My Go-To Cherry Almond Smoothie Bowl

I love blending up smoothies, like my strawberry banana smoothie, coffee smoothie, and green smoothie, as a quick breakfast or post-workout treat. I have one EVERY single day. And whenever I have a bit more time in the morning, I’ll turn my favorite smoothies into smoothie bowls! Today’s cherry smoothie makes the most delicious protein smoothie bowl. It’s a base of dark cherries, creamy almond butter, and bananas, with Bob’s Red Mill protein powder.

Bob’s Red Mill is honestly my go-to when it comes to nutrient dense products. They literally have everything you can think of and can satisfy all vegan, paleo, and gluten-free needs! Which is why they are my go to. Oh, and did I mention you won’t have any issues finding their product because they are stocked in most major grocery stores. BOOM!

Why This Cherry Smoothie Bowl Is Worth Making

• Quick. This cherry smoothie bowl is packed with nutrients and ready in minutes. If you’re really in a hurry, simply blend up the smoothie and take it on the go.
• Just sweet enough. Bananas and frozen cherries sweeten the smoothie, while almond butter adds a layer of nutty flavor. It tastes a bit like my cherry almond scones.
• Fuel your day. Loaded with crunchy granola, dried fruit, and a few other tasty toppings, a smoothie bowl always keeps me full and satisfied until lunch.
• High protein. Protein powder is a non-negotiable in my favorite smoothie bowls! I rarely make one without it. It’s an easy way to pack a decent amount of protein into a meal without a lot of extra ingredients.

Key Ingredients

Here are the ingredients needed to make this cherry smoothie. Scroll to the recipe card for the full list with amounts.

• Cherries – I used frozen dark cherries for this recipe since they come already pitted, and they chill and thicken the smoothie. However, if you wanted to use fresh that’s fine. Just note your smoothie bowl will not be as chilled with fresh cherries.
• Banana – You’ll need half of a banana for this recipe. Fresh or frozen will do.
• Almond Butter – Just one tablespoon of almond butter makes this smoothie creamy with a slight hint of almond you’ll love.
• Milk – Choose your favorite liquid. I stuck with unsweetened almond milk to stay with the almond theme. However, you could use regular milk, coconut milk or oat milk if you’d like.
• Protein Powder – Find a protein powder you love, and never let it go! I stick with vanilla for this cherry almond smoothie bowl. However, I think chocolate protein powder would work here, too.
• Toppings – Popular options are granola, seeds, nut butters, and fruit. More on toppings in a minute!

How to Make This Cherry Smoothie Bowl

The smoothie you make for a smoothie bowl is typically a bit thicker than a smoothie you’d make to drink, since it’s intended to be spooned from a bowl, like ice cream! Once you’ve poured the smoothie into a bowl, decorate it with fresh fruits, nuts or seeds as toppings. Here’s how to make this cherry smoothie bowl.

Adding the Toppings

Now, this is where you really get to make your smoothie bowl shine! When it comes to toppings, I usually start with ingredients that I used in the smoothie itself. So, for this cherry smoothie, I’ll add chopped fresh cherries or bananas on top, and a drizzle of almond butter. Here are more smoothie bowl toppings to try.

• Nut Butters: Almond, peanut butter, cashew butter, or seed butter.
• Seeds: I love to add pepitas, chia seeds, hemp seeds, or sunflower seeds.
• Granola: Try my homemade granola (or this gluten-free version) or Bob’s Red Mill Honey Oat Granola, one of my store-bought go-tos.
• Fresh Fruit: Fresh berries, bananas, mango, fig, cherries, kiwi, or pomegranate.
• Chocolate: Sprinkle over mini chocolate chips or cacao nibs, or a drizzle of chocolate sauce.
• Nuts: Pecans, almonds, cashews, or macadamia nuts.
• Coconut: Raw shaved coconut or toasted coconut.

Tips for a Thick & Creamy Smoothie Bowl

Want a thicker smoothie bowl? No problem. Here are a few tricks for getting a thick, creamy smoothie as the base.

• Use frozen fruit instead of fresh. I try to have a stash of frozen bananas in the freezer at all times, in case the main fruit I’m using is fresh. Frozen fruit thickens the smoothie while chilling it down to create an ice cream-like consistency.
• Add ice cubes. Crushed or cubed help thicken up your smoothie. You’ll need a high-powered blender in this case.
• Freeze the liquid. Instead of using 1/2 cup of liquid almond milk, freeze half of it in ice cube trays. Use 1/4 cup liquid almond milk and 1/4 cup frozen almond milk as a thickener in your smoothie bowls.

Make Ahead

One of the ways I’ll meal prep my smoothie bowls is by freezing smoothie packs. To assemble a smoothie pack for this cherry smoothie, combine the ingredients apart from the almond milk and protein powder in a ziplock bag. Press out as much air as possible, and lay the bag in the freezer. It’s ready to grab and blend whenever I’m craving a cherry smoothie bowl.

More Smoothies and Bowls

• Peanut Butter Banana Smoothie
• Banana Berry Smoothie Bowl
• Tropical Mango Smoothie
• Blueberry Kale Smoothie
• Banana Berry Smoothie Bowl
• Slimming Detox Smoothie