This recipe is easily made vegan by using plant-based milk.
Traditional majoon (also spelled majoun or majun) from Iran calls for a long list of energy-boosting ingredients, but we’re simplifying this delicious recipe to include ingredients more commonly found in the States.
Majoon is a popular energy shake found in Iran, and tastes like something you’d find at a pricey smoothie bar in southern California.
But you can make it at home! It’s a cold, creamy, and sweet mixture of frozen bananas, milk, ice (optional), dates, walnuts, coconut flakes, tahini, maple syrup (or vanilla or honey), and spices. Doesn’t that just sound like everything you’ve ever wanted in a smoothie? In Iran, vanilla ice cream is used, but we’re going with milk (of your choice) and ice for this version. As much as I want ice cream in my smoothie, I want something that I can drink every day and feel good about it!
You can find a bunch of different recipes for majoon online. Some call for pistachios, dried figs, cocoa powder, sesame seeds, saffron, along with the ingredients I’ve listed in the recipe below. I’ve tinkered with this recipe for a few months, and found that this slightly healthier version tastes just as good as the one that includes all the bits and bobs above.
Probably the best thing about the history of majoon is that the term also historically refers to an Indian no-cook, sweet dessert that most closely resembles halva or chocolate salami. It’s made of ground nuts, dates, spices, chocolate, and berries. Guess what else was included way back when? Weed! Literally, pot. More literally, charas, or cannabis resin. So, in terms of why majoon is historically known to have “energetic properties”, it’s legitimately because people used to consume this dessert and go buckwild. But we’re going in a different direction here.
This recipe calls for some pantry staples and also some easy-to-find ingredients.
Throw all of the ingredients into a blender, and you’ve got yourself a perfect majoon. Creamy, slightly sweet, cinnamon-y, and delicious.
Feel free to use the milk of your choice. I like to use regular cow’s milk to emulate the creaminess of the vanilla ice cream that is traditionally used, but I’ve tried this with a creamy oat milk and it’s super good. Use whatever milk or plant milk you like best!
Frozen ripe bananas are easy to make yourself. I usually buy a whole bunch, wait for them to ripen, then peel them, slice them, and pop them in the freezer in a plastic bag to use throughout the week. (Hot tip: if you’ve never frozen your own bananas, peel and slice them first. You’ll never get the peel off when they’re frozen whole!)
Dates are usually pretty easy to find, and although they can get pricey, they typically come in large quantities, which means you’ll be making a bunch of majoon (majoons?) with them. Tahini is a non-negotiable! It adds a slightly bitter, creamy texture to the majoon and really balances all of the sweetness well. If you can’t find tahini for some reason, plain unsalted almond butter is the best substitute I could find.
Walnuts are my favorite in this recipe, but you can use pistachios for a similar flavor. Add in some maple syrup, vanilla, or honey for some sweetness. I prefer maple syrup over anything, as it’s not overly sweet. Remember, you’ve got the sweetness of the bananas, plus the dates, and the sweet spices we’re adding at the end. Balance is key!
Spice town! I add cinnamon, nutmeg, and a pinch of salt. These are not traditional, but to me, majoon is pretty much begging for some cinnamon and an obligatory pinch of flaky salt. You can leave out the nutmeg if you don’t have any on hand, but I really like it in this recipe.
Top your majoon with your favorite toppings! This one is topped with walnuts, coconut chips, a sprinkle of cinnamon and some flaky Maldon sea salt.
And that’s it! That’s majoon!
I know people are very fond of topping their smoothies with nibbles like chia seeds, goji berries, cacao nibs, and flax seeds. I’m a big fan of chia seeds and cacao nibs on this one – they add a nice crunch, too!
So, whenever I’m making a recipe, especially a smoothie or something that lists a lot of ingredients in small quantities, I’m kind of always adapting to what’s in my pantry, and I encourage you to, too! If you don’t have nutmeg, don’t sweat it. Coconut flakes are definitely optional. Walnuts really stand out in this recipe, but I’ve tried this without nuts and it’s still really good. If you don’t have tahini, you can leave it out, but I really encourage you sub in an unsalted almond butter or similar. Everything else though, leave it in! It just won’t be the same.