How to Make Thick Smoothie Bowls (2024)

This post may contain affiliate links. Please see my full Disclosure Policy for details.

Try these easy recipes for thick smoothie bowls. If you get as annoyed as I do when served a runny smoothie bowl at a restaurant, you’ll choose to make your own at home. Learn how to make 3 delicious smoothie bowl recipes with your favorite fruit and toppings!

*This post is sponsored by SunButter, a sunflower seed spread perfect for allergy-safe baking and cooking! Thanks for supporting the brands that keep Sunkissed Kitchen running.

Thick Smoothie Bowls with TONS of Toppings

Being served a runny, thin smoothie bowl, with the toppings sinking in, is one of my dining-out pet peeves! If the toppings can’t sit on top, and you can’t finish it without it completely melting, it doesn’t belong in a bowl.

I have a method for making the best thick smoothie bowls. Put the blender away, and break out the food processor. Choose your favorite fruits, and keep them chopped and in the freezer ready to go.

When you’re ready, it’s fast to process your favorite frozen fruits along with creamy coconut milk into an ice cream-worthy smoothie. These bowls are like soft serve ice cream — except totally made from fruit.

Add your favorite smoothie bowl toppings — I love:

• Nut and seed butters — my new fav is Chocolate SunButter. This long-anticipated SunButter variety is finally here!
• Shredded Coconut
• Fresh fruit — bananas, berries, and chopped mangoes are great options.
• Chocolate chips or chopped dark chocolate – I also love cocoa nibs
• Nuts & Seeds – think almonds, pecans, cashews, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, and chia seeds.
• Granola
• Crumbled healthy cookies or muffins

If you’re dying to try this, hop on over to Instagram and enter to win Chocolate SunButter!

It’s like Nutella – except better! It has a rich chocolate flavor and is slightly salty. And instead of being mostly sugar, it’s main ingredient is protein and vitamin rich sunflower seeds.

Hop on over to the SunButter website to learn more about this delicious spread!

Chocolate Banana Smoothie Bowl

Sometimes basic is best, and this banana smoothie bowl won’t disappoint! This simple smoothie bowl uses only 4 ingredients:

• Frozen bananas
• Cocoa powder
• Chocolate SunButter
• Coconut Milk

Hop on over to this Chocolate Smoothie Bowl post to see more ideas!

Step 1: Add the frozen fruit, chocolate SunButter, cocoa, and coconut milk into a food processor bowl. This can also be done in a high speed blender with a tamper stick, but I find it quicker in a food processor.

Step 2: Process until all the fruit is broken down into a soft serve ice cream consistency.

Step 3: Top with your favorite smoothie bowl toppings.

Banana Berry Smoothie Bowls

Berries are a great addition to smoothies! The bananas provide a super creamy base, and you can customize this with whatever frozen berries you have on hand or love the most.

• Frozen bananas
• Frozen berries (blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, or blackberries)
• Coconut Milk

Make this a strawberry banana smoothie bowl by using all frozen strawberries instead of a mix of berries.

Step 1: Add the frozen fruit and coconut milk into a food processor bowl. This can also be done in a high speed blender with a tamper stick, but I find it quicker in a food processor.

Step 2: Process until all the fruit is broken down into a soft serve ice cream consistency.

Step 3: Top with your favorite smoothie bowl toppings.

Orange Mango Smoothie Bowl

This is my favorite of the 3 options! Frozen citrus is amazing is smoothies. It adds the perfect sweet-tart component, and blends into the creamy banana.

• Frozen bananas
• Frozen oranges (mandarins work the best)
• Frozen Mango (see how to cut a mango here)
• Coconut Milk

Step 1: Add the frozen bananas, frozen mango, and frozen oranges, along with coconut milk into a food processor bowl. This can also be done in a high speed blender with a tamper stick, but I find it quicker in a food processor.

Step 2: Process until all the fruit is broken down into a soft serve ice cream consistency.

Step 3: Top with your favorite smoothie bowl toppings.

Thick Smoothie Bowl Tips

How to Make a Smoothie Bowl Thick: The trick to keeping smoothie bowls super thick is to not use very much liquid, and to use frozen fruit. This method is like making “nice cream,” the vegan frozen fruit “ice cream” trend.

Can I substitute the coconut milk? You can use any milk you’d like in these bowls. Coconut milk lends a sweet tropical flavor and makes them extra creamy. Go ahead and use heavy whipping cream, almond milk, or even some yogurt in place of it.

How to Make a Smoothie Bowl without a Blender: These smoothie bowls use a food processor instead of a blender. The frozen fruit breaks down into a very thick, smooth consistency similar to soft serve ice cream.

How to Make Yogurt Smoothie Bowls: Instead of the coconut milk, add 1/4-1/2 cup of your favorite yogurt. I recommend using something unflavored and unsweetened, like a full fat Greek yogurt. The fruit has all the sweetness you need here!

Try one of these other Smoothie Bowl Recipes:

• Tropical Green Smoothie Bowl
• Vegan Green Smoothie Bowl
• Dragon Fruit Smoothie Bowl

If you make this recipe, be sure to share it with me! Find me on Facebook or Instagram and be sure to tag #SunkissedKitchen @SunkissedKitch