This is my take on the classic shamrock shake! It’s creamy, minty, refreshing, and way healthier than the original! Plus, just 6 ingredients required, it’s 100% plant-based, and is refined sugar-free. Shall we?
The base is made with frozen coconut milk “ice cubes” blended with almond milk and a dash of coconut cream for thick and creamy texture.
The mint flavor comes from fresh mint (!!) and peppermint extract. A handful of spinach adds some nutrients as well as a vibrant green color.
And the shake is naturally sweetened with maple syrup or stevia.
This shake is:
Icy
Creamy
Perfectly sweet
Minty
Surprisingly healthy
& So easy to make
This is the perfect treat to enjoy on St. Patrick’s Day and beyond! You could even make it boozy with some Irish Whiskey, Bailey’s, or Creme de Menthe (just sayin’.)
For more dairy-free shakes, check out my Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Shake, Bourbon Pumpkin Milkshake, Banana Split Smoothie, 3-Ingredient Mocha Milkshake, Cold Brew Caramel Frappucino, and Cold Brew Mocha Frappuccino.
If you try this shake, let us know! Tag a photo #minimalistbaker on Instagram, and make sure to leave a comment and rating. Cheers, friends!
Vegan Mint Matcha Shamrock Shake
Ingredients
- 1 14-ounce can light or full fat* coconut milk frozen into ice cubes
- 1/4 – 1/2 tsp peppermint flavor / extract (or sub 1-2 drops peppermint oil)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 Tbsp fresh mint
- 1/2 tsp matcha green tea powder (optional)
- 3 -4 Tbsp coconut cream* (for creaminess)
- 1/2 – 3/4 cup unsweetened plain almond milk (or more light coconut milk)
- 1-2 Tbsp maple syrup (or sub stevia or agave nectar to taste)
- 1 cup loosely packed spinach (frozen for colder shake | organic when possible ) (optional)
- 1 Tbsp cacao nibs, for serving (optional)
Instructions
- To make coconut ice cubes, pour a can of well-shaken light or full fat coconut milk into an ice cube tray and freeze until firm – 4-6 hours, or overnight.
- Once frozen, put the coconut “ice” cubes into a blender, along with peppermint extract, vanilla extract, fresh mint, matcha powder (optional), coconut cream, lesser amount of almond milk (1/2 cup or 120 ml as original recipe is written), maple syrup, and spinach (optional). Blend on high, scraping down sides as needed, until creamy and smooth.
- If too thick, thin with a bit more almond milk. If too thin, add a little ice. Taste and adjust flavor as needed, adding more peppermint extract for minty flavor, spinach for green color, or maple syrup for sweetness.
- Divide between two serving glasses and garnish with fresh mint and cacao nibs (optional). Coconut whipped cream would also be a lovely topping!
- Best when fresh. Leftovers still keep in the freezer (covered) up to 5 days.
Video
Notes
*In place of coconut cream you could also sub 1/4 cup soaked + drained raw cashews.
*You could make this shake boozy with a shot (2-3 ounces) Irish Whiskey, Bailey’s, or Creme de Menthe.
*Prep time includes freezing coconut ice cubes.
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate.
Sara says
I was too excited to make this on a hot day, so i did not wait for my coconut milk to freeze. i had some vanilla yogurt in the fridge, so i used that. i think i added twice the amount of spinach, but this tasted so great. i’ve been trying to refine my use of matcha, often i use too much, so it’s really nice to get quantities on the matcha in this recipe! i also took another reviewers comment on-board and used just mint extract instead of fresh mint (because i didn’t have any). this is super refreshing and i totally recommend! thanks for a great recipe :)
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Sara! Thank you for the lovely review and for sharing your modifications! xo
Krista says
THIS WAS SO GOOD. I think I might try frozen yogurt next time to cut out some of the day, but it was delicious! I recommend this recipe.
Whoop! We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Krista! Thank you for sharing! xo
Cali says
We don’t have an ice cube tray, is there any way I could still make this recipe? Thanks!
Hi Cali, how about a muffin tin or something similar? We think it would work to freeze in silicone or parchment liners, maybe?
Megan says
My fiancé and I love this shake! He’s vegan and his is birthday is on St. Patricks day, so I originally made it as a b-day treat, but now It’s now a go-to when anytime the weather gets warm! If I don’t happen to have fresh mint when I make it, I just add a bit more peppermint extract.
Great idea! Thanks so much for the lovely review, Megan!
Kat says
This was so good! I think the frozen coconut milk could be the base to a lot of milkshake ideas in the future, and using the spinach to dye it green was genius! Can’t wait to make it again. I might have the whole thing for myself next time though.
Jennifer says
Hi! Would you kindly share if it tastes coconutty or if it is disguised by the other ingredients?
Many thanks!
Much love,
Jennifer xo
Hi Jennier, it will have a slight coconut taste. You could omit or maybe try a small sliver of avocado for creaminess? But we haven’t tried that in this recipe. Let us know if you give it a try!
Lynda says
Dana,
I’ve never had matcha before so this will be my first try at using it. I need to get a few of the ingredients, but thank you for sharing such a special drink!
Lynda?
xo!
Cathy Thornburn says
I love your blog, and have made several of your recipes, which have been wonderful, but I have a question/comment about sweeteners. I want to use whole dates instead of other sweeteners because they are nutritious (not just sugar) and a whole food, and I am dealing with a chronic health issue. I have been educating myself on Dr. Greger’s site Nutritionfacts.org, and studies reveal that dates are one of two sweeteners that are good for you. Would you consider adding a measurement alternative for dates as a sweetener in your recipes? Right now I usually blend them into a liquid when adding them to recipes, so I will try that here, but it’s all guess work on my part. Thanks!
Hi Cathy, thanks for the suggestion- we’ll keep it in mind. Dates don’t always sub well as a sweetener, but we do like to use them where appropriate. Feel free to comment on specific recipes that you’d like to try dates and we may be able to provide feedback. Hope that helps!
Ana says
Hi! Great recipe, what kind of peppermint oil can we use? Any suggestion? AFAIK, not all available are edible, right? Thanks!
Hi Ana, any food-grade peppermint oil should work! Hope that helps!
Naomi says
This shake turned out absolutely delicious! It was perfectly sweet, minty, and creamy.
I omitted the mint extract, using only fresh spearmint, and I used about double the amount called for. I also eyeballed the almond milk, adding just enough to get the consistency I wanted as it blended. I found that freezing the coconut milk into ice cubes is essential to get the right texture. I substituted baby kale for spinach. The matcha works wonderfully in this recipe as it adds another depth of flavor which really brings the shake full circle. I also used more matcha than was called for, about 1 tsp for one serving (although I am very accustomed to matcha flavor so that might be why I added more).
I loved this recipe so much and it will definitely be a staple in my book.
Thanks so much for the lovely review and sharing your experience, Naomi. We are so glad you enjoyed it! Next time, would you mind leaving a rating with your review? It’s super helpful for us and other readers. Thanks so much! xo
G says
I found this recipe to be too vague, especially in the peppermint flavoring. 1/4 and 1/2 teaspoon are very different measurements and peppermint oil and extract have different flavor strength (oil is WAY stronger). Overall the recipe itself wasn’t hard to follow but I was very apprehensive when making it because of the number of optional ingredients that to me seems would have made a big difference. In the end the shake itself was bad and I would not recommend this recipe.
Mara says
This was so yummy without all the guilt! Another great recipe from this website.
charles graham says
Great web site! I will be back. am I the only guy here?
Hi! Glad you love it! Nope ;)
Aaron says
Another guy checking in.
Welcome, Aaron!
Katie says
This was super easy and delicious! Definitely tasted like a shamrock shake. I’d say go easy on the peppermint extract but I used ice cubes which may have made it stronger. I didnt have frozen coconut on hand or coconut cream that I was willing to open for a couple tablespoons. So I did ice cubes and all coconut milk for the liquid. It was delicious but can see how you would benefit from frozen coconut milk cubes. All and all a major win in my book!
Aimee says
Would love to make this recipe. I have all the ingredients except coconut milk. Could I substitute it for anything else? Just have the ice cubes be coconut cream? Thanks!
I think that would work, Aimee! You could probably use another nut milk if you have any on hand!
Sabphilly says
Love your blog!! I made this yesterday and rushed home to make it again for lunch today, it was so yummy! I used the frozen coconut milk, spinach, mint, almond milk and the 2 extracts. I added a banana and 2 scoops of my Vanilla protein powder. I omitted the coconut cream. Also with the vanilla powder, you dont really need the maple syrup but i added a touch anyway :)
Marla says
This recipe inspired me to make a version using what I had, so I substituted coconut water for the coconut milk, greek yogurt for the coconut cream and a kiwi for the maple syrup. The mint and spinach gave it a great color and flavor, and a threw in a few frozen strawberries for sweetness. It was light, minty and refreshing. Thank you!
Monica says
Was it high in carbs?