This Roasted Cherry Granola Smoothie is made with sweet cherries tossed in maple, coconut oil, and cinnamon, roasted until they’re jammy and sweet! They get blended with frozen banana, strawberries, Greek yogurt, coconut flakes, granola, and almond milk until the smoothie is super thick and creamy. It’s a fantastic way to use up an abundance of cherries during the summer, and a great way to start the day!
I don’t know why on earth I never thought to blend granola INTO my smoothie, but there’s no turning back now. It’s SO GOOD. I’ve put oats in my smoothie plenty of times for thickness and staying power, but the granola blended in is such a game changer. This smoothie literally tastes like cherry crisp and cherry pie had a baby.
If you can even imagine what that tastes like.
It’s such a treat to have in the morning, and it’s so necessary in this August heat.
The frozen banana and frozen strawberries make it super creamy, while the roasted cherries give it a depth, a wonderful sweetness, and that beautiful color.
Can you even stand how perfect these cherries are?!
I saw them at the store the other day and immediately known I had to play around and come up with something really good – that highlighted their beauty and sweetness. These may have been the best cherries I’ve ever had in my entire life. Don’t you just love peak summer produce?
They were pretty perfect on their own, but roasting fruit is never a bad idea. Or baking it in any form. Especially when a little pure maple syrup, coconut oil, and cinnamon are involved.
So, we ended up with this magical stuff.
They get sooo juicy, so sweet, and caramelly – in just about 20 minutes. And I’ve been making them nonstop. They’re so good in parfaits, on top of Greek yogurt, ice cream, and even blended into balsamic vinaigrette!
And if you’re thinking, since when would I have time to roast cherries in the morning before work, just to blend into my smoothie?!
The answer is – make a batch of these cherries and keep them in the fridge all week! They’ll even work better cold, because then your smoothie will stay even colder and thicker for longer! You also might want to double these – just saying.
This recipe makes a couple of decently large smoothies, or three smaller ones. You could certainly scale down the recipe, or make it as written, and freeze some of the smoothie into ice cubes! Then, you’d just blend them up again with some more almond milk later in the week!
But let’s talk about this granola INSIDE of the smoothie business.
It’s amazing. It adds thickness, and makes this smoothie taste like straight up dessert. It’s awesome and I’m going to be adding it to all of my smoothies from now on. And, on top, obviously, because toppings always and forever.
I love adding coconut, and a little sprinkle of cinnamon too! I sometimes add chia seeds and hemp seeds for some extra fiber and healthy fats also.
You can totally customize it!
I like Greek yogurt in this smoothie because it adds a slight tanginess, which the smoothie needs, because the other ingredients are sweet! If you don’t do dairy, any plant, almond, or coconut based yogurt will work well too!
I used store-bought granola in this recipe for the sake of time (since we’re already roasting our cherries – I didn’t want to add another step!), but you can use whatever granola you enjoy. This one is super delish. I would go for one with little to no dried fruit, just because those bits can be tough to blend! A grain-free or mostly oat-based granola will work perfectly.
Always in favor of dessert for breakfast!
Roasted Cherry Granola Smoothie
This Roasted Cherry Granola Smoothie is made with sweet cherries tossed in maple, coconut oil, and cinnamon, roasted until they're jammy and sweet! They get blended with frozen banana, strawberries, Greek yogurt, coconut flakes, granola, and almond milk until the smoothie is super thick and creamy. It's a fantastic way to use up an abundance of cherries during the summer, and a great way to start the day!
Ingredients
For the roasted cherries
- 2 cups dark red or Rainier cherries, or a mixture, halved and pitted
- 1 teaspoon melted coconut oil
- 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- pinch of salt
For the smoothie
- the roasted cherries
- 2 medium bananas, previously sliced and frozen
- 1 cup frozen strawberries
- 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt*
- 1/4 cup of your favorite granola, plus more for topping*
- 2 tablespoons coconut flakes or shredded coconut, plus more for topping
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3/4-1 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk*
Instructions
Begin by roasting your cherries. Preheat oven to 400℉. Line a large rimmed bakign sheet with parchment paper. Place the halved cherries on the sheet, and add the coconut oil, maple, cinnamon, and salt. Toss to coat. Roast for 20 minutes, stirring once or twice during baking, until cherries are soft and super juicy. Let cool completely.
To make the smoothie, add the roasted cherries, bananas, strawberries, yogurt, granola, coconut, vanilla, and almond milk to a high-powered blender. Blend until super smooth and creamy. Pour into glasses and top with more granola, coconut flakes, and a sprinkle of cinnamon.
Recipe Notes
*I prefer the tanginess of Greek yogurt here because the other ingredients are sweet, but you can use any dairy free yogurt here if you prefer it!
*You can use store-bought or homemade granola - whatever you prefer! A mostly nut and oat based, or a grain free granola work best here, or anything with little to no dried fruit - it can be tough to blend!
*Start by adding 3/4 cup of almond milk or slightly less if you like a thicker smoothie, and add the remaining 1/4 cup if you like a thinner, more drinkable smoothie!
This is the most creative, delicious smoothie recipe I’ve seen in a while. Love it!
Awww thank you SO much Sabrina!! I really appreciate that!!