This Black Forest Smoothie is one of the best smoothie concoctions I’ve ever created, so it deserves its own dedicated blog post – here we are! This smoothie packs a rich chocolate-y taste, thanks to the cocoa powder, and it’s equally balanced out by the cherries for a little tartness.
And, this smoothie is packed with protein, for a perfect boost any time you need to meet your protein quota for the day. Speaking of protein daily quotas, did you know that most people don’t consume enough protein daily? If you don’t believe me, Google it, and see what you find! The reality is, you need more protein in your diet than you might think you do.
What you need to make this smoothie
To make this smoothie, you just need a handful of ingredients.
- Frozen cherries: In this recipe, you need cherries! Otherwise it wouldn’t be a cherry smoothie! I love using frozen cherries in this recipe, and that’s because frozen cherries make for a super creamy smoothie, and I find that the flavors of the cherries really comes through! If you use fresh cherries, be sure to pit them first (of course!).
- Frozen banana: I always keep a bag full of frozen bananas in my freezer, for smoothies. The banana is the key to the perfect sweetness in this recipe, so please don’t skip it, unless you have good reason to!
- Cocoa powder: This smoothie gets its chocolate flavor from the cocoa powder. I go for the unsweetened variety because regular cocoa powder contains added sugar, which is simply not needed in this recipe (we have the banana for sweetness). If you don’t want to use cocoa powder, you can substitute for cacao powder.
- Vanilla protein powder or collagen peptides: I love adding some extra protein to this smoothie, and I do that either with a plant-based vanilla protein powder or some plain or vanilla collagen peptides. Use what ever you’d like, or feel free to omit entirely. If you want extra protein/fiber, you can also add hemp hearts or ground flaxseed meal.
- Almond butter: I love adding almond butter to my smoothies for an extra fat boost; because remember, healthy fats are so important to keep you full, longer. If you are nut-free, feel free to omit entirely or substitute for sunflower seed butter.
- Vanilla extract: Vanilla extract is what makes this smoothie taste so decadent, so don’t omit it.
- Almond extract: The real magic in this recipe is the almond extract, because it’s this ingredient which truly makes this smoothie taste like a chocolate cherry cake! I know many people don’t have almond extract on hand, but it’s pretty inexpensive and is such a great staple to have on hand, always!
- Almond milk: I always have almond milk on hand, but you can use any non-dairy milk of choice.
- Sea salt: Now, you might be wondering why I’m telling you to add salt to your smoothies. The reason? Because a tiny pinch of salt will enhance and bring out the flavors of every other ingredient in this recipe, and no, I promise your smoothie won’t taste salty!
Tips for making the perfect smoothies
- Just like I’ve recommended in this recipe, using frozen fruit is best. Why? Because that’s what helps keep the smoothie cold and thick. If you go with fresh fruit and add ice cubes instead, you won’t be able to achieve the same creaminess!
- Play around with the liquid amount! If you find that your smoothie is too thick to blend, don’t panic! It happens! Just add a bit more milk, blend, open the cover, scrape down the sides if needed, and blend again. And if you have both a high-speed blender and a smaller blender (like a Nutri-bullet), use the high-speed blender instead, as it will blend the frozen fruit much better.
- Blend your smoothie on medium speed. If you blend the smoothie too fast from the beginning, it’s really hard for the blender to properly blend the frozen ingredients – so start lower and then gradually increase the speed.
- Looking for an extra nutrition boost? Add a handful of fresh spinach. Although the color of your smoothie won’t be as decadent and brown as the photos here, you can’t taste the spinach, and it’s so damn good for you!
Other smoothie recipes you will love!
Peanut Butter & Jelly Protein Smoothie
Peanut Buttter Cold Brew Smoothie
If you make this recipe, please be sure to leave a rating below! And of course, since I practically live on Instagram, tag me in your creations so I can see them and repost on my IG stories! Enjoy! xx
Servings: smoothie
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup frozen cherries
- 1 frozen banana
- 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 scoop vanilla protein powder or collagen peptides, optional
- 1 tablespoon almond butter, optional
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon almond extract
- 1 ½ cups plain almond milk
- Pinch sea salt
Instructions
- Add all of the ingredients to a high speed blender.
- Blend until the desired consistency is reached.
- Note, you might need to add more milk to thin it out, so feel free to experiment and find the right consistency for you.
- Enjoy as-is, or top with shaved chocolate and cherries.
Rate & review
SELECT A RATING and tell me what you think!
What others are saying
Sooooo good!! I make this whenever I get a sweet tooth craving and it totally hits the spot. Love this smoothie.
I am so happy to hear that, Nina! Thank you so much for making this recipe and for leaving such a kind review!