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If you are lucky enough to find a bag of frozen cherries at the grocery store, stock up and make this creamy chocolate smoothie. The cherries add flavor, plus a potent boost of antioxidants! (If you find a frozen cherry berry blend, that will work, too.)
I started making this smoothie years ago while experimenting with a raw food diet. I couldn’t get enough of it!
Recently, I revisited this smoothie because I’m trying to get more protein into my life. Now I like to add a scoop of collagen, which adds creaminess and protein, but not much flavor, as well as a touch of frozen raspberries. These two additions make it taste better and will leave you feeling full longer.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Featured Review
“I’ve been making this for weeks now and love it so much. Definitely my favorite smoothie recipe!” -Anna
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Frozen Cherries. Starting with a bag of frozen cherries is not only more affordable than buying them fresh, but it will also save you the time and effort of pitting each cherry.
- Frozen Raspberries. Cherries don’t always have a bold flavor when frozen, so these tart berries help boost the overall flavor. You’ll still mostly taste cherries, but this addition makes a big difference.
- Frozen Banana. Adds sweetness and creaminess, along with an ice-cream-like texture.
- Cacao Powder. I keep raw cacao powder in my pantry for an antioxidant boost, but you can use regular Dutch-processed cocoa powder if you prefer.
- Milk. I use soy milk to keep this recipe dairy-free and higher in protein, but you can use any other milk you prefer, such as almond milk or cow’s milk.
- Almond Butter. This adds creaminess, as well as fiber and healthy fats. I always buy raw almond butter, so it has a mild, neutral flavor. Cashew butter would be similar!
- Optional Add-Ins. I like to add either a splash of vanilla or almond extract for a flavor boost, plus a scoop of collagen for added protein. For a vegan smoothie, try using hemp hearts and a handful of fresh spinach for more nutrients. (The spinach may change the color slightly, but you can’t taste it.
Cherry Chocolate Smoothie How-To
Step 1:
Add the frozen cherries, raspberries, banana, cacao powder, almond butter, and milk to a high-speed blender. This is also the time to add any extras you like, such as a scoop of collagen peptides or a splash of vanilla or almond extract.
Secure the lid and blend until the mixture looks smooth.
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Step 2:
Once the smoothie is blended, taste it to be sure you’re satisfied with the flavor. Since fruit can vary in sweetness, you may want to add a teaspoon of maple syrup and blend again for a sweeter-tasting drink.
When you’re happy with the taste, pour it into a glass (or two) immediately and enjoy!
Ingredients
- 1 cup frozen sweet cherries (pitted)
- ½ frozen banana
- ¼ cup frozen raspberries
- 1 tablespoon raw cacao powder
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)
- 2 tablespoons collagen peptides (optional)
- 1 cup milk of choice
Instructions
- Add the frozen cherries, banana, raspberries, cacao powder, vanilla extract, collagen (if using), and milk to a high-speed blender. Secure the lid and blend until the mixture is smooth.
- Once everything is blended smoothly, taste the mixture and make any adjustments needed. You can add a teaspoon of maple syrup for a sweeter taste, or a little extra cacao powder for more chocolate flavor. Then serve the smoothie right away for the best texture.
Notes
Nutrition
More Smoothie Recipes to Try
If you try this recipe, please leave a comment and star rating below to let me know how you like it.
I love starting my day with smoothies, and this is one of our favorites. I’ve made it many times. Instead of avocado, I just add chia seeds. This morning I didn’t have almond or cashew milk, so I added water and a couple of handfuls of almonds. It worked just fine on the Vitamix. Thank you for your wonderful recipes.
This is so yummy!
This smoothie is a go-to of mine and has been for years. All three of your cookbooks are fantastic as well. Thank you for all you do, Megan. You are, without a doubt, one of the best recipe blogs on the Internet!
I made this today and really like it.
Good morning! My question : is there a substitution for bananas? I’ve noticed a lot of Paleo, low-carb type recipes call for bananas. However, bananas give me migraines. But I really like the recipes.
Do you have the amount of sugar and carb in these shakes? If you have a smoothie for breakfast, what do you recommend to eat with it for protein?
I just tried this today. I was out of spinach, so I threw some cauliflower in with juice from a zucchini. Left out the avocado. It was good.
Try using organic tofu in exchange for the avocado.Any fruit will work. We have been having these for breakfast for over 44 years, quite addicting. I always add chia seeds, flax seeds and hemp hearts. On the Oregon coast here we can grow kale, spinach, romaine, chard and other greens year round. Give them a try, so tasty even the kids love them (the kids are in their 40’s now)
Note to self. Freeze bananas after peeled and already cut up. Cut and pit cherries prior to freezing as well. Otherwise, this was very yummy!!!
I love my green smoothies!!! I have been doing (2) a day for a couple of weeks… One for breakfast and one for lunch! I’ve lost a little extra weight… Since July… 8 lbs total! I like both the French Vanilla as well as the Dutch Choc. Complete! Anything goes, however, not too much fruit… 🙂 This mornings recipe:
1 scoop of Dutch Chocolate Complete
handful of Organic Spinach
handful of Organic Kale
1/2 frozen banana
1 C. frozen blueberrys
1 small apple
1 heaping T. spoon of ground flaxseed
2 cups of almond milk and blend! 🙂
I share this with my hubbie! Yum!
Lunch – just almond milk, chocolate complete and some frozen strawberries! 🙂