Bity
These smoothie cubes are the reason my blender now gets used on weekday mornings instead of only at weekends. I blend two quick batches, one pink with strawberries and one creamy with banana and vanilla, pour them into a silicone tray and freeze. After that, a thick, frosty smoothie is just a handful of cubes, a splash of milk and thirty seconds of noise away.
In short, smoothie cubes are a fruit smoothie blended and frozen in a silicone tray, so a fresh, thick drink is ready in seconds. This version makes two flavours, strawberry banana and banana vanilla, takes about 10 minutes of hands on work plus about 4 hours in the freezer and makes 8 to 10 cubes at about 95 calories each. Each drink uses 2 to 3 cubes and half to one cup (120 to 240 ml) of milk.
It started as a way to rescue a bowl of spotty bananas and a punnet of strawberries that were about to turn. Now I make them on purpose. In fact, my little one likes a cube in a cup, slightly softened, as an after school treat that is really just fruit and oat milk.
Quick Breakdown
Why You’ll Love These Smoothie Cubes
- No ice needed. Because the fruit itself is frozen, the smoothie comes out thick and cold without being watered down.
- Two flavours from one session. Strawberry banana and banana vanilla smoothie cubes, so you can mix and match in the glass.
- Ten minutes of work. Blend, pour, freeze. That is genuinely it.
- Nothing goes to waste. Overripe bananas and soft berries are actually the best ones to use.
- Kid friendly portions. One or two cubes make a small drink for a child, while two or three make a full glass for an adult.
Ingredient Notes
For the strawberry batch:
- Strawberries. Two cups (300 g), hulled. Pick berries that are firm, plump and deep red; Iowa State University’s berry guide has a handy checklist for choosing and storing them.
- Banana. One ripe banana gives body and natural sweetness.
- Plain oat milk. One cup (240 ml). Use an unsweetened, unflavoured one.
- Honey. One tablespoon (15 ml). Leave it out for babies under one (see below).
For the banana batch:
- Bananas. Three ripe bananas. The more freckles, the sweeter the cubes.
- Plain oat milk. One and a quarter cups (300 ml).
- Vanilla extract. One teaspoon (5 ml), which makes the banana cubes taste a little like a milkshake.
How to Turn the Cubes Into a Drink
Here is the ratio I use. Add 2 to 3 cubes to a blender, pour in half to one cup (120 to 240 ml) of milk and blend until smooth. Then serve it straight away.
| Who it is for | Cubes | Milk |
|---|---|---|
| A thick, spoonable bowl | 3 | 1/2 cup (120 ml) |
| A regular glass | 2 to 3 | 3/4 to 1 cup (180 to 240 ml) |
| A small child | 1 to 2 | A small splash, or none |
For younger children, I put 1 or 2 cubes in a cup and let them soften for a few minutes. Alternatively, blend them with a little milk until smooth and serve immediately.
Can You Freeze Smoothies?
Yes. A finished smoothie freezes perfectly well, but a big frozen jar takes hours to thaw and separates as it does. Freezing it as smoothie cubes solves both problems. Cubes blend back to a smooth, thick drink in seconds and you only take out what you need.
How To Make Smoothie Cubes
1. Blend the strawberry batch. First, add the strawberries, banana, oat milk and honey to a blender and blend until completely smooth. Pour it into half of the tray cavities.
2. Blend the banana batch. Next, rinse the jug, then blend the bananas, oat milk and vanilla until smooth.
3. Fill the tray. Then pour the banana blend into the empty cavities, keeping the two flavours separate. Tap the tray on the worktop to knock out any air bubbles.
4. Freeze until solid. After that, freeze the tray flat for about 4 hours, or until completely solid. Pop the cubes out and transfer them to a freezer bag.
5. Blend and serve. Finally, drop 2 to 3 cubes into the blender with milk and blend until smooth.
Why Did My Banana Cubes Turn Brown?
Banana cubes turn brown because the banana reacts with air, which is harmless and does not change the taste once blended. You can see it in my photos: the banana cubes darken on top while the strawberry ones stay pink. That is simply the banana reacting with air, the same way a cut banana browns on the board. It is harmless and you will not taste it once the cube is blended.
- Freeze quickly. Pour and freeze straight after blending rather than leaving the jug on the side.
- Cover the tray. A lid or a sheet of cling film limits contact with air.
- Add a squeeze of lemon. A teaspoon of lemon juice in the banana batch keeps the colour paler.
Tips for the Best Smoothie Cubes
- Use a silicone tray. Rigid plastic trays crack when you try to twist frozen fruit out of them.
- Blend longer than you think. Any strawberry seeds and fibres are easier to break down now than later.
- Let the cubes sit for a minute before blending, as a weaker blender struggles with rock hard fruit.
- Mix flavours in the glass: one pink and one banana cube is my favourite.
- Label the bag, because after a few weeks every pale cube looks the same.
Storage
- Freezer. Freeze the smoothie cubes completely before removing them from the tray, then store in a freezer-safe bag or container for up to 2 months.
- Once blended. Drink it straight away. A blended smoothie separates and loses its frosty texture within the hour.
- Thawed cubes. Do not refreeze them. Instead, stir them into porridge or yoghurt the same day.
Variations and Substitutions
- Different milk. Dairy milk, almond or soy milk all work instead of oat milk in smoothie cubes.
- No honey. Leave it out entirely if your bananas are ripe. Importantly, honey should not be given to babies under one year old; KidsHealth explains the infant botulism risk clearly.
- Extra fruit. Swap some of the strawberries for raspberries or mango.
- A thicker treat. For something you can eat on a stick, try my creamy strawberry popsicles, which use a very similar fruit blend.
What to Serve With Smoothie Cubes
On school mornings, a glass sits next to a couple of my freezer French toast bites, which bake from frozen while the blender is going. For a lighter breakfast, I pour a thick bowlful and scatter homemade granola over the top.
For after school, pair a small cup with one or two of my after-school energy balls. That combination keeps hungry children going until dinner.
Frequently Asked Questions
Making and Freezing
How many smoothie cubes does this recipe make?
Between 8 and 10 cubes from the two batches, depending on the size of your tray and your fruit. At 2 to 3 cubes per glass, that is enough for about 3 to 5 drinks.
How long do smoothie cubes last in the freezer?
Up to 2 months in a sealed freezer bag or container. Freeze them solid in the tray first, about 4 hours, and do not refreeze cubes that have thawed. After 2 months they pick up frost and lose some flavour.
Do you need a high speed blender for smoothie cubes?
No. A regular blender works if you let the cubes soften for a couple of minutes first and pour the milk in before the cubes, so the blades catch.
Can you use frozen strawberries to make smoothie cubes?
Yes. Let frozen strawberries thaw a little first so the blend stays pourable enough to fill the tray, then blend them with the banana, oat milk and honey as usual.
Serving and Kids
How much milk do you add to smoothie cubes?
Half to one cup (120 to 240 ml) of milk for 2 to 3 cubes. Use about half a cup (120 ml) with 3 cubes for a thick, spoonable bowl, or up to 1 cup (240 ml) for a regular glass.
Are smoothie cubes suitable for toddlers?
Yes, served softened or blended. Let 1 or 2 cubes soften in a cup for a few minutes, or blend them with a little milk. Leave out the honey for babies under one year old because of the infant botulism risk.
Can you eat smoothie cubes without blending them?
Yes. A slightly softened cube in a cup works for children, rather like a frozen fruit pudding. Leave 1 or 2 cubes for a few minutes until soft enough to scoop.
Can you add protein powder to smoothie cubes?
Yes. Add the protein powder to the blender with the 2 to 3 cubes and the milk when you make the drink, rather than freezing it into the cubes.
Are strawberry and banana smoothie cubes dairy free?
Yes, as written. The cubes contain only fruit, plain oat milk, honey and vanilla, so they are dairy free. Blend them with oat, almond or soy milk to keep the finished drink dairy free too.
How many calories are in a smoothie cube?
About 95 calories per cube, with roughly 19 g carbohydrates, 12 g sugar and 2 g fibre. These figures are estimates; the milk you blend the cubes with adds to the total for each drink.
Ingredients
Strawberry smoothie cubes
- 2 cups strawberries 300 g
- 1 banana
- 1 cup plain oat milk 240 ml
- 1 tbsp honey 15 ml
Banana smoothie cubes
- 3 bananas
- 1 1/4 cups plain oat milk 300 ml
- 1 tsp vanilla extract 5 ml
To serve
- 1/2 to 1 cup milk 120 to 240 ml, per 2 to 3 cubes
Instructions
- Add the strawberry smoothie ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth.
- Add the banana smoothie ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth.
- Pour the smoothies into separate cube cavities.
- Freeze until solid, about 4 hours. Pop the cubes out and transfer to a freezer-safe bag or container.
- To serve, add 2 to 3 smoothie cubes to a blender, pour in 1/2 to 1 cup (120 to 240 ml) milk and blend until smooth.
- Serve immediately.
