This is the 3rd brand new recipe in the AK Smoothie Series and let me tell you, it’s mind-blowingly good.

A few years back I made this super creamy, delicious Snickerdoodle Tahini Date Smoothie and loved the flavor that tahini and dates added to it. This time I had to get a little extra and add coffee and chocolate because coffee + chocolate = life, of course.

This incredible tahini coffee date shake is naturally sweetened with dates, super thick from a sneaky ingredient, and filled with rich chocolate and coffee flavors. It’s pretty much like your favorite mocha frappuccino (from Caribou Coffee — the real ones know) made vegan, dairy free, and filled with tons of nutrients.

Wake up with this creamy chocolate coffee date smoothie or enjoy it for the best afternoon pick-me-up!

Join the AK Smoothie Series

This amazing blueberry smoothie recipe is the first one in our month-long AK Smoothie Series! Sign up here and scroll down for deets:

When you sign up above you’ll get these brand new recipes straight to your inbox each Monday in May, along with:

• A FREE smoothie e-book with 7 of my best smoothie recipes
• Tips & tricks for making delicious smoothies in your inbox each day for 5 days
• A bonus, email-only smoothie recipe at the end of the 5 days of tips!

Learn more about the Smoothie Series here and get ready for an amazing month!

Ingredients in this tahini coffee date shake

This delicious chocolate coffee date shake seriously tastes like dessert and is sweetened without banana — just a few dates! It’s dairy free and packed with plenty of healthy fats to keep you full and satisfied. Here’s what you’ll need to make it:

• Medjool dates: as I mentioned, we’re sweetening this smoothie with dates instead of banana. See below for a quick tip on how to soften your dates!
• Coconut milk: I love adding coconut milk to smoothies and shakes because it adds a wonderful, creamy texture and delicious flavor. I recommend refrigerating your coconut milk beforehand so that it’s cold.
• Coffee: obsessed with the coffee flavor in this shake. Feel free to use cold brew or leftover cold coffee.
• Cauliflower: hello, sneaky veggies! Adding frozen cauliflower helps to thicken the shake because there aren’t any frozen fruits. Plus it adds a boost of nutrition you won’t even be able to taste!
• Tahini: a little tahini adds extra creaminess to the smoothie that you’ll love. My favorite brand is Soom foods, and you can use the code ‘ambitiouskitchen’ to get 10% off!
• Cacao powder: because who doesn’t love a little chocolate? Adding just a tablespoon or two of cacao powder seriously makes this coffee date shake taste like a mocha. You can also use unsweetened cocoa powder.
• Vanilla extract: you’ll want some vanilla extract to bring out those sweet flavors. Learn how to make your own here!

How to soften your dates

You may need to soften your dates if they’re not already soft. To do so soak your pitted dates in 1 cup of very warm water for at least 5 minutes. This will help them soften up and perfect for blending. While the dates are soaking you can get all your other ingredients out, measured and ready.

Tips for adding coffee to smoothies & shakes

There are actually a number of easy ways to add cold coffee to your smoothie and shake recipes! Here’s what I recommend:

1. Chill fresh coffee. Brew a pot of coffee like you normally would and then reserve a few cups for making smoothies. First, allow the coffee to cool completely to room temperature, then add the coffee to a mason jar or glass container and store in the fridge for up to 5 days for smoothie use.
2. Make coffee ice cubes. Another option is to pour room temperature coffee into an ice cube tray and freeze them for later. This is a great option because then you are able to make the smoothie anytime you’d like, just know that you may need to add more coconut milk to the coffee date shake in order to get the ice to blend properly.
3. Make strong instant coffee. If you’re in a time crunch you can simply make a cup of instant coffee like you normally would according to the directions on the package, except add an extra serving of instant coffee granules since you’ll be adding lots of ice later to cool it down. Once the instant coffee dissolves in warm/hot water, you’ll immediately transfer it to a large bowl or large glass and add as much ice as you can. This is to cool down the coffee so that you can immediately use it to make your smoothie. Yum!
4. Use cold brew. Feel free to use homemade or store-bought cold brew instead of coffee. Perfect for an extra caffeine boost or for the convenience of using something store-bought.

Can I skip the cauliflower?

Yes, feel free to use ice instead of the frozen cauliflower if you don’t have any. Just note that the coffee date shake may not be as thick.

Our favorite nutritional boosters

This tahini coffee date shake is packed with vitamins, antioxidants, fiber, protein & healthy fats on its own, but here are some of our fav ways to add even more nutrition. Please note that you may need to add some more coconut milk if you add extra ingredients!

• Chia seeds: try adding in a tablespoon of chia seeds for a boost of healthy fats and fiber.
• Flaxseed meal: this is one of my favorite ingredients to add to smoothies for a little boost of fiber and minerals, and is especially great for nursing mamas as flaxseed can help increase milk supply. Usually, a tablespoon is plenty! Here’s a brand I love.
• Hemp seeds: feel free to throw in some hemp seeds for another boost of healthy fats, omegas and minerals.
• Protein: Easily add more protein to a smoothie by adding 1/2 cup of greek yogurt or 1 scoop of your favorite protein powder. I recommend Vital Protein collagen peptides or Four Sigmatic Plant-Based Protein Powder.

Make this coffee date shake ahead of time

Try making this shake ahead of time to enjoy later! I have three amazing methods for prepping and storing smoothies & shakes right in your freezer. You’ll learn the ice cube tray method, the mason jar method and the freezer pack method. Get all of my tips & tricks here!

Our go-to smoothie tools

Check out more of our favorite go-to kitchen essentials here.

More smoothie & shake recipes

Get all of my delicious smoothie & shake recipes here!

I hope you love this incredible tahini chocolate coffee date shake! If you make it be sure to leave a comment and a rating so I know how you liked it. Enjoy, xo!

Recipe by: Monique Volz // Ambitious Kitchen | Photography by: Eat Love Eats