Authentic Blackberry Smoothie From Costa Rica

This post may contain affiliate links.

This blackberry smoothie recipe combines fresh blackberries and cream for a healthy and delicious treat. A traditional Costa Rican recipe. 

About This Blackberry Smoothie Recipe

The batido, or smoothie, is a staple of the Costa Rican diet and takes advantage of all of the fresh fruit varieties that grow throughout the country. Typically, a batido consists of whatever fruit might be in season and a dairy product. It’s the most popular Costa Rican drink recipe.

Every single time I go to a restaurant in Costa Rica– even if it’s not on the menu, I ask for this blackberry smoothie.  I love the combination of the tangy berries, fresh sugar, and powdered milk. In Costa Rica, powdered milk is a big thing- it’s called Leche Pinito and everyone always has it on hand. And it’s delicious and extra sweet.

Additionally, whereas blackberries in Costa Rica are generally sold by the kilo in plastic bags. They are then packed in water. Blackberries in the United States are packed in plastic boxes that are generally devoid of moisture. This means that this recipe has been modified to create an authentic Costa Rican batido de mora (blackberry smoothie) in the United States.

RELATED: 14+ Costa Rican Cocktails and Alcoholic Drinks

Costa Rican Blackberry Smoothie Recipe

Ingredients: 

• 2 cups ripe blackberries
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar, more to taste
• 3 cups water
• 1-liter cold water
• 1/2 cup of powdered milk 

Instructions:

Wash your blackberries and place them in a plastic bag or deep dish. Cover with three cups of water and allow to sit overnight in the refrigerator.

Place the blackberry juice mixture and sugar in the blender and puree for 1-2 minutes. You want this to be really smooth.

Place your fine mesh strainer over a large pitcher and pour the blackberry mixture over it. Using a soup spoon or a spatula, press the blackberry pulp through the strainer. When you no longer can get any of the pulp through, start to pour the cold water over the strainer, continuing to push more pulp through until only the seeds remain. Do not pour more than 2 cups cold over the mixture.

Discard the seeds from the strainer and pour the rest of the water into the pitcher. Stir the powdered milk into the blackberry juice in the pitcher. Test for sugar and water, and add more as needed. Serve immediately.

Substitutions

Frozen blackberries brought back up to room temperature will work in place of fresh ones. Additionally, Stevia, maple syrup, and brown sugar can be swapped in for cane sugar.

You can also use heavy whipping cream in place of powdered milk for a richer taste. Vanilla Greek yogurt is another excellent substitute for powdered milk and contains plenty of protein. 

Or just use plain old milk! No need to get fancy. 😉

Variations

If you don’t want to “marinate” the blackberries overnight, you can just blend them in water and then strain them through the fine mesh strainer. The taste is similar, although not exactly the same– it sure does save a lot of time, though!

You can also make a vegan blackberry smoothie by swapping in coconut milk or almond milk for the powdered milk. If you are looking to make a smoothie without yogurt and banana you can always do that.

If you’d like to incorporate more fruit into your smoothie, potassium-rich bananas are a great option! Add frozen banana to the blackberry liquid and pulse in a blender for a delicious blackberry-banana smoothie. 

Serving Suggestions

Serve your chilled blackberry smoothie in tall glasses. (Little umbrellas are also a welcome addition!) Batidos are usually served as a part of Costa Rican breakfast and pair well with other traditional breakfast recipes such as gallo pinto and Costa Rican Pancakes (Arepas).

FAQ

Printable Recipe

Pin it!