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Home » Recipes » Breakfast » Smoothies » How to Make Homemade Smoothies

January 2, 2021

How to Make Homemade Smoothies

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Making a homemade smoothie is super simple - not to mention delicious and nutritious. Check out all our tips and tricks for making your perfect smoothie! via @jugglingactmamaMaking a homemade smoothie is super simple - not to mention delicious and nutritious. Check out all our tips and tricks for making your perfect smoothie! via @jugglingactmama

Learn everything you need to know about making homemade smoothies along with recipes, tips and suggestions and you’ll be showing everyone how to make homemade smoothies in no time!

How to Make Homemade Smoothies collage image showing various types of smoothies

How to Make Homemade Smoothies

Table of contents

  1. How to Make Homemade Smoothies
    1. How Do You Make a Smoothie?
      1. What Are the Basic Ingredients for a Smoothie?
        1. Do You Have to Add Ice to Make a Smoothie?
          1. What Makes a Smoothie Thick?
            1. Can You Make a Fruit Smoothie Without Milk?
              1. Which is the Best Blender for Making Smoothies?
                1. How Do You Make a Green Smoothie?
                2. Our Favorite Homemade Smoothies
                  1. Find More Homemade Smoothie Recipes
                    1. How Do You Make a Smoothie Bowl?

                    How Do You Make a Smoothie?

                    Making a homemade smoothie is super simple (and delicious!)  Here are our tips for making frozen and unfrozen smoothies:

                    Frozen Fruit Smoothie (like our Pineapple Cranberry Smoothie)

                    • 3 parts fruit
                    • 3 parts liquid
                    • 1-2 tablespoons add-ins

                    Unfrozen Fruit Smoothie (such as this Quick Strawberry Smoothie)

                    • 3 parts fruit
                    • 2 parts liquid
                    • 1 part ice cubes or frozen fruit
                    • 1-2 tablespoons add-ins

                    Put the liquid in the bottom of the blender first, then add the fruit and add-ins.  When you are making a frozen smoothie, but the ice in last.  It’s easier for the blender to get going when you layer ingredients this way.

                    How to Make a Homemade Smoothie + Homemade Smoothie Recipes - Simple Strawberry Smoothie with Yogurt from The Dinner Mom - close up of a strawberry smoothie in a clear glass on a bright pink napkin
                    Simple Strawberry Smoothie with Yogurt from The Dinner Mom

                    What Are the Basic Ingredients for a Smoothie?

                    The “formula” for homemade smoothies, as you can see from above is very simple.  The flavor combinations are endless and are really whatever you love.

                    For a fruit smoothie, you can use berries, plums, bananas, mango, melon, peaches, apricots, pears, oranges, papaya, or pineapple, along with many other tasty fruits.

                    Sweeteners are optional, but you can add in honey, agave nectar or even maple syrup.   A little goes a long way, so taste test as you go.

                    There are so many add-ins that are delicious for a smoothie, here are a few you might enjoy:

                    • vanilla extract or ground cinnamon
                    • almond, cashew or peanut butter
                    • macha, cacao or protein powder
                    • chia or flax seeds
                    • hemp hearts
                    • dates
                    • yogurt

                    Do You Have to Add Ice to Make a Smoothie?

                    If you want a frozen smoothie, but don’t want it watered down with ice, just use frozen fruit.  These are my favorite kind of smoothies.   Just be sure you add the liquid to the blender first to help your blender along. If you don’t want a frozen smoothie, no problem! Just skip a frozen element altogether and you’re good to go.

                    How to Make a Homemade Smoothie + Homemade Smoothie Recipes - Close up of an Orange Mango Smoothie with colorful straws
                    Orange Smoothie with Mango

                    What Makes a Smoothie Thick?

                    For frozen smoothies, it’s typically the frozen fruit or ice that helps thicken the smoothie.  For unfrozen smoothies, you’ll want to use yogurt, avocado, banana or a nut butter to help thicken your drink.

                    Can You Make a Fruit Smoothie Without Milk?

                    There are tons of liquids you can use to make a homemade smoothie besides milk.  Here are a few alternatives:

                    • Water allows the other flavors to come through
                    • Fruit Juice such as orange, pineapple, cranberry are delicious
                    • Plant Milks such as oat, coconut, rice or almond all work well

                    You might like this dairy-free Pineapple Raspberry Smoothie from my friend Ashley.  She knows a thing or two about awesome smoothies!

                    Homemade Smoothies - Very Berry Smoothie from Cooking on the Front Burner - berry smoothie in the foreground with bowls of berries in the background
                    Very Berry Smoothie from Cooking on the Front Burner

                    Which is the Best Blender for Making Smoothies?

                    There are a lot of blenders out there, and some are super expensive. For my money, I love this Hamilton Beach Blender which we use daily. It works so well and even has a smoothie setting.  This baby is durable, too.  We make 1-2 smoothies everyday and it has been a total workhorse.   We’ve had this machine for a couple of years and it’s still blending homemade smoothies beautifully.

                    If you make lots of blended drinks and soups, you might want a heavy-duty blender.  I would recommend a Vitamix blender. 

                    For a middle of the road blender, I’ve heard great things about the Nutri Ninja Blender.

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                    How Do You Make a Green Smoothie?

                    • 2 parts liquid
                    • 2 parts greens
                    • 3 parts frozen fruit
                    • 1-2 tablespoons add-ins

                    Add the liquids and the greens first until smooth, then add the frozen fruit and the add-ins.  Since green smoothies can be bitter, you can add honey or agave nectar.  Taste as you go adjust as needed.

                    The best greens for homemade smoothies, in my opinion, are baby spinach or kale, but you can use just about any greens out there including beet greens, and even romaine lettuce!

                    Yummy add-ins for a green smoothie could be lime juice, chia seeds, cinnamon, avocado, citrus zest, or yogurt.

                    How to Make Homemade Smoothies - close up of Avocado and  Banana Smoothie with green and white straws.
                    Avocado and Banana Smoothie

                    It’s easy to mix and match ingredients to make an amazing homemade smoothie!

                    Our Favorite Homemade Smoothies

                    Here are some of the smoothie recipes that we’ve shared over the years right here on Juggling Act Mama:

                    • Salted Caramel Mocha Protein Smoothie #ad #SilkandSimplyPureCreamer
                    • Apple Pie Smoothie with Stonyfield and Bob's Red Mill ingredients #sponsored
                    • My Avocado Breakfast Smoothie will help you start your day off right!
                    • Pumpkin Pie Smoothie for Fall
                    • Virgin Pina Colada Smoothie recipe - Juggling Act Mama
                    • Frozen Chunky Monkey Smoothie #CalorieCountDown #IC #ad
                    • Easy Green Smoothie from Top Notch Mom as seen on Juggling Act Mama

                    From left to right:

                    • Salted Caramel Mocha Protein Smoothie
                    • Orange Mango Smoothie
                    • Strawberry Pina Colada Smoothie
                    • Apple Pie Smoothie
                    • Avocado Breakfast Smoothie
                    • Pumpkin Pie Smoothie
                    • Virgin Pina Colada Smoothie
                    • Best Ever Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Smoothie
                    • Easy Green Smoothie
                    Clementine Smoothie
                    Packed with nutrition from the clementines, this an antioxidant-rich smoothie with loads of vitamin C also has an Omega-3 boost.
                    Get the Recipe >>>
                    Quick Strawberry Smoothie
                    A tangy and sweet strawberry smoothie that's a breeze to whip up on a busy morning.
                    Get the Recipe >>>
                    Pineapple Cranberry Smoothie
                    Cranberry Smoothie with pineapple is the perfect smoothie for wintertime. It's tangy and tart with loads of healthy vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.
                    Get the Recipe >>>
                    Cranberry Pineapple Smoothie #BrunchwithBarleans #ad

                    Find More Homemade Smoothie Recipes

                    Check out these other fabulous smoothie recipes:

                    Homemade Smoothie Recipes - collage image of smoothies

                    How Do You Make a Smoothie Bowl?

                    Smoothie bowls have a thicker consistency and are topped with loads of yummy ingredients like nuts and fresh fruit.  Learn How to Make a Smoothie Bowl in Six Simple Steps.

                    image of various smoothie bowls with smaller bowls of berries, nuts and other ingredients.
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                    Filed Under: Breakfast, Recipes, Smoothies Tagged With: basic smoothies, blender, frozen smoothie, fruit smoothie, green smoothie, homemade smoothies

                    Reader Interactions

                    Comments

                    1. Kelly says

                      June 22, 2018 at 11:52 am

                      Thank you for all the great recipe ideas!

                      Reply
                    2. Sydnee says

                      January 16, 2019 at 8:47 am

                      I love making smoothies!! I especially love citrus so I can’t wait to try your Orange Mango smoothie!
                      Thanks for the ideas 🙂
                      Sydnee

                      Reply
                    3. Belinda says

                      February 4, 2019 at 4:40 pm

                      Great tips! Pinning!

                      Reply
                      • Ang Paris says

                        February 5, 2019 at 7:42 am

                        Thanks for pinning! Enjoy 🙂

                        Reply
                    4. Audrey says

                      January 27, 2020 at 11:23 am

                      I’ve been adding the probiotic juice into my smoothies to help with gut health.

                      Reply
                      • Ang Paris says

                        January 27, 2020 at 12:42 pm

                        Great tip! Thanks so much for sharing Audrey!

                        Reply

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                    Welcome! I'm Ang - the Juggling Act Mama! I love sharing quick and easy recipes, creative DIY projects, and fun family travel with you. Like many of you, I am a multi-tasking mama juggling priorities which are why here I offer solutions to tame your hectic lifestyle. Read More…

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