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This healthy date shake is thick, naturally sweet, and lightly spiced with cinnamon and vanilla. Made with just five ingredients (no added sugar, no dairy, and no banana).

A glass of creamy date milkshake with a straw, topped with foam, sits on a surface next to whole dates and another glass in the background.
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The original date shake is a Palm Springs institution. I had my first one there and loved it, but as someone with a nutrition background, I kept thinking about how the date itself was doing all the interesting work.

Dates have a natural caramel depth and enough sweetness to carry a drink on their own. So I wanted to strip the recipe back and let them do exactly that.

Freezing almond milk into cubes instead of using ice cream gives you the same thick, frosty texture without the dairy or added sugar. From a sensory standpoint, the result is surprisingly close to the original: the sweetness, the chill, and the creamy mouthfeel are all there, just without the heaviness that follows a full milkshake.

A tall glass of frothy date smoothie with a glass straw, sprinkled with cinnamon, surrounded by dates, spice, and a blender in the background.
You know how when you add a banana to a smoothie, the entire smoothie gets overrun by that single flavor? Well, don’t worry because no bananas were included in making this date-shake recipe!

you don’t need much to make a date shake

With only five ingredients, making a date shake couldn’t be simpler. Jump to the recipe card for exact measurements – this is just an overview!

  • Almond Milk: This gets frozen into ice cubes to help the smoothie have a frosty consistency without actually adding ice cubes. (You could also use creamy oat milk here instead.)
  • Medjool Dates: As for the dates, you will need just 4 because they really are SO sweet. Be sure to remove the pits or buy pitted dates.
  • Salt, Cinnamon, Vanilla: Salt sharpens the natural sweetness of the dates and prevents the shake from tasting flat, while cinnamon adds a warmth that makes the drink feel more complex than a five-ingredient recipe has any right to be.

milk options

Feel free to use any milk you like for this recipe. For an extra creamy shake, try using full-fat coconut milk instead of almond milk. The coconut flavor will definitely be prominent, but it goes really well with the dates.

A pitcher of almond milk, a small jar of vanilla extract, a dish with cinnamon and salt, and a plate with dates are arranged on a light surface—perfect ingredients for making a healthy date shake.
A glass of frothy beverage topped with cinnamon, served with a clear straw, surrounded by whole dates on a wooden surface.
A tall glass of frothy date shake with a glass straw, sprinkled with cinnamon, sits on a wooden board beside whole dates and another glass of shake.
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Healthy Date Shake (No Bananas)

5 from 2 ratings
By: Sarah Bond
Prep: 5 minutes
Freeze Time: 4 hours
Total: 4 hours 5 minutes
Servings: 2 date shakes
This healthy date shake is thick, naturally sweet and lightly spiced with cinnamon and vanilla. Just five ingredients with no added sugar, no dairy and no banana!

Ingredients 

  • 2 cups almond milk, 472 mL
  • 4 Medjool dates, pits removed
  • ¼ tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 pinch of cinnamon and salt
  • almond milk, as needed
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Instructions 

  • Freeze: Pour 2 cups almond milk into an ice cube tray and freeze until solid, about 4 hours.
    A blue silicone ice cube tray filled with frozen yellow liquid; one cube is partially broken with a piece of ice protruding.
  • Blend: Add almond milk ice cubes, 4 Medjool dates (pits removed), ¼ tsp vanilla extract, and 1 pinch of cinnamon and salt to a blender. Slowly drizzle in almond milk as you blend, as needed, until you reach a smoothie consistency.
    Top view of a blender containing pineapple chunks, dates, and a sprinkle of ground spice on a light surface.

Notes

Storage: If you have any leftover shake, you can keep it in the fridge in an airtight or sealed container for up to 2 days. Reblend it with ice to enjoy again.

Nutrition

Serving: 1shake | Calories: 102kcal | Carbohydrates: 18.6g | Protein: 1.5g | Fat: 2.5g | Saturated Fat: 0g | Cholesterol: 0mg | Sodium: 218mg | Potassium: 1mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 15.1g | Calcium: 0mg | Iron: 0mg

Nutrition information calculated by Sarah Bond, degreed nutritionist.

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4 Comments

  1. Kiki says:

    Do you think this recipe would be good as popsicles?

    Reply
    1. Sarah Bond says:

      Yes I think so! 😀

  2. Cathy Brandt says:

    5 stars
    Wonderful, wonderful. I keep a tray of almond and oat milk cubes in the freezer. The dates make it taste “special”.

    Reply
    1. The Live Eat Learn Team says:

      Thanks for the kind words Cathy, happy eating!