Vegan Chocolate Cherry Smoothie

Chocolate and cherries pair perfectly together in this lush Vegan Chocolate Cherry Smoothie. If you hadn't put them in yourself, you wouldn't know that this shake is full of healthful leafy greens! It also contains bananas, almond milk, and hemp seeds. This easy green smoothie recipe blends up in matter of seconds! It's perfect for a light breakfast for an afternoon pick-me-up snack. It's dairy-free and gluten-free.

Chocolate and Cherries

Cherries have always been my favorite fruit, and as a self-confessed chocoholic, I find the chocolate and cherry combination highly addictive. Chocolate covered cherries are pretty much a drug to me.

Every spring, I stalk the produce aisle of the grocery store, eagerly awaiting the return of cherry season. They're usually super expensive when they first make their appearance, but since the season is so short-lived, I go ahead and splurge.

I make this chocolate cherry smoothie recipe often. It uses frozen cherries, as pitting a pound of fresh ones would take too long, and it would be way too messy.

A few years ago, there was frozen cherry shortage, and I didn't know what to do with myself. Once my local Whole Foods had them back in stock again, I bought all of the bags they had. Yep, I was that person who see in front of you in the checkout line buying so much of one thing that you're left wondering "What is she planning on doing with all of that? Stockpiling it for the zombie apocalypse?" Truth be told, they only had seven bags in stock, so I didn't look that crazy.

What You Need

• Frozen cherries
• Bananas
• Hemp seeds
• Cacao powder
• Baby spinach or baby kale
• Almond milk or your favorite non-dairy milk
• Ice cubes, optional

See the recipe card for exact amounts.

How to Make a Chocolate Cherry Smoothie

This smoothie is super easy to make! Simply throw everything together in a blender and mix until it's smooth and creamy! It whips up in seconds in my Blendtec!

Recipe Notes

I like to use frozen bananas to make smoothies, because they make smoothies extra creamy. Since they're a little thicker, they might require extra liquid though. If you're blender gets stuck, add a little more non-dairy milk or some water. When using fresh bananas, I like to add a few ice cubes to the blender so that my smoothie turns out super cold. Because warm smoothies aren't that appealing!

If you like to add protein powder to your smoothies, go ahead and add a scoop.

Health Benefits of Cacao Powder

Cacao is made my cold pressing raw cocoa beans. It's said to have many health benefits, including reducing the risk of heart disease and lowering insulin resistance. It's also a mood booster, and who couldn't use a little jolt of happiness?

Cacao powder can be pricy, although I’ve found it reasonably priced at Trader Joe’s. You can also buy it relatively inexpensively in bulk on Amazon.

If you can’t find cacao, dairy-free cocoa powder can be used instead, but keep in mind that cocoa powder has been roasted at a high temperature and doesn't have the same health benefits as cacao.

Health Benefits of Cherries

Cherries are full of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. They're also know for their anti-inflammatory properties, and it's been said that cherries can actually have the same effect as aspirin!

This smoothie also contains hemp seeds for protein and greens for vitamins and minerals.

Serving Your Smoothie

I like to drink this Chocolate Cherry Smoothie for breakfast on warm summer mornings. I also enjoy sipping on it in the afternoon as a snack. It makes a great dessert shake, too.

More Cherry Recipes You Might Enjoy Include

• Cherry Chocolate Overnight Oats
• Chocolate Cherry Chia Pudding Parfaits
• Chocolate Cherry Cheesecake
• Chocolate Cherry Nice Cream
• Cherry Almond Smoothie Bowl

More smoothies you might like include

• Snickerdoodle Smoothie
• Carrot Cake Smoothie
• Blueberry Vanilla Smoothie
• Chocolate Peanut Butter Smoothie