Nutrition

Meet The Pumpkin Pie Smoothie of Your Fall Dreams

3 min read
Pumpkin spice smoothie in a glass
Pumpkin spice smoothie in a glass

Article Content

The temps may be dropping, but trust us when we say: You might just want to keep that blender out. Once you taste this fall-inspired smoothie, you’ll see why. (Okay, spoiler: It drinks like a decadent slice of pumpkin pie. Need we say more?)

Blaine Arin Tacker, an integrative vegan chef and our resident recipe guru, gives us the inside scoop: “Rather than using frozen bananas to thicken—the tropical vibe doesn’t quite seem fitting for sweater weather—we use frozen pumpkin puree instead, which creates a luxuriously creamy texture and fall flavor. (Pumpkin also happens to be an excellent source of vitamin A.) Toasted oats and milk are reminiscent of a good pie crust; top it all off with whipped cream and a dusting of cinnamon, and you’ve got yourself a quick snack that tastes like dessert.” Chef’s kiss. (1)

Pumpkin Spice Smoothie Recipe

Prep time: 10 minutes

Serves: 2-3 (makes 3 cups)

Notes from the chef: “This smoothie keeps well and can be made a day in advance. Feel free to prep it ahead of time and have it as a pre-meal snack to help with satiety, as a quick breakfast when you need to run, or as a festive, fiber-filled dessert.”

Ingredients

  • 1/3 cup rolled oats
  • 1 cup pumpkin puree, frozen overnight in ice cube trays
  • 2 cups of oat milk (almond milk, soy milk, coconut milk, or other non-dairy milk works too!)
  • 2 tsp maple syrup
  • 3 medjool dates, pitted
  • 1 scoop Ritual Essential Protein (or vanilla protein powder)
  • 1 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice*
  • 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • Garnishes (optional): Oat-based whipped cream, cinnamon stick

Instructions (Step-by-Step)

  1. Toast the oats. On a dry skillet over medium-high heat, stir the oats occasionally for 3-5 minutes until slightly golden brown and fragrant (don't let them burn!). You don’t want them to get much darker—you just want to release the oils so they smell toasty. Remove from the hot pan and set aside.
  2. Blend it up. Add all ingredients to a high-speed blender, starting with the oat milk. Blend on high for at least a minute, until the texture is rich and smooth.
  3. Add the final touches. Pour the pumpkin smoothie into a glass and serve, either by itself or with an extravagant topping of whipped cream. Want a little luxury? Use a microplane to grate a cinnamon stick over the top.

Recipe Notes

  • *DIY pumpkin pie spice blend: If you don’t have any pumpkin spice on hand, you can make it at home. Just mix 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, and 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger with a small pinch of ground cloves.
  • If you forget to freeze the pumpkin puree in advance, don’t stress! Simply add in a handful of ice before blending.
  • Feel free to get creative with the toppings! Granola, almond butter, chia seeds—there's endless combos to experiment with.

Want some more seasonal noms? Check out our holiday recipe hub.

References:

  1. FoodData Central, USDA.

Meet Our Expert

Ritual - Science Team

Addy Grier-Welch, MS, MPH, RDN, Research Scientist

Addy Grier-Welch is a Research Scientist at Ritual. She earned her MS in Public Health Nutrition and MPH from the University of Tennessee where she researched community-based food policies and environmental interventions. As a registered dietitian, Addy has spearheaded nutrition support for organizations participating in federal food programs geared toward providing healthy meals to children and adults.

Ritual - Science Team

Addy Grier-Welch, MS, MPH, RDN, Research Scientist

Addy Grier-Welch is a Research Scientist at Ritual. She earned her MS in Public Health Nutrition and MPH from the University of Tennessee where she researched community-based food policies and environmental interventions. As a registered dietitian, Addy has spearheaded nutrition support for organizations participating in federal food programs geared toward providing healthy meals to children and adults.

Meet the Author

This article was written by our content specialist.

Courtney Cho

Courtney Cho, Content Marketing Manager, Writer, Journalist

Courtney Cho is a health and wellness writer who has covered a wide variety of industry topics, from the science of nutrition and gut health to clinical testing and greenwashing. After earning her B.A. from The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where she specialized in journalism and reporting, her career has focused on the intersection between clean products, ingredient transparency, and science-backed wellness—and how everyday habits can contribute profoundly to our quality of life.

Linkedin
Courtney Cho

Courtney Cho, Content Marketing Manager, Writer, Journalist

Courtney Cho is a health and wellness writer who has covered a wide variety of industry topics, from the science of nutrition and gut health to clinical testing and greenwashing. After earning her B.A. from The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where she specialized in journalism and reporting, her career has focused on the intersection between clean products, ingredient transparency, and science-backed wellness—and how everyday habits can contribute profoundly to our quality of life.

Linkedin

Share

Find Your Ritual

Related Articles

See All Articles