We don’t often think desserts and leafy greens go together but hold on. This milkshake-like smoothie recipe is seriously decadent and contains bright leafy greens. My chocolate cherry smoothie will delight your tastebuds as well as fuel your body through plants with 100% whole food, plant-based ingredients.
To be honest, I’m not a huge chocolate lover. This is one chocolate smoothie I can get behind. It’s creamy and rich without being too sweet. I mean, how can you go wrong with chocolate and cherries?
Table of Contents
How to Blend a Creamy Dessert Smoothie
Part of the appeal of a dessert smoothie is the thick, creamy consistency. Even if it’s dairy-free, you still want to feel like you’re drinking a milkshake. Using creamy plant milk like almond, oat or cashew helps with this consistency.
Bananas also help thicken and naturally sweeten smoothies as well. You can also lessen the liquid base for a thicker smoothie. Start with 1/2 cup milk then slowly add in more milk while blending until the desired consistency is reached.
My chocolate cherry smoothie is the perfect dairy-free milkshake with a plant-based twist.
Topping Options
Toppings make all foods more fun, but this especially applies to desserts. Do you remember attending sleepovers with sundae bars or grad parties with a taco bar? My kids are partial to waffle bars. Smoothie bars are fun too! If you’re looking to add toppings to this chocolate cherry smoothie then here are my top suggestions:
- Dye-Free Sprinkles
- Crushed Nuts
- Hemp Seeds
- Cherries
- Cinnamon
- Coconut Whipped Cream
Chocolate Cherry Smoothie FAQs
Heck yes! While flavor pairings may be a personal opinion, I think that many antioxidant-rich fruits go well with chocolate.
You’ll want to take out the pits in fresh cherries before tossing them in the blender. I like buying frozen cherries for smoothies since they come with the pits already removed.
My milkshake includes cherries, cacao powder, banana, cinnamon, almond milk and spinach. This may sound like a less than sweet combo, but try it before you deny it! This combo is plant-based and oh-so-amazing.
Lowering Sugar in Smoothies
While my smoothie recipes are full of whole food, plant-based ingredients, some fruits are naturally higher in sugar. If you’re watching your glucose levels then try these tips and tricks to blending a low-sugar smoothie, no matter the recipe:
- Swap higher sugar fruits with low sugar fruits.
- Add leafy greens for more fiber.
- Add homemade protein powder for protein and healthy fat to help process the natural sugar.
- Make sure your liquid base is unsweetened. This goes for dairy-free milk too!
In this chocolate cherry smoothie, cut the banana in half and then add 1/4 an avocado to keep up the creaminess and cut back on the natural sugar.
Swap cherries for strawberries (lower in sugar). Make sure to keep in the leafy green spinach as it contains fiber and protein to help your body break down the sugar.
More Dessert Smoothie Recipes
Dessert smoothies make great energy-boosting snacks or fun after-dinner treats. Double (or triple) and serve in cute glasses as well as add fun toppings to turn up the wow factor of these fun recipes:
- Red Velvet Smoothie
- Coconut Joy Smoothie Bowl
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Smoothie
- Rainbow Smoothie
- Chocolate Smoothie Bowl
- Raspberry Smoothie
- Cinnamon Date Smoothie
- Caramel Smoothie
- Cherry Vanilla Diabetes Smoothie
Don’t forget to rate + review this smoothie once you’ve made it! I can’t wait to read your feedback.
Chocolate Cherry Smoothie
Ingredients
- 1 cup spinach
- 1 cup almond milk
- 1 cup cherries frozen
- 1 banana
- ½ tsp cinnamon ground
- 1-2 tbsp cacao powder
Instructions
- Blend spinach and almond milk until smooth.
- Add the remaining ingredients and blend again.
Notes
- Use at least one frozen fruit for a refreshingly cold smoothie.
- To lower the natural sugar in this recipe, swap 1/2 banana for 1/4 avocado.
- Swap almond milk with the plant milk of your choice (oat milk also works great!).
One of the most decadent tasting smoothies I’ve ever made. So rich, creamy and chocolate-y. A definite go to.
This is one of my absolute favorites!!
This recipe is absolutely perfect! I am so glad I had everything on hand. I am literally sipping on it right now! Everyone should try this when they are craving a chocolate fix! This will definitely be my secret weapon when I need some chocolate. Thank you for always sharing good healthy smoothie recipes that taste amazing.
I am so happy you love this recipe so much! It really is so delicious =P
Thank you for leaving a comment and letting us know!!!
I had weight loss surgery 2.7 years ago. Here lately I have gotten in to smoothies to keep me balanced out better for lunch. This one..omg it is so yummy. Yes the cinnamon might taste a bit strong BUT it also is a natural blood sugar regulator.
Hi Mary,
YAY!! Love hearing that! Thank you so much for sharing!
I only put half the cinnamon, but still found that it monopolized the taste. Otherwise it was delicious!
Hi Sandra,
Thank you so much for your feedback. Less cinnamon it is! 🙂
I felt like the banana flavor overwhelmed the cherry flavor. Are there any substitutes you would recommend for the banana?
Delicious. I loved!
Rawesome! This is one of our favorite recipes too! Thanks for sharing, Ana!
One of my favorite summertime treats! Highly recommend this one to satisfy your sweet desires with the cherries!
Hi Amy!
Thanks so much for your kind words! This one is definitely perfect for summer :). So happy it’s cherry season!
Cheers!
This smoothie was delightful. It tastes like a chocolate milkshake, yet it leaves you energized unlike a milkshake.
Hi Caity!
So happy to hear you enjoyed it! I love this recipe when I’m craving something sweet like a milkshake :). I totally agree–doesn’t leave me with a sugar hangover, but satisfies my sweet tooth!
I didn’t have almond milk, so I used unsweetened coconut milk. I added oats and chia. So delicious.
Hi Ami!
Thanks for reaching out! Love the substitution :). I’m all about using what you have on hand! And oats + chia sound like a delicious addition to this recipe.
Cheers!
Loved this one! Delish!! Found some sour cherries in the Frozen section so perfect!! Thanks 🙂
Hi Krista,
YAY! Thanks for taking the time to reach out + share the leafy love! 🙂
This is my favorite! It’s like having a dessert for breakfast! Thanks for all the yummy smoothie recipes.
Hi Renee,
Exactly!! We love having decadent “guilt-free” options on hand!
I just made this smoothie this morning and I love it! I’m going to make it more often!
Hi Deb,
YAY! We’re so excited to hear you loved this recipe. It’s one of our favorites!
I could only find cacao in bars, will that work?
Hi Kim,
Can’t find cacao? No worries. Swap in unsweetened cocoa powder it makes the perfect substitute!
This is my absolute favorite!!! I add 2 Tbsp of chocolate plant protein when I use as a meal replacement and I also add maca and cayenne. One time I ran out of bananas and added an avocado (delicious). Love this recipe. Thanks so much!
Hi Maria,
Thank you so much for taking the time to share your love for our Chocolate Covered Cherry recipe. This is one of our favorites too! Also love your additions of adding a hint of cayenne or swapping in avocado in place of banana! Rawk on!
Cheers 🙂
I was wondering what you think about strawberries instead of cherries? Cherries are out if season and hard to find even frozen!
Thanks
Hi Clara-Felia,
We think that is a great idea!! Strawberries make the perfect substitute for cherries in this recipe!
Cheers 🙂
This seems yum but I can’t have dark greens at the moment!
Need a break from my delicious green smoothies.
I did rotate them but maybe not as often as I should have?!
Could I just skip the spinich?
Thank you xx
Hi Maria,
Spinach not the right choice for your body? Check out our favorite leafy greens and see if one would be better for you!
https://simplegreensmoothies.com/leafy-greens