Peanut Butter Chocolate Milk

We occasionally link to goods offered by vendors to help the reader find relevant products. Some of these may be affiliate based, meaning we earn small commissions (at no additional cost to you) if items are purchased. Here is more about what we do.

Peanut butter always puts me in a happy place.

Vertical image of a glass of a frothy light brown liquid on a colorful towel next to a metal spoon, a bowl of dry ingredients, and chopped nuts, with text on the top and bottom of the image.

If you ask me to list my very favorite childhood food memories, the number of those stories that include peanut butter is astonishing.

I remember mornings at my parents’ oversized oak table. As I sat in front of our massive bay window with a scrambled egg and sharp white cheddar-stuffed English muffin, I would study my dad’s breakfast – a thin, melty layer of smooth peanut butter on a single slice of wheat toast.

I can still smell the savory smear’s nutty aroma and the smoky fragrance of the golden, malty, multigrain bread. It soon became my own morning go-to, and twenty-five years later, this hasn’t changed.

Vertical image of a glass cup filled with a frothy light brown liquid on a colored towel, next to a metal spoon and a bowl with dry ingredients on a wooden surface.

When it was time for an after-school indulgence, I would peer over the counter and watch my mom slice crisp, tart apples into wedges and pair them with a whipped mountain of sticky peanut butter.

For those hot North Carolina summers by the beach, no water-side snack soothed me more than a duo of salty rice cakes sandwiching creamy peanut butter and sweet, syrupy honey.

No wonder I was so popular with the bees.

This peanut butter milk is my homage to that nutty nostalgia, and my way of unwinding those beloved ingredients and re-tangling them in a new way.

Another perk of this frothy treat is that it does wonders for my non-sweet-tooth. Yep, I said it. My favorite dessert is a second helping of crab cakes.

Vertical image of a glass of a creamy light brown liquid on a colorful towel next to a long metal spoon, a bowl of dry ingredients, and chopped nuts.

Have you ever been on an airplane where the final course options were a fudge sundae or a cheese platter? Did you lean over and whisper to your neighbor, “Who would order brie over ice cream?”

Hi. This girl would.

I like a little sweet (hence the fig jam I insist on including as a companion to my cheese plates), but I don’t like my sweet things too sweet. Make sense?

That’s why this chocolate peanut butter milk is a dessert-like dream come true, without being an actual chocolate peanut butter dessert.

Although it carries the chocolate favor that you’re craving, the unsweetened cocoa powder also delivers beautifully bitter, toasted notes. They’re balanced and brightened by the caramel-scented agave, and the warmth from the peanut butter powder brings that salty-sweet-savory combo home.

While you could certainly sub in regular peanut butter, this milk is all about texture. For a luscious, velvety liquid that drinks more like milk than a smoothie, using powder enables you to pull off that consistency like a pro.

Vertical top-down image of a glass cup filled with a frothy light brown liquid on a colored towel, next to a metal spoon and a bowl with dry ingredients on a wooden surface.

Unfamiliar with PB powder?

This dehydrated product is a spin on the classic we all know and love, and it’s got quite a few benefits to boot. It’s produced by pressing out the majority of the natural oils from roasted peanuts, and then grinding those nuts into a powder.

Naked Nutrition’s Naked PB, available on Amazon

The flavor remains rich, earthy, and concentrated, but it contains far less calories from fat than regular peanut butter.

Personally, I wouldn’t dip apples in it or slather it onto a rice cake, and I would question my dad if he sprinkled this chalky condiment onto toast. But when it comes to making a silky-smooth beverage, all hail the powder.

Print
clock clock iconcutlery cutlery iconflag flag iconfolder folder iconinstagram instagram iconpinterest pinterest iconfacebook facebook iconprint print iconsquares squares iconheart heart iconheart solid heart solid icon
Horizontal image of a glass with a frothy light brown drink next to a colorful towel, a bowl of powdered ingredients, and a metal spoon.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Milk


  • Author: Fanny Slater
  • Total Time: 5 minutes
  • Yield: 1 12-ounce drink 1x

Description

Craving a cold, nutty treat you can slurp through a straw? This smooth, frothy peanut butter milk is a sweet way to get your sip on.


Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 1/4 cups whole milk
  • 2 tablespoons peanut butter powder
  • 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons agave syrup (or raw honey)
  • Crushed roasted peanuts for garnish (optional)

Instructions

In a blender, combine the milk, peanut butter powder, cocoa powder, and agave. Pulse until frothy and well-combined. Serve immediately.

  • Prep Time: 5 minutes
  • Category: Dairy
  • Method: Blender
  • Cuisine: Beverages

Keywords: peanut butter powder, cocoa powder, chocolate, milk

Cooking By the Numbers…

Step 1 – Measure the Ingredients and Add Them to the Blender

Horizontal image of a blender with cocoa powder and liquids.

Measure the milk, peanut butter powder, cocoa powder, and agave syrup into a blender.

Step 2 – Pulse Until Smooth

Horizontal image of a blender with a frothy brown liquid.

Pulse the ingredients until the mixture is frothy and well-combined. Taste for sweetness, and add more agave syrup if desired.

Step 3 – Pour into a Glass

Horizontal top-down image of a cup with a frothy milk on a colorful towel nest to a spoon, chopped nuts, and powdered ingredients in a bowl.

Pour into a glass and serve immediately. Top with crushed roasted peanuts, if desired, for a salty, crunchy garnish.

This Milk Is a Little Nutty

For an even nuttier (and vegan) spin on this sumptuous beverage, try subbing in your favorite non-dairy liquid of choice, like almond or coconut milk. Change up the sweetener with woody maple syrup if you like, or floral honey if you aren’t sticking with the whole vegan thing.

Horizontal image of a glass with a frothy light brown drink next to a colorful towel, a bowl of powdered ingredients, and a metal spoon.

Double the batch and keep an extra in the fridge. The powder will settle, but a quick buzz through in the blender again will whisk your milk straight back to foam town.

Speaking of buzz, spill in a little strong coffee for a peanut butter mocha explosion that will light up your morning.

Looking for more recipes that are packed with peanut butter? Try these salty-sweet delicacies next:

How would you personalize this milk to please your palate? With a dash of cinnamon? A drip of hazelnut simple syrup? Share your tasty tweaks in the comments below! And don’t forget to give this recipe a five-star rating if you loved it.

Photos by Fanny Slater, © Ask the Experts, LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. See our TOS for more details. Originally published by Shanna Mallon on July 27, 2011. Last updated May 7, 2020.

Nutritional information derived from a database of known generic and branded foods and ingredients and was not compiled by a registered dietitian or submitted for lab testing. It should be viewed as an approximation.

About Fanny Slater

Fanny Slater is a home-taught food enthusiast based in Wilmington, North Carolina who won the “Rachael Ray Show” Great American Cookbook Competition in 2014, and published her cookbook “Orange, Lavender & Figs” in 2016. Fanny is a food and beverage writer, recipe developer, and social media influencer. She was a co-host on the Food Network series “Kitchen Sink,” was featured on Cooking Channel’s longtime popular series “The Best Thing I Ever Ate,” and continues to appear regularly on the “Rachael Ray Show.”

12 thoughts on “Peanut Butter Chocolate Milk”

  1. Funny, that’s a lot like the smoothie I made for breakfast this morning: frozen banana, milk, peanut butter, a little bit of honey, cinnamon, flax seeds. Yum.

    Reply
  2. Love this! What’s your take on almond milk? Is it a real food? I go back and forth on that one, but I’ve continued to use it b/c the recipe is so good. Appreciate your thoughts!

    Reply
  3. Jolynn, The key is to look at the way the product is made. With almond milk, there is usually a lot of processing going on, and, at least with the ones I’ve looked at, weird ingredients added. For that reason, I stay away from it. If you want a non-dairy alternative, I’d go with coconut milk—just look for one with very pure ingredients. Great question!

    Reply
  4. I haven’t made a simple shake like this in years. I think I might make it for breakfast this morning for the kids (they were requesting a smoothie, but this would be a fun suprise!). Love the photos. 🙂

    Reply

Leave a Comment

Recipe rating 5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.