✔ Updated · nutrition, yogurt and dairy-free versions, frozen-fruit tips added
McDonald's strawberry banana smoothie is a thick, frosty blend of strawberries and banana from the McCafé menu. My copycat is what I blend on busy summer mornings.
At a glance
The one tip that matters: pour the juice in first and add the ice last. Liquid at the bottom keeps the blades moving, so you get a thick, smooth smoothie without watering it down.
This copycat-style version needs just frozen strawberries, a ripe banana, crushed ice and a splash of apple juice, and it's ready in 5 minutes. As written it's dairy-free and about 90 calories a glass. Blend in low-fat vanilla yogurt for the creamier, restaurant-style version. Below you'll find what goes into the McDonald's version, nutrition for both versions, and tips for getting the texture right with frozen fruit.
Why You'll Love This Smoothie
- Thick and frosty, like a drive-thru smoothie, from four simple ingredients.
- Creamy your way: dairy-free as written, or extra creamy with yogurt.
- About 90 calories a glass, with no added sugar in the base recipe.
What's in the McDonald's Strawberry Banana Smoothie?
McDonald's smoothies are built from three main parts: a strawberry banana fruit base (a sweetened blend of fruit purées and juices), low-fat yogurt, and ice, blended to order. That means the restaurant version contains dairy and is sweeter than a plain fruit smoothie.
Ingredients can change and vary by country, so check McDonald's own ingredient and nutrition information for the current details, especially if you have an allergy. At home, frozen strawberries and banana stand in for the fruit base, and you can add yogurt or leave it out.
With or Without Yogurt?
The recipe card makes the dairy-free version, which is the one I make most. Here's how the two compare:
| Without yogurt (recipe card) | With yogurt | |
|---|---|---|
| Add | 1/2 cup apple juice or water | Also 1 cup low-fat vanilla yogurt; use 1 1/2 cups ice |
| Texture | Icy, light and slushy | Creamy, thick and smooth, closer to the restaurant version |
| Flavor | Bright, fruity and a little tart | Softer and sweeter |
| Dairy-free? | Yes | No (use a dairy-free yogurt to keep it vegan) |
| Calories per glass | About 90 | About 145 |
Calories and Nutrition
Estimates per 12-ounce glass, made with unsweetened frozen strawberries and apple juice. Using water instead of juice saves about 15 calories per glass. I usually go with juice.
- Strawberries frozen in syrup add roughly 80 to 100 calories per glass, so choose unsweetened if you're watching sugar.
- McDonald's publishes nutrition for its own smoothies in its app and on its website. Its version is usually higher in sugar because the fruit base is sweetened.
| Per glass | Without yogurt | With low-fat vanilla yogurt |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 90 | 145 |
| Carbohydrates | 23 g | 31 g |
| Total sugars | 15 g | 23 g |
| Fiber | 4 g | 4 g |
| Protein | 1 g | 4 g |
| Fat | 0 g | 1 g |
Step-by-Step Photos
Here's how it comes together. Exact amounts, times and temperatures are in the recipe card below.
Tips for Success
- Liquid first, ice last. Juice at the bottom and ice on top keeps the blades moving and gives a smoother blend.
- Use a ripe banana. Brown-speckled bananas are sweeter and creamier, so you won't need added sweetener.
- Add liquid sparingly. Start with 1/2 cup and add a tablespoon at a time only if the blender stalls. Too much makes it thin.
- Blend low, then high. A few seconds on low breaks up the ice; 30 to 60 seconds on high makes it silky.
- Serve right away. A smoothie loses its thick, frosty texture within minutes as the ice melts.
McDonald’s Strawberry Banana Smoothie (Copycat)
4
servings5
minutes0
minutes90
kcal5
minutesA copycat-style McDonald’s strawberry banana smoothie made with frozen strawberries, ripe banana, crushed ice and a splash of apple juice. Dairy-free as written, or blend in low-fat vanilla yogurt for the creamier restaurant-style version. Ready in 5 minutes.
Ingredients
- For the Smoothie
20 oz frozen strawberries (two 10-oz bags or boxes)
1 cup ripe banana, sliced (about 1 large)
2 cups crushed ice
1/2 cup cold apple juice or water, plus more as needed
- Optional Add-Ins
1 cup low-fat vanilla yogurt, for the creamier McDonald’s-style version (reduce the ice to 1 1/2 cups)
1 tablespoon honey or agave syrup, to taste
Directions
- Prep
- Slice the banana. If your frozen strawberries are large or rock-hard, let them sit for 5 minutes or halve them so they blend easily.
- Blend
- Pour the apple juice or water into the blender first, then add the yogurt, if using. Liquid at the bottom helps the blades catch.
- Add the sliced banana and frozen strawberries, then the crushed ice on top.
- Blend on low for a few seconds, then on high for 30 to 60 seconds, until thick and smooth. If the blender stalls, stop and stir, and add a splash more liquid only if needed.
- Taste, and blend in honey or agave if your fruit isn’t very sweet.
- Serve
- Pour into 4 glasses (about 12 ounces each) and garnish each with a fresh strawberry on the rim.
- Serve right away, while the smoothie is thick and frosty.
Notes
- You can use fresh strawberries either by sprinkling sugar. Place them in the refrigerator to maximise the juices once chopped. Alternatively buy the fruit fresh, chop it up and place it in the freezer until needed.
- Some recipes include a blend of yogurt, which is an easy ingredient to include at any point. Although its a slight variation from Mcdonald’s restaurant menu. Either way it will still be delicious and creamy.
- Ice is an important ingredient, don’t forget it 🙂
Like this recipe?
Follow us @recipefairy on Pinterest
Frozen Fruit Tips
- Use frozen strawberries, not fresh plus extra ice. Frozen fruit makes a thick smoothie without watering it down.
- Freeze your own bananas. Peel, slice and freeze ripe bananas on a tray, then bag them. With frozen banana, cut the ice to 1 cup for an even creamier texture.
- Let rock-hard fruit sit for 5 minutes. It blends faster and is easier on the blender.
- Sweetened or unsweetened? Strawberries frozen in syrup taste closer to the restaurant version but add sugar. Unsweetened fruit plus a little honey lets you control it.
- Using fresh strawberries? Hull about 3 cups, use frozen banana and add an extra cup of ice.
Variations
- Protein boost: use Greek yogurt, or add a scoop of vanilla protein powder.
- Creamy and vegan: blend in dairy-free vanilla yogurt, or use 1/2 cup oat milk instead of juice.
- Other fruit: swap half the strawberries for frozen mango or pineapple.
- Love banana? Try our peanut butter banana smoothie. For another McCafé-style drink, see our McDonald's caramel frappe.
Make-Ahead and Storage
Smoothies are best straight from the blender. If you have leftovers, keep them in a sealed jar in the fridge for up to 24 hours and shake or re-blend before drinking, as they separate.
To get ahead, pack the strawberries and sliced banana into freezer bags as single-batch smoothie packs. In the morning, tip one into the blender with the juice and ice. Leftover smoothie also makes great ice pops.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is in a McDonald's strawberry banana smoothie?
McDonald's blends a strawberry banana fruit base made from fruit purées and juices with low-fat yogurt and ice. Ingredients can change and vary by country, so check McDonald's own ingredient list for current details. This copycat-style version uses frozen strawberries, banana, ice and apple juice, with optional yogurt.
Does McDonald's strawberry banana smoothie have yogurt?
Yes, the restaurant version is made with low-fat yogurt, so it contains dairy. Our recipe is dairy-free as written, for a lighter, fruitier smoothie. For the creamier McDonald's-style texture, blend in 1 cup of low-fat vanilla yogurt and reduce the ice to 1 1/2 cups.
How many calories are in a homemade strawberry banana smoothie?
This recipe has about 90 calories per 12-ounce glass made with unsweetened frozen strawberries and apple juice, or about 145 with low-fat vanilla yogurt. Strawberries frozen in syrup add roughly 80 to 100 calories per glass. For McDonald's own figures, check its nutrition information.
Can I make it with fresh strawberries?
Yes. Use about 3 cups of hulled fresh strawberries and freeze the banana first, or add an extra cup of ice. Without frozen fruit the smoothie will be thinner and less frosty, so frozen banana is the easiest way to keep it thick.
Can I make the smoothie ahead of time?
It's best fresh, but you can refrigerate it in a sealed jar for up to 24 hours and shake or re-blend it before drinking. A better make-ahead option is freezing the strawberries and sliced banana in single-batch bags, so you only need to add juice and ice.
){kind=link}