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I’ve got the perfect use for those leftover cranberries this holiday season: a cranberry smoothie recipe! If you’ve never tried cranberry in a smoothie, you need to blend this healthy smoothie recipe. It’s tart, creamy, tangy, and has that classic orange and cranberry pairing.
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love It
- This smoothie is packed with ingredients that support digestive health and overall wellness. Cranberries are loaded with antioxidants, vitamins, and fiber (which is why they’re on my superfoods list).
- Orange juice, with its high pulp and no added sugar, delivers a dose of vitamin C to support your immune system. Frozen peaches add fiber and natural sweetness, contributing to a smooth, satisfying texture. Together, they create a tangy, refreshing blend that’s as good for your gut as it is delicious.
- Chia seeds add a nutritional boost with protein, omega-3 fatty acids, and fiber to keep you full and energized. These tiny seeds also promote heart health and support healthy digestion. With its vibrant flavors and nutrient-packed ingredients, this smoothie is a perfect way to start your day or recharge after a workout.
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Orange Cranberry Smoothie Ingredients
This cranberry smoothie is a party of flavors and hits just right for those of us who like a bit of sharpness. Here’s what I’m putting in the blender:
- Cranberries: When these tart berries start showing up in my grocery store, I often grab more than one bag and freeze them to use in my fruit smoothies, steel-cut oats, and my pomegranate cranberry relish. Their vibrant color and bold flavor make them a versatile addition to both sweet and savory recipes.
- Orange juice: Use high-pulp orange juice with no added sugar to keep the taste bright and natural. Look for fresh-squeezed options in the refrigerated section for the best quality. You can also use two naval oranges and blend them up (remove the peel first).
- Frozen pineapple: This is a staple in my freezer drawer since it goes in so many smoothies. It not only adds natural sweetness but also a refreshing tropical flavor that pairs beautifully with tart and citrusy ingredients.
- Frozen peaches: I’m adding peaches for added creaminess, which balances the tartness of cranberries. Frozen ones work best for a consistent texture and are easy to find year-round in the freezer section.
- Chia seeds: Since this fruit smoothie is high in natural sugar and a little on the thin side, I’m tossing in chia seeds right from the get-go. Their mild, nutty flavor complements the fruit while creating a gel-like texture that makes the smoothie satisfyingly thick.
Easy Swaps and Add-Ins
Smoothies are great because you can customize them depending on your taste preferences and the time of day you’re blending. Here are a few easy swaps for this fun recipe to make it fit your nutritional needs:
- Swap orange juice: Use 1 peeled orange + 1/4 cup water for a fresh alternative.
- Swap peaches: Use frozen mango.
- Swap cranberries: Use fresh or frozen cranberries. If you’ve got a cup of leftover cranberry sauce then you can use that, too!
- Add leafy greens: For more vitamins and minerals, add a cup of leafy green vegetables to this smoothie.
- Add protein powder: Boost the smoothie into a meal replacement by adding Greek yogurt, cashew coconut yogurt, or homemade protein powder—opt for low-sugar varieties.
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How to Make a Cranberry Smoothie
This smoothie is super simple to make following my how to make a smoothie framework:
- Blend all ingredients in a smoothie blender until smooth.
- Stop and scrape down the sides of the blender as needed to ensure everything is fully pureed. Depending on your blender, you may not need to stop and scrape down the sides. However, if some ingredients aren’t fully blended, feel free to take this step to ensure a smooth, chunk-free texture.
- Serve the smoothie in your favorite glass and enjoy! For a festive touch, top with fresh cranberries, a sprig of rosemary, or a slice of pineapple or orange.
Recipe Tips
- If your cranberries are super tart, sweeten your smoothie with honey, maple syrup, or any one of my recommended natural sweeteners for smoothies.
- Make a few of these ahead in frozen meal prep smoothie packs to save time next time you want it.
- Swap out oranges and pineapple for low-sugar fruits to watch sugar intake.
More Winter Smoothie Recipes
If you make this Orange Cranberry Smoothie, I’d love to hear how it turned out in the comment box below. Your feedback helps me and all the readers in this community. And if you’re interested in more plant-based recipes (and exclusive content), sign up for my weekly recipe newsletter.
Orange Cranberry Smoothie
Ingredients
- 1 cup orange juice high pulp, no added sugar
- 1 cup cranberries frozen
- ½ cup pineapple frozen
- ½ cup peaches frozen
- 1 tablespoon chia seeds
Garnish
- 1 sprig fresh rosemary
- cranberries sliced
- pineapple sliced
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to blender and blend until smooth. Stop and scrape down the sides of the blender as needed.
- Pour into a glass and enjoy! Top with any ingredients you want for a more elevated finish.
Helpful Tools
Notes
- For lower natural sugar, use 1/2 cup orange juice, 1/2 cup water or sparkling water.
- Swap peaches with nectarines or mango.
- Use at least 1 frozen fruit for a refreshingly cool smoothie.
- Feel free to add 1 cup of leafy greens per serving.
- Swap chia seeds with hemp hearts or homemade protein powder.
Nutrition
Did you make this recipe?
Leave a review for a chance to win signed copies of my cookbooks!Common Questions
Raw cranberries are great in smoothies! Since they are pretty tart, pair them with sweeter fruits like oranges or bananas to help balance out the sharpness. I like to freeze leftover cranberries and then toss them in by the handful into any mixed berry smoothie I’m making.
Cranberries are loaded with antioxidants and plant compounds that can help fight cancer, UTIs and heart disease. Adding some to your next smoothie will benefit your body in a wide variety of ways. Plus if you want to enjoy them during their fresh season, they are an inexpensive fruit to buy!
Yes, cranberries are a great source of fiber, vitamin C, manganese and vitamin E, among other vitamins and minerals. Adding cranberries to your smoothie provides a natural way to boost your overall health and immunity.
This was a little watery when I made it (I think my orange had a LOT of water in it), so I added in 2 scoops of homemade protein powder, and it blended up + thickened nicely. Good smoothie!
I love this smoothie! I had it for breakfast so added whey protein powder, oats soaked overnight in almond milk and for my healthy fats I added 18g almonds. This made it super creamy and filling!
This one is interesting, I think cranberries will take some getting used to but it not bad.
Hey Nicole,
Thanks for sharing your thoughts on this smoothie recipe. If it was too tart you can always add in some extra all natural sweeteners, like dates, honey, or maple syrup!
My cranberry skins didn’t all blend so well, but i was surprised how good it was. Next fall I will for sure buy extra fresh cranberries to freeze for smoothies!!!
Hey Jessica,
If your cranberries didn’t blend so well, I would try blending that first with your liquid and then add the other ingredients in.
Hi Jen
Can I use dried cranberries and how much,pls?
Thanks in advance, Sam
Hey Sam,
You can totally add some dried cranberries instead. I would probably add a couple teaspoons of water since they do not have any liquid in them.
Enjoy!
I saw that it’s okay to use dried cranberries you advised a couple teaspoons of water but the recipe calls for 1 cup of water so if we are using dried do you suggest 1/2 Cup of cranberries and 2 tsp of water of 1 cup of water +2tsp pls advise!
Yes I would add the 2 tsp of water in addition to the 1 cup of water. That way your smoothie is not too thick with the dried cranberries.
While I was excited about the orange-cranberry combo, I was also a little hesitant about it being in smoothie form. I was pleasantly surprised by how good it was! It was quite tart, and I considered adding some agave nectar or honey, but really didn’t want to add the sugar and made it through just fine. haha I actually had cranberries and an orange leftover from Christmas, so this was a perfect way to use them up!
Hey Dawn,
I am so happy that you still gave this recipe a try and enjoyed it! Don’t ever feel guilty about adding in some extra sweeteners. Sometimes the fruits we use are not fully ripe so they are not as sweet which will make your smoothie not as enjoyable. So feel free to add in some dates, honey, or maple syrup!
We loved this one! We added a tbsp of chia seeds and a scoop of vegan protein powder. It was great! My kids loved it too!
Hey Kim,
That sounds so delicious! Way to make it into a meal!!
Day 5. Made this with a small change. Couldn’t find cranberries so I used “lingonberries” instead. So good! #simplegreensmoothies #simplegreensmoothies30daychallenge
Hey Anette,
That is a really great substitute! So glad you were able to make this smoothie work for you.
Love the ideas on how to boost or alter smoothie. Very helpful. The tang of cranberries, while tasty, doesn’t always set well with my belly so sometimes I do use one of the change up ideas! Thanks!
Hey Jennifer,
Thanks for sharing! That is why we love this challenge because you get to really know what works for you and what doesn’t.
Not my favorite b/c I am not huge on cranberries nor orange, but still good to try new things and would be loved by others, I bet.
Hey Martianne,
That is why we love this challenge because you get to really know what works for you and what doesn’t.
Love The cranberries! This will definitely go into the permanent rotation 🙂
I used raspberry instead since I couldn’t find any cranberry. I like the slight tartness from the raspberry.
Hey Sheera,
Love that substitute option. So awesome you made this smoothie work for you!
This was my first time using cranberries in a smoothie, and I am now a huge fan. The orange and cranberry combo is a winner.
Hey Elizabeth,
Thank you for sharing how much you loved this recipe!
First time I ever use cranberries in my smoothies and I L O V E them now!!!!
Hey Carmen,
That is so awesome that you loved it so much! Cranberries for the win!!
I love cranberries so I loved this smoothie. It was very tart and sweet at the same time.
Yay for cranberries!!
Voted this one of the best, although I truly have liked all of them. I like the tartness of the cranberries. Great combination of fruits & spinach too!!
This was the best one for the week!
Hey Monique,
Yay!!! So happy this was your favorite!
I liked the tartness of the cranberry!
Hey Bonnie,
I agree that is my favorite part about adding cranberries too 🙂
I was skeptical about this one because of the cranberries, but actually like it. It was tart, but not too tart.
Hey Terry,
So happy that even though you were skeptical you still went for it and gave it a try! That is what this challenge is all about 🙂
Great recipe! My favorite from Week 1 challenge that I made it again today! Kid and hubs approved