incredibly delicious. This reimagination channels the same date-driven sweetness but keeps things lighter and more balanced, making it just as welcome first thing in the morning as it is in the afternoon.
In this cold, creamy smoothie, coffee and dates are rounded out with frozen banana, milk, Greek yogurt, and nutty hemp hearts, then blended until smooth and milkshake-thick. The coffee provides both backbone and balance, and concentrated cold brew works best—it delivers deeper, bolder notes that stand up to the natural sweetness of the dates. That said, a strong batch of home-brewed coffee can also do the job if that’s what you have on hand.
Frozen banana gives the smoothie its thick, milkshake-like texture without ice, so every sip stays creamy instead of watered down. For even more creaminess, I like to use whole cow’s milk, but any unsweetened milk, such as almond, oat, or soy, can be used in its place. Greek yogurt and nutty hemp hearts add body, balance, and protein, making this smoothie more sustaining. Instead of relying on protein powders, I prefer these whole ingredients to bring flavor as well as substance to the smoothie.
Serious Eats / Amanda Suarez
A pinch of cinnamon pairs beautifully with the dates’ natural caramel flavor, while cardamom is a nod to Arabic coffee traditions, where the spice is often blended right into the beans. Finally, a touch of salt sharpens the smoothie’s flavors.
It’s a simple blend, but one balanced enough to keep me coming back every morning.
The Creamy Coffee-Date Smoothie I Make Every Morning
Cook Mode
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2 to 3 Medjool dates, pitted, and chopped (about 1 1/3 ounces to 2 ounces) (see notes)
1 medium banana, peeled, sliced, and frozen (about 5 1/2 ounces; 156 g)
1/2 cup (120 ml) unsweetened milk (see notes)
1/4 cup (60 g) full-fat strained (Greek-style) yogurt
3 tablespoons (45 ml) cold brew concentrate or strong home-brewed coffee, chilled (see notes)
2 tablespoons (about 18 g) hemp hearts (see notes)
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon cardamom
1/8 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt; for table salt, use half as much by volume
In a small heatproof bowl, add dates and cover with hot water. Soak until softened, about 10 minutes. Drain well.
Serious Eats / Amanda Suarez
Combine soaked dates, frozen banana, milk, yogurt, cold brew, hemp hearts, cinnamon, cardamom, and salt in a blender.
Serious Eats / Amanda Suarez
Blend on high speed until smooth and creamy, about 60 seconds. Pour into 1 or 2 glasses and serve.
Serious Eats / Amanda Suarez
Special Equipment
High-speed blender
Notes
For a sweeter smoothie, use 3 dates; for a less sweet version, stick with 2. While Medjool dates are easy to find, any variety will work here—even drier ones, as the soaking step will soften them. Just keep in mind that different types have slightly different flavor profiles.
Any unsweetened milk of choice may be used; however, whole cow’s milk yields the creamiest result.
Cold brew concentrate adds bolder, deeper coffee notes than regular brewed coffee, pairing especially well with the toffee-like sweetness of Medjool dates.
Hemp hearts are the tender hulled interiors of hemp seeds. They can be found in many mainstream grocery stores, as well as in health food stores, and online.
Make-Ahead and Storage
Smoothies are best enjoyed immediately after blending, while they’re still cold.
