Cherry Smoothie

Smoothies are certainly having their moment, and if you’re like most of us, you’re always looking for the next great smoothie recipe!

Creamy Cherry Smoothie

Fun. This cherry smoothie should probably be called the “cheery” smoothie because that’s exactly what it is: a nourishing splash of happy flavors and colors in a glass.

Not watered down. This smoothie recipe skips the ice, using frozen bananas and frozen cherries to ensure a creamy frosty smoothie. (If you don’t have frozen fruit, you can easily add ice to thicken it.) A sprinkle of oats ensures that your smoothie stays extra thick and blended, and the Greek yogurt adds a protein punch to keep you full for hours. 

Make a smoothie bowl. If you want to be really on trend, you can pour your smoothie into a bowl to make a smoothie bowl. Sprinkle on toppings like chia, flaked coconut, toasted sliced almonds, and/or a drizzle of chocolate syrup. Granola is great too!

Ingredient Notes

• Greek Yogurt:  Use vanilla flavored yogurt to add sweetness to the cherries. Greek yogurt adds great body and protein to your smoothie. If you’d prefer, you may use plain or cherry yogurt.
• Sweet Cherries: You can usually find frozen sweet cherries in the freezer section of your grocery store. If fresh cherries are in season, feel free to freeze your own (pit them first!). The smoothie can be made with cherries that aren’t frozen, too. This recipe is written for dark sweet cherries, not the bright red tart cherries used to make pies.
• Banana: I like to keep frozen bananas on hand to make smoothies, banana bread, and banana muffins. Let the bananas ripen first; the riper they are, the sweeter they’ll be. Frozen bananas will help thicken the smoothie and keep it cool while you sip this treat.
• Rolled Oats: A small handful of rolled oats (quick oats are fine, too!) also help thicken the smoothie, and add a little more staying power. If oats aren’t your thing, feel free to omit them.
• Water: Just a little bit of water is needed to keep your smoothie sippable (and to help your blender along!). If you prefer milk, you may use any type of milk.

How to Make A Cherry Smoothie

Simply add all the ingredients to your blender and blend until smooth! Almost too easy, right?

Easy Recipe Variations

• Make a chocolate cherry smoothie: If you’re a fan of everything black forest, add cocoa powder (a tablespoon), chocolate syrup, a few chocolate chips, or cacao nibs to make a chocolate cherry smoothie. It tastes just like chocolate covered cherries! Garnish your chocolate cherry smoothie with a drizzle of chocolate syrup or chocolate shavings.
• Make it a smoothie bowl: For a healthy smoothie bowl, make your smoothie as directed, and pour or scoop it into a bowl. Top with fresh berries and toasted almonds or walnuts, or whole grain granola for crunch and texture. Recreate those beautiful smoothie bowls you see on Instagram. Top your smoothie bowl with chia seeds, flaked coconut, hemp, nuts, pepitas, or flax.
• Reduce sugar: Watching your sugar? You can use plain Greek yogurt instead of vanilla. If the banana you use is ripe enough, it will sweeten the smoothie. You could also use honey or agave syrup if you prefer.
• Switch up the fruit: If you’re not a big fan of cherries, you can sub in other fruits, like peaches, blueberries, or strawberries. Just keep it to about 1 cup of fruit total.

Refrigerate: Smoothies are best enjoyed immediately. This recipe makes a large smoothie, about 16 oz. Share it with a friend, or store the remainder in the refrigerator for up to a day. The consistency will get thinner as the fruit thaws out completely.

Freeze: Freeze the smoothie in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Remove the frozen smoothie from the freezer and let it thaw until you can stir it.

• Add water, yogurt, cherries, banana, and oats to blender. Blend until smooth and enjoy immediately.

  ¼ cup water, 1 container (5.3 oz.) vanilla Greek yogurt, 1 cup frozen sweet cherries, ½ medium frozen banana, ¼ cup rolled oats

• Fresh or frozen fruit: Using frozen fruit eliminates the need for ice. The smoothie can be made with fresh cherries and banana but it will be thinner in consistency. You could add ice to thicken it if you prefer.
• How to freeze bananas: Keep frozen bananas in the freezer to make smoothies whenever you like. To do this, peel ripe banana, slice or cut into chunks, and place in freezer bag for up to 3 months. They’ll keep longer than that but they will begin soften more and turn brown.
• Storage: Smoothies are best enjoyed immediately. This recipe makes a large 16 oz. smoothie. Store extra in the refrigerator for up to a day. The consistency will get thinner as the fruit thaws out completely. If you prefer, freeze the smoothie in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Remove the frozen smoothie from the freezer and let it thaw until you can stir it.

Serving: 16oz., Calories: 356kcal, Carbohydrates: 66g, Protein: 19g, Fat: 4g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 0.5g, Cholesterol: 10mg, Sodium: 50mg, Potassium: 591mg, Fiber: 7g, Sugar: 37g, Vitamin A: 226IU, Vitamin C: 15mg, Calcium: 183mg, Iron: 2mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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