In the summertime, I get REALLY excited about the return of farmers’ markets and my favorite produce like berries! Every now and then (read: pretty much every time) my eyes are bigger than my stomach and I end up buying too much fruit. I never want to let it go to waste, so I think of creative ways to eat it up, like this berry crisp. When I don’t want dessert, I freeze my fruit for smoothies. You really can’t go wrong with a fresh and healthy smoothie.
Since I have an insatiable sweet tooth, I wanted to pair cherries with chocolate for a Black Forest smoothie.
I’ve never been a big fan of black forest cakes, but this smoothie has me hooked on the flavor combo and I’m already thinking up ways to pair chocolate and cherries in other lightened up desserts or snacks.
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Cherry and Chocolate Black Forest Smoothie
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Yield: 1 to 2 smoothies 1x
Description
Feature summer berries in your morning smoothie with a delicious dose of cocoa powder to remind you of the classic cake slice.
Ingredients
- 1 cup (240 ml) frozen or fresh pitted cherries
- 1 and 1/2 cups (360 ml) unsweetened almond milk
- 1/2 frozen banana
- 2 tbsp cocoa powder
- 1/2 tbsp honey
- 2-5 ice cubes, or until desired consistency reached
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to a blender and blend until completely smooth.
- Serve immediately.
Notes
- You can use fresh or frozen cherries.
- If your cherries are fresh, you made need more ice cubes to get the right consistency.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Category: Smoothie
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 smoothie
- Calories: 200
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Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use fresh cherries instead of frozen?
Yes — the recipe notes say both fresh and frozen pitted cherries work. If using fresh, you may need more ice cubes (beyond the baseline 2–5) to reach the right thick, cold consistency.
Why does this recipe include a frozen banana?
The frozen banana adds natural sweetness and a creamy body that binds the 1 cup of cherries, 1 1/2 cups of almond milk, and 2 tablespoons of cocoa powder together into a thick smoothie rather than a thin juice — without needing dairy or added sugar beyond the 1/2 tablespoon of honey.
