Description
This homemade McDonald’s smoothie recipe offers a wonderfully creamy, vibrant berry taste right in your kitchen, perfect for a healthier treat or a wallet-friendly option. It’s incredibly simple to make, packed with real fruit, and features an optional cardamom rose berry swirl for added elegance.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1.5 cups frozen strawberries
- 1 medium ripe banana, frozen
- 0.5 cup plain yogurt
- 0.5 cup milk
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 1 cup ice cubes
- 1.5 cups mixed berries (fresh or frozen)
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons water
- 0.5 teaspoon ground cardamom
- 1 teaspoon pure rose water
Instructions
- Prepare Berry Swirl: Combine mixed berries, granulated sugar, and water in a small saucepan over medium heat. Simmer 8-10 minutes, stirring, until berries soften and the mixture slightly thickens to a syrupy consistency.
- Cool Compote: Remove compote from heat, stir in cardamom and rose water. Mash gently if desired for a smoother texture. Transfer to a heatproof bowl and cool completely in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes to thicken further.
- Blend Smoothie Ingredients: While the compote cools, combine frozen strawberries, banana, plain yogurt, milk, maple syrup, and ice in a high-speed blender. Blend on high until smooth and creamy, scraping sides as needed.
- Assemble First Layer: Grab a tall, clear glass. Drizzle half of the cooled Berry Swirl compote generously along the inside walls, allowing some to pool at the bottom for visible ribbons.
- Add Remaining Smoothie: Carefully pour half of the smoothie over the compote. Add another tablespoon or two of compote atop this layer. Pour the remaining smoothie to complete your drink.
- Garnish and Serve: Gently swirl a long spoon through the layers once or twice to create dramatic ribbons. Serve immediately, garnished with a final drizzle of remaining swirl.
Notes
For extra protein, use Greek yogurt or a plant-based alternative. You can swap milk for almond milk, oat milk, or apple juice. If the smoothie is too thick, splash in 1-2 tablespoons more milk. To make a family-style treat, simply double all ingredients. For a lighter version, use unsweetened almond milk.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Beverage
- Method: Blending
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 tall glass (about 450 ml)
- Calories: 420 calories
- Sugar: 48 g
- Sodium: 140 mg
- Fat: 11 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 0 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 75 g
- Fiber: 7 g
- Protein: 13 g
- Cholesterol: 25 mg
Keywords: mcdonalds smoothie, berry, creamy, easy, healthy, frozen fruit, customizable, refreshing, cardamom, rose water