I’ve been working on this chocolate cherry smoothie for a couple of months, always tweaking just a little bit. The result is something that genuinely tastes like dessert for breakfast — rich, deeply chocolatey, and creamy enough that one reader called it “indulgent enough to serve my after dinner sweet tooth.” If you’re usually a “just wing it” smoothie person, this is the recipe that will change your mind. It’s also completely banana-free, which I know matters to a lot of you. Pair it with my chocolate sweet potato smoothie for a full week of chocolate breakfast wins.
The technique here is specific and worth following. I always mix fresh and frozen fruit in smoothies to get the flavor balance right. The fresh strawberries and raspberries wake up the sweetness of the frozen cherries in a way that frozen fruit-only just can’t achieve. The hefty amount of frozen cherries also does the thickening work, keeping this naturally frothy without any added banana.
A tiny squeeze of lemon pulls everything into focus. It seems fussy but it genuinely makes the flavors pop. I usually have a lemon half hanging around in the fridge anyway, so it’s become a non-negotiable for me.
I get the big bag of frozen and pitted sweet cherries at my local Costco. It’s a great deal and I go through them fast when I’m making this every morning. I seriously jump out of bed thinking about this smoothie, which tells you everything you need to know.
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Smooth, chocolaty, and not too sweet. Sprout Living’s Chocolate Maca protein powder is my go-to for this smoothie. You can get 20% off your entire Sprout Living order with my code: thefirstmess
Seriously Luscious Chocolate Cherry Smoothie
Ingredients
- ¾ cup non-dairy milk
- ¼ cup non-dairy yogurt (plain or vanilla)
- 1 tablespoon almond butter
- 1 scoop chocolate protein powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon chia seeds
- 1 teaspoon flax seeds
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ cup fresh raspberries
- 4-5 fresh strawberries
- ⅔ cup frozen sweet cherries
- squeeze fresh lemon juice, optional
Equipment
- Blender
Notes
- My favorite non-dairy yogurt is by Yoggu! I used the vanilla here.
- My protein powder scoop holds 3 tablespoons (about 25-30 grams). If your scoop is different, adjust accordingly.
- If you’d prefer all frozen fruit, frozen strawberries and raspberries work — but the fresh fruit really does make a noticeable difference in flavor brightness.
- I know the lemon juice seems fussy, but it really makes everything pop here. I usually have a chunk of cut lemon in my fridge, so I always include it.
- To get the swirl effect on the glass, I just placed a dollop of the yogurt on the bottom of the glass and tapped it on the counter to distribute. Then I drizzled a bit of Cherry Lane’s tart cherry juice concentrate. This is obviously an extremely optional step!
Instructions
- In an upright blender, combine the non-dairy milk, non-dairy yogurt, almond butter, chocolate protein powder, cacao powder, chia seeds, flax seeds, salt, vanilla, raspberries, strawberries, frozen cherries, and lemon juice (if using). Blend on high until completely smooth. Enjoy right away!
One of the best smoothies I’ve ever had in my life, and I’m a serious smoothie snob.
This comment is lighting up MY LIFE!!!
-L
Amazing! Absolutely delicious!
Chocolate and cherries are the best and so is this smoothie. A nice change from smoothies full of bananas and spinach.
Ummmmm. Holy WOW this is delicious. I’m usually “why bother with smoothie recipes, just wing it” kinda girl – but I am so glad I made this. Perfect as written. So creamy! Great depth of flavor! I’m drinking this for breakfast, but it tastes indulgent enough to serve my after dinner sweet tooth too!
Feels super indulgent and luscious, but is packed with super star ingredients. Absolutely loved this one – making it on repeat!
Laura, you’ve done it again. I already make your Spring Thaw smoothie at least once per week, now this smoothie is in my weekly rotation. You are brilliant! Thank you!
You always hit it out of the park with your smoothie recipes, Laura! I made this one three times in the past week. The acidity and sourness from the lemon and vegan yoghurt works so well with the sweetness from the berries and chocolate. I didn’t have any chocolate protein powder, so I added a bit more cacao powder to up the chocolate flavour.
Hi Laura:
I am more apt to have frozen berries on hand. Will that affect the flavour balance as you mentioned?
Looks delicious! Love your recipes Laura :)
Can you tell me where your glasses are from – what brand they are?
Hi Brenda!
These are actually souvenir glasses from Disney World! They have Mickey and Minnie on the opposite (non-camera facing) side haha :)
-L
So good! Thanks for taking the time to craft consistent perfection for us!
This looks wonderful! Do you know approximately how much protein powder is in 1 scoop of protein? I’d like to substitute my current powder (which has a 1/2 c scoop) but don’t want to mess up the proportions. Thanks!
I just made this with 26 grams of protein powder (the internet says 25 to 30 in a typical scoop) and it worked out great!
Hi Anna!
Excellent question. My scoop holds 3 tablespoons. Hope that helps!
-L