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.
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.
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:
Why readers love this recipe
“I made this Saturday morning – simple but oh so yummy and refreshing! I loved the almond extract with it. So good! ❤️“ – Jerilyn
Ingredients
Here are the ingredients you will need to make this recipe.
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 pistachio milk, 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.
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, dairy-free pistachio 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
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.
If you try this recipe and love it, let me know! Leave a comment and ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating in the comment section below. It truly makes my day and is such a help!
📖 Recipe
Very cherry smoothie
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
Nutrition
Content updated March 5, 2025. Originally posted August 2015.
Cary
I was a little skeptical as my smoothie turned out a murky brown color, but it tastes amazing! I used flax instead of chia and did add the kale, which likely contributed to the color. I also had to double the almond milk volume as it was too thick for my liking, even with double liquid it is quite thick. I think the almond extract is what really sets this apart! Thanks for the recipe.
Cadry Nelson
Thanks for the great feedback! I totally agree about the power of almond extract here.
The size of the kale leaves & banana can definitely impact the amount of liquid you’ll need. I’m glad you added more almond milk to make it work for you!
I know what you mean about the color with the added kale leaves, but I’m happy you didn’t let it put you off. If you’d ever rather have a deep red smoothie, just leave out the greens.
Denise
Hey, I tried the smoothie and I love it!
David
Just made this again this morning – delicious!!
Cadry
So glad you’re still enjoying it!
Jerilyn
I made this Saturday morning – simple but oh so yummy and refreshing! I loved the almond extract with it. So good! ❤️
Cadry
That’s so nice to hear, Jerilyn! Thank you for the great feedback. I’m happy you enjoyed the recipe!
Caitlin
Yum! I love cherries and almond paired together. 🙂 They’re such a perfect combo!
Cadry
Absolutely! Almond amps up the cherry flavor in a most delicious way.
KZ
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..
Cadry
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.
Susan
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.
Cadry
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!
Susan
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!
Isabetta
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!
Cadry
Wow, that’s a fast turnaround! I’m glad to hear that you enjoyed it!
Bianca
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!
Cadry
I hope you enjoy it, Bianca!
Caitlin
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.
Cadry
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! 🙂
Shell
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!
Cadry
Thanks, Shell! Let me know what you think!
Shell
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.
Cadry
Excellent! I’m so glad to hear that!
bitt
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?
Cadry
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.
Nicole {VeganShowOff.com}
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 : )
Cadry
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.