Cranberry Apple Smoothie

All you need is 10 minutes and a handful of ingredients to make this delicious, filling cranberry apple smoothie.  You can use fresh or frozen fruit and the milk of your choice.

It’s also vegan, gluten-free, and dairy-free (as long as you use plant-based milk!) and it’s naturally sweetened.

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Tart cranberries mixed with sweet banana and apple (and a few other ingredients!) make this cranberry apple smoothie (a cran-apple smoothie?!) a quick, easy, and refreshing drink you can have at breakfast or for a morning or afternoon snack.

This particular smoothie is a great one to make after the holidays when you have leftover fresh cranberries. It's a great way to use them up so they don't go to waste.

Before you head down, have a look through and bookmark some of these other easy vegan smoothie recipes you may also like:

• Strawberry Blackberry Banana Smoothie
• Blueberry Pineapple Smoothie
• Pumpkin Smoothie
• Cherry Berry Coconut Limeade Smoothie
• Berry Beet Ginger Smoothie

Ingredients and Substitution Notes

You just need a handful of ingredients; I list them all below along with notes about each one.

Cranberries – You can use fresh or frozen whole cranberries. Don't use canned cranberries, cranberry sauce, or cranberry juice.

Apple - I recommend using a sweet apple (Gala, Golden Delicious, etc.), not a tart one like Granny Smith or MacIntosh. Cranberries are naturally sour, so you need to balance the flavour with sweet apples (and a sweet banana). However, if you enjoy tartness, then feel free to use a less sweet apple. Apple juice will not work in this recipe, a freshly chopped apple is best.

Dairy-Free Milk - I usually make my smoothies with almond milk but you can also use oat milk, soy milk, or any plant milk you like and have on hand. Use milk that has no added sweetener so you have full control over the level of sweetness. If you use non-dairy milk that has a naturally strong flavour (like coconut milk), that flavour will come through in the finished smoothie, keep that in mind.

If you don't have any type of milk on hand, you can substitute it with water.

Hemp Hearts and Chia Seeds - You're just going to be using small amounts of each, so the taste will be undetectable. If you don't have one or either of them, you can leave them out or add a little ground flax meal.

Banana (Fresh or Frozen) - This smoothie is made without yogurt so the banana is what makes the smoothie creamy. It also helps to thicken it. Using a frozen banana will make your smoothie thicker and creamier than if a fresh banana is used.

NOTE: This smoothie is free of added sugar; its natural sweetness comes from the sweet, ripe banana. Make sure it has fully ripened for the best flavour. If you would like your smoothie to be sweeter, check the "Variations" section below for recommended additions.

Variations

There are a few ways you can customize your apple cranberry smoothie based on your preferences:

• If you prefer a cranberry apple smoothie with no banana, you can replace the banana with ⅓ cup of rolled oats (gluten-free if needed), OR ⅓ cup of silken tofu, OR ½ of an avocado, OR ⅓ cup of vegan yogurt. Omitting the banana will cut down on most of the natural sweetness, so you may have to add a sweetener, see below for suggestions.
• To make it sweeter, add 1-2 fresh dates or a little maple syrup. If you will be using dates, make sure they're fresh and tender to ensure your smoothie turns out smooth. If your dates are not soft, soak them in hot water until they are soft, drain the water, and then add them to the blender with the other ingredients.
• To add another vegetable and give it a bright red colour, add half of a medium fresh beet (40g) to the blender.
• To add a little spice, add a pinch or two of ground cinnamon to the blender.
• To make it thicker, use less milk, use a frozen banana, or add ice cubes to the blender.
• To make it thinner, use more milk.
• If you like adding greens to your smoothies, add a handful or two of baby spinach to the blender and remember that the colour of the smoothie will no longer be pink, it will look more like a green smoothie!

How to Make It

(Note: I’ve outlined the step-by-step on how to make this cranberry apple smoothie recipe here, but find the full recipe, ingredients, and directions in the recipe card at the end of this post.)

• I recommend using a high-speed blender (like a Vitamix, Blendtec, or a NutriBullet) to make this smoothie.
• If you don't have a high-speed blender, a regular blender will work, just blend for a little longer so everything breaks down properly.

1. Add all of the ingredients to your blender.

2. Blend until the mixture is smooth and creamy. There are lots of little seeds in cranberries but they are so small, that all of them will not blend, that's okay.

3. Pour into a glass or cup and enjoy! You can garnish it by adding a few fresh cranberries or a sprinkle of hemp hearts or chia seeds.

Making Ahead

Smoothies have the best texture and flavour when they're freshly made. I don't recommend fully preparing this smoothie in advance, but there are steps you can take to make the preparation process go a little quicker.

To partially prepare it in advance, I recommend measuring the cranberries, coring and chopping the apple, adding them to an airtight container or freezer bag, and freezing them until you're ready to make it.

When ready, add the pre-prepared fruits to your blender along with the milk, hemp hearts and chia seeds. Blend and enjoy.

Discover more simple hot and cold homemade drinks by browsing through these vegan drink recipes.

Tips for Success

• Measure and have all your ingredients ready to go before starting. This will make the process run smoothly, quickly, and easily.
• Measure your ingredients correctly. I highly recommend using a scale (this is the one I have) and my weight measurements when making this recipe.
• Use a high-powered blender, if you have one. A powerful blender will make sure everything is blended and that your drink has a smooth, creamy texture. If you don't have a high-speed blender, the next best way to blend it is to use a regular blender and blend for slightly longer.
• If you prefer an extra thick smoothie, use a frozen banana instead of a fresh one.
• Read this post from top to bottom before you start. I’ve included a lot of tips and tricks so you get things right. Also, read through the actual recipe before getting started.
• Follow the recipe exactly as it’s written for the very best and intended results. (But the small, optional variations and adjustments mentioned above are okay to make!)

If You Make This Recipe...

I hope you enjoy this cranberry smoothie recipe as much as I do! Feel free to share a comment and star rating below or you can share a picture on Instagram and tag me so I can see it! (I’m @delightfuladventures on Instagram!).

If You Like This Recipe...

Then you may also like these other vegan berry recipes:

• Vegan Strawberry Pie
• Vegan Gluten-Free Blackberry Muffins
• Blueberry Oatmeal
• Vegan Strawberry Baked Oatmeal
• Easy Strawberry Sauce
• Easy Blueberry Compote