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Craving a Bahama Mama tropical smoothie but don't feel like making a trip to Tropical Smoothie Café? We've got you covered! This Bahama Mama Tropical Smoothie Café copycat recipe is easy to make and has just 5 ingredients. It's light, refreshingly sweet, and will give you that island feel right at home. Ready to enjoy in just 5 minutes!
If you're a fan of Tropical Smoothie Café, you're probably familiar with their Bahama Mama tropical smoothie recipe. Between the coconut, strawberries, pineapple, and white chocolate, what's not to love?? It's no surprise that this delicious smoothie recipe is one of the most popular drinks at Tropical Smoothie Café year round.
The tropical pineapple and strawberries give it a light, refreshing sweetness, and the coconut milk makes it creamy and smooth. And the special ingredient that sets it over the top? White chocolate chips!
I love their smoothie, but I don't love how full of sugar it typically is. Did you know that 1 serving of a Bahama Mama smoothie will run you over 500 calories and 100 grams of sugar?? That's the sugar-equivalent of eating 4 full sized Snickers bars in one sitting!
I was determined to take this smoothie made with tropical fruits and transform it into a copycat version that tastes just as good as the original, but with way less sugar and calories. And I guarantee you - I did it!
This copycat recipe is easy to follow, is super decadent, but has only around 200 calories and 14 grams of added sugar compared to the original recipe (the rest of the sugar is natural sugar from real fruit). The best part? It takes only five minutes to make!
This tropical Bahama Mama smoothie recipe is the perfect quick breakfast drink on the go (it actually goes perfectly with these vegan zucchini muffins) or is a great mid-afternoon snack to keep you going til dinner.
(Not your kind of smoothie? That's okay! We have lots of options on this site, but I highly recommend starting out with our apple carrot smoothie, avocado peanut butter smoothie, and raspberry smoothie.)
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🍹 What Is A Bahama Mama Smoothie?
The Bahama Mama Smoothie is a simple but super tasty combination of pineapple, coconut, strawberries and - the secret ingredient - white chocolate! It is one of the most popular drinks at Tropical Smoothie Café because it really is so addicting.
You can add all kinds of other ingredients into this smoothie, but at its core it's just those four simple, tropical ingredients.
👩🏽🍳 Why This Recipe Works
- Only 5 ingredients & ready in 5 minutes!
- Copycat recipe from Tropical Smoothie Café that tastes like the real deal
- Perfect treat for the whole family
- Delicious year round, and especially on a hot summer day
- Gluten-free
- Vegan option
- Perfect mid-afternoon snack
- Healthy breakfast that tastes like dessert
- Best tropical smoothie ever!
Latest Recipe Video!
🥘 Ingredients
To make this delicious tropical smoothie recipe, all you need are just 5 simple ingredients, all of which you can find at your local grocery store!
Note: For the full measurements and nutrition info, be sure to scroll down to the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
- Unsweetened Coconut Milk: I used regular unsweetened light coconut milk for this delicious drink, but if you want a richer, creamier smoothie try full-fat canned coconut milk. Any dairy free milk like almond milk or oat milk would also work, but you may end up with a less-creamy smoothie. You can substitute in pineapple juice, coconut water, or orange juice for more tropical flavor - just keep in mind that juices will add sugar to this smoothie - making it more like a dessert than a healthy option!
- White Chocolate Chips: I like to add a handful of white chocolate chips for a little sweetness and extra creaminess. You could also use milk chocolate chips or even dark chocolate chips.
- Frozen Pineapple: I love adding pineapple to smoothies! It has a natural sweetness and gives the smoothie a lovely tropical flavor. I prefer frozen pineapple because it gives the smoothie a nice, thick consistency. Plus, it's packed full of vitamins and antioxidants.
- Frozen Strawberries: Frozen strawberries are my go-to for this Bahama Mama smoothie. It gives this recipe a beautiful pink color and a lovely sweetness. Not to mention, sweet strawberries are full of vitamin C and fiber.
- Honey: Honey is my optional sweetener of choice for this smoothie, but you could also use agave nectar or even maple syrup for a vegan option. I recommend tasting this smoothie before adding more sugar to it, as the white chocolate chips + fruit make it quite sweet already!
📖 Variations
- Different Fruit: Try adding in different fruits - bananas, mangoes, or other berries like raspberries would be great options in this recipe. And if you don't have any frozen fruit on hand, you can use fresh fruit instead. Just keep in mind that your smoothie will be thinner and won't have that icy texture.
- Add Protein: For an extra boost, add a scoop of your favorite plant based protein powder to the blender. I like to use vanilla protein powder or chocolate protein powder, but you could also use strawberry or even banana protein powder. If you're not vegan or vegetarian, you could also add collagen powder into this smoothie.
- Add Greens: Add 2 cups of fresh baby spinach into this healthy smoothie recipe. You won't be able to taste it at all, but you will get the added health benefits! It's a great way to sneak in some veggies!
- Make It Vegan: To make this smoothie vegan, swap out the honey for agave nectar or maple syrup. If you plan to use a protein powder, make sure to grab a vegan version! Also, make sure to use vegan white chocolate.
- Make It Sugar Free: Eliminate all the added sugars in this recipe by using sugar free white chocolate chips, and stevia or monk fruit instead of honey! (Note: this healthy recipe will still have natural sugar from the fruit).
- Other Mix-Ins: There are so many delicious add-ins you could add to this smoothie. Some of my favorites include chia seeds, ground flaxseed, shredded coconut, and even a dollop of peanut butter or almond butter.
🔪 How To Make A Bahama Mama Tropical Smoothie
Blend ingredients: First, add the coconut milk, white chocolate chips, and honey into a high-speed blender or food processor until smooth.
Add frozen fruit: Add frozen strawberries and frozen pineapple pieces to the blender and blend on high speed until smooth.
Serve: Serve this delicious smoothie right away!
❓Recipe FAQs
Is a Bahama Mama smoothie healthy?
The tropical smoothie cafe version of this smoothie is not healthy at all, because it has over 500 calories and 100 grams of sugar!
But our homemade bahama mama smoothie is healthy for you because it has way less added sugar (only 14 grams), way fewer calories (about 225), and is packed with vitamins and minerals from the fruit! It tastes just as good as the original, which means you can enjoy it guilt free!
How many calories are in a Tropical Smoothie Bahama Mama Drink?
A typical Bahama Mama from Tropical Smoothie Café contains 510 calories. My copycat recipe has just 5 ingredients and is much lower in calories, coming in at only ~225 calories per serving!
What does bahama mama flavor taste like?
It has a tropical, island like flavor - kind of like a pina colada with a sweeter twist. The coconut and pineapple are the most prominent flavors you'll find in this recipe.
Can I make this tropical smoothie Bahama Mama recipe ahead of time?
I would not recommend making this coconut tropical smoothie ahead of time as it can lose its creamy texture and become watery. However, you can prep all of the ingredients in advance and then blend everything up when you're ready to drink it.
To meal prep this recipe, portion out the smoothie ingredients (minus the coconut milk and honey) into freezer safe ziptop bags or airtight containers. Freeze until you're ready to make it! When you make your smoothie, add your milk to the blender and then add the entire contents of the freezer bag. Blend and enjoy!
How long does this strawberry pineapple smoothie last?
This smoothie is best enjoyed right away while it's still cold and creamy. However, if you have leftovers, they will last in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 24 hours. Before you drink it, just give it a good stir or re-blend in the blender and enjoy!
💭 Expert Tips
- Scrape down the sides of the blender in between blending all of your ingredients to make sure you have a smooth texture.
- You need a high-powered blender (like a Vitamix) or a high speed food processor for this tropical smoothie bahama mama recipe. If you just have a regular blender, you may need to defrost the fruit for 10 minutes before blending to ensure the fruit gets completely pulverized.
- Blend the white chocolate and coconut milk first to ensure there are no chocolate lumps throughout the tropical smoothie.
- You don't need ice! Use frozen fruit, and you won't need to use any ice, which will keep this smoothie feeling rich and flavorful (vs. watered down from the ice).
- If you only have fresh fruit, then you will need to add a little bit of ice for a more smoothie-like texture. But make sure to add some extra fresh fruit to compensate for flavor since the ice will water it down slightly.
