I bought a huge case of unsweetened applesauce at Costco a couple weeks ago and I’ve been trying to come up with creative ways to use it. Since I am back onto smoothies (after what I am calling a “holiday and new year hiatus”), I’ve been branching out and trying new flavor combinations. Ever since Sonia posted her apple cheesecake smoothie, I knew I had to give it a go with a few changes based on what I had on hand. I am happy to report that I am ecstatic about the results!
This smoothie recipe seriously tastes like an apple pie cheesecake in liquid form. I was dancing around my kitchen doing a fist pump as I was trying to sip this smoothie and savor all it’s deliciousness. After several near-spills, I quieted down and drank my smoothie with a giant smile on my face instead of a full-out dance 🙂
This is a must try smoothie recipe if you are a fan of apple pie and/or cheesecake. It’s thick, creamy and decadent – it might just be my favorite smoothie yet. Though I used cottage cheese, you might be able to make this vegan/dairy free by using silken tofu and adding a bit of nutritional yeast for the cheese factor, I’d like to try it for myself!
Apple Pie Cheesecake Smoothie (adapted from The Healthy Foodie)
Ingredients
1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/4 cup raw red apple, diced (I used Gala OR 2 more Tbsp applesauce)
1/2 cup cottage cheese (vegan might be able to sub 1/2 cup silken tofu & add 2 tsp nutritional yeast)
1/2 scoop vanilla or plain protein powder, optional
1 Tbsp roasted or raw almond butter
1 Tbsp flaxseed meal (or chia seed)
3/4 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk (or other non-dairy milk of choice)
1/4 to 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon (I use the latter)
one shake of ground cloves (small pinch)
splash of pure vanilla extract
chopped or sliced almonds + cinnamon for optional garnish
Directions
1. Add all ingredients except for garnish in a blender or a Magic Bullet and process until very smooth and well incorporated (about one minute). Pour into a glass, top with almonds and a shake of ground cinnamon. Enjoy!
Serves 1
Natural Noshing 
Yum, this looks amazing! So funny… I made an apple pie green smoothie this morning for breakfast and plan to post it tomorrow. Great minds think alike!
Can’t wait for your version! We must be on the same wavelength – love it 🙂
This post is timely – I just bought a blender yesterday and I’m on a smoothie mission – this looks like a good way to break the blender in and put a dent in my ridiculous apple stash. And there’s nothing wrong with dancing in the kitchen – I once knocked a bowl of fruit off the counter with my enthusiastic happy-food-dance over a piece of cherry pie.
Good timing on both of our parts! Apples in a smoothie is really delicious, I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!
I cant totally imagine myself doing an enthusiastic dance over cherry pie and knocking something over…it’d be worth it! 🙂
I actually just tried applesauce in a smoothie not too long ago and looooooooved it. I love the cottage cheese in this, I bet it gives it such a cheesecakey taste. Gotta try it 😀
I think you would love this if you liked applesauce in your smoothie! 🙂 cottage cheese is my new fav addition to smoothies!
I have no idea how I missed this post when Sonia made it! I have open applesauce and cottage cheese (which is actually reserved for Sonia’s alfredo sauce) but I will sacrifice some on the weekend for this. It looks so good! And such a huge portion. Yummy. 🙂
I want to make Sonia’s alfredo sauce too — mmmmmm! I think you would be quite pleased with the results if you can manage to portion some out for this smoothie! I plan to make more flavor variations on it too!
I am so intrigued. I’m definitely going to have to try this!
SO good! My happy dance may speak for that hehe 🙂
Hey, hey, enough talking about me you girls! 😉 Thank goodness it’s all good stuff! 😀
And good god, Nora, your smoothie looks amazing! I’m definitely going to have to give your version a try. Now I’m torn. I have 2 apples left in the fridge, but I have plans for them. I could’ve had this gorgeous smoothie right in the morning, after my workout.
Maybe I could pass by the store and by MORE apples! 😉 It just looks so good, I won’t rest until I’ve tried it!
Oh, and thanks for the mention! Glad I could inspire this beauty!
I could never say one thing bad about you Sonia, so of course it’s all accolades over here!
Thanks for much the inspiration Sonia – my new favorite thing for breakfast is this smoothie, seriously good stuff! I want to do another happy dance just thinking about it! I think you may have to buy more apples 🙂
Does this come with a side of crust 🙂 mmmmmm
For you, yes it does 🙂
To help celebrate your opening, I made this smoothie! That makes no sense, but it’s what I did. 😀
I used normal cow’s milk because that’s what we have and it’s delicious! I’m sure with almond milk it’d be even yummier. Now I can eat cottage cheese in two things! But it still freaks me out when not blended. It’s just so… unnatural looking. You and Sonia do good work. 🙂
I’m going to make this often and when fall comes back around I’m sure I’ll be making this all the time. Thanks for the recipe!
That makes sense in my mind! Dessert smoothie = sort of yogurt consistency if not frozen? hehe
The almond milk gives a bit of a nutty flavor to it in the background but then again, I use that and coconut milk constantly! I had a friend try this smoothie and they said the same thing about the texture – it is a little strange 🙂 Now I just need to make more “cheesecake” smoothie variations!
sometimes apples give smoothies a bit of a grainy texture, if you slice and cook them in the oven for a bit it takes it away and brings out the apple flavour a bit more too.
Holy yum! I love cheesecake and apple pie, but they can be a bit too rich or sweet for me to eat for dessert…so having them both combined in a liquid form would be perfect! I wonder if it would work to add blended cashews to get the cheesecake taste (either instead of or in addition to cottage cheese, since I never have that on hand)
This might be your solution! I will have to try blending cashews, I bet that would be yummy! I think the taste would be different but still delicious 🙂
Yummmm! I’ve got to try this!
I hope you make some brownies and muffins with that applesauce 😀
I hope you enjoy it! Muffins and brownies should definitely be on my make list, thank you! 🙂
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