Cherry Banana Smoothie
This Cherry Banana Smoothie comes together in 5 minutes using 5 ingredients. Serve it for a quick breakfast, snack, or pre- or post-workout (vegetarian, gluten-free).
Here are some more smoothie recipes that you may like: Pineapple Banana Smoothie, Mango Kale Smoothie, and Strawberry Banana Yogurt Smoothie.
About Cherry Banana Smoothie
This 5-ingredient and 5-minute Cherry Banana Smoothie is creamy, kid-friendly, and great to serve for a delicious breakfast, evening snack, or as a dessert post-meals.
Add a scoop of your favorite protein powder, and you have a delicious post-workout snack ready in no time.
Smoothies are a great way to start your day. They are filling, nourishing, and loaded with good ingredients. This pink cherry smoothie is no exception.
Made using frozen pitted cherries, banana, milk, yogurt, and vanilla extract, this cold, sweet treat is best to sip on hot summer days.
Make it using fresh cherries in summer, or buy frozen cherries and make it year-round. Make sure to buy the dark red sweet cherries to make the smoothie. The tart ones will not taste very nice.
The best part about this cherry banana smoothie recipe is that it is easily customizable. You can make it vegan, choose your preferred sweetener, add other fruits or greens, or turn it into a smoothie bowl.
Ingredients
Cherries – Pit the cherries and freeze them for 6-8 hours. Freezing the fruits makes the smoothie creamier.
You can also buy frozen cherries to make this smoothie. They are available at Costco, Whole Foods, Trader Joe’s, and all the large grocery store chains.
When buying cherries, look for the dark, sweet ones, not the tart ones. Tart cherries make the smoothie tangy, which is not pleasant to drink.
If you forget to freeze the cherries, simply add some ice cubes along with the fresh cherries while blending.
Banana and cherries go really well together! Peel, chop, and freeze a large ripe banana for a gorgeous creamy and rich texture. They also add natural sweetness to the smoothie.
Yogurt and Milk – Plain yogurt, Greek yogurt, vanilla-flavored yogurt, or cherry-flavored yogurt will work fine. To make the smoothie vegan, use any vegan yogurt.
The same goes for milk. I prefer using whole milk (full-fat milk) because it makes the smoothie really creamy. Alternatively, you can use skim milk or plant-based milk (non-dairy milk), such as coconut milk, soy milk, cashew milk, oat milk, or almond milk, to create a vegan option.
Vanilla Extract – Add in a little for that hint of vanilla flavor. You can swap it with almond extract for a slightly different flavor.
If your smoothie feels too unsweetened, try adding a little maple syrup or honey. Sugar-free substitutes like monk fruit or stevia also work great.
Variations
Add in your preferred choice of protein powder (collagen peptides) and enjoy it as a pre- or post-workout snack for extra protein.
Cocoa powder is another great addition to that extra chocolaty taste.
Want to make it more nutritious? Add some greens such as spinach, kale, etc. The addition of greens will change the color of the smoothie, but the taste will be delicious.
You can also add almond butter, peanut butter, hemp seeds, chia seeds, and flax seeds while blending.
To make this smoothie without a banana, replace the banana with ½ ripe avocado. This version is Keto-friendly too.
How To Make Cherry And Banana Smoothie
Place the following ingredients into a high-speed blender.
- ½ cup whole milk
- 1 cup frozen pitted cherries
- 1 large banana (peeled, sliced, and frozen)
- ½ cup plain yogurt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Note – Thaw the frozen cherries and banana for 5 minutes if they are too hard, to ease the blending process.
Blend until smooth.
Add milk if the smoothie is too thick for your liking. Check for the sweetener and add more if needed.
Pour the smoothie into 2 serving glasses. Garnish with cherry and mint leaves and serve.
Frequently Asked Questions
To make it vegan, replace regular milk and yogurt with vegan milk and yogurt.
Peel the banana and cut it into slices. Arrange the slices on a baking tray in a single layer and freeze for 6-8 hours. Once frozen, collect the slices in a freezer bag and freeze them for up to 3 months.
If you own a cherry pitter, you can use it. But if you don’t own one, the easiest way to remove the pit is by using a chopstick, straw, or anything similar. Hold the cherry between your fingers. Insert the straw or chopstick into the spot where the stem attaches to the cherry, and push it until you feel the pit. The pit will fall down, and you will have the pitted cherry to use. You can place a bowl under the cherry to catch the pits.
Wash and pat dry the cherries. Remove the stems using your fingers and pit the cherries. Spread the pitted cherries on a tray and flash-freeze them for about 2 to 3 hours. Add these frozen cherries into freezer-safe ziplock bags and freeze for up to 3 months.
Whenever I am in the mood for a smoothie bowl instead of a smoothie, I skip adding the milk and make the cherry smoothie recipe a little thick. Once the smoothie is ready, you can top it with your favorite toppings. Some of my preferred toppings are,
1. Nuts – almonds, walnuts, pistachios, pecans, etc.
2. Seeds – flax seeds, hemp seeds, sunflower seeds, chia seeds, melon seeds, pumpkin seeds, etc.
3. Granola of your choice.
4. Fruits of your choice, chopped.
5. Nut butter – almond butter, cashew butter, peanut butter, etc.
6. Cocoa Nibs & Coconut Flakes.
7. Edible Flowers, Cacao Nibs.
Storage Suggestions
Keep your banana cherry smoothie in an airtight container and store it in the fridge for up to two days. Shake well before serving again.
Smoothies oxidize when left standing. That’s not bad. But to reap all the benefits from ingredients, it’s best to have the smoothie freshly made.
You can freeze it in popsicle molds for up to 2 months. Serve it as a delicious summer treat for kids.
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Cherry Banana Smoothie Recipe
Ingredients
- ½ cup whole milk
- 1 cup pitted cherries (frozen)
- 1 large banana (sliced and frozen)
- ½ cup plain yogurt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Add all the ingredients to a high-speed blender.
- Tip – Thaw the frozen cherries and banana for 5 minutes if they are too hard, to ease the blending process.
- Blend until smooth.
- Add milk if the smoothie is thick for your liking. Check for the sweetener and add more if needed.
- Pour the smoothie into 2 serving glasses. Garnish with cherry and mint leaves and serve.