This healthy chocolate cherry smoothie is delicious! Frozen cherries, cacao powder, almond butter, chia seeds are blended with almond milk to create a smooth and creamy decadent chocolate smoothie bursting with cherry flavor! It’s like dessert for breakfast but healthy, and you don’t need to feel guilty!
Healthy smoothie recipes are my jam – I drink one at least five times a week! Most days, I blend up this detox smoothie or triple berry smoothie, but sometimes I want to start my day with something rich and chocolatey.
This chocolate cherry smoothie is it! It’s creamy, rich, with the perfect amount of sweetness.
Reasons you’ll love this recipe
- Easy plant-based breakfast recipe – If you can turn on the blender, you can make this vegan smoothie recipe.
- This smoothie is filling – A common complaint with fruit smoothies is that you’re hungry within an hour because they don’t fill you up. This chocolate cherry smoothie is packed with good fats, protein, and carbs to give you energy first thing in the morning and keep you full through to lunch.
- You only need six ingredients – All you need are frozen cherries, almond butter, almond milk, cacao powder, cinnamon, and chia seeds.
- Meal prep – You can either store a blended smoothie in the fridge for 1-2 days or freeze the ingredients into a freezer smoothie kit. I’ll give more tips below.
Ingredients
Frozen Cherries – I purchase a 3lb bag of frozen cherries from BJ’s Wholesale for under $12 – this is a great price. You can use fresh cherries, but I prefer frozen, so I don’t need to spend time removing pits. Also, I don’t need to add ice when using frozen cherries.
Cacao Powder – Cacao is higher in fiber, protein and often has less sugar than cocoa powder. It has a slightly more bitter taste but still creates a deliciously rich chocolate flavor that pairs beautifully with cherries and almond butter.
Almond Butter – this adds a subtle almond flavor and protein to fill you up. Of course, you can also use peanut butter.
Almond Milk – this is the liquid I use to blend all of the ingredients. Use more for a thinner consistency or less for a thick smoothie or smoothie bowl.
Ground cinnamon – this warm spice brings all of the flavors together.
Chia seeds – this is my smoothie superfood of choice.
Substitutions
You can use fresh or frozen cherries. If you use fresh cherries, make sure you remove the pits first. This cherry pit remover is helpful. You can freeze cherries if you have any fresh cherries leftover. Also, if you use fresh, then add 1 cup of ice to get that cold slushy consistency.
You can add more sweetness. This chocolate cherry smoothie recipe isn’t overly sweet. If you like a sweeter smoothie, add a teaspoon of pure maple syrup, honey, or your favorite sweetener. If you have a ripe frozen banana in the freezer, that will work great to sweeten up the smoothie while also adding to the creamy consistency.
Add other frozen fruits – Mango or berries are tasty in this smoothie recipe.
Any milk will work in this smoothie recipe. I prefer keeping smoothie recipes dairy-free, so I use almond or coconut milk. However, you can use any non-dairy or dairy milk in this recipe.
Make it green – If you want to add more greens to your smoothie, blend in spinach, kale, or other leafy greens. Just so you’re aware, greens won’t make this chocolate smoothie green, more of a brown color.
You can use your favorite superfoods. I add chia seeds to all my smoothie recipes because they add protein, fiber, and Omega 3’s! This chocolate cherry smoothie includes cacao powder which is also a superfood.
Other superfoods to add to your smoothies
- Flaxseeds
- Hemp heart
- Coconut oil
- Matcha powder
- Bee pollen
- Spirulina
- You can also add your favorite protein powder.
My favorite place to get great prices on organic smoothie superfoods is online from Thrive Market.
Supplies
- High-speed blender – I’ve owned this Vitamix for over 10 years, and it’s still going strong. If you plan to make smoothies regularly, I recommend investing in a high-quality blender. If a Vitamix is too pricey, then check out my recommendation for the best blenders for smoothies.
- Glass tumbler – I often use a 32-ounce mason jar for drinking smoothies. I also have this 18-ounce Ello glass tumbler.
- Reusable straws – These Ello reusable straws work fantastic for smoothies.
- Straw cleaner – Definitely grab a straw cleaner to keep those straws clean.
- 20-ounce Yeti tumbler – I love using my Yeti tumbler to keep smoothies cold on the go.
- Reusable silicone bags – These bags come in handy when putting together meal prep smoothie kits for the freezer.
- Cherry pitter – this is a must if you’re going to use fresh cherries in this smoothie recipe.
How to Make a Healthy Chocolate Cherry Smoothie Recipe?
Add the frozen cherries, cocoa powder, almond butter, chia seeds, cinnamon, and almond milk to a high-speed blender. If needed, add more almond milk or water until you get the desired consistency.
Pour into a glass and enjoy.
How to store
You can make this chocolate cherry smoothie ahead of time in an airtight glass mason jar and then refrigerate it for up to 2 days.
To freeze the smoothie recipe, place all of the ingredients (except the liquid) into a freezer bag. The morning of, dump the ingredients into a blender, add the liquid and blend.
You can also freeze the blended smoothie in ice cube trays or using Souper Cubes and add the desired amount into a glass, with a tight-fitting lid, the night before to thaw. In the morning, give the smoothie a couple of shakes and enjoy.
Chocolate Cherry Smoothie
Equipment
- High-speed Blender
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups frozen pitted cherries
- 1 tablespoon creamy almond butter
- 1 tablespoon cacao powder
- 1 tablespoon chia seeds
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk
Instructions
- Add all of the ingredients into a high-speed blender and blend. If needed, add more almond milk or water until you get the desired smoothie consistency. For a thinner smoothie use more liquid and for a thicker smoothie or smoothie bowl use less liquid.
Notes
Nutrition
Other healthy smoothie recipes:
- Blueberry smoothie
- Super Green Smoothie
- Strawberry Banana Yogurt Smoothie
- Mango Smoothie
- Strawberry Mango Smoothie
Have you tried this Chocolate Cherry Smoothie recipe? If so, I’d love for you to rate this recipe and leave a comment below. We all learn from each other’s experiences.
Debbie Palmer says
So filling and delicious! I added 1/2 banana, vanilla protein powder and cocoa. Just like a decadent milkshake!
Tammy Overhoff says
Yum! So happy you loved it!
Emanita Pauni-Corona says
I am not a chocolate person so I was surprised how much I loved this! So far my favorite! Thank you so much for the recipe. I added collagen and protein powder.
Laurel says
I made this smoothie today for the first time. I wasn’t sure if I’d like it as well as the non chocolate ones but, I loved it. I made it for lunch and it kept me full all afternoon.
Darlene Stackable says
I substituted the almond butter with PB2, but this was a really good smoothie. I will be making it again
Layla says
Could i use any frozen berries instead of cherries?
Lily says
This smoothie is so good! Tastes like and milkshake
Lily says
This smoothie is so good! Tastes like a milkshake, and yet it’s vegan and has spinach and almonds in it! So good will definitely be making this again!
Trinity says
I love all of your smoothie recipes! For those protein users; I use chocolate protein! Substitute it for the cocoa and syrup and also use almond milk which has fewer calories per cup.
Sheila says
Hi- Just made this smoothie and it is great. A comment: there is no link for it in the recipes section, I had a tough time finding it again. A couple of questions: Is there any drawback to making a large batch and keeping it in the fridge? Have you tried it with a cherry strawberry (or other berry) mix? Thank you
Michelle says
This was yummy! I tasted it before adding the greens I had (not spinach) and really liked it. I might try soaking the almonds next time – if I can remember. 🙂 Thank you for this recipe!
Heather @ My Overflowing Cup says
Cherries are one of my favorite fruits to add to smoothies! Thanks for the recipe.
Sallyann says
Just made Cherry Chocolate Almond Green Smoothie it was not hard to convince my 13 yr old it was desert he loved it. Awesome!
Scott says
Very good. I would put a little less coco and more cherries. But this was amazing.
Donna C says
Are these smoothies meal replacemets?
Amy says
What do you mean by “½ cup baby spinach”? There would be a huge difference in the amount of greens used depending on whether you mean “drop leaves in until they reach the top of the cup” versus “pack them in tightly.”
Tammy Kresge says
Great point! I usually pack mine in. I will update the post.
silvergirl says
this was delish!!
thanks for the recipe
Brett
Kelly Odneal says
Instead of frozen cherries, would fresh cherries work?
Tammy Kresge says
Sure you can use fresh cherries.
Rebecca says
I would make sure to freeze those fresh cherries. You need a frozen item to make it a smoothie. Otherwise you must put ice in the mix.