This Healthy Apple Pie Smoothie tastes like warm, spiced apple pie, but it's actually good for you! Made with healthy, low-fat ingredients and fresh and frozen fruit, this smoothie makes a healthy breakfast, brunch, snack, or even dessert! It's also a great way to get 1 ½ servings of fruit in your morning smoothie, and it's Weight Watchers friendly.
The inspiration for this apple smoothie came from an Apple Pie Milkshake I had at a diner last week. I was there to meet one of the physicians that I work with, but she was unable to make the meeting. So instead of eating one of their fattening cheeseburgers or fries as I had planned (when in Rome... right?) I left with an Apple Pie Milkshake in hand (I couldn't resist). And OMG was it amazing! I don't even want to think about how many calories/points I blew with that milkshake, but it was totally worth it. However, I couldn't stop thinking about it. So, instead of trying to recreate the milkshake that would only tempt me into eating way more calories than I need, I decided to create a healthier version of that milkshake, but in the form of a smoothie. It is very popular around apple season (early fall), but great for any time of the year!
Jump to:
- 🥘Ingredient Notes
- 📖 Variations & Substitutions
- 🔪Step-by-Step: How to Make a Healthy Apple Pie Smoothie
- Expert Recipe Tips
- 🌡️Storage
- 👪 Serving Size
- 🔢WW Points
- 🥗 What to Serve with Apple Pie Smoothies
- Top tip
- ❔Recipe FAQ's
- Didn't find the answer you're looking for?
- 🥤More Healthy Milkshake and Smoothie Recipes
- 📋 Healthy Apple Pie Smoothie Recipe
🥘Ingredient Notes
You will also need the following ingredients for this recipe:
- Fresh Apples. I used green Granny Smith apples for this recipe, but you can use any kind of apple. Granny Smith apples are a little more tart than some types of apples, so if you like it sweeter, I recommend using Gala or Honeycrisp apples. * I use whatever apples I have on hand. However, cooking apples (which this recipe calls for) tend to bring out the inherent sweetness in apples. So if you are using an apple that has some tartness to it, heating the apples will give the dish more flavor and sweetness.
- Greek yogurt. I use 0% non-fat, plain Greek yogurt.
- Butter extract (affiliate link). You can buy butter extract online through this link, or sometimes I find it at Bulk Barn or at Michael's Arts & Crafts in the cake decorating aisle. *This is great to keep around for many recipes- any time you want to create the flavor of butter at the cost of no points or calories!
- Ice cubes (or crushed ice). You will need a high-powered blender. If you don't have a high-speed blender that's able to crush ice, then you probably don't want to use the ice.
- Frozen banana. If your bananas ripen before you can eat them, just peel them and toss them into a freezer bag. This way, you'll always have frozen bananas on hand for smoothies or baking, and they won't go to waste.
- Milk. I use skim or 1% milk to keep it low-fat.
- Lemon zest. Lemon zest brings out the flavor in the cooked apples.
📖 Variations & Substitutions
- Apples - you can use any type of apple you like best, including Fuji, Golden Delicious, Gala, Macintosh, Honeycrisp, Cosmic Crisp, or Granny Smith apples. Greener apples tend to be a little more tart. You could also use raw apples, if you prefer.
- Brown Sugar -you can use a different sweetener if you prefer, such as honey, agave, or maple syrup
- Milk -You can use your choice of milk, including unsweetened almond milk, soy milk, oat milk, or another plant-based milk
- Greek yogurt -you can use full-fat Greek yogurt or vanilla Greek yogurt (to sweeten it a little). You could also substitute regular plain or vanilla yogurt, but it won't have the same amount of protein.
- Dairy-free- use a dairy-free milk and a dairy-free yogurt
- Cinnamon - you can use apple pie spice instead
- Bananas - if you don't keep frozen bananas on hand, you can simply use a ripe banana
- Add-ins - add some chia seeds or vanilla protein powder for an apple pie protein smoothie~!
🔪Step-by-Step: How to Make a Healthy Apple Pie Smoothie
I cook the apples first because they blend better, and cooking them brings out the sweetness in apples! The lemon zest I add enhances the apple flavor. Since this is what I use in my apple pie, I thought it would translate well into this smoothie (and it does!)
- Step 1: Cook peeled, cored, and sliced apples in water in a microwave-safe bowl for 3 minutes.
- Step 2: Drain apples through a sieve and cool (while you are putting everything else in the blender)
- Step 3: Place everything in a blender, including apples.
- Step 4: Blend on high for 30- 45 seconds (you may need to stop the blender at 15-20 seconds and use a spatula to scrape the sides of the blender). *Adjust for sweetness - you can add more sugar if it's not sweet enough. Garnish: add whipped cream (see Top Tip) and cinnamon, if desired.
Expert Recipe Tips
- Use pre-cooked apples for freezer packs: If you like to meal prep smoothies, cook and cool a batch of apples in advance, then freeze them in portions. This way, you retain the enhanced sweetness and save time during busy mornings..
- Blend twice for ultra-smooth texture: If your blender isn't very high-powered, blend once for 20-30 seconds, stop, stir, and blend again. This ensures the apples and banana break down completely without overworking your motor.
- Balance the sweetness naturally: If your smoothie is too tart from Granny Smith apples or lemon zest, try adding a date or a splash of 100% apple juice before reaching for more sugar or sweetener.
- Chill your glasses: For a frosty café-style experience, place your serving glasses in the freezer 15 minutes before pouring in the smoothie. It helps keep it cold longer-especially if serving as a dessert.
- Add oats for staying power: To turn this into a more filling breakfast smoothie, blend in 1-2 tablespoons of rolled oats. They'll thicken the drink slightly and add fiber to keep you full longer.
- Don't skip the lemon zest: Even a small amount of zest brightens the apple flavor and mimics the tang you'd get in a good apple pie. Use a microplane to zest only the yellow part (not the bitter white pith).
- For a creamier texture, use a mix of milk and yogurt: Balancing Greek yogurt with milk keeps the smoothie both creamy and drinkable-too much yogurt can make it too thick to sip.
🌡️Storage
Because the banana flavor tends to become more prominent the more time it sits, ideally, you would make this right before you want to drink it. However, you can store leftover smoothie in the fridge for up to 24 hours.
Freezing; If you pop this smoothie in the freezer for an hour or two after you make it, it has more of a milkshake consistency and makes a great frozen dessert! It will also stop the banana flavor from completely taking over!
👪 Serving Size
This easy apple pie smoothie recipe makes 2 servings (16 oz each). However, you can half, double, or triple the recipe by clicking on the serving number and selecting the number of servings you'd like. The ingredient quantities will automatically adjust.
🔢WW Points
This healthy smoothie is Weight Watchers friendly @ 4 WW points for a 16 oz glass, but can be lowered by using monk fruit instead of brown sugar (just use half the amount - 1 tbsp). You can also use a plant-based milk to further lower the points.
🥗 What to Serve with Apple Pie Smoothies
My favorite dishes to serve with this creamy smoothie are Roasted Red Pepper Egg White Bites (shown), Avocado Breakfast Bowl, and Mediterranean Breakfast Burritos.
Top tip
Whipped Cream: *I also use a little of the light real whipped cream (in a spray bottle) because it's only 1 point for 4 tablespoons of this whipped cream, and I love whipped cream! There are a couple of different brands you can buy that are only 1 point. Dairyland and Gay Lea are both brands that are WW friendly!
❔Recipe FAQ's
You can blend it ahead of time and store it in the fridge for up to 24 hours. Just give it a quick stir or shake before serving, as natural separation may occur. For best texture, though, it's ideal when freshly blended.
Yes, you can substitute with unsweetened applesauce or canned apples (drained and rinsed). Just keep in mind that the flavor may not be as vibrant or fresh, and the texture may be slightly thinner.
Yes, you can skip cooking the apples if you prefer a raw smoothie or are short on time. However, cooking enhances the natural sweetness and creates a smoother blend, so the final flavor and texture may vary slightly.
Yes, you can make it without banana, but the texture and sweetness will change. You can replace the banana with frozen mango, pear, or even avocado for creaminess. Add a bit of extra sweetener if needed to make up for the banana's natural sweetness.
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If you want the flavors of apple pie, minus the calories, then try this delicious apple pie smoothie! It's like eating apple pie, but in smoothie form.
And if you love healthier apple dishes, give my ww apple crisp a try!
🥤More Healthy Milkshake and Smoothie Recipes
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📋 Healthy Apple Pie Smoothie Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 apples peeled, cored, and sliced into wedges
- ¾ cup Greek yogurt
- ½ teaspoon butter extract
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup ice
- 2 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 frozen banana
- 1 cup milk
- 2 tbsps water
- 2 tsps cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon lemon zest
Garnish
- light whipped cream (see Top Tip) - apple slice and cinnamon stick and sprinkles (optional)
Instructions
- Cook peeled, cored and sliced apples in water in microwave-safe bowl for 3 minutes.2 apples
- Drain apples through sieve and cool (while you are putting everything else in the blender)
- Place everything in blender, including apples.¾ cup Greek yogurt, ½ teaspoon butter extract, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1 cup ice, 2 tablespoon brown sugar, 1 frozen banana, 1 cup milk, 2 tbsps water, ¼ teaspoon lemon zest, 2 tsps cinnamon
- Blend on high for 30- 45 seconds (you may need to stop the blender at 15-20 seconds and use a spatula to scrape the sides of the blender).
Garnish
- Garnish with whipped cream (see Top Tip) and additional cinnamon, lemon zest and a cinnamon stick and slice of apple, if desired.
Terri Gilson says
I'm so excited about this Healthy Apple Pie Smoothie! It's like having dessert for breakfast, but without any guilt. After that indulgent apple pie milkshake experience at the diner, I knew I had to create something just as delicious but WW-friendly. This smoothie nails those cozy apple pie flavors while sneaking in 1½ servings of fruit. It's become my go-to when I'm craving something sweet but want to stay on track.