Thick, creamy, and filled with beautiful flavors, this Cherry Banana Smoothie is the perfect energy-packed breakfast! Made with fresh fruits, without any added sugars, it's a healthy, antioxidant-rich drink that is just so delicious.
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The one thing I love about Summer is the variety of beautiful fresh fruits that are there for us to enjoy. Among them are beautiful cherries. Sweet, juicy and delicious!
Now when cherries are in season I have a fridge full of them. I make all sorts of delicious treats for me and my family. My boys love Dark Chocolate Cherry Brownies, and I love Cherry Chia Jam Cornbread.
For me personally, cherries are best eaten fresh. Or in delicious smoothies. Like this goodness, I share with you today.
This Cherry Banana Smoothie is sweet, creamy, and absolutely delicious. Packed with amazing flavors and fresh fruits. It's an Omega-3s + antioxidant-rich drink that has no added sugars. It’s a perfectly well-balanced breakfast that can be served as an afternoon snack too.
Why should you try it?
- It's extra delicious. Thick, creamy, fruty. Extra smooth and so flavorful.
- It packs all essential nutrients + heart-healthy Omega-3s.
- It's quite filling and nutritious.
- It's made with wholesome ingredients, and without added sugars.
- It’s rich in powerful antioxidants, and vitamin C good for immunity.
- It's filled with SUPERFOODS – hemp seeds, walnuts and cinnamon.
- It's great for boosting digestion.
- It’s vegan, gluten free and dairy free.
- It's super easy to whip up plus kids just love it!
Ingredients used
For this cherry smoothie, you will only need a few simple pantry ingredients.
- Milk of choice. I used almond milk. Almond milk is creamy, nutty and naturally sweet. It pairs wonderfully with cherries fruity flavor. But any non-dairy milk such as oat, cashew, or soy milk will work too. Cow's milk is ok too. Coconut milk won't work well here because of the flavor pairing.
- Cherries. They are not only delicious but also packed with essential vitamins, minerals, and compounds with powerful health effects. Cherries are a great source of vitamin C and potassium as well as fiber essential for healthy digestion and strong healthy immunity. (1) Plus, they provide us with B vitamins, magnesium, and powerful antioxidants which reduce inflammation. (2) Cherries also keep our heart healthy. (3) I like to use frozen cherries to make this cherry banana smoothie simply because of the creamier texture and cooling effect. But both fresh or frozen will work fine here.
- Banana. The riper the better for natural sweetness. And for an extra creamy texture, you can use frozen banana. See "Recipe tips" for more info.
- Hemp seeds. Hemp seeds are loaded with two essential fatty acids, Omega-6 and Omega-3, but also a great source of high-quality proteins.
- Walnuts. They are a good source of Omega-3, an essential fatty acid, and an excellent source of antioxidants that fights inflammation. (4) Walnuts are also great for gut health and weight loss.
- Cinnamon. It's a highly delicious spice with many health benefits too. Cinnamon gave this smoothie an extra flavor.
- Ground cloves. Cloves are know to boost digestion but they are extremely flavorful. You can totally skip cloves if you don't like its strong flavor and scent. But I suggest you give it a try. Cherries pair so nicely with cloves. You'll see.
- Sweetener (optional). See "Recipe tips" for recommendations.
How to make Cherry Banana Smoothie
Making this thick cherry banana smoothie is quite easy. It will take you 5 minutes and all you'll need is a good blender.
- Start with preparing and measuring all the ingredients. I like to use measuring cups.
- Take the blender and add all ingredients. Note: add wet ingredients first for easier blending.
- Mix everything at high speed until you get a smooth silky texture.
- If the smoothie is too thick, add a little more liquid – milk or water. Blend again until everything is well combined.
- Taste the smoothie and add additional sweetener if the smoothie is not sweet enough to your taste. (See "Recipe tips" section for sweetener recommendation)
- Transfer the smoothie into a smoothie glass.
- ADD TOPPINGS: I used choped dark chocolate. You can add sliced almonds, ground walnuts, chia or hemp seeds. Be creative here and add toppings you like.
- Serve and enjoy!
- Makes 1 serving that serves 1 person as a full meal, or 2 servings as a snack.
Substitutions
- You can use any plant-based milk here except coconut milk. Coconut milk won't work well here. Cow's milk is fine.
- You can substitute hemp seeds with ground flax seeds or chia seeds.
Smoothie variations
- Make it without banana: Substitute banana with ½ avocado. It will make smoothie extra creamy. Note: in this case you will need to add extra sweetener. Banana is added for creamines but also for natural sweetness.
- Make it keto-friendly: Use ½ avocado instead of banana. Add in 1 teaspoon of MCD oil or coconut oil if desired.
- Make it weight loss friendly: Use only ½ banana to cut down calories.
- Bulking up: Use whole banana.
- Make it protein-packed: Add a scoop of protein powder. This will transfer smoothie into a great protein-packed, post-workout shake. I reccomend unflavord protein powder or vanilla flavored.
Tips for storing
- Store in a glass jar with a lid or shaker and keep refrigerated for up to one day.
- Don't forget to shake it or stir it before enjoying it.
- Remember, all smoothies oxidate when left standing. That's not bad. But to reap all benefits from ingredients, it's best to have the smoothie freshly made.
Recipe tips
- When adding ingredients to a blender, always add the liquids first. Doing this will help your blender run easily and this will prevent making lumps.
- Use a high-power blender to ensure everything blends well and the smoothie is silky smooth.
- Frozen cherries are the best for making this smoothie. They blend into a thick very refreshing drink that gives you a cold punch. It feels like having ice cream and sometimes it's so thick you can eat it with the spoon.
- If you don't have frozen cherries at hand, just pop the fresh ones in the freezer for at least 1 hour.
- If you’re using fresh cherries: Always wash cherries before you use them. Carefully place them into a colander, rinse under cold water. You don't need to pat them dry but you do need to remove the pits. I love using cherry pit remover. It makes pitting cherrie so easy.
- If you are using frozen banana, this will make smoothie extra thick and even hard to mix. In that case, add a little more milk when blending and adjust thickness to your likings.
- Additional sweetener recommendation:
- I recommend using 1-2 dates, date syrup, raw honey or maple syrup, stevia, or any low-carb sweetener. This is totally based on your preference.
- If you are using dates, make sure you soak them in warm water for at least 10 minutes. Drain them before using them.
Faq
Place cherries into a colander and rinse under cold water. Remove the pits using cherry pit remover or by hands. Place the cherries in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with wax paper, not touching one another. Freeze for about half an hour, or until solid. Transfer frozen cherries to plastic resealable bags or airtight containers and store them in the freezer for up to six months.
Peel each banana. Cut the bananas crosswise using a life or banana slicer, creating thick slices. Lay the banana slices out in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with wax paper. Freeze for about two hours, or until the slices are solid. Transfer frozen banana slices to plastic resealable bags or airtight containers and store them in the freezer for up to six months.
This cherry goodness is a must-try recipe this Summer. It's a super healthy and very powerful drink, loaded with nutrients and low on calories. It has the perfect ratio of sweetness and healthiness. + It’s thick, super refreshing, and easy to make. Enjoy!
📖 Recipe
Cherry Banana Smoothie
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup cherries frozen
- ½ banana
- 1 cup almond milk
- ¼ cup walnuts
- 1 tablespoon hemp seeds
- 1 teaspoon Ceylon cinnamon
- Dash of ground cloves optional
- Toppings: cacao nibs or choped dark chocolate
Instructions
- Add all ingredients in the blender. Note: add wet ingredients first for easier blending.
- Mix everything at high speed until you get a smooth silky texture.
- If the smoothie is too thick, add a little more liquid – milk or water. Blend again until everything is well combined.
- Taste the smoothie and add additional sweetener if the smoothie is not sweet enough to your taste. (See "Recipe tips" section for sweetener recommendation)
- Transfer the smoothie into a smoothie glass.
- ADD TOPPINGS: I used cacao nibs. Be creative here and add toppings you like.
- Serve and enjoy!
Notes
- You can use any plant-based milk here except coconut milk. Cow's milk is fine.
- Coconut milk won't work well here.
- You can substitute hemp seeds with ground flax seeds or chia seeds.
Nutrition
This post is originally published in July 2019. It's updated with new information and republished in July 2021. The recipe stayed the same.
Michelle says
Yum! Thanks for the smoothie recipes! I'll be trying these out this week!
Explore The 6 says
Great pic! I make strawberry banana smoothies all the time. Once of my favs :).
Abbey Sharp says
Love the colour and smooth texture of this smoothie. Also love that it's packed with so many nutrients. Perfect way to start the day