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Published: November 13, 2026 · By Martin Smith · How I research
Looking for something festive that isn’t another mince pie? These four Christmas smoothie recipes use Christmas flavours like cranberry, gingerbread spice and clementine, plus yoghurt or oats so they’re filling enough for breakfast. Each one takes about 5 minutes and makes 2 small glasses.
A quick word on smoothies and sugar
Smoothies are a tasty way to get fruit and veg, but blending fruit releases its natural sugars, so the NHS counts the sugar in smoothies as “free sugars”, the kind we’re advised to cut down on. It recommends no more than 150ml of fruit juice and smoothies a day in total, ideally with a meal, and a smoothie counts as only one of your 5 A Day however much you drink (NHS).
That’s why each recipe below makes 2 small glasses, includes yoghurt, oats, milk or vegetables, and uses no added sugar (except an optional teaspoon of treacle in the gingerbread one).
1. Cranberry and orange smoothie
Makes 2 small glasses · 5 minutes
- 50g frozen cranberries
- 1 orange, peeled and segmented
- 1 small banana
- 150g plain Greek yoghurt
- 100ml milk (any kind)
- A pinch of ground cinnamon
Blend everything until smooth. Cranberries are very tart, so taste it and add a little more banana if you’d like it sweeter.
2. Gingerbread smoothie
Makes 2 small glasses · 5 minutes
- 1 banana, ideally frozen in chunks
- 30g porridge oats
- 150g plain Greek yoghurt
- 200ml milk (any kind)
- 1 tsp ground ginger and ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- A pinch of ground nutmeg
- 1 tsp black treacle (optional, for a proper gingerbread taste)
Blend until smooth and creamy. The oats make it thicker and more filling. If you add the treacle, it counts as added sugar, so leave it out if you’re cutting down.
3. Clementine and carrot smoothie
Makes 2 small glasses · 5 minutes
- 2 clementines, peeled
- 1 medium carrot, grated
- 100g frozen mango
- 100g plain yoghurt
- 150ml water or milk
- A small piece of fresh ginger, or ½ tsp ground ginger
Blend until smooth. Grating the carrot first helps if your blender isn’t very powerful.
4. Green “Christmas tree” smoothie
Makes 2 small glasses · 5 minutes
- A large handful of spinach (about 40g)
- 1 ripe pear, cored
- 1 kiwi, peeled
- ½ small avocado
- A few fresh mint leaves
- 200ml water or milk
Blend until smooth. The avocado makes it creamy without needing banana. For a festive look, pour it into a glass on top of a thin layer of the cranberry smoothie to make red and green layers.
Tips for healthier Christmas smoothies
- Keep the glass small. Share a batch or keep half in the fridge for later in the day.
- Add something filling. Yoghurt, oats or milk help a smoothie keep you going until lunch.
- Use frozen fruit. Frozen fruit makes smoothies thick and cold without ice. If you can’t find frozen cranberries, fresh ones work too, or swap in frozen raspberries.
- Skip the extras. Whipped cream, chocolate and syrups turn a smoothie into a dessert.
- Have it with breakfast. The NHS advises having juices and smoothies with a meal to help protect your teeth.
If you’d like a smoothie plan for after Christmas, my 7-day smoothie plan has a recipe for six of the days and a shopping list. And for Boxing Day, try my leftover turkey soup recipes.
Christmas smoothie FAQ
Are Christmas smoothies healthy?
They can be part of a healthy diet if you keep the portion small and add yoghurt, oats or vegetables rather than sugar or cream. Remember a smoothie counts as only one of your 5 A Day (NHS).
Can I make them the night before?
You can, but they’re best fresh. Keep them covered in the fridge and drink them the next morning. Banana smoothies can turn brown, so stir well before drinking.
Can I make them dairy-free?
Yes. Use a plant-based yoghurt and milk such as oat or soya.
Sources
- Sugar: the facts (NHS)
- 5 A Day portion sizes (NHS)
This article is for general information only and isn’t medical advice. If you have diabetes, a food allergy or another health condition, check recipes with your doctor or dietitian. See my medical disclaimer.