Season’s Best: Raw Apple Pie Smoothie

apple pie smoothie

My two favorite fruits are apples and bananas. This qualifies me either as charmingly traditional, or as downright boring. In the foodie realm, I’m pretty sure it’s the latter.

But what can I say? I love bananas, and I love apples. If I had to choose, though, apples would come out on top. I await the start of every fall season with excitement, and bite into my first honeycrisp or gala with glee. I use apples in salads, in soups, in warm morning oats. And now, I’ve officially put apples in a smoothie, too.

I’ve never had much luck with apple smoothies. They tend to be too watery and “fluffy” for me; this doesn’t actually have to be a bad thing (Kristen’s fluffy green smoothie is terrific), but I really do love a thick, creamy smoothie, especially in the morning. Which is how this smoothie came about. And the lesson? When in doubt, add nuts/nut butter.

You can use most any kinds of nuts in this recipe. I used cashews, which I think are best for super creamy texture and neutral taste. That said, walnuts would be great here, as would brazil nuts, almonds, or pumpkin seeds. Hemp seeds will be wonderfully nutritious, but they can have a very distinctive taste (and there’s already hemp protein in this smoothie). No matter what, you’ll find that this smoothie is rich enough to masquerade as a dessert shake! A dessert shake, that is, that’s enriched with satiating fats, fiber, and heart healthy Omega-3 fatty acids and protein from the hemp. Yum.

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Apple Pie Smoothie (raw, vegan, gluten free, soy free)

Serves 1-2

2 apples
1 frozen banana
1/4 (heaping) cup cashews
3 tbsp hemp protein
2 pitted dates
1 1/2 cups almond milk
2 tsp apple pie spice
A couple of ice cubes

Blend all ingredients together in a blender on high. Add more almond milk if needed! Sprinkle with apple pie spice, and serve.

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Delicious! The raw cashews I used in this recipe were courtesy of the folks at Navitas, once again. It’s not the prettiest smoothie ever, but I bet a handful of spinach (a great, optional add-on) would add a pretty green hue.

I’m happy you all enjoyed yesterday’s toasted chickpeas (and salads thereto!). Tomorrow, a hearty legume dish that Chloe inspired while I was visiting in New Orleans (even if she didn’t realize she was inspiring it at the time!). It happens to make some great leftovers, so stay tuned for it!

xo

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Categories: Smoothies
Dietary Preferences: Raw, Soy Free
Recipe Features: 30 Minute or Less, Quick & Easy

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    58 Comments
  1. Hallo Gena,

    I’ve just made it this morn, it turned out delish, but could noit resist adding spinach, thus turning it into my morning smoothie. But, it was just perfect either way! Thanks!

  2. This was so tasty! Love a new use for the many, many apples abound this time of year. But ever since I read this post I can’t get Raffi’s “Apples and Bananas” out of my head. Its maddening!

  3. Another perfect seasonal transition food. Must go get apples – juiced up the last of them last night. I love green apples in vegetable juice!

  4. My kids and I enjoyed this smoothie over the weekend- it was FANTASTIC! One of the best smoothies to pass my lips and enthusiastically 3- and 6-year-old approved!!

  5. Yum! I think I’m going to experiment with this recipe a bit since I’m sometimes sensitive to nuts. Not sure what it is, but I’ll get stomach cramps sometimes, but other times I’ll be okay.

    Has anyone else experienced “on and off” sensitivity? Just wondering!

  6. I’m getting a blender for myself for my birthday next month so I’m going to have to try this on my smoothie blender bender. Can’t wait!

  7. I make an apple pie smoothie with spinach, bananas and apples. I don’t use any nut milk, just water or coconut water for the liquid, and to deal with the fluffy issue, I add about a half an avocado. This works as well as nut butter for me, maybe better, because I don’t have a super high power blender. The avocado blends smoothly with no graininess or grittiness, works as a good emulsifier so the smoothie is creamy and doesn’t separate, and really doesn’t have any pronounced flavor, so the apples and the spices can really shine.

  8. Totally making this today. After a calorie-heavy day I DON’T want to repeat, I’m starting fresh with a nutrient-rich, satisfying smoothie. I lightened it up a bit by reducing the cashews to a scant 1/4 cup, and using 1 apple, one banana. I’m looking forward to a nice fall-weather-appropriate smoothie for my commute! Pumpkin is all that, but I need to change it up.

    • As an update, this one is a winner. I’ve had it twice, and I’ll have it again very soon. I made my second one with almond butter, and I loved the earthiness it brought– appropriate for autumn, I feel! Also, even with a high-powered blender, I didn’t get perfectly smooth results with the cashews, and I liked the smoother texture using the butter. Soaking obviously would remedy this, but in a hurry, the butter is great.

  9. I love your chai smoothie this time of year. This reminded me that it’s time to make that too! The spice mix is just right!

  10. Would you have this as a breakfast or “as part of a healthy breakfast”?

    I never know with smoothies! It’s making me crazy!

  11. I’m curious – what kind of apples did you use? I’ve tried to add applies to green smoothies in the past and I can’t seem to nail which yummy apple variety works best.

  12. Haven’t tried anything like this! But I’m a big fan of raw oatmeal (banana + apple + flax + spices blended in Vitamix) with raw cashew cream on top.

  13. Ah! I, too, have never gone for apple smoothies, finding them too thin/grainy/fluffy, as you say. Also, bananas and apples are almost my least favourite fruits, so there’s that (except for orchard-fresh apples which I’d leap for, and honeycrisp, which I’ve just discovered here). NUTS! OF COURSE NUTS.

    Nuts make the world go ’round. Well, perhaps not entirely my world, but then again I’m very single.

  14. Do you think I would need a vitamix to make this? I have the feeling a regular blender wouldn’t get the apples to the right texture.

    • I don’t have a high powered blender, I just used my food processor. What I have to do is process the ingredients in stages, first the nuts (almonds for me), then the fruit with just a little bit of liquid, then the rest of the liquid and powders.

  15. With all of the fruit smoothie combinations I’ve made, I don’t think I’ve ever put apples in one. Liquid apple pie? Yes, please!

  16. Ok, this seriously excites me. I am a nutrition nerd so I guess I’m allowed to be excited by a smoothie. 🙂 Love the way you have the apple working in the smoothie, and the lovely soft dates would just make it so super luscious. Looking forward to trying!

  17. Looks very delicious. wanna try this. Can we have chocolate flavor for this? This is a great combination when you are eating a pie or cookies 🙂

  18. What’s apple pie spice? Im thinking just a mix of cinnamon nutmeg or maybe all spice?

    • That would be fine: apple pie spice (and pumpkin pie spice) are both just mixtures of cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and/or cloves.

  19. “When in doubt, add nuts/nut butter.” Yes!

    Okay, I *just* made a smoothie with cashew butter for the first time tonight & I feel like I discovered gold. It was A-mazing. A little fat goes a long way in making things taste better, don’t you think?

  20. I think that smoothie looks delicious. My wife and our newborn son just came home from the hospital, and I am making this for her tomorrow. It looks like a tasty, fantastic way to get her some good nutrition and hydration for breast feeding!

  21. Mmm this looks outstanding Gena! I will be making it! Years ago I drank a morning smoothie every day with one apple in it. Also soaked almonds, orange, banana, spirulina, water… and more goodies. It was creamy, think, hearty, and delicious. Thanks for inspiring to add apples to smoothies again. I’m on an apple kick now that Fall has begun. Made raw caramel apple cheesecake yesterday.

      • Apple cheesecake not up yet (Im always so behind in posting), but it will be soon! 🙂 Forgot to tell you in my above comment that I made your wraps the other day. Wonderful!

  22. I don’t know why, but I always seem to forget about adding an apple or two to my smoothie. Thanks for the post and recipe.