Topical Smoothie Cafe peanut butter cup smoothie recipe

This is the best Tropical smoothie peanut butter cup copycat recipe!

There is nothing better than the combination of peanut butter and chocolate together. The harmonious flavor will always have me going back for seconds and that's exactly what this popular smoothie did to me. 

After spending way too much money on this drink at Tropical Cafe, I decided that I should probably just recreate it at home!

I'm upset I didn't do it sooner, to be honest! It tastes so good and is incredibly easy to make. 

Why you'll love this recipe 

• This healthy dreamy treat uses actual healthy ingredients to create a delicious peanut butter chocolate smoothie in no time. 
• Making this smoothie at home will save you a ton of money in the long run. 
• It is simple and versatile, allowing you to really tweak this easy recipe to your liking.
• With this recipe, you will be able to skip those long waits at Tropical Smoothie Cafe to get your favorite drink. Instead, you can just make it for yourself at home. 
• It is a filling dessert, breakfast, or even snack! With nutritious ingredients, you are getting vitamins, minerals, and fiber plus satisfying that sweet tooth at the same time. 

What is this peanut butter tropical smoothie?

Tropical Café peanut butter cup smoothie is a creamy and indulgent drink that combines both flavors from peanut butter and chocolate to give it that peanut butter cup flavor. 

This smoothie has a rich and nutty peanut butter flavor paired with the sweetness from the chocolate, and the creaminess of the frozen banana. This smoothie will definitely leave you reminiscing about your favorite peanut butter cup candy! 

Overall it is a satisfying and delightful drink that will be both comforting and help you curb those sweet creavings.

What do I need to make this peanut butter cup smoothie recipe

Here are the easy ingredients you will need to make this chocolate peanut butter smoothie. Make sure to scroll down to the recipe card for the full detailed ingredient measurements. 

• Smooth peanut butter- This will give it a nutty decadent taste that will remind you of the filling of a peanut butter cup. 
• Banana - This recipe uses ripe bananas to add that extra sweetness and creamy texture to the smoothie itself.  This is a great way to add sweetness as well as extra potassium to your smoothie. 
• Cocoa powder - This will add a rich flavor of chocolate to this peanut butter cup smoothie. 
• Peanut butter - For the sake of keeping this recipe extra healthy I love using those natural peanut butter. Feel free to use regular peanut butter though! 
• Honey -  Tropical smoothie sweetens their smoothie with Turbinado sugar but I opted for honey. Agave syrup or even maple syrup would be a good substitute for honey in case you don't have it or can't have it in your diet. 
• Almond milk- I used vanilla almond milk (Unsweetened almond milk that is flavored with vanilla if you're wondering) for this smoothie but feel free to use soy milk, coconut milk, or even oat milk. 
• Ice cubes- I love a good thick smoothie so adding a little bit of ice cubes to the smoothie mixture will help keep it refreshing, cold, and thick. Make sure you are using filtered water to make sure that the ice doesn't have that funky freezer taste. 

Variations

Here are some variations that would work perfectly with this recipe. 

• Load up on the chocolate! Instead of using regular vanilla almond milk, you can also use chocolate almond milk for an even stronger chocolate flavor in your chocolate peanut butter banana smoothie. 
• Switch up your nut butter to make a different flavor profile drink! I love using almond butter or even cashew butter even though it won't be a peanut butter cup smoothie anymore but it will still be so delicious. 
• Make it vegan by adding maple syrup instead of honey to sweeten this smoothie recipe. 

How do I make this tropical smoothie cafe peanut butter cup smoothie recipe?

This is how you can make this peanut butter cup smoothie recipe. Make sure to scroll down to the recipe card for the full detailed instructions! 

1. Add the milk, peanut butter, honey, cocoa powder, and frozen banana slices into your blender. 
2. Blend in a high-speed blender until all the ingredients are combined and the mixture is smooth and creamy. 
3. Taste the smoothie and adjust the flavor and texture if needed. If it's too thick add a little extra liquid. If it's too thin, add more frozen banana or some ice cubes and blend again. 
5. Serve in your prettiest cup and garnish with peanut butter drizzles and some chopped-up peanut butter cups for a show-stopping drink that definitely deserves a stop on your Instagram feed! 

What is the best peanut butter for smoothies?

This is a trick question because you can really use whatever peanut butter you prefer or whatever peanut butter you have on hand. 

In this recipe, I used Justin's honey peanut butter. It isn't really sweet so I made sure to add extra sweetener to my smoothie to take my smoothie to the next level. 

I have made this recipe with Spippy and Jif peanut butter as well and it made the smoothie so delicious as well! 

Is this peanut butter cup smoothie vegan and dairy-free?

It is dairy-free because it uses plant-based milk instead of regular dairy milk to keep it dairy-free. It is not vegan though because it uses honey. An easy fix to turn it into a vegan smoothie is using a little maple instead to sweeten it. 

Can I add extra protein to this smoothie?

You sure can! I love to add some chocolate protein powder to your peanut butter cup smoothie if you want to increase the protein content by a whooping 25 grams!

Make sure to use vegan protein powder if that is what you are going for in this recipe. 

Can I store the leftover smoothie for later?

This smoothie is best enjoyed as soon as you make it but if you have leftover you can pour it into an ice cube tray and freeze for later. 

When you are ready to enjoy it, place those frozen smoothie cubes, add a little extra milk in there or non-fat Greek yogurt and milk, and blend until smooth! 

Tips and tricks to make the best smoothie recipe!

• ​Use frozen bananas to bring that creaminess to the next level while keeping your smoothie thick and smooth.
• Keep in mind that smoothie recipes are not set in stone. Make sure you taste it and adjust the flavors to your liking. Not everyone's taste buds are the same so making sure that you taste and add more of what you like is imperative!
• A high-speed blender is key! Most of the smoothie shops that you go to or even coffee shops or restaurants that serve smoothies have a high-speed blender to ensure that their smoothies are smooth and well-blended. Lucky for you there are industrial-style blenders for home usage. I highly recommend the Vitamix blender for larger batches or the Zwilling smaller blender for your single-serve smoothie drinks. I know they are pricey but definitely worth the investment especially if you're a smoothie enthusiast that makes a smoothie fairly often. If you do the math, 100% worth the buy! I use mine practically everyday. 

tropical smoothie cafe peanut butter cup smoothie