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Carrot Cake Smoothie

Name: Carrot Cake Smoothie
Prep time: 5 min
Total time: 5 min
Ingredients: ½ cup chopped carrots; 1 cup full fat canned coconut milk (, or other dairy free milk (see note)); ¼ - ½ cup maple syrup (, add more for extra sweetness if preferred); ½ cup oats; ½ cup cashews (, see note); 1 tablespoon cinnamon; 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; ¼ teaspoon ground ginger; 1/8 teaspoon sea salt; 2 cups ice (, about 26 cubes); Shredded carrots; Coconut flakes; Chopped nuts

By Sophia DeSantis, Reviewed by Anjali Shah on August 9, 2025

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I turned my love for classic carrot cake into a creamy and protein-packed Carrot Cake Smoothie. I simply love the combination of fresh carrots, coconut milk, and warm spices in a glass. It comes together in just 5 minutes and tastes like dessert for breakfast.

Two tall glass jars with peach colored smoothies topped with carrots, pecans and coconut

My kids love carrot cake so much that I started making all kinds of sweet treats with those same flavors, from carrot cake energy balls to vegan carrot cake cupcakes for their lunchboxes.

Table of Contents hide

👩🏽‍🍳 Why I Love This Recipe

🍽 Serving Suggestions

🧊 Storage Directions

❓Recipe FAQs

🍏More Healthy Smoothie Recipes!

📋 Recipe Card

After the success of these breakfast carrot cake overnight oats, I decided to create something just as nutritious but in drinkable form that keeps them fueled until lunch. Now, my mornings are a breeze with this 5-minute recipe. Ha!

👩🏽‍🍳 Why I Love This Recipe

I love it when I can sneak veggies into my kids’ diet in a way they enjoy, and this carrot cake smoothie is perfect for that! It’s like blending carrot cake with milk and drinking it. The combination of fresh carrots, creamy coconut milk, maple syrup, and warm spices like cinnamon and ginger makes an incredibly satisfying drink that genuinely tastes like liquid carrot cake. My kids love it!

It’s incredibly quick to make, simply throw everything except the ice into a blender and let it do its thing for a few minutes. Then, add the ice to create a smooth, thick shake that’s simply irresistible. There are vitamins, fiber, and healthy fats from cashews, and just enough sweetness from maple syrup. It’s a complete breakfast that I can whip up before the kids even get out of bed, then let them garnish their own with coconut flakes, shredded carrot, or chopped nuts. Sometimes they get a bit carried away with the toppings, but hey… at least they’re excited about drinking their vegetables!

It’s not just another sugary breakfast drink or a boring veggie smoothie, it’s the perfect balance of nutrition and indulgence. Just last week, my son told his friends at soccer practice that he eats carrot cake for breakfast, which didn’t go down too well with the coach until I told him that it’s a nutrition shake. Seeing as he knows I am a health coach, he got interested pretty fast when I told him about all of the healthy benefits it contains. 1 nil to mom!

🥘 Ingredients

These are the wholesome ingredients you need to have ready to make this nutritious carrot cake smoothie:

Carrots: I use either whole or baby carrots, but I always chop them so they blend smoothly.

Dairy-free milk: I love using full-fat coconut milk for the creamiest texture, but any milk works. Cashew, oat, or almond milk are all great options.

Maple syrup: I adjust the amount based on how sweet I want the smoothie. Sometimes I swap it with honey or agave for a slightly different flavor.

Oats: I make sure my oats are certified gluten free when needed. They help make the smoothie more filling.

Cashews: These make the smoothie extra creamy. I toss them right into the blender with the other ingredients.

Seasonings: Cinnamon, ginger, and vanilla give that classic carrot cake flavor. A pinch of nutmeg or some fresh ginger makes it even better.

Sea salt and ice: A little salt balances the sweetness, and ice makes it nice and cold.

🔪 How To Make

I love making this smoothie because it is so easy to throw together, plus it is vegan and gluten free! All you need to do is:

Load the blender: I add all the chopped carrots, coconut milk, maple syrup, oats, cashews, spices, and a pinch of salt into my blender. Then, I toss in some ice to make it extra cold and refreshing.

Top view of a blender on a blue wooden surface with cashews, carrots, spices and milk inside

Process until smooth: I blend everything on high speed until the mixture is completely creamy without any carrot chunks. Then, I give it a quick taste to see if it needs a little more sweetness or spice.

Top view of a blender on a blue wooden surface with an orange thick liquid in it

Pour into glasses: I carefully pour the smoothie into glasses and serve it right away while it is cold and fresh. Sometimes I sprinkle a little cinnamon on top for extra flavor.

A blender pouring a peach colored smoothie into a glass jar on a blue wooden surface

💭 Expert Tips

My #1 Secret Tip for making this carrot cake smoothie is to steam the carrots for a few minutes before blending if your blender is not very powerful. I learned this trick when my kids were little and I wanted their smoothies to be silky smooth without any crunchy bits, and it really makes the drink extra creamy and easy to enjoy.

Other Tips To Keep In Mind:

Chill your ingredients: Use cold milk and cold carrots so the smoothie is nice and refreshing without needing too much ice.
Adjust sweetness to taste: Taste the smoothie before pouring and add a little extra maple syrup if your carrots are not very sweet.
Boost the nutrition: Add a small handful of spinach or a scoop of plant-based protein powder for extra nutrients without changing the flavor much.
Blend long enough: Let the blender run for at least 30–60 seconds so the texture is completely smooth and creamy.

📖 Variations

These are some variations of this vegan carrot cake smoothie I have tried, and my kiddos have approved. You have to try them too.

Pineapple twist: I add 1 cup of frozen pineapple to give it a bright tropical flavor that works so well with the carrots. It makes the smoothie extra refreshing.

Protein boost: I blend in 1 scoop of vanilla protein powder when I want it to keep me full until lunch. It turns my smoothie into a quick meal.

Chocolate treat: I mix in 1 tablespoon of cocoa powder for a chocolatey twist. It reminds me of a chocolate carrot cake dessert.

🍽 Serving Suggestions

My vegan carrot cake smoothie is such a nutritional breakfast treat during those busy school mornings or weekend brunches. Here are some pairing ideas for you to try:

Breakfast Ideas: Some of my go-to recipes that are perfect for those busy mornings are these grab-and-go healthy breakfast bars packed with nuts, peanut butter, banana, and oats. Or, my favorite 5-minute overnight vegan breakfast parfaits that I make every Sunday, ready for the school week.

Brunch Ideas: When we have more time on weekends, I create a proper brunch spread with healthy avocado toast with egg and tomato, or everyone’s favorite weekend sweet treat: healthy French toast covered with maple syrup and fresh berries. The pairing options are endless with smoothies!

🧊 Storage Directions

Refrigeration: You can keep the smoothie in a sealed jar or container in the fridge for up to 2 days. Just give it a good shake or stir before drinking.

Freezing: Pour the smoothie into freezer-safe jars or silicone molds and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight before serving.

❓Recipe FAQs

Can I use frozen carrots instead of fresh?

Yes, you can! I keep a bag of frozen carrots in the freezer for times when I do not have fresh ones. They work just fine in the smoothie. If they are frozen solid, I let them sit out for a few minutes so they are not too hard on my blender. You can also run them under a little warm water to soften them up quickly.

Can I skip the oats?

Yes, you can skip them. The smoothie will still taste great, it just will not be quite as filling. I usually keep the oats in because they give a little extra fiber and help keep me full until lunch, but it is totally fine without them if you want something lighter.

How do I make this smoothie sweeter?

When I want my smoothie a bit sweeter, I just add an extra tablespoon of maple syrup or drop in a medjool date before blending. Both make it naturally sweet without using refined sugar. If your carrots are extra sweet, you may not even need to add much at all.

🍏More Healthy Smoothie Recipes!

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