Chocolate Cherry Smoothie

This Chocolate Cherry Smoothie is my favorite smoothie of all time. It is simple, loaded with fruit and veggies, protein-packed, low in fat and sugars, and tastes like dessert! It doesn’t get better than that.

I make this smoothie at least three times a week. My entire family also loves this recipe and it even inspired my banana dodging mother to start making it regularly at home. And my sister went to great lengths to scour the refrigerated section of Walmart and Kroger in the middle of a pandemic in search of chocolate almond milk. It is seriously that good.

And the best part is that it takes just 6 ingredients and a few minutes to whip up!

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Tips for Making the Best Smoothie

Here are a few smoothie making tips that I regularly incorporate to make my smoothies kick some serious butt and to cut down on prep time.

Freeze Ingredients Ahead of Time

I generally buy frozen cherries, so that is taken care of already. But I also cut my banana into bite size chunks and freeze it, as well as freeze my spinach.

Having these ingredients frozen eliminates the need for ice in your smoothie (which can dull blender blades). It also helps reduce food waste. Rather than throw out your spinach when it’s about to go old or toss those spotty, slightly brown peeled bananas, freeze them and use them in smoothies. You’ll never know the difference once they’re blended up.

Portion Out Into Individual Servings

When I freeze my ingredients, I usually do a bulk freeze (i.e. a half bag of spinach or multiple bananas). However, when I know I’m going to have a busy week, I portion out my cup of spinach, ½ banana, and 2/3 cup frozen cherries in individual freezer baggies. When I need to make my smoothie, I empty the bag in the blender, toss in my cacao nibs, protein powder, and milk and away we go. A smoothie in seconds.

Use a Higher Quality Protein Powder

I could write a book on the many terrible, gritty cheaper protein powders that I’ve tried and hated. It really is worth it to find a higher quality protein to create that silky smoothie texture we all covet.

I highly recommend whey isolate over just whey protein. For plant based, I generally only use pure pea protein or a pea protein blend (usually a pea and brown rice blend). I have found these types of protein give the smoothest texture, eliminate grittiness, and have the best flavor selection. I should note that pea protein is pretty thick, so you may want to add more milk to your smoothie to get the desired consistency.

Protein Powder Recommendations

I’ve tried many a protein powder and I have a handful of favorites that I rely on (given below).

I like these brands because they are affordable while also being higher quality, are widely available (Amazon, grocery stores, and their own product websites), and have less additives and more recognizable, real ingredients.

Whey Isolate Protein: Optimum Nutrition Performance Whey Isolate (Chocolate), MyProtein Impact Whey Isolate (Chocolate Smooth), and MyProtein Impact Whey Isolate (Chocolate Brownie).

Plant Based/Vegan Protein: Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard 100% Plant Based Protein (Chocolate)and MyProtein Pea Protein (Chocolate Stevia).

How to Make Chocolate Cherry Smoothie

Simply combine unsweetened chocolate almond milk, spinach, banana, cherries, cacao nibs, and protein powder in a blender and blend until smooth.

If you prefer a thicker smoothie, use 1/2 cup of almond milk. If you prefer a thinner smoothie, use the full 2/3 cup of milk. Also, between the cherries and the protein powder, this smoothie can get a little sweet, so stick to a scant 2/3 cup of cherries and a level scoop of protein powder.

This recipe makes one large smoothie or two “shareable” size smoothies.

Enjoy as a smoothie or transform into a smoothie bowl, topped with granola, additional fresh fruit, chopped nuts, cacao nibs or chopped dark chocolate.

Please let us know if you liked our Chocolate Cherry Smoothie recipe! And be sure to tag us in your creations on Instagram @sticksscratchkitchen.

If you want more smoothie inspiration, check out these recipes:

• Mint Chocolate Chip Smoothie
• Chai Tea Latte Smoothie
• Peanut Butter Banana Smoothie
• Peach Smoothie
• Blackberry Smoothie