This is a very wintery cranberry smoothie - and one of my favs. I love cranberries and oranges, so enjoying them together is a major bonus. This festive smoothie tastes delicious as well as contains ingredients to boost your urinary tract health and gut health too. It's also healthier than most cranberry smoothies because we've added iron-rich spinach (which you can't even taste!)
Where are cranberries grown?
Cranberries thrive in cooler temps. They're commonly grown in the Northeast United States, the Pacific Northwest, and in the Canadian provinces of Quebec and British Columbia. They grow on low-lying bushes in bogs that are flooded during the yearly harvest. While you'll only see fresh cranberries in the late fall and early winter, they are available year-round frozen. Cranberry bushes actually need the cool, dormant period of winter to produce a crop the following year.
Cranberry health benefits
If you're prone to urinary tract infections, then keep this cranberry smoothie in regular rotation as natural preventative care. Yet urinary tract health isn't the only thing cranberries can do!
Cranberries also:
- contain powerful antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals - especially fiber, calcium, magnesium, iron, potassium, vitamin C, folate, and several B vitamins.
- contain over two dozen phytonutrients, mostly in their skin, so blend into a cranberry smoothie instead of a juice!
- improve digestion
- reduce bad cholesterol
- prevent gum disease
- boost the immune system
- are low in sugar and overall calories
- have anti-inflammatory properties
Cranberry Orange Smoothie recipe
I'm all about seasonal eating, and this smoothie ticks some great boxes! Winter brings cooler temps, and also cold + flu season. Cranberries and oranges are great natural flu fighters, and also have the most nutrients when picked fresh. This recipe also uses spinach as the leafy green, yet you can swap in any green of your choice. Bananas provide a bit of sweetness to balance out the tang of the cranberries. Yet they can be halved if you want to lower the sugar content.
Benefits of Fresh vs. Frozen Cranberries
Fresh or frozen cranberries both work fine in this recipe. If you use frozen cranberries, then they will help chill your smoothie. And freezing doesn't greatly affect the nutrient content of the fruit, though fresh will give you the most nutrients.
When you buy a bag for Thanksgiving dinner, add a few more to the cart and freeze them to use all year long.
How to boost your cranberry smoothie with protein
Most of our plant-powered smoothie recipes don't include any extras in them. That allows our community of smoothie drinkers to customize their smoothie to fit their lifestyle. If you'd like to turn this smoothie into a powerhouse breakfast, add 1 serving of plant based protein, like Protein Smoothie Boost, to give it an extra 10 grams of protein + healthy fat.
Holiday Cranberry Smoothie
Rate this Recipe Print RecipeIngredients
- 1 cup spinach
- 1 cup water
- ½ cup cranberries
- 1 orange (peeled)
- ½ banana (frozen)
- 1 serving Protein Smoothie Boost (optional)
Instructions
- Place spinach and water in blender. Puree until smooth.
- Add fruit and blend again.
- Serve over ice if you want it colder.
Notes
- Use at least one frozen fruit to make the smoothie cold or serve over ice.
Nutrition (estimated)
More natural remedies this holiday season
Every winter I pull out all the natural remedies I have, to protect my whole family all season long. These remedies actually WORK, or I wouldn't waste my time with them. If you're looking to find some more natural ways to heal your body, check out this great list:
Clare Jones
I absolutely love it. It's great that they all have a unique taste instead of the same old all the time
Eve
Give me all the cranberries!!! I love this recipe! I always stock up on fresh cranberries in the winter and pop them in the freezer to use for smoothies. I’m happy to reach for the cranberries and oranges for my green smoothies now I nstead of making cranberry bread.
Bonnie
This was my least favorite of the week. It was so tart! Fortunately, there were a ton of recommendations from so many members on how to naturally sweeten it up that I’ll give it another shot
Kathy
I love the orange cranberry one but I did substitute 1/2 avocado for the banana & added some protein powder to give me more energy to last longer they the day. I loved the tartness of cranberries & will use them again! #simplegreensmoothies #eatinghealthly #feelinggood
Rhonda
This is one of my favorites. I tend to like less sweetness so it was perfect. I may try it with cuties next time to see the difference. My oranges were a bit bland. It is definitely in my free play plan.
Carden
I can’t leave a full 5 stars because I had to modify the recipe (couldn’t find any fresh or frozen cranberries). I ended up substituting frozen cherries and it was delicious! I love cranberries, so I’m sure it would have been scrumptious had I been able to find them. I’ll be sure to blend this one again once cranberries are back in season!
Anita
Three star. I added more cranberries and used half an avocado instead of banana some ground flaxseed and bit of crushed ginger. It was tart with some tang.
Latasha
I wasn’t able to add cranberries to my smoothie, but I and I’m pretty sure I would have enjoy this one so i has to use berries instead
Pamela LaBouve
I really like the smoothie, I did add raw honey to it because the other comments said it was so tart, next time I will try it without the honey because I thought it was sweet.
Pam
I could only find packet cranberries (will look for frozen so thanks for the tip) so they didn’t mix properly. My last few gulps of the smoothie were very chewy which is ok as I quite like a tart taste 🙂
Simple Green Smoothies
Hey Pam,
If you can't find any cranberries, you can always swap them with blueberries or cherries.
Chewy doesn't sound that appetizing to me =P
Katrina
Yum! I replaced the cranberry with cherries, and oh what a yummy summer-y smoothie (it's summer here in Australia). Just perfect for gulping down after my morning run (in 28°C heat with 80% humidity!! )
Rebecca
The cranberry was a bit tart for me. Next time I might try adding more banana to sweeten it more.
Simple Green Smoothies
Hey Rebecca,
You can always add some extra sweeteners to your smoothie if it is too tart tasting.
These are some all natural sweeteners that we love:
Rhonda Thiele
I love these simple ingredient smoothies...so easy to make and generally ingredients that I always have on hand. No excuse to not have a green smoothie everyday! 🙂
Lynn Schutte
I LOVED this! It's been a while since I had a green smoothie, and I'll be honest - when I took this off the blender it smelled like spinach and sadness. I was a little scared, I'll admit, but it blew me away! Such bright, citrus-y, delicious flavors! This is definitely going into my rotation.
Simple Green Smoothies
Hey Lynn,
Yay!! I am so happy to hear that this recipe was a winner for you!
That is why we love letting you try so many different recipes so you can find the ones you love and add it to your list of favorites 🙂
Cheers!
Ronna Acevedo
Just adding the cranberry was so simple and gave my smoothie some extra zing!
Marla
I didn't like how it had pieces from the cranberry skin. Maybe need to soften them more
Simple Green Smoothies
Hey Marla,
Depending on what type of blender you have, you might want to blend the cranberries and liquid first and see if that helps.
Amelia
I liked the sweet tart taste of the holiday cranberry smoothie and that it was good for me. Yum 4 stars
Kim Aumonier
I'm not normally a cranberry fan, but this wasn't bad. A little tart, but the banana tones it down a bit.
Giselle Ferguson
I was hesitant on trying a smoothie with cranberries, but I’m glad I did. If your already a fan of real cranberry juice you’ll love this green smoothie.
Suzette Boling
This isn’t one of my favorites. But if you love tart tasting things this will be the one for you!!!
Sandie
I love this one, so I made it again.
Teresa Chambers
Really enjoyed the flavor! To avoid the bulky pulp I peeled off the skin if each section of the orange.
Julie
Pucker up your lips! Tart but tasty!
Carolyn M Regan
This Cranberry Smoothie was better than expected however not one I would rush back to. It was very tangy and might have been offset by adding a little more banana for creaminess and replacing the water with almond milk. It needed something to temper it.
Sandra
I found this smoothie too watery and acidic tasting. I like to use more fruits and protein powder. I think the recipe should say a specific amount of banana since they are all different sizes. I added a whole medium sized banana, 1 tbsp. honey and 1/4 cup frozen blueberries. I will try it again using protein powder.
Marie-Claude Turbide
I replaced the cranneberries with frozen raspberries and it was a succes in the house.
Marie-Claude Turbide
I replaced the cranneberries with frozen raspberries and it was a succes in the house. Definitely a repeat this week!
tiffany
Very good. Just the right amount of tang!
Sarah Goudreault
This was delicious! Tried this one today for the first tine and it will definitely be a repeat for the weekend! Loving this challenge so far!!
Kaytlyn
I'm not sure if I did something wrong the cranberries were really gritty in our smoothies. Did anyone else have this issue?
Simple Green Smoothies
Hey Kaytlyn,
I would try blending your cranberries first with your liquid before adding in the rest of the ingredient. That way they should blend much better in your smoothie and not leave any bits.
Cecilia Anderson
This looked awful but was so good!
Jeanine
I have never bought cranberries before much less thrown them in a smoothie! I will definitely be making this one again. it's just what I need on my first day back to work after the holiday break!!
Joyce Moy
We haven't tried cranberries in our smoothies before and this was great! We will definitely make this one again.
Erin
This is a good winter smoothie. I boosted ours with a little, cardamom, cinnamon, and vanilla.
K D
So excited to use some cranberries in the fridge leftover from the holidays. Good balance, we both liked the tartness of the cranberries.
Kelly
I wasn't expecting to like the cranberry so much. Delicious!
Meagan
I quite liked this recipe. My little guy guzzled his so fast!
Sarah Biel
I usually am not a big cranberry fan unless it’s in a poinsettia mimosa around the holidays, but I may be changing my mind because I really liked this smoothie! Added my probiotic and a tablespoon of hemp seeds for some added protein.
Janaé
Wasn’t my fave, but still good! The one thing I love about this challenge is the push to try new things. Thank you SGS! ☺️
zanielle foxcroft
I have never used cranberries in a smoothie before but this sounds delicious and so good for you! Will definitely give it a go x
Brandy
I never make smoothies with water, I always use almond milk, but I was pleasantly surprised and really enjoyed this smoothie!! I couldn’t find fresh or frozen cranberries so I had to substitute with frozen cherries. I definitely will be making this smoothie again!!
Carol
This was a good combination. I wasn’t sure I would like the cranberries, but they were surprisingly good.
Cynthia
Another great smoothie and the cranberries added some tartness. We enjoyed it.
Patricia
Love cranberries! Glad I could find some in the freezer section so I could make this tasty smoothie.
Linda
Disappointed I couldn’t find any cranberries...substituted frozen mixed berries...added some dates for sweetness
Maxine Grant
Day 2 the smoothie was great, wasn't sure if I would like the cranberry but I did.
Molly
LOVED this smoothie. Would have never thought to add cranberries but it was so good.
Anita
The banana was a bit strong on flavor the cranberries added a nice tang,yum.
Simple Green Smoothies
Hey Anita,
If the banana isn't sitting well with you feel free to swap it with an avocado!
The taste is mild and will still leave keep your smoothie super creamy =P
Lolita Wallace
Loved this smoothie! The cranberries added a refreshing tartness
Anita
I liked this smoothie a lot. I did add a scoop of protein powder. I thought the cranberries would be over powering and tart but not so much.
Valerie W
Very tart, but I like tart so enjoyed the smoothie.
Tanya
This smoothie was good. After reading comments about it being tart, I added a scoop of protein powder and a whole banana instead of half. I enjoyed it and it was filling.
Cathy
Love the tartness of this smoothie!
Jennifer
Loved this one!! I've never had a smoothie with cranberries, so I wasn't sure if I'd like it. It was great!!
Robyn C
So good! Love the cranberry and orange together. Very tasty and I like the tartness! I added some avocado oil and chia seeds to mine to make it a meal replacement
Tina
The cranberries make it quite tart. Good if you like tartness.
Myra Rodriguez
This one was really good!
Em
First time buying frozen cranberries! Pretty tasty!
Marlee
Favorite smoothie so far!
Pam
Did not love it, found it didn't blend up as nicely and the orange was a bit stringy/chunky. Was not a flavour I enjoyed. I drank, but did not enjoy. Tomorrow's smoothie will be better!
Donald Hornstein
As someone else said, a bit tart for my liking. I also like substituting lots of pulp OJ for the orange. Much less work and delicious! I always add some protein powder to my smoothies to skip the eggs at breakfast. Oh, and soy milk for additional protein. My niece turned me on to these. Love 'em.
Neal
Had to change this up for ingredients I had at home. I used 1/2 cup of pineapple in place or orange and 1/2 cup blueberries in place of cranberries. It worked well and still had that nice tartness. I enjoyed this one too. Day Two done !
Nicole
Refreshing! It was tart, but I like that. Four stars because I would have liked it to be a little thicker.
Tanya
Great way to use up leftover cranberries from the holidays. Thanks for this challenge, it feels great to get back into healthy food habits after the holidays too!
Brittany Gibson
This smoothie was just OK for me. Not much flavor and just a simple green smoothie. First time using cranberries and wasn’t impressed with their taste.
Kim
I don't think I've ever had a fresh cranberry, so I wasn't sure what to expect from this smoothie. It's a little tart, but the orange and banana do help. I'll make it again to use up the rest of my cranberries, but it's not a favorite.
Chad T.
A nice way to start the day. A bit of fresh ginger root would have been amazing in the mix.
Antoinette Nicolosi
Delicious!
Shannon
Delicious! My 9-year-old loves it too! I did substitute the orange for frozen strawberries because my blender can't blend oranges. I look forward to trying it with mango.
Emily
I found this smoothie to be a little tart for my taste, but not bad.
Allison Miller
I LOVED the tartness of this smoothie! It made me feel soooo much more awake! Lol!
Pamela LaBouve
Love the smoothie today, however mine was blueberry as I was not able to find cranberries. Delicious!
Michelle
Love the taste. I will make this one again.
Katie
I wasn’t sure about this one with the tart cranberries but it’s wonderful! The bit of tartness with the sweet orange and creamy banana goes perfectly together. Yum!
Christina
Day 2, good smoothie but a little tart. I think maybe using cranberry with other berries might be a better mix.
Marilyn
Second smoothie, the cranberry citrus blast! Have to admit it was not bad.
Rosalie
Super tasty! I never thought to use leftover cranberries in smoothies! Now I know 🙂
Chantelle Cunningham
A delicious blend of tart cranberries that is balanced so nicely by the orange and banana. My whole family loves it!
Jen L.
Used unsweetened dried cranberries and got a great cranberry flavor!
Kari
I couldn’t find cranberries but pomegranate made a great substitute! Delicious!
Miruna
Yum! Second smoothie of the year and it is delicious!
Vanessa Coutu
This is SO perfect because this smoothie is almost identical to your Pomegranate Citrus Punch, which I LOVE, but gives another option for when pomegranate's are not in season/not on sale. Thanks for the cranberry idea!!
JoAn
The more berries, the better. I also like the cherries to make it more tart.
Liz
A pretty good smoothie!
Brandy Bowers
Love cranberries! May need to switch up a bit to dial down some of the tartness
Pam
I've never eaten cranberries, in fact have never seen fresh or frozen ones in rural Wagga Wagga, Australia, so I substituted dried ones that I re hydrated overnight. I found the smoothie way too sweet for my taste, checked the fine print on the packet and saw that sugar had been added. So unfortunately I didn't experience this smoothie at its full potential
Liz
If you're lucky Coles might have the frozen ones. I used to live in Griffith, so I know it's not super likely. Cranberries are tart and quiet horrible haha, the Crasins are much nicer than what cranberries actually taste like.
Liz
I had a look online at Coles and you don't have the plain cranberries, but there is the 'four fruits mix' which has them in that. You could either use the berry mix or fish out the cranberries 🙂
Sandie
Tart and delicious. I like to use tart cherry juice for an anti-inflammatory making this doubly tart and delicious.
Kim
Nice taste (I was worried). Would definitely make again.
Michelle
My local grocery store is out of cranberries - so bummed!! What would be the best substitution?
Sandie
Sometimes they stash the leftovers in the freezer section at smaller grocers. You might want to check.
Bethany
Yum! I love cranberry. Now I wish I would've stocked up!
Nancy A.
Love cranberries, they help my tummy a lot, so will make this real soon. Love all the healthy recipes!!!
Donna
Love this one! Never would have thought of putting cranberries in a smoothie. DELICIOUS!!
Laura McLendon
I have never had a cranberry, spinach is good choice, and I love the rest of ingredients in this one.. another good choice for week one
Sue
Delicious . . . never thought about using fresh cranberries in a smoothie. The blend of orange & cranberries is perfect.
Jen Hansard
This is such a great way to use up those frozen cranberries from the holidays! Plus you get the high antioxidants to boost your smoothie— I love this one so so so much!!!!
Jessica
yum, yum, yummity, yum. I added a little less water to make it thicker.
Bonnie
Hmmmm...the calorie count for this smoothie seems to be double of what it should be...or am I missing something?
Jen Hansard
Great catch Bonnie. Looks like the recipe plugin was pulling the nutrition as if we were using canned cranberry jelly. I reworked it and have the updated health benefits for you. Thanks for sharing!
karen
I love this smoothie recipe. it's a party smoothie, so refreshing. perfect start to my morning!
Mireille
One of my favourites to enjoy during the Winter season. We've had this one a few times this month!
Kristi Peck
oh I have a bunch of cranberries- gonna try this one too