Thick, creamy, and healthy Pumpkin Protein Shake is sure to satisfy your pumpkin pie cravings! It’s made with good-for-you ingredients and is so delicious!
Looking for more breakfast shakes or smoothies? Try this Green Smoothie Recipe, this Cherry Smoothie, or this Mango Smoothie next!
Pumpkin Protein Shake
This Pumpkin Protein Shake is thick enough to pass for a milkshake but healthy enough for breakfast! And that’s because there’s pumpkin, vanilla protein powder, and even a frozen banana in the mix. The banana adds creaminess and creates the consistency of a real milkshake.
And one of the greatest things about this Pumpkin Protein Shake? It’s the perfect way to use leftover pumpkin. A lot of pumpkin recipes call for only part of a can, so instead of wasting the rest, save it in the fridge and whip up this shake the next morning!
Pumpkin purée is made from cooked pumpkin and nothing else. Pumpkin pie filling, on the other hand, is made from pumpkin purée AND sweetener, milk, and seasonings. Just pour it into a pie shell and bake. They’re both wonderful products, but they fill different needs. This recipe requires cooked pumpkin, not the pie filling. Be sure to check the label and get the correct product. Quick Tip
How to make Pumpkin Protein Shakes
- Freeze the banana: While Pumpkin Protein Shakes are quick and easy to make, you’ll need to do a bit of planning to make sure the banana is fully frozen when you need it. I like to prep the bananas right after bringing them home from the grocery store so I don’t forget. Remove the peel, slice the banana into coins, place in freezer-safe containers or bags, and freeze overnight. It’s not hard; you just have to remember in advance to do it. (Remembering is the hard part!)
- Measure: While it might seem silly to actually measure out ingredients for a shake instead of just throwing everything in the blender, I highly recommend doing so the first few times you make this, or until you have a feel for the quantities. Throwing random ingredients in a blender can often end up giving you WAY too much Pumpkin Protein Shake or it can taste, well, off. It’s also a good idea to measure if you’re tracking macros or calories.
- Blend: If you have a high-powered blender (I recommend a Vitamix® or Blendtec® blender), you can add in the ingredients and blend until smooth. If you don’t have a powerful blender, however, follow manufacturer instructions for what ingredients to add first to avoid cavitation. (Who knew so much science was at play here?)
Healthy ways to use leftover pumpkin:
After making this pumpkin protein shake, you’ll have quite a bit of leftover pumpkin. Below are our favorite healthy recipes to use it in!
More pumpkin recipes:
- Pumpkin Cupcakes with cinnamon cream cheese frosting
- Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars reader favorite recipe!
- Chewy and NOT cakey Pumpkin Cookies
- Pumpkin Carrot Cake
- Pumpkin Coffee Cake
Pumpkin Protein Shake
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk (or milk of choice)
- 1/2 cup frozen banana (sliced into coins and frozen beforehand)
- 3 tablespoons pumpkin puree (I recommend Libby's)
- 1 scoop (1/4 cup + 1 tablespoon (32g) vanilla protein powder See Note 1
- 1 tablespoon almond butter
- 1/8 teaspoon EACH: pumpkin pie spice, ground cinnamon
- 8 ice cubes
Instructions
- Combine all of the ingredients and blend until smooth.
- Optionally, garnish with graham cracker crumbs and enjoy immediately.
Recipe Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This looks delicious!! Do you know of something I could use in place of the almond butter? Or would it be ok to skip it? Just not a fan of the flavor, unfortunately.
Any nut butter will sub nicely here! 🙂
This looks delicious and healthy protein shake. Thanks for sharing this recipe.
You bet!
Hi! LOVE this recipe — however, as a Registered Nurse and a bit of a health nut, I would NOT recommend a whey based protein powder. Whey is obtained as a biproduct of the cheese making process. It can cause an inflammatory response in the body and doesn’t promote good gut health. High concentrations of whey protein can also cause mineral imbalances in the bones. I prefer a plant based protein which is free of dairy and soy – the one I use is made from yellow peas, brown rice, and whole raw cranberries.
Thanks for the tip JG! 🙂
I have been using dymatize chocolate whey protein powder which tastes yummy, like a frosty, and doesn’t cause me any noticable problems. I just tried Orgain vanilla plant protein powder, though, which is slightly gritty and does not taste as good. That’s why I am here, trying to find a way to make that stuff taste better.
Delicious! I used Garden of Life Vanilla Chai flavored meal replacement instead of protein powder and naked peanut butter powder instead of almond butter because that is what I had. Filling for breakfast and nutritionally balanced. Lovely and satisfying taste. Thank You!
Sounds great! Glad you enjoyed 🙂
Do I have to add protein powder? I don’t buy it and it can be expensive.
I don’t think it will taste right without the protein powder; maybe amp up the spices and add another tablespoon of almond butter? You may also need some sweetener since protein powder is generally sweetened
This is amazing. The consistency is perfect and the flavor is spot on. It’s too too strong it’s a nice subtle pumpkin flavor.
I’ve been looking for new varieties for my vanilla protein powder and this came along. Inexpensive to make too since you have most of these ingredients already at home! Thanks
YAYY!! I’m soo happy to hear you loved this!! Thanks so much for your comment! 🙂
Chelsea messy apron;
Hi,I just copied down your pumpkin pie protein shake,and I am going to make it in my magic bullet blender after I go grocery shopping,and I will let you know how much I love drinking your shake.I will also make one for my mom.
Can I use pumpkin stevia syrup in your shake recipe?
Can I use plain Greek yogurt in your smoothie?
My blender is only for one person at a time so I will have to make another shake for my mom after I make my shake.
Kim
I hope you love it! I’ve never tried pumpkin stevia syrup, but I’m sure it would be good 🙂 The Greek yogurt will work great! Enjoy
Last time I tried to make up my own pumpkin pie smoothie it was disgusting. This recipe redeems my previous failure — sooooo delicious!!!!
YEAH!!! SO great to hear 🙂 I’m glad you enjoyed this!
I can’t wait to try this yummy looking shake would you happen to know the calorie amount?
No comment.
Just a question
Do u have any nutritional info on these shakes?
Usually when I find a recipe without nutritional info, I just put the list of ingredients into a Nutritional Facts Calculator. There are many free ones out there online (:
Just loaded the recipe in myfitnesspal. 🙂
For 2 servings, with a vegan protein and greek yogurt… it is 219 calories, 2g fat, 28g carbs, 5g fiber, 14g sugar, 2g protein. 🙂
Great!! Thanks so much for logging and then coming back and sharing! I appreciate it 🙂