Ingredients
Scale
- 1½ cups frozen cherries (sweet or tart, pitted)
- 1 large ripe banana, fresh or frozen (broken into chunks if frozen)
- 1 cup milk of choice (dairy or non-dairy)
- ½ cup plain Greek yogurt (optional for extra protein and creaminess)
- 1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup (optional, adjust to taste)
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)
- 3-4 ice cubes (only if using fresh fruit instead of frozen)
Optional Add-Ins:
- 1 scoop vanilla protein powder
- 1 handful fresh spinach (you won’t taste it!)
- 1 tablespoon chia seeds or ground flaxseed
- 1 tablespoon almond butter or peanut butter
Instructions
- Prepare Your Ingredients: If using fresh cherries, make sure they’re pitted. If using a fresh banana, peel and break it into chunks. Having everything ready makes the process super quick.
- Layer Ingredients in Blender: Add ingredients to your blender in this order for the smoothest blending: liquid (milk) first, then Greek yogurt, fresh banana, vanilla, honey (if using), and frozen cherries last on top. This order helps the blades catch the liquid first and creates a vortex that pulls frozen fruit down.
- Blend Until Smooth: Start blending on low speed for a few seconds, then increase to high speed. Blend for 45-60 seconds until the mixture is completely smooth and creamy with no chunks of fruit remaining. The smoothie should be thick and shake-like in consistency.
- Check Consistency: Stop the blender and check the thickness. If it’s too thick to blend properly, add a splash more milk (2-3 tablespoons at a time) and blend again. If it’s too thin, add a few more frozen cherries or a handful of ice and blend until thick.
- Taste and Adjust: Give it a quick taste test. If you want it sweeter, add honey or maple syrup and blend for a few more seconds. If you want it more tart, add a squeeze of lemon juice.
- Serve Immediately: Pour into tall glasses and serve right away while it’s cold and thick. If making a smoothie bowl, pour into bowls and add your favorite toppings like granola, fresh fruit, coconut flakes, or nut butter drizzle.
Notes
- Frozen vs. Fresh Fruit: Frozen fruit creates the thickest, coldest smoothie without needing ice. If using all fresh fruit, add 4-6 ice cubes to achieve a frosty texture.
- Ripeness Matters: Use a banana with brown spots for natural sweetness. Underripe bananas can make your smoothie taste starchy and less sweet.
- Milk Amount: Start with 1 cup of milk and add more only if needed. The amount varies depending on your blender’s power and how thick you like your smoothies.
- Protein Boost: If adding protein powder, you may need slightly more liquid as protein powder absorbs moisture and can make smoothies thicker.
- Make it Vegan: Simply use plant-based milk and coconut yogurt (or omit yogurt entirely), and use maple syrup instead of honey.
- Serving Size: This recipe makes 2 regular smoothies or 1 very large smoothie. Adjust quantities based on your needs.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Category: Beverage
- Method: Blender
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Gluten Free
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 smoothie
- Calories: 215
- Sugar: 28g
- Sodium: 55mg
- Fat: 2g
- Saturated Fat: 1g
- Unsaturated Fat: 1g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 45g
- Fiber: 5g
- Protein: 8g
- Cholesterol: 5mg