Vanilla Bean Frappuccino Bowl (Printer View)

A creamy vanilla bean and coffee smoothie bowl topped with crunchy granola and fresh fruit.

# What you'll need:

→ Smoothie Base

01 - 1 cup low-fat milk or dairy-free alternative
02 - 1 tablespoon instant coffee granules or 1 shot chilled espresso
03 - 1 large frozen banana
04 - 1/2 cup Greek yogurt or coconut yogurt for dairy-free
05 - 1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup
06 - 1/2 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or seeds from 1/2 vanilla bean
07 - 1 cup ice cubes

→ Toppings

08 - 1/2 cup granola
09 - 1/4 cup fresh blueberries
10 - 1/4 cup sliced strawberries
11 - 1 tablespoon cacao nibs or mini chocolate chips optional
12 - 1 tablespoon unsweetened coconut flakes optional

# Method:

01 - In a blender, combine milk, coffee, frozen banana, Greek yogurt, honey, vanilla bean paste, and ice cubes. Blend until smooth and creamy.
02 - Pour the smoothie base evenly into two bowls.
03 - Top each bowl with granola, blueberries, strawberries, cacao nibs, and coconut flakes as desired.
04 - Serve immediately with a spoon.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It tastes like an indulgent coffee shop order but costs a fraction of the price and takes ten minutes flat.
  • The contrast between the creamy frozen base and crunchy granola topping is oddly satisfying in a way that plain smoothies just aren't.
  • Vanilla bean paste elevates this beyond basic—one small ingredient makes people ask what your secret is.
02 -
  • The secret to a proper smoothie bowl is using enough frozen banana to create thickness—if yours pours like regular smoothie, add half a frozen banana and blend again.
  • Vanilla bean paste is not the same as vanilla extract, and this recipe only works beautifully with the real thing; extract will taste thin and overly alcoholic by comparison.
  • If you make this in the morning and want it to stay cold longer, chill your bowls in the freezer for five minutes before pouring the smoothie in.
03 -
  • Make your smoothie base the night before and store it in a container in the freezer; in the morning, just scoop it into a bowl and top with fresh granola and fruit.
  • If your blender struggles with ice, blend the wet ingredients and frozen banana first, then add ice gradually until you reach spoon-able thickness.
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