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    Home » Smoothies

    Very cherry smoothie (vegan)

    Published: Jul 19, 2019 · Modified: Mar 27, 2023 by Cadry Nelson
    This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    Text overlay: Vegan cherry smoothie. Glass of cherry smoothie with frozen cherries as garnish.

    Today I’m sharing one of my all-time favorite beverages that also works as a breakfast or snack. It’s the very cherry smoothie.

    It can be made with or without dark leafy greens for an extra boost of nutrients. Vegan & gluten-free.

    Close-up cherry smoothie, garnished with frozen cherries.

    As a ravenous cherry fan, this Very Cherry Smoothie is my obsession.

    It packs a wallop of cherry flavor from ½ cup of dark cherries and a dash of almond extract.

    Almond extract is one of my favorite secret ingredients for increasing the yum factor in a smoothie. That extra roundness of cherry flavor makes it that much more delicious.

    Ripe cherry in glass of cherry smoothie.

    This dairy-free cherry smoothie includes frozen chunks of banana, which whip into an ice cream-like texture, and chia seeds.

    Chia is known for its omega 3 properties, along with being a source of fiber, protein, and calcium. It also gives the smoothie a thicker viscosity.

    This delicious smoothie is teeming with flavor and is sure to quench your thirst on a hot day.

    It’s also thick enough, it would be great for a smoothie bowl with all of your favorite toppings!

    In this post:

    Jump to:
    • Ingredients
    • Step by step instructions
    • Add kale for a green smoothie
    • 📖 Recipe

    Ingredients

    Here are the ingredients you will need to make this recipe.

    Labeled ingredients vegan cherry smoothie.

    Chia seeds: They add omega 3’s to the drink. Plus, they give the smoothie a whippy viscosity.

    If you don’t have a high speed blender, you may want to grind the chia seeds in a clean coffee grinder before putting them into the blender, so that you don’t have any whole seeds in the smoothie.

    Chia seeds can be replaced with ground or whole flaxseed.

    Non-dairy milk: I recommend vanilla soy milk for its dessert-y flavor. But it can be replaced with any non-dairy milk you enjoy, like cashew milk or almond milk.

    Kale: For a green smoothie & an extra boost of nutrients, add 1 or 2 kale leaves. (Just remove the ribs first for easier blending.)

    Cherries: I like to use frozen dark sweet cherries. They’re very convenient, and they add extra coolness & creaminess to the smoothie.

    Banana: Frozen banana is ideal here. It adds a creamy texture that’s almost shake-like.

    Just peel a ripe banana, break it into chunks, and freeze it in a freezer-safe container. Then throw it into the blender when you’re ready to use it.

    Almond extract: A splash of almond extract really turns up the cherry flavor.

    Ice cubes: A few ice cubes makes the smoothie extra cold & airy.

    Step by step instructions

    Here’s how to make this recipe at a glance. For complete ingredient amounts & instructions, keep scrolling to the recipe card below.

    Frozen cherries, frozen banana, chia seeds, and non-dairy milk in blender pitcher.

    Peel a ripe banana.

    Break it into chunks. And pop it into a freezer-proof container.

    Cover & freeze it until you’re ready to use it.

    Once it’s smoothie time, put the following into a high speed blender:

    • Chia seeds
    • Vanilla soy milk or almond milk
    • Frozen cherries
    • Frozen banana
    • Almond extract

    Blend until smooth.

    For an icier, thicker smoothie, add ice cubes to the blender. Then blend until thoroughly combined.

    Pour into a glass and serve.

    Add kale for a green smoothie

    Green cherry smoothie in glass by kale and frozen cherries.

    To add even more nutrients to your smoothie, add one or two kale or collard leaves.

    Just remember to remove the leaves from the hard center rib first.

    If you don’t have a high speed blender, I recommend blending the non-dairy milk and kale or collard leaves alone in the blender first before adding the remaining ingredients.

    Dark leafy greens are thick and fibrous.

    They break down better if you blend them completely before adding more ingredients to the blender jar.

    If you have a high speed blender, it’s not an issue, though. You can blend everything at once.

    If kale & collards are too bitter for you, spinach is a good choice as well.

    Or if you prefer your smoothie on the sweet side, simply leave out the optional greens.

    Cherry smoothie in glass by non-dairy milk & bowl of frozen cherries.

    📖 Recipe

    Cherry smoothie in glass by frozen cherries, spoon, and colorful napkin.

    Very cherry smoothie

    Author: Cadry Nelson
    5 from 8 votes
    This Very Cherry Smoothie packs a wallop of cherry flavor from ½ cup of dark cherries and a dash of almond extract.
    Almond extract is one of my favorite secret ingredients for increasing the yum in a smoothie. That extra roundness of cherry flavor makes it that much more delicious.
    Print Pin Rate
    Prep Time: 3 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 2 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 5 minutes minutes
    Servings: 1 people
    Course: Beverage
    Cuisine: American, Vegan
    Keyword: dairy free, kid friendly, snack
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Ingredients

    • 1 Tablespoon chia seeds or flaxseed
    • ½ cup vanilla soy milk or other non-dairy milk
    • 1-2 kale leaves or collard leaves, ribs removed (optional)
    • ½ cup frozen dark sweet cherries
    • 1 banana frozen in chunks
    • ¼ teaspoon almond extract
    • 4 ice cubes optional

    Instructions

    • Add the chia seeds, vanilla soy milk, kale or collard leaves (if using), cherries, banana, and almond extract to a high-speed blender. Blend until smooth.
    • For an icier, thicker smoothie, add ice cubes to blender and blend until thoroughly combined. Pour into glass and serve.

    Notes

    Workarounds for a standard blender
    If you don’t have a high speed blender, you may want to grind the chia seeds in a clean coffee grinder before putting into the blender. That way there won’t be any whole seeds remaining in the smoothie.
    If you don’t have a high speed blender, I also recommend blending the ground chia, soy milk, and kale or collard leaves first in the blender before adding the remaining ingredients.
    Kale & collards are thick & fibrous. They break down better if you blend them completely before adding more ingredients to the blender jar. If you have a high speed blender, this isn’t an issue.
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    Nutrition

    Calories: 265kcal | Carbohydrates: 47g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 6g | Sodium: 66mg | Potassium: 790mg | Fiber: 9g | Sugar: 26g | Vitamin A: 1040IU | Vitamin C: 27.1mg | Calcium: 264mg | Iron: 2.1mg

    Content updated March 27, 2023. Originally posted August 2015. 

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    Reader Interactions

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    1. Denise

      January 07, 2021 at 10:57 pm

      5 stars
      Hey, I tried the smoothie and I love it!

      Reply
    2. David

      December 05, 2019 at 10:37 am

      5 stars
      Just made this again this morning – delicious!!

      Reply
      • Cadry

        December 06, 2019 at 9:51 am

        So glad you’re still enjoying it!

        Reply
    3. Jerilyn

      July 22, 2019 at 9:37 am

      5 stars
      I made this Saturday morning – simple but oh so yummy and refreshing! I loved the almond extract with it. So good! ❤️

      Reply
      • Cadry

        July 23, 2019 at 4:42 pm

        That’s so nice to hear, Jerilyn! Thank you for the great feedback. I’m happy you enjoyed the recipe!

        Reply
    4. Caitlin

      August 13, 2015 at 9:30 am

      5 stars
      Yum! I love cherries and almond paired together. 🙂 They’re such a perfect combo!

      Reply
      • Cadry

        September 10, 2015 at 8:40 am

        Absolutely! Almond amps up the cherry flavor in a most delicious way.

        Reply
    5. KZ

      August 11, 2015 at 6:30 pm

      Yum I love the sound of this recipe! I like the Cherry/Kale smoothie from the Abundance Diet so I’m sure I’ll like this one. I agree to savory breakfasts. I can eat maybe one bite of pancakes, but I don’t really need more than that. I’m all about the scramble, potatoes, avocado, etc..

      Reply
      • Cadry

        August 12, 2015 at 8:43 am

        I haven’t looked at Somer’s cherry/kale smoothie recipe. I’ll have to check it out!

        That’s interesting that you’re the same way with savory versus sweet breakfasts. Maybe once a year I’ll order pancakes at a restaurant, but then I always have to at least get a tofu scramble on the side. Like you, usually one bite of David’s plate of pancakes is enough.

        Reply
    6. Susan

      August 11, 2015 at 5:42 pm

      I am wondering if almond extract in Australia is more potent than almond extract in the US. I often see it added into cupcake or cookie recipes to ’round out’ the flavour, however I never add it as when I do it seems to make everything taste like marzipan. And I like marzipan, but not when I am eating something non-marzipan. Perhaps I need to do a side by side comparison one day.

      Reply
      • Cadry

        August 12, 2015 at 8:41 am

        That’s an interesting question. I don’t know if the Australian version is more potent or not. I think bottled liquid smoke varies in potency. Lots of times I’ll see recipes that call for 1-2 Tablespoons, and my concentrated liquid smoke would ruin a dish in those amounts. Just 1/2 teaspoon is plenty! Perhaps almond extract is the same way. I can’t speak to how much it does or doesn’t taste like marzipan. I’ve actually never eaten marzipan. Let me know if you ever do a side by side comparison. I’d be interested to hear the results!

        Reply
        • Susan

          August 14, 2015 at 4:59 pm

          If only I could just pop round with a bottle of Australian almond extract (and some marzipan) and we could compare and contrast together!
          Certainly chili powder is a different beast here compared to there. Chili powder here is just 100% ground hot chilies… I thought Americans were super hardcore chili people for the longest time. I killed myself once following a recipe and added all the chili powder!
          I know what you mean about liquid smokes. I recently bought a new liquid smoke and I think it must be way stronger than my last one. And I have made two recipes in the last two weeks that needed 1tbs of liquid smoke and they really just tasted like charred wood. I will be decreasing the amount called for in future!

          Reply
    7. Isabetta

      August 11, 2015 at 3:49 pm

      5 stars
      I just tried this using vanilla oat milk and subbed spinach for collards and thought it came out very thick and rich.I loved it.Best smoothie I’ve tasted in a while!

      Reply
      • Cadry

        August 12, 2015 at 8:38 am

        Wow, that’s a fast turnaround! I’m glad to hear that you enjoyed it!

        Reply
    8. Bianca

      August 11, 2015 at 2:10 pm

      Yum!! I’ve pinned this for future use. I’m with you on preferring savory breakfasts BUT I LOVE SMOOTHIES!! Mostly because they’re the only way I truly enjoy eating fruit and they’re excellent for getting in my post-run protein powder. Plus, my tummy never feels weird after a smoothie. It’s just right!

      Reply
      • Cadry

        August 12, 2015 at 8:37 am

        I hope you enjoy it, Bianca!

        Reply
    9. Caitlin

      August 11, 2015 at 1:44 pm

      ahh this sounds so delicious. i hardly ever eat cherries because they are so expensive and i don’t know what to do with them, but this smoothie is perfect. i’ve heard of cherries in the frozen section before- will definitely be checking them out this week.

      Reply
      • Cadry

        August 11, 2015 at 6:42 pm

        I splurge on fresh cherries in the summer, because they are available for such a short window of time. They are up there with figs as my favorite fruit. Sometimes frozen cherries go on sale, though, and those are just right for this smoothie. Let me know what you think if you try it, Caitlin! 🙂

        Reply
    10. Shell

      August 11, 2015 at 12:42 pm

      This smoothie looks amazing! I’ve never tried almond extract in a smoothie before. I’m going to add frozen cherries to my shopping list so I can give this a try!

      Reply
      • Cadry

        August 11, 2015 at 6:41 pm

        Thanks, Shell! Let me know what you think!

        Reply
        • Shell

          September 02, 2015 at 7:30 am

          5 stars
          I made this smoothie over the weekend and LOVED it! It was so different from what I usually make. I loved the flavor and consistency. I will definitely be making it again soon.

          Reply
          • Cadry

            September 03, 2015 at 10:54 am

            Excellent! I’m so glad to hear that!

            Reply
    11. bitt

      August 11, 2015 at 11:25 am

      I love cherry smoothies! Funny I am the opposite about breakfast, I can’t handle anything savory at all.

      How do collards taste in this? It is like kale or stronger?

      Reply
      • Cadry

        August 11, 2015 at 11:28 am

        That’s interesting that you’re much more on the sweet side of breakfast! The collards are stronger tasting than kale. To taste the cherries unencumbered, I’d say go without. But if you’re already a green smoothie fan, give it a shot.

        Reply
    12. Nicole {VeganShowOff.com}

      August 11, 2015 at 10:55 am

      I’m a total savory breakfast girl as well and I love almond extract! This smoothie looks so good and that’s definitely the coolest spoon I’ve ever seen : )

      Reply
      • Cadry

        August 11, 2015 at 6:40 pm

        Thank you! When I saw the spoon while on vacation in Florida earlier this year, I had no choice but to buy it. Yes, it’s made of pewter and hand wash only (which means I don’t use it very often), but it was too fun to pass up.

        Reply

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